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Homemade Dinner Rolls Recipe
4.8 from 111 votes

Homemade Dinner Rolls Recipe

These homemade dinner rolls are made from a soft, slightly sticky dough combining warm milk, yeast, sugar, and kosher salt with shortening or butter. The dough is kneaded with flour added gradually until workable but still tender. The rolls bake to a tender, fluffy texture with a lightly browned crust. This recipe yields soft, well-risen rolls suitable for dinner tables and sandwiches.

Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
12 mins
Rising Time
1 hr 30 mins
Total Time
2 hrs 12 mins
Servings: 24 Servings
Calories: 159 kcal
Course: Bread
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup water
  • 2 tablespoons active dry yeast
  • 2 teaspoons white sugar
  • 2 cups milk
  • 1/3 cup white sugar
  • 2 & 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1/4 cup shortening OR real butter, butter-flavored
  • 1 egg
  • 5-6 cups all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
  • 4 tablespoons butter for brushing, melted

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. In a small bowl or coffee mug, microwave the 1/2 cup water for 20-30 seconds, until it is lukewarm but not hot.
  2. Add the yeast and 2 teaspoons sugar and stir. Let this mixture sit for 5 minutes. Watch it so it doesn't overflow!*
  3. In a glass measuring cup, microwave 2 cups milk for 1-2 minutes until it is warm but not hot.
  4. In a large bowl or stand mixer, add 1/3 cup sugar, kosher salt, and shortening, and 2 cups of the flour. Stir together with a wooden spoon.
  5. Add the warm milk, yeast mixture, and 1 egg. Mix well and let rest 5 minutes. At this point I started using the dough hook on my mixer.
  6. Add 4 cups of flour, one cup at a time, mixing in between. Use your best judgment to continue adding flour until the dough is smooth and pulling away from the sides of the bowl, up to 5 or even 6 cups. Don't add so much that the dough becomes stiff. It should be soft and rather sticky, but still workable. The less flour you use, the more tender your rolls will turn out. See notes.
  7. Once all the flour has been incorporated, knead for 5-6 minutes, using your hands or the dough hook.
  8. Grease a large bowl well with oil or butter. Scrape all the dough into the bowl, shape it together, then turn it over so that the top is greased.
  9. Cover loosely with a tea towel or plastic wrap. Let rise until doubled, about 1 hour.
  10. Punch down the dough. Divide the dough into 24 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a ball (pinch one end with your fingers).
  11. Place the rolls in 2 well-greased pans. I used one 9x13 pan and one 2 quart casserole dish.
  12. Cover the pans with tea towels and let them rise in a warm spot for another 30-45 minutes, until doubled in size. When they are almost done rising, preheat your oven to 375 degrees F.
  13. Bake at 375 for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown all across the top.
  14. Remove from the oven and brush with melted butter.
  15. Eat hot!

Notes

  • Ensure your yeast mixture foams to confirm active yeast and avoid flat rolls.
  • Flour amounts vary; add gradually and aim for a soft but workable dough for tender rolls.
  • Using minimal flour prevents tough rolls, adjust to your environment and ingredients.

Nutrition Information

Serving 1roll Calories 159kcal (8%) Carbohydrates 24g (8%) Protein 4g (8%) Fat 5g (8%) Saturated Fat 2g (10%) Polyunsaturated Fat 1g (6%) Monounsaturated Fat 2g (10%) Trans Fat 1g (50%) Cholesterol 14mg (5%) Potassium 61mg (1%) Fiber 1g (4%) Sugar 4g (8%) Vitamin A 101IU (2%) Vitamin C 1mg (1%) Calcium 29mg (3%) Iron 1mg (6%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 24 Servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 159

% Daily Value*

Serving 1roll
Calories 159kcal 8%
Carbohydrates 24g 8%
Protein 4g 8%
Fat 5g 8%
Saturated Fat 2g 10%
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g 6%
Monounsaturated Fat 2g 10%
Trans Fat 1g 50%
Cholesterol 14mg 5%
Potassium 61mg 1%
Fiber 1g 4%
Sugar 4g 8%
Vitamin A 101IU 2%
Vitamin C 1mg 1%
Calcium 29mg 3%
Iron 1mg 6%

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