Description
These best homemade dinner rolls are soft, fluffy, and buttery, perfect for any meal or occasion. Made from scratch with simple ingredients like yeast, flour, milk, and butter, they are easy to prepare and yield a batch of 12 golden-brown rolls with a tender crumb and deliciously rich flavor, topped with melted butter and a sprinkle of coarse sea salt.
Ingredients
Scale
Dough
- ½ cup warm water (about 105 degrees F)
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
- 6 tablespoons salted butter (melted and cooled)
- 1 cup whole milk (room temperature)
- 1 egg (room temperature, lightly beaten)
- ½ tablespoon sea salt
- 3-4 cups all-purpose flour
Topping
- 2 tablespoons salted butter (melted)
- Coarse sea salt (for sprinkling)
Instructions
- Prepare the Pan: Line a 9×13” baking pan with parchment paper and set aside to ensure easy removal of the rolls after baking.
- Proof the Yeast: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, mix warm water, sugar, and active dry yeast. Let sit for 5-10 minutes until the mixture becomes foamy, indicating the yeast is active.
- Make the Dough: Add melted and cooled butter, room temperature whole milk, and lightly beaten egg to the yeast mixture and stir to combine thoroughly.
- Add Flour and Salt: Gradually add 3 cups of all-purpose flour along with ½ tablespoon of sea salt to the mixture. Knead the dough using the dough hook, adding additional flour as needed until a slightly tacky, smooth dough ball forms.
- First Rise: Lightly grease a large bowl with butter or oil, place the dough inside, and cover with a damp cloth. Set it in a warm place to rise for about 1 hour or until it has doubled in size.
- Degas and Shape: Once risen, flour your hands and gently squeeze the dough to remove trapped gas. Divide the dough into 12 equal portions by weight, shaping each into a smooth ball using floured hands.
- Arrange in Pan: Place the 12 dough balls evenly spaced in the prepared baking pan in 4 rows of 3. Cover with a damp towel without touching the dough and let rise again in a warm place until doubled in size, about 30-60 minutes.
- Preheat Oven: When the rolls have risen about halfway through the second rise, preheat your oven to 375 degrees F.
- Bake: Bake the rolls for 25-30 minutes until golden brown on top and hollow sounding when tapped or when their internal temperature reaches 185-190 degrees F.
- Butter and Season: Remove rolls immediately from the oven and brush generously with melted butter. Sprinkle with coarse sea salt while still warm.
- Cool and Serve: Allow the rolls to cool slightly before serving warm. Enjoy their fluffy and buttery texture right away.
Notes
- Ingredient Substitutions: Whole milk can be substituted with 2% milk or half-and-half for a richer texture. For flour, all-purpose is recommended but whole wheat can be used for a healthier option. Granulated sugar can be replaced with honey for natural sweetness. Unsalted butter can be used instead of salted.
- Make Ahead & Freezing: After shaping the rolls but before the second rise, freeze the covered dough balls in the baking pan for up to 1 month. To bake from frozen, let dough come to room temperature and rise fully, then bake as directed, or bake directly from freezer starting at 325°F for 25 minutes, then increase to 375°F for another 10 minutes.
- Storage: Store leftover baked rolls in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. For longer storage, freeze baked rolls in an airtight container or ziplock bag for up to 2 months.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 dinner roll
- Calories: 160
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 190 mg
- Fat: 6 g
- Saturated Fat: 3.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 25 mg
