Description

These Soft Dinner Rolls are fluffy, tender, and perfect for any meal. Made with warm milk, yeast, butter, and a touch of sugar, they deliver a classic homemade bread experience with a slightly sweet and buttery finish. The recipe includes clear steps to make the dough from scratch, knead it to perfection, and bake beautiful golden rolls that stay soft for days.

Ingredients

For the Dough

1 cup (240ml) whole milk, warmed to about 110°F (43°C)
2 and 1/4 teaspoons Platinum Yeast from Red Star instant yeast (1 standard packet)
2 Tablespoons granulated sugar, divided
1 large egg
1/4 cup (4 Tbsp; 56g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature and cut into 4 pieces
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups (390g) all-purpose flour or bread flour (spooned & leveled)

Optional Topping

2 Tablespoons (28g) melted unsalted butter mixed with 1 Tablespoon honey

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Instructions

Prepare the dough: Whisk the warm milk, yeast, and 1 tablespoon of sugar together in the bowl of your stand mixer. Cover and allow to sit for 5 minutes until the mixture is foamy, activating the yeast.
Mix the dough: Add the remaining sugar, egg, softened butter, salt, and 1 cup of flour to the yeast mixture. Using a dough hook or paddle attachment, mix on low speed for 30 seconds, scraping the bowl sides, then add the remaining flour. Beat on medium speed until the dough forms and pulls away from the bowl sides, about 2 minutes. If the dough is too wet, add flour one tablespoon at a time to achieve a soft, slightly sticky but manageable dough.
Knead the dough: Continue kneading in the mixer for an additional 5 minutes or knead by hand on a lightly floured surface for 5 minutes. If dough gets too sticky, add flour sparingly. The dough should pass the windowpane test or slowly bounce back when poked.
First rise: Lightly grease a large bowl, place the dough inside, turning it to coat with oil. Cover with foil, plastic wrap, or a clean towel. Let it rise in a warm place for 1-2 hours until doubled in size.
Prepare the baking pan: Grease a 9×13 inch baking pan or two 9-inch square or round pans. Alternately, use a cast iron skillet or a lined baking sheet.
Shape the rolls: Punch down the risen dough to release air. Divide into 14-16 equal pieces and shape each into smooth balls. Arrange them in the prepared pan.
Second rise: Cover the rolls with foil, plastic wrap, or a clean towel. Let them rise until puffy, about 1 hour.
Preheat the oven: Adjust oven rack to a lower position and preheat to 350°F (177°C) to prevent browning the tops too much during baking.
Bake the rolls: Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown, rotating the pan halfway through for even cooking. If tops brown too quickly, tent with foil. Remove from oven.
Optional topping and serving: Brush warm rolls with melted butter mixed with honey for a glossy, sweet finish. Let cool slightly before serving.
Storage: Store leftover rolls tightly covered at room temperature for 2-3 days or in the refrigerator up to 1 week.

Notes

Use room temperature ingredients for best yeast activation and dough consistency.
The dough should be soft and slightly sticky but manageable; avoid adding too much flour which can dry out the rolls.
The windowpane test helps ensure proper gluten development in kneading.
Letting the rolls rise near a warm environment helps speed fermentation.
Tent with foil during baking if tops brown too quickly to prevent burning.
Using a stand mixer with a dough hook simplifies kneading but hand kneading is equally effective.
Honey butter topping adds a lovely sweet glaze but is optional.
The rolls freeze well if you want to store longer; thaw at room temperature before serving.