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Fluffy Vegan Dinner Rolls
5 from 21 votes

Fluffy Vegan Dinner Rolls

Fluffy Vegan Dinner Rolls are made from a yeast-leavened dough enriched with vegan butter, olive oil, and non-dairy yogurt for moisture and softness. The dough is kneaded until smooth and allowed to rise before being shaped and baked into soft, golden rolls. The optional addition of herbs and seeds adds flavor and texture, making these rolls adaptable for savory or neutral accompaniments.

Prep Time
45 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Rising Time
2 hrs
Total Time
3 hrs 5 mins
Servings: 9
Calories: 246 kcal
Course: Bread
Cuisine: Vegan

Ingredients

  • 1 cup water warm
  • 2 teaspoons active yeast
  • 2 tablespoons sugar (or maple syrup)
  • 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour or bread flour, or more, if needed, divided
  • 2 teaspoons vital wheat gluten , optional
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 2 tablespoons vegan butter melted
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/4 cup Non-Dairy yogurt at room temperature (or use non dairy cream, cashew cream or coconut cream)
  • sesame seeds or other seeds of choice, for topping, optional
  • 1 to 2 teaspoons herbs such as chive, basil, parsley, etc., optional

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Activate the yeast: Warm the water to about 110° F (43° C) or until it is just about warm to touch. Add it to a bowl along with the yeast and sugar, mixing well. Let this sit until the yeast mixture gets frothy, about 10 minutes.  (If it doesn’t get frothy then the yeast is too old or dead and won’t work)
  2. In another bowl, add in 3 cups of the flour along with the salt, baking powder, and wheat gluten (if using) and mix in. Then, mix in the yeast mixture, the melted butter, olive oil, and yogurt. Mix to combine with all of the ingredients. The mixture will be somewhat sticky. 
  3. Now, start adding flour, 1 to 2 tablespoons at a time, Keep kneading, adding flour 1 to 2 tablespoons at a time, until the dough is somewhat smooth. If you’re using a stand mixer or food processor, it will take 4 to 5 minutes. If you're kneading the dough by hand, it'll take 6 to 8 minutes. For kneading by hand, just fold the dough over and pound it a little, then fold  again and pound it, and continue. Once the dough is not too sticky and somewhat even, pull it from the side and tuck under, so that you have a smooth top, and put it in a bowl. Brush the top with some oil or dust with flour and cover the dough with a kitchen towel and keep it in a warm place for up to 2 hours, or until doubled. Depending on your ambient temperature, the dough can double anywhere from 1 to 2 hours. I usually keep the dough in a slightly warm oven, so that it will double within the hour. 
  4. Once the dough has risen, punch the dough lightly, and use a little flour to pick up the dough and transfer to your workspace. Use a little bit more flour to knead and shape it into somewhat of a long roll. Depending on the baking dish you're using as well as the size of the dinner rolls you want to make, you can get anywhere from 9 to 12 or even more dinner rolls. Slice them into equal-sized pieces, then shape into balls by just rolling them or by pulling on the sides and tucking them under and then placing the tucked-side-down on a parchment-lined baking dish or a greased baking dish. Keep the size of the ball about half of what you want your full-sized rolls to be, because these will rise quite a bit. Also, keep them just about 1/2” away from each other if you want them to rise and stick to each other, or keep them 1” or more away from each other, if you want individual dinner rolls.
  5. Brush the tops with oil, and lightly cover with a towel. Put them in a warm place to rise again, about 45 to 55 minutes, until they're doubled. Once doubled, spritz the top with water, sprinkle some seeds or herbs on top, and then bake in a preheated 375° F (191° C) oven for 19 to 22 minutes, or until the bread sounds hollow. You want to check the center bun and tap it to see if it's sounding hollow. If not, then continue to bake for another 2 to 4 minutes, then remove the baking dish from the oven. The buns that are kept closer to each other are going to take a little longer to bake than the buns that are spaced out further. Remove the baking dish from the oven, and let the buns cool for a few minutes before taking them out of the baking dish to cool on a cooling rack for 10 minutes or so. You can melt some more vegan butter on top and serve them nice and warm with some vegan butter or as a side with soups, curries, your holiday spread, or however you like. 

Notes

  • Herbs or garlic parmesan variations can be added to the dough and as a topping for different flavors.
  • Whole grain and gluten-free flour substitutions are possible with related recipes.
  • Use nut-free and soy-free vegan butter and non-dairy yogurt if needed.
  • Dinner rolls can be shaped ahead and refrigerated for up to a day before baking.
  • Freeze baked rolls in airtight containers and reheat in the oven or microwave before serving.
  • Oil-free versions can be made by omitting butter and oil and adding extra non-dairy yogurt.
  • Dust dough and baked rolls with flour to soften tops after baking and cooling.

Nutrition Information

Calories 246kcal (12%) Carbohydrates 41g (14%) Protein 6g (12%) Fat 6g (9%) Saturated Fat 1g (5%) Polyunsaturated Fat 1g (6%) Monounsaturated Fat 4g (20%) Sodium 292mg (12%) Potassium 83mg (2%) Fiber 2g (8%) Sugar 3g (6%) Vitamin A 112IU (2%) Vitamin C 1mg (1%) Calcium 28mg (3%) Iron 2mg (11%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 9 Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 246

% Daily Value*

Calories 246kcal 12%
Carbohydrates 41g 14%
Protein 6g 12%
Fat 6g 9%
Saturated Fat 1g 5%
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g 6%
Monounsaturated Fat 4g 20%
Sodium 292mg 12%
Potassium 83mg 2%
Fiber 2g 8%
Sugar 3g 6%
Vitamin A 112IU 2%
Vitamin C 1mg 1%
Calcium 28mg 3%
Iron 2mg 11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.