prep time: 25 min | cook time: 25 min | total time: 3 Hr 20 min
There’s something special about a basket of freshly baked dinner rolls on the table during the holidays. These homemade dinner rolls are soft, fluffy, and lightly buttery, with a beautiful golden top and a tender inside.
Made without eggs, this simple yeast dough comes together with everyday ingredients and bakes into rolls that are perfect for serving alongside your favorite meals.
These rolls are a wonderful addition to your Thanksgiving dinner or Christmas menu, but they’re easy enough to make throughout the year. You can also prepare the dough the night before and let it proof in the refrigerator, making holiday baking a little easier. I have included the overnight method in the recipe card instructions.
The recipe is naturally eggless and includes a tested dairy-free option!
A few simple techniques help create soft, fluffy homemade dinner rolls.
Milk: Warm milk activates the yeast and adds moisture to the dough. Use dairy milk or unsweetened plant-based milk for a dairy-free version.
Active Dry Yeast: Helps the dough rise and creates the soft, fluffy texture. Make sure your yeast is fresh and active.
Granulated Sugar: Adds a little sweetness and helps feed the yeast.
All-Purpose Flour or Bread Flour: Both work well. Bread flour has a higher protein content and can give the rolls a slightly chewier structure, while all-purpose flour creates a tender roll.
Salt: Balances the sweetness and brings out the flavor.
Butter: Softened butter adds richness and tenderness. Use dairy-free butter sticks for a dairy-free version such as Country Crock dairy-free butter or Miyoko’s butter.
Milk: Brushed over the rolls before baking to help the tops brown.
Maple Syrup: Mixed with the milk to encourage a beautiful golden finish.
Melted Butter: Brushed over the rolls immediately after baking for a soft, buttery top.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the warm milk, half of the granulated sugar, and active dry yeast. Let the mixture sit for about 10 minutes, until the yeast becomes foamy. The milk should feel warm but not hot.
Add half of the flour to the yeast mixture and mix until combined. Switch to the dough hook attachment. Add the remaining flour, sugar, and salt. Mix until the flour is absorbed, then gradually add the softened butter in small pieces.
Knead on medium speed for 8–10 minutes, until the butter is fully incorporated and the dough becomes smooth and elastic.
Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and gently shape it into a smooth ball. Place it in a lightly greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let the dough rise in a warm place for approximately 60–90 minutes, or until doubled in size. The exact rising time will depend on your kitchen temperature.
Lightly flour your work surface and turn out the proofed dough. Grease a 9 × 13-inch baking dish. Divide the dough into 15 equal portions.
Gently shape each portion into a smooth, firm ball by tucking the edges underneath and rolling it against the work surface.
Arrange the dough balls in the prepared baking dish in three rows of five. If the dough feels sticky, lightly dust the surface with flour as needed.
Cover the baking dish with a clean kitchen towel and let the rolls rise for another 60–90 minutes, or until they look puffy and almost doubled in size. Don’t rush this step. The rolls should look noticeably fuller before they go into the oven.
Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Mix the milk and maple syrup together. Lightly brush the tops of the rolls with the mixture. Bake in the lower rack of the oven for approximately 25 minutes, or until the tops are beautifully golden brown and the rolls are baked through.
Remove the rolls from the oven and immediately brush the tops with melted butter. Let them cool slightly before serving. Enjoy them warm, or allow them to cool completely before storing.
If you’re preparing dinner rolls for Thanksgiving or Christmas, this make-ahead method is especially helpful. You can prepare the dough, complete the first rise, and shape the rolls the day before. The following day, simply let them come to room temperature, finish rising, and bake.
The rolls need to come to room temperature and become puffy and approximately doubled in size before baking. Don’t bake them straight from the refrigerator.
Yes! These homemade dinner rolls are completely eggless. The yeast, milk, flour, and butter create a soft, fluffy dough without needing eggs or an egg substitute.
Yes. Replace the milk with unsweetened plant-based milk and use dairy-free butter sticks in the dough and for brushing after baking. The milk wash can also be made with plant-based milk and maple syrup.
Yes. Both all-purpose flour and bread flour work in this recipe. Bread flour has a higher protein content and can produce a slightly chewier texture, while all-purpose flour makes tender dinner rolls.
Dense rolls can result from inactive yeast, insufficient kneading, not allowing enough time for the dough to rise, or adding too much flour. Measure the flour carefully and let the dough become properly puffy before baking.
The overnight refrigerator-proof method makes holiday preparation easier. You can prepare the dough, shape the rolls the day before and bake them closer to mealtime on the following day.
Check your yeast: Make sure your active dry yeast is fresh and foams when mixed with warm milk and sugar.
Don’t overheat the milk: It should be comfortably warm, not hot.
Knead the dough properly: The 8–10 minutes of kneading help develop the gluten and create a soft, stretchy dough.
Use softened butter: Butter should be soft enough to incorporate easily, but not melted.
Give the dough enough time to rise: Rising times vary depending on the temperature of your kitchen.
Shape evenly: Divide the dough into equal portions so the rolls bake at the same rate.
Don’t skip the second proof: This helps create the light, fluffy texture inside the rolls.
If you enjoyed these soft and fluffy dinner rolls, here are a few more homemade baking recipes you might like:
