These Quick and Easy Yeast Dinner Rolls are golden brown with a buttery crust and tender inside. Perfect for holiday meals or your family dinner.
A great start for beginning bakers that's fast to make with step-by-step photo instructions.
🥣Ingredients
Flour
Yeast—rapid or instant yeast
Milk
Pantry ingredients—egg, salt, butter, and sugar
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Featured comment from Elina:
"This was my first time making rolls. Thank you so much for all your included tips, all your posts are so well thought out and I love that it shows you keep beginners in mind. The rolls turned out great, it's a 5 star for me!"
You can have the best homemade yeast rolls from scratch in less than 1-hour. Use your stand mixer or mix by hand. They are bound to become a family favorite for every day or at holidays like Thanksgiving or Christmas.
These are the perfect starting point for the beginner bread maker with only six ingredients—super easy and quick. Just follow the easy step-by-step photo instructions using the stand mixer or mixing by hand.
Check out my other dinner roll recipes, Lunch Lady Rolls and Honey Wheat Rolls. For larger needs, try Julia Childs French Bread or my Great Everyday Bread.
👨🍳How to Make Yeast Dinner Rolls in 60 Minutes
- In a large bowl, dissolve and proof yeast in warm water with sugar.
- Add salt to the flour in a large bowl or stand mixer.
- Add the yeast mixture, egg, and melted butter to the dry ingredients. Mix well and knead for 5 to 10 minutes in a stand mixer or by hand.
- Form into a ball and coat with oil. Cover and let rise in a warm area until doubled in size—about 15 minutes.
- Punch down on a floured surface and cut into 12 even pieces.
- Place in a baking pan, cover, and let rise again to double—about 15 minutes.
- Bake until nicely brown—about 12-15 minutes.
Ingredient options
- Flour—all-purpose flour, but bread flour will give a finer texture. You can add up to 50% whole wheat flour without much modification—perhaps just a bit more fluid.
- Yeast—rapid or instant yeast, not active dry yeast. One package of yeast is 2 ¼ teaspoons.
- Milk—or just water, but the milk will have a softer texture. Or use a combination.
Variations
- Make them cheesy with a ⅓ cup of shredded cheddar cheese.
- Add some herbs, like rosemary or parsley in or on top.
- Make the garlic with a teaspoon of garlic powder.
- Make the vegan with plant-based ingredients.
Make them ahead
- Follow the recipe to the point of cutting individual rolls and placing them in the pan.
- Seal tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 48 hours.
- Remove from the refrigerator and let them set at room temperature while still covered.
- Bake as directed.
⬇️How to make this a half-size recipe "for two"
This is a very easy recipe to cut in half to make a more "for two friendly" 6 rolls instead of 12 rolls.
- Use the recipe card and adjust the number from 12 to 6.
- Use the amount of ingredients in the ingredient list, not the instructions—those do not adjust.
- If you cut it in half, you can still use the whole egg or just the white.
- You can use a 6 by 9, a 9-inch round, or an 8 by 8 square baking pan.
❄️Storing homemade rolls
Cooked rolls can be stored air-tight at room temperature for 2-3 days. But realize these are not commercially baked and have no preservatives.
I do not recommend bread storage in a refrigerator. But it will freeze well for up to 3 months.
❓FAQs
No, gluten-free baking is much more than just substituting for flour. And the texture of these rolls is all about gluten formation.
No, but it will decrease the work. You can mix well in a bowl, then hand knead for 5-10 minutes. It's a bit of work but not as bad as it sounds.
No, 5 gives good results, but 10 minutes gives better results in gluten formation.
Two reasons are typical. First is the yeast, but you should be OK if it is proofed well with good foam.
The second is just not keeping it warm. If it is slow rinsing, give it more time to get to the right amount of rise.
They should have a nice golden brown look, but if you are unsure, you can check the final internal temperature, which should be 190° or more.
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Have you tried this recipe, or have a question? Join the community discussion in the comments.
Step-by-Step Photo Instructions
Simple everyday ingredients.
To 1 ½ cup of 105° to 110° water, add 2 tablespoons sugar and 2 packages of instant dry yeast. Mix well and allow to proof for a few minutes. While yeast is proofing, add 4 cups flour and 1 teaspoon salt to the stand mixer or large bowl and mix. Note: you can substitute milk for water for a softer texture.
Add the proofed yeast mixture, 1 egg, and 4 tablespoons of melted butter to the flour mixture.
Stand Mixer: Mix on 2 with the dough hook for 5 to 10 minutes. You will need to add some additional flour until the dough is dry enough to climb the hook some and pull away from the side. Do a small amount at a time. It will generally need most of the remaining cup of flour. Turn onto a floured surface and knead a few times to check the texture. Add more flour if very sticky.
Hand mixing: Mix everything in a large bowl with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula. The dough will be sticky, and as you work with the dough, add more flour a bit at a time until the dough is only a bit sticky but still soft. Hand kneed for 5 to 10 minutes.
Form into a ball and place in an oiled pan, cover with plastic wrap, and allow to rise in a warm spot for 15 minutes until about doubled in size.
Place the dough back on the floured surface, "punch down," and roll into a 2-inch diameter log. Cut into 12 even pieces.
Prep a 9 by 13-inch cake pan with a good spray of PAM. Form the dough into balls and place it in the pan. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise in a warm place until almost double in size —about 15 minutes.
Bake at 425° for 12-15 minutes until nicely brown. Cooking time may vary a little due to the oven and pan. Darker pans cook faster. Remove from the oven, give them a light brushing of butter, and cool for a few minutes. If unsure, the internal temperature should be 190°.
📖 Recipe
Quick and Easy Yeast Dinner Rolls
Ingredients
- 4-5 cups flour
- 2 pack instant yeast
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 ½ cup water - 110°
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 egg - use yoke if cutting recipe in half
- 4 tablespoons butter
Instructions
- To 1 ½ cup of 105° to 110° water add 2 tablespoons sugar and 2 packages of instant dry yeast. Mix well and allow to proof for a few minutes. While yeast is proofing, add 4 cups flour and 1 teaspoon salt to the stand mixer or large bowl and mix. Note: you can substitute milk for water for a softer texture.
- While yeast is proofing, add 4 cups flour and 1 teaspoon salt to the stand mixer and mix.
- Add the proofed yeast mixture, 1 egg, and 4 tablespoons of melted butter to the flour mixture.Stand Mixer: Mix on 2 with the dough hook for 5 to 10 minutes. You will need to add some additional flour until the dough is dry enough to climb the hook some and pull away from the side. Do a small amount at a time. It will generally need most of the remaining cup of flour. Turn onto a floured surface and knead a few times to check the texture. Add more flour if very sticky.Hand mixing: Mix everything in a large bowl with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula. The dough will be sticky and as you work with the dough, add more flour a bit at a time until the dough is only a bit sticky but still soft. Hand kneed for 5 to 10 minutes.
- Form into a ball and place in an oiled pan, cover with plastic wrap, and allow to rise in a warm spot for 15 minutes until about doubled in size.
- Place the dough back on the floured surface, "punch down" and roll into a 2-inch diameter log. Cut into 12 even pieces.
- Prep a 9 by 13-inch cake pan with a good spray of PAM. Form the dough into balls and place in pan. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise in a warm place until almost double in size —about 15 minutes.
- Bake at 425° for 12-15 minutes until nicely brown. Cooking time may vary a little due to the oven and pan. Darker pans cook faster. Remove from oven and give them a light brushing of butter and cool for a few minutes. If unsure, the internal temperature should be 190°.
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Recipe Notes
Pro Tips
- An easy recipe to cut in half. Use a 6 X 9, 8 X 8, or 9 inch round pan. If half, you can still use a whole egg or just the white.
- If this is a "new to you" recipe. Please do a trial cooking to be sure it is for you before any holiday or company meal.
- While mixing by hand is possible, the stand mixer earns it's kept in a recipe like this. If you must do this by hand, knead for at least 5 minutes.
- "Proof" the yeast to be sure the yeast is good and distribute it through the dough better.
- If you keep your home cool, you will need to use a slightly warmed oven to rise the dough. This must be kept warm—this is the most common issue with failure. If you are having issues, stop looking at the clock and go by the amount of rise.
- Good at room temperature for a few days but there is no preservative so they will mold fast.
- Good in the freezer for 2-3 months.
Your Own Private Notes
To adjust the recipe size:
You may adjust the number of servings in this recipe card under servings. This does the math for the ingredients for you. BUT it does NOT adjust the text of the instructions. So you need to do that yourself.
Nutrition Estimate
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Originally published September 10, 2016. Updated with expanded options, refreshed photos, and a table of contents to help navigation.
Carrie says
I didn't change anything for the cinnamon rolls. After the first rise I rolled it out and spread on the sugar and then rolled it up cut them and let rise. They came out the same as the rolls do. They were excellent.
I also used this recipe for donuts, they came out great too.
Carrie says
These are so easy, I have been making them all week! I am wondering if this recipe would be good for a loaf, or buns I'm scared to try what are your thoughts?
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Hi Carrie,
Welcome to the blog.
While this is not written for a loaf of bread, most bread doughs are interchangeable. So, just use this recipe but cook like my everyday bread. https://www.101cookingfortwo.com/easy-everyday-bread/
For buns, it also "should work. Cook to color and internal temperature.
If you do these things, please report back here since others may have the same questions.
Dan
Carrie says
I did make these in a loaf, they came out a little dry. My next project is cinnamon rolls lol. I love this easy recipe I'm hoping it works because I love cinnamon rolls.
Carrie says
I did make these as cinnamon rolls for Christmas, so easy and came out great😁
Bev says
How did you adapt the recipe for cinnamon rolls. Thank you
Lin says
These were easy enough. Looked nice. But no flavor. Won't make again.