Dinner Rolls: My No-Fail Recipe (2024)

Today it’s all about how to make no-fail dinner rolls for any occasion. If you want to learn how to make the perfect dinner roll I have the recipe for you! This is the same recipe I use for my white bread, cinnamon rolls, and breadsticks. This is truly the perfect dinner roll recipe.

You could make many of these for your Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s Day, or another special dinner event with family and friends. They not only “fly” off the cookie sheets, but help fill people up so the other food items spread even further.

Dinner Rolls: My No-Fail Recipe (2)

Table of Contents

Fresh Ingredients

If you have FRESH ingredients, you can make these, I promise. The trick is to add half of the flour, mix it, then slowly add the rest of the flour (one cup at a time) until the DOUGH pulls away from the side of the bowl or bread mixer. If you live in a higher altitude you may need an extra cup of flour.

You do not want a DRY dough or for that matter a sticky dough. Once you get the hang of what the dough should feel like, you can make so many things with this recipe. Have fun making these!

There is a separate post for each recipe so you can print each one. This is my family’s recipe we have used for years. It truly is a no-fail, easy-to-make recipe. One secret, the ingredients must be fresh, old ingredients will not let your bread products rise soft and fluffy!

Have fun making these! Thank you to all my readers who send me emails letting me know they love this recipe!!!Bosch Bread Mixers

Thankfully, all my daughters have a Bosch bread mixer so I can make these when I go visit them. I must say, some of my daughters make better bread than me now. Proud mama, here! I love to see our family tradition of making bread, no-fail dinner rolls, cinnamon rolls,and breadsticks carry on in the family.

Bosch Mixer

For this recipe, I do use my Bosch bread mixer, but I learned to make bread by hand and it turned out great! It’s more work by hand, but the reward is the same, FRESH BREAD! Here are some tools I use that I recommend:

Never “pull” or “stretch” the dough, I cut the dough with this tool to make bread loaves or rolls: OXO Good Grips Multi-purpose Stainless Steel Scraper & Chopper

My favorite cookie sheets for dinner rolls, cinnamon rolls, or breadsticks: are Nordic Ware Natural Aluminum Commercial Baker’s Half Sheet. You can use a cookie sheet or a 9 by 13″ baking pan for dinner rolls. Baking Pan

Bake Until Golden Brown

I like to bake my dinner rolls a little golden brown, not overly brown because I like the light fluffy texture of these. My mouth is watering just talking about these rolls. It’s hard for me to go out to dinner where dinner rolls are served since most just don’t measure up. I am a big fan of homemade rolls. If they taste like yeast it means the restaurant let them rise too long. Nope, I can’t eat yeasty-tasting rolls.

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P.S. I use this recipe and flatten them for hamburger buns or make rectangles for hot dog buns! Once you make your own hamburger or hot dog buns the commercial ones just don’t cut it for taste or texture. I still buy them when we are having a crowd for parties, but just so you know, you need to try making your own.

My Favorite Dough Enhancer:

This is the only dough enhancer I use: NutriMill Dough Enhancer 16oz BagDinner Rolls: My No-Fail Recipe (3)Dinner Rolls: My No-Fail Recipe (4)Yes, it’s expensive but it lasts a very long time, I store it in my freezer to keep it fresh. You can buy here from Amazon or at your local Bosch bread store, typically. Most upper-scale kitchen stores sell it on-site. It is optional, but you will see why I use it. Fluffy rolls rock!

My Favorite SAF Yeast

I’m really fussy about the flour, dough enhancer, and yeast that I use. I highly recommend SAF Yeast and store your yeast in the freezer to keep it fresh. Once opened, store it in OXO Containers or glass mason jars, then place them in the freezer.

Shelf-life of White/Bread Flour:

The shelf life of white enriched bread flour is 8-12 months. I think I can hear some of you say, but I have had white flour for years and it’s still okay to use. This is what I have learned and I feel I need to pass it on to you about the shelf life of white/bread flour.

I am quoting Honeyville Grain:

Honeyville Grain Products.

Shelf-Life: Cal Best Bread Flour will store for 1 year in a sealed 50-pound bag under ideal storage conditions (cool, dry place).”

Shelf-Life: All-Purpose Bleached Flour will store for 1 year in a sealed 50-pound bag under ideal storage conditions (cool, dry place).”

Shelf-life of #10 Cans of Flour:

The shelf life of #10 cans of flour commercially processed has a longer shelf-life than the bags you buy at Honeyville Grain, Costco, or your local grocery store.

I am quoting Thrive Life:

“Shelf life of #10 cans:Closed: 5 years,Open: 1 year (Shelf life based on optimal storage conditions.)”

Cinnamon Rolls and Bread Sticks:

Cinnamon Rolls by Food Storage Momsor Breadsticks by Food Storage Moms

Please let me know if you make some dinner rolls, I would love to hear. If you have fresh flour and SAF yeast you can make fabulous dinner rolls! SAF Yeast (please store in the freezer)

Instructions

Step One: Ingredients

Place all of the ingredients in order into your mixing bowl. I use a Bosch Bread Mixer. Be careful with the eggs not add the warm milk too fast or you will have scrambled eggs.

Step Two: Add Half Of The Flour

Add half of the flour and keep adding the rest of the flour. Mix for about 5-6 minutes and until the bread dough pulls away from the sides of the mixing bowl.

Dinner Rolls: My No-Fail Recipe (5)

Step Three: Cover With Greased Plastic Wrap

Place dough after molding it in a ball in a greased bowl.

Cover with greased plastic wrap and let rise the first time until it doubles in size, about an hour.

Dinner Rolls: My No-Fail Recipe (7)

This is Double in Size

Dinner Rolls: My No-Fail Recipe (8)

Step Four: Punch Down The Dough

Punch the dough down and mold it into small balls about 1-1/2 inches to 2 inches in diameter.

Dinner Rolls: My No-Fail Recipe (9)

Step Five: Let Rise Again

Cover with greased plastic and let rise one more time, about an hour, or until double the size.

Dinner Rolls: My No-Fail Recipe (10)

Step Six: Bake the Dinner Rolls

Remove the plastic wrap and bake at (350°F) = (176°C) degrees for about 15-20 minutes on a greased cookie sheet until golden brown. Do not overbake.

Dinner Rolls: My No-Fail Recipe (11)

Step Seven: Butter The Tops

I spread a little butter on the tops after baking so the rolls are soft on top. If you like a crispier top you can skip this step.

Dinner Rolls: My No-Fail Recipe (12)

No-Fail Dinner Rolls by Food Storage Moms

5 from 8 votes

Dinner Rolls: My No-Fail Recipe (13)

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No-Fail Dinner Rolls

Prep Time

1 hr 20 mins

Cook Time

20 mins

Total Time

1 hr 20 mins

Course:Bread

Cuisine:American

Servings: 30 rolls

Author: Linda Loosli

Ingredients

  • 4TeaspoonsSAF Instant Yeast
  • 1/2CupWater
  • 2CupsWarm Milk
  • 1/4CupOlive Oil
  • 1/2-3/4CupSugar
  • 1-1/2TeaspoonsSea Salt
  • 4TeaspoonsDough Enhancer NutriMill (optional)
  • 2Eggs
  • 6-7CupsWhite bread flour (Add 1/2 of the flour and then add more until the dough pulls away from the sides of the mixing bowl)
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Instructions

  1. Place all of the ingredients in order into your mixing bowl. I use a Bosch Bread Mixer.

  2. Be careful with the eggs not add the warm milk too fast or you will have scrambled eggs.

  3. Add half of the flour and keep adding the rest of the flour. Mix for about 5-6 minutes and until the bread dough pulls away from the sides of the mixing bowl.

  4. Cover with greased plastic wrap and let rise the first time until it doubles in size, about an hour.

  5. Punch the dough down and mold it into small balls about 1-1/2 inches to 2 inches in diameter.

  6. Cover with greased plastic and let rise one more time, about an hour, or until double the size.

  7. Remove the plastic wrap and bake at (350°F) = (176°C) degrees for about 15-20 minutes on a greased cookie sheet until golden brown.

  8. Do not overbake.

  9. I spread a little butter on the tops after baking so the rolls are soft on top. If you like a crispier top you can skip this step.

No-Fail White Bread or Dinner Roll Recipe

This recipe is double the recipe above. I use the same dough for breadsticks, bread, dinner rolls, or cinnamon rolls. You will love this bread dough!

5 from 5 votes

Dinner Rolls: My No-Fail Recipe (14)

Print

White Bread Recipe-No-Fail

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

27 mins

Total Time

42 mins

Course:Bread

Cuisine:American

Servings: 8 loaves

Author: Linda Loosli

Ingredients

  • 4cupswarm milk
  • 8tsp.SAF Instant Yeast
  • 4eggs
  • 1/2cupOil (I use Olive oil)
  • 8teaspoonsdough enhancer (optional)
  • 3tsp.Sea Salt
  • 1cupsugar
  • 1cupwarm water
  • 13-14cupswhite bread flour

Instructions

  1. I start with a Bosch Mixer although you could make this in a bowl. I put the yeast, warm water, salt, oil, and sugar in the bowl.

  2. I then add the eggs and lightly mix them in the Bosch so the eggs do not “cook”. Then I add the warm milk and flour slowly.

  3. I continue to add flour until the bread dough pulls away from the sides of the Bosch bowl.

  4. I knead for about 7-8 minutes.

  5. I place the dough in a greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap.

  6. I let the dough rise until it is double in size.

  7. I punch down the dough then cut the dough into seven pieces, mold them, and place these in greased pans.

  8. I let it rise once again (using the same plastic wrap) until it doubles and then I bake them at (350°F) = (176°C) degrees for 27 minutes. Ilightlybutter the tops of each loaf after baking while cooling on wire racks.

  9. I store the loaves in bags and freeze the other loaves we will not eat in 3-4 days. Remember this bread has zero preservatives so it will go bad within 3-4 days.

How do I store these dinner rolls or bread after baking them?

Just place them in baggies and set them on the kitchen counter. The refrigerator will dry them out, just giving you the heads up.

Can I freeze the bread?

Yes, you can, place the loaves in bread bags and freezer for 2-3 months. Bread Bags with Ties

How do I freeze the leftover baked dinner rolls?

I freeze them in freezer bags for up to 2 months.

Can I freeze the dough and bake it later?

This recipe does not have any additives or preservatives to help it rise after freezing. I would bake the dinner rolls or bread and freeze them after baking them as directed.

Final Word

I hope you try my no-fail dinner rolls, if you have fresh ingredients you can make them. There is something about teaching our kids and grandkids the skill of making bread and dinner rolls is a great beginning. God Bless this world, Linda

Copyright Images: Homemade Dinner Rolls AdobeStock_131042832 by By vm2002

Dinner Rolls: My No-Fail Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Why are my homemade dinner rolls hard? ›

Too much flour, or not the right kind, could be to blame. Dough made only from flour with a high or even average amount of protein (like bread flour or all-purpose flour) can become tough from overmixing. Protein gives bread structure in the form of gluten—the more you mix and move the dough, the more gluten you get.

Why are my dinner rolls tasteless? ›

Flat flavor in bread is almost always because of not enough salt. I agree with you that you don't have enough. About 2% of the flour weight. In your recipe with 5 cups of flour (600g) that would be just over 2tsp of table salt (12g).

Should you brush dinner rolls before baking? ›

Butter basting: Rolls can be brushed with butter before, during, or after baking. While it doesn't brown the surface as much as egg wash will, it does promote browning and adds a lot of flavor.

How can I make my bread fluffier instead of dense? ›

Add Sugar

Adding sugar weakens the gluten structure, absorbs water, and eventually makes the bread lighter and softer. As a result, sugar improves the bread's taste, structure and texture. Yeast also eats up sugar to produce carbon dioxide, which raises the dough and makes bread fluffy.

How do I make my rolls more airy? ›

Tips for Making Fluffy Dinner Rolls
  1. Don't get the milk too hot. The optimal temperature for milk is around 100 degrees F. ...
  2. Make sure your yeast isn't old. ...
  3. Use a combination of all-purpose and bread flour. ...
  4. Mix your dough long enough. ...
  5. Don't rush the rising time. ...
  6. Don't over-bake.

What happens if you add too much flour to dinner rolls? ›

Too much flour results in a dry, crumbly dough that's unpleasant and difficult to work with. It doesn't stick to itself and tends to fall apart when kneaded.

Should I brush rolls with butter before baking? ›

Here's what you should know.
  1. For matte rolls, brush the tops with salted butter. ...
  2. For the most golden brown tops, use a whole egg or egg yolk. ...
  3. For pretzel-like tops, definitely use an egg. ...
  4. For soft tops, go with a high fat wash, such as butter or cream.
Nov 21, 2022

What makes buns soft and fluffy? ›

Use a good-quality bread flour that has a high protein content, as this will give your dough the structure it needs to rise and become light and fluffy. Make sure to use the right amount of yeast for your dough. Too much yeast will cause the dough to rise too quickly, resulting in a denser texture.

Why do my rolls have no flavor? ›

Salt adds flavor to bread. If none or too little is used in a recipe, the bread will lack the right flavor and taste "bland." If you reduce the amount of salt, try adding some dried herbs to increase the flavor. Too much yeast in bread will give bread an off-taste.

Can you put too much yeast in bread? ›

This can affect the bread by adding a "yeasty" taste if you put too much into the dough. General amounts of yeast are around 1 - 2 % of the flour, by weight. Too much yeast could cause the dough to go flat by releasing gas before the flour is ready to expand.

What makes rolls taste good? ›

A sprinkle of flaky sea salt just before serving makes just about anything taste better, and store-bought dinner rolls are no exception. After they've been warmed in the oven with butter and herbs, grab a few big pinches and sprinkle them all over the tops of the rolls to lend crunchy, salty pops of flavor.

Should I bake rolls on parchment paper? ›

Baking rolls on a baking sheet: These rolls can also be baked on a rimmed baking sheet if you'd prefer not to have the tear-away edges. Line the baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking liner and space the rolls a few inches apart.

Should I use parchment paper for dinner rolls? ›

I suggest using parchment paper to line the baking dish to ensure that the rolls are easy to remove from the pan to serve. Once the homemade dinner rolls are formed and placed in the baking sheet, let them rise again until they are doubled in size (30-60 minutes).

Why do you brush rolls with milk before baking? ›

EGG: Using beaten whole eggs will give color and sheen to a bread. Egg yolk provides rich color, browning easily in the oven. Egg white provides a nice sheen. MILK: Brushing with milk will help to color the crust, the sugars in the milk helping to brown it.

How can I make my bread lighter and fluffy? ›

All it takes is a small amount of dough enhancer per loaf to create a much lighter and fluffier result. Using a dough enhancer like Vital Wheat Gluten works to improve the texture and elasticity of the dough and elongate the strands of gluten. Doing so allows more room for the gas in the dough to develop and rise.

Why are my homemade rolls so dense? ›

There may be several reasons for a dense, cake like texture in bread. It may indicate the kneading wasn't enough for the gluten to develop properly, or the dough was proved for too short a time or the dough may have been too dry. It is also worth checking the flour you used.

Why is my bread heavy not fluffy? ›

The usual reason why bread becomes too dense is due to using flour with low protein content. When your loaf is spongy and heavy, you might have also put too much flour into it or made the dough in a cooler or too warm setting.

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