Soft Dinner Rolls

Who doesn’t love soft dinner rolls? Even if you normally prefer crusty bread, there’s something about a buttery, pillowy roll that perfectly complements hearty stew recipes or a steak dinner.

While this recipe accounts for those who don’t have a bread hook, you could easily use a stand mixer or dough machine to make these rolls, instead. Just remember, if the dough doesn’t stretch without tearing, it needs to be kneaded (excuse the pun).

Ingredients for Soft Dinner Rolls

• Active dry yeast: This ingredient is key for achieving the right, pillowy texture for these soft dinner rolls. Active dry yeast needs to “proof”or rehydrate in warm water before using it.
• Milk: We recommend using 2% milk, which has  a balanced ratio of fat to protein, giving the rolls the right texture and flavor.
• Shortening: There are slight differences between butter, margarine, shortening and lard. That said, if you’re not a fan of shortening or simply don’t have it on hand, feel free to substitute it with butter using a 1:1 ratio.
• Eggs: The high protein and fat content in eggs gives both structure and a tender crumb to this recipe.
• Sugar: Not only does sugar add a touch of delightful sweetness, it’s important for creating air bubbles in the dough. This leads to a light and soft dinner roll.
• All-purpose flour: This variety of flour contains an average amount of protein compared to others and makes the rolls  just the right amount of chewy.

Directions

Step 1: Proof the yeast and form the dough

In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast in warm water. Add the warm milk, shortening, eggs, sugar, salt and 3 cups of flour. Beat until smooth and then start stirring in additional flour until you’ve formed a soft dough.

Editor’s tip: The yeast should proof for about 10 minutes. We recommend you to avoid disturbing it during this time.

Step 2: Knead the dough

Place the dough onto a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about six to eight minutes.

Editor’s tip: There are several ways to test if your dough is kneaded enough. So if you’re new to making bread, using one of these techniques can be very helpful.

Step 3: Allow the dough to rise

Once kneaded, place the dough in a greased bowl and turn once to grease both sides. Cover the bowl and allow it to rise in a warm place until it’s doubled in size, about one hour.

Editor’s tip: Set your oven between 70°F and 80°F and pop the dough in to riser if it’s wintertime or simply just cold in your home.

Step 4: Shape the dinner rolls

When the dough has risen, punch it down, lightly coat it in flour and cut into 24 pieces. Shape each dinner roll and place each one 2 inches apart on greased baking sheets.

Step 5: Bake the dinner rolls

Cover the baking sheets and let the dough rise until it’s doubled, about 30 minutes. Bake at 350°F for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and cool the soft dinner rolls on wire racks.

Soft Dinner Rolls Variations

• Fold-in herbs n’ things: There are so many delicious ways to riff on the original soft dinner rolls’ recipe. You can make simple cheddar pan rolls, work in fresh minced rosemary, chives or wait until they’re done baking and brush honey-butter on top.
• Use another flour: All-purpose flour is a standard choice for dinner rolls but you can use bread flour, rye flour for caraway rye rolls or gluten-free all-purpose flour. Each flour comes with its own unique texture and flavor profile.

How to Store Soft Dinner Rolls

The fridge tends to extract moisture from baked goods so it’s best to keep any leftover soft dinner rolls in an airtight container at room temp. They can last for up to three days if stored like this.

Can I freeze soft dinner rolls?

To freeze this recipe, place the rolls in a freezer-safe container or bag keep in the freezer for up to three months. To thaw, allow them to sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes.

Soft Dinner Rolls Tips

Why are my dinner rolls not light and fluffy?

First, make sure the water you use to proof your yeast isn’t too hot because this will deactivate it. Second, make sure your yeast is indeed still active—if it’s not creating a froth as it proofs, it’s most likely expired.

How do you keep dinner rolls from getting hard?

The name of the game is to retain moisture. To do this, you can store dinner rolls in a ziploc bag and press out as much air as possible. Also, keep them in a reasonably dark place like the pantry.

How do you make hard dinner rolls soft again?

Despite your best efforts, your soft dinner rolls have turned stale. Now what? We suggest giving them a light steam beath to both rehydrate and reheat them. The easiest way to do this is to either use a steamer on the stovetop or a trivet in the oven.