Name: Homemade Dinner Rolls
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 57 min
Ingredients: 3 cups flour; 1 teaspoon salt; 2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast; 1/4 cup sugar; 4 tablespoons butter, melted; 1 cup warm water

Homemade Dinner Rolls are soft, fluffy and delicious served warm out of the oven with a little butter and honey. This easy recipe for Homemade Dinner Rolls comes together quick and will be ready just in time for dinner. Homemade dinner rolls are delicious as side with Soups, Pastas or even Salads.

Looking for other simple Homemade Bread Recipes? Check out my recipes for Dutch Oven Bread, Homemade Challah Bread or Easy Orange Rolls.

dinner rolls opened and topped with honey and butter

I haven’t met anyone that could say no to a freshly baked roll. How can you even resist it, especially when you get to smell it baking in the oven, every minute is an eternity until you finally get to put that fluffy roll into your mouth. This recipe for Homemade Dinner Rolls is perfect for dinner tonight since they come together so quickly, or make up a batch and freeze for later. We love dipping these rolls into a warm bowl of soup or next to the roast for Sunday dinners.

Tips for Making Homemade Dinner Rolls

Start with a good instant yeast. For this recipe, you do not need to proof the yeast for 5 minutes in water before adding to the dry ingredients. Since this recipe calls for instant yeast, the yeast can be mixed right in with the flour, salt and sugar.

The yeast that I like to use for quick baking like this roll recipe is this saf-instant yeast. This can also be found at your local grocery store. If you can’t find this brand, make sure you are buying an instant yeast for this recipe to work as tested.

I like to start by combining the flour, yeast, sugar, salt and flour in a large mixing bowl. In a separate measuring cup or mixing bowl combine the water and butter. Make sure the liquids are warm to the touch or you can measure the temperature with a thermometer, it should be at least 120º F. Then just pour the liquids into the bowl with the dry ingredients.

flour in a glass mixing bowl with water and yeast

Once the dry and liquid ingredients are combined in the bowl mix together with a wooden spoon until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Pour the dough out onto a clean, lightly floured surface and knead for 2 minutes, until the dough is a soft ball.

Place the dough into a bowl that has been sprayed with cooking spray or rubbed with oil, you can use the same bowl if you have gotten most of the dough out of the bowl.

Cover the dough and let it rest for 10 minutes.

Pinch off or cut the dough into 12 equal pieces. I like to measure the dough with a kitchen scale to about 2-2.5 ounces per roll. To roll the dough into a ball, take a piece of the dough and hold it in the palm of one hand, then use the other hand to roll the dough into a tight ball. You can also roll the dough on a floured countertop until it forms a ball.

Place the uncooked rolls into a greased 11 X 7 inch baking dish. Cover with a clean kitchen towel or greased plastic wrap for at least 30 minutes or up to an hour. I like to prepare the rolls and then let them rise while my oven comes up to temperature. The rolls will bake for 12-15 minutes, until they are golden on top. Brush with butter and serve warm.

close up of golden brown, baked white rolls

How to Freeze Homemade Rolls

If you are making these dinner rolls ahead, you can freeze for up to 3 months. To make this dinner roll recipe ahead, follow the instructions up to the step where they are placed in the pan. The rolls will be measured out and rolled into ball form. Place the balls onto a greased baking sheet and cover with greased plastic wrap. Place the rolls in the freezer for at least an hour and then you can transfer them to a zip top bag.

It is best to let the freeze separated before placing them into a freezer bag so they won’t stick together. Be sure to squeeze all of the excess air out of the bag before closing the bag. Label the bag with the date of when you made the rolls before placing into the freezer.

homemade roll sliced in half and topped with butter and honey

Cooking Frozen Rolls

To prepare the frozen rolls, remove them from the oven and place into a greased 11 X 7 inch baking dish. Cover with a kitchen towel or greased plastic wrap. Allow to thaw and rise for at least 3 hours. Once the rolls have thawed and risen, bake as instructed in a 400º F oven for 12-15 minutes, until golden brown.