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soft dinner rolls out of the oven

Soft Dinner Rolls Recipe

Soft, fluffy homemade dinner rolls made with simple ingredients and brushed with a sweet honey butter glaze. Perfect for holidays, family dinners, or serving alongside soups and stews.
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Prep Time 3 hours 25 minutes
Cook Time 22 minutes
Total Time 3 hours 45 minutes
Course Side Dish
Servings 14 rolls

Equipment

  • Stand mixer with dough hook (optional)
  • Mixing bowls
  • Measuring cups and spoons
  • Bench scraper (optional but helpful)
  • 9×13 baking dish

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup whole milk warmed to about 110°F
  • 2 ¼ teaspoons instant yeast 1 packet
  • 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar divided
  • 1 large egg
  • ¼ cup unsalted butter softened and cut into pieces
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
  • Optional Honey Butter Topping
  • 2 Tablespoons melted butter
  • 1 Tablespoon honey

Instructions
 

Prepare the Dough

  • In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together the warm milk, yeast, and 1 tablespoon sugar. Cover and let sit for 5 minutes until slightly foamy.

Mix the Dough

  • Add the remaining sugar, egg, butter, salt, and 1 cup flour. Mix on low speed for 30 seconds.
  • Add the remaining flour and mix on medium speed for about 2 minutes, until the dough begins pulling away from the sides of the bowl.
  • The dough should be soft and slightly sticky but manageable.

Knead the Dough

  • Knead with the dough hook for 5 minutes, or knead by hand on a lightly floured surface for the same amount of time.
  • If the dough becomes too sticky, sprinkle small amounts of flour as needed.
  • The dough should bounce back slowly when poked.

First Rise

  • Lightly grease a large bowl and place the dough inside, turning to coat.
  • Cover with plastic wrap or a clean towel and let rise in a warm place for 1–2 hours, until doubled in size.

Prepare the Pan

  • Grease a 9x13 baking dish or two 9-inch round or square pans.

Shape the Rolls

  • Punch down the dough and divide it into 14–16 pieces.
  • Shape each piece into a smooth ball and arrange them in the prepared pan.

Second Rise

  • Cover and allow the rolls to rise again for about 1 hour, until puffy.

Preheat Oven

  • Preheat oven to 350°F and position the rack toward the lower third of the oven.

Bake

  • Bake for 20–25 minutes, until golden brown.
  • Rotate the pan halfway through baking for even color.
  • If the tops brown too quickly, loosely tent with foil.

Brush with Honey Butter

  • Mix melted butter and honey and brush over the warm rolls.
  • Serve warm and enjoy.

Notes

 
No stand mixer?
You can mix and knead this dough by hand with a wooden spoon.
Make Ahead Option
After shaping the rolls, cover and refrigerate overnight. Let them come to room temperature before baking.
Freezing Rolls
Bake and cool completely, then freeze in an airtight bag for up to 2 months.
Reheating
Warm rolls in a 300°F oven for 10 minutes.