Easy To Make Dinner Rolls For Two
Have you ever craved something super delicious but didn’t know where to start when making it? Some of my readers are in the same boat. I like to give my readers some ideas of fun things to make and how to do them. Dinner rolls are a favorite around our home, and I don’t need to make a big batch because it’s just Mark and me.
I’m concerned about what I see at grocery stores, as in empty or nearly empty shelves. I’ve been married 55 years this year and worry about our food chain. I’ve never seen grocery store shelves as empty in my entire married life as I’m seeing right now. And don’t get me started on the higher prices. There are no words.
Please learn to make bread and teach your kids and grandkids to make it. If you have fresh ingredients, YOU can make bread. Bread, biscuits, and tortillas fill the belly and put smiles on faces.
I’ve updated this recipe and reposting it in hopes that you and others will enjoy this super quick and easy roll recipe! There are so many meals you can serve dinner rolls with, like soup, chili, and salads, to name a few. Have fun making these; you’ll never buy dinner rolls at the grocery store again.
These Easy-to-Make Dinner Rolls for Two are simple and require few ingredients. The best part is that you won’t waste food, either, since this recipe only makes four rolls. I’m a big proponent of not wasting! I’ve tried to follow the adage, waste not, want not. It took me a while to perfect this recipe and ensure I didn’t waste any rolls by making too many.
Make This Recipe for a Small Batch of Rolls
I promised some of you I would devise a smaller dinner roll recipe. This is perfect for one person, a couple, or college students.
The nice thing is that you don’t need a Bosch bread mixer or a KitchenAid stand mixer. We only need a bowl and a Danish Whisk! Squeals are so easy to make; anyone can mix them with fresh ingredients. My bread, dinner roll, or cinnamon roll recipes are no-fail. Anyone can make these.
In case you missed my post, Easy To Make Soft Dinner Rolls (8 dinner rolls).
Ingredients
- Milk: Due to its fat content, milk helps produce softer bread and enriches the flavor; it also browns the dough while cooking.
- SAF Instant Yeast (this is what I use) is a leavening agent that helps to produce the needed gas that causes the bread to rise. It feeds on the added sugar, expelling carbon dioxide in the rising process.
- Dough Enhancer (optional): Makes your bread and rolls light and fluffy; used to help strengthen the texture of the bread or rolls.
- Salt: Added to help tighten the gluten in the flour; acts as a preservative.
- Sugar: When used in yeast bread, sugar provides food for the yeast. It also helps to speed up the rise time in the rolls and maintains moisture, creating a softer roll.
- Eggs are a great source of protein. They help to bind the bread dough together, creating a moist and soft dinner roll. They also increase browning during the cooking process, adding a deliciously rich flavor and helping to extend the life of the dinner roll.
- Oil helps prevent the dinner rolls from crumbling and prevents the water from evaporating, creating a moist and soft roll.
- White All-Purpose Flour (I use Bread Flour): All-purpose white flour has a lower protein content. Bread flour has more protein, which helps to hold the shape of the dinner roll and adds more nutrients. I use bread flour for all of my baking tasks that call for flour.
Kitchen Items You May Need:
The items you need for these rolls are fundamental. You probably already have most of these kitchen items in your home. Just imagine making rolls from scratch using fundamental items. I picked these items up quickly so I could make rolls any time I wanted.
Don’t miss out on making these rolls for two. You’ll LOVE them, I promise!
- Large Mixing Bowl
- 11-inch Danish Whisk (I prefer the 11-inch whisk because it fits inside a wide-mouth quart mason jar)
- Dough Scraper
- 6-Inch Cake Pan or a small muffin pan
- Measuring Cups
- Measuring Spoons
- Dough Enhancer (it makes your bread and rolls fluffy)
Easy To Make Dinner Rolls For Two
These Easy-to-Make Dinner Rolls for Two are easy for anyone to make. You don’t need special cooking skills to make your rolls delicious—just follow my recipe! If you’ve never made rolls before, you are in for a treat because these are just so simple.
Sometimes recipes are too hard, and you don’t feel like messing with them. If there are just two of you, then make sure you give this recipe a try! I think you’ll like the simplicity and yumminess of these rolls.
Step One – Gather Ingredients
Gather your ingredients, so you’re ready to start. You should have fresh ingredients; that’s a must if you want great results. I only buy enough white bread flour in 12-18 months.
I store my flour in 5-gallon food-grade buckets with red Gamma Lids. Yes, I still color-coded all my food storage and emergency preps. You can buy the buckets just about everywhere or online.
I keep my SAF Instant Yeast and Dough Enhancer in the refrigerator; the excess stays in the freezer. As mentioned, I only buy enough bread flour for 12-18 months.
Step Two – Grease Pan and Dump Ingredients into Mixing Bowl
Grease a 6-inch round cake pan and set aside. Grab a bowl and a Danish Whisk. Dump everything in a large mixing bowl. Please note that this is where I “whisked the one egg.”
Step Three – Stir Ingredients Thoroughly
Stir until mixed thoroughly. If the dough is too sticky, add additional flour if needed, but don’t add too much; we want a fluffy, soft dough.
Step Four – Flour the Countertop and Knead the Dough
Flour your countertop and scoop the dough mixture out onto the countertop. Knead on the counter for about 3-4 minutes. This kneading step helps to develop the dough so the rolls will be soft and moist.
Step Five – Cut Dough Into 4 Sections
Divide the dough into four sections (never stretch your dough). I use a Dough Scraper.
Step Six – Mound Each Section Into a Ball
Mound each section into a ball, and place the four balls in the greased pan. I generally “grease” my pans with a spray of vegetable oil.
Step Seven – Let Dough Rise
Cover with plastic wrap or a warm, wet towel. Let it rise for about an hour.
Step Eight – Preheat Oven – Bake
Preheat the oven to (350°F) = (176°C) degrees. Sometimes, I take the time for a second rise of the dough for my bread, but it’s not needed with these rolls. Bake the rolls for 20-25 minutes or until slightly golden brown. Lightly brush the tops with butter after baking if you want a softer dinner roll. I use a baggie slathered with melted butter to spread on the warm rolls. Let cool. Store in bags to keep the dinner rolls soft. Enjoy.
Easy To Make Dinner Rolls For Two
These Easy to Make Dinner Rolls for Two are easy for anyone to make. You don't need to have special cooking powers to make your rolls delicious, just follow my recipe! If you've never made rolls before you are in for a treat because these are just so simple. Sometimes recipes are too hard and you don't feel like messing with them. If there are just two of you, then make sure you give this recipe a try! I think you'll like the simplicity and yumminess of these rolls.
- 1/4 cup warm milk
- 1/2 teaspoon SAF Instant Yeast (this is what I use)
- 1/2 teaspoon Dough Enhancer (optional-it makes the rolls fluffy)
- 1/4 scant teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 to 1-1/8 cups white all purpose flour (I use bread flour)
-
1. Gather all of your ingredients.
2. Grease a 6-inch round cake pan and set aside. Grab a bowl and a Danish Whisk. Dump everything in a large mixing bowl.
3. Stir until mixed thoroughly. Add additional flour if needed to the dough if the dough is too sticky. Do not add too much, we want a fluffy, soft dough.
4. Flour your countertop and scoop the dough out onto the countertop. Knead for about 3-4 minutes.
5. Cut the dough into 4 sections (never stretch your dough).
6. Take each section and mound into a ball and place the four balls in the greased pan.
7. Cover with plastic wrap or a warm wet towel. Let rise for about an hour.
8. Preheat the oven to (350°F) = 176°C) degrees. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until slightly golden brown. Lightly brush the tops with butter after baking if you want a soft dinner roll. I use a baggie slathered with butter to spread on the warm rolls. Let cool. Store in bags to keep the dinner rolls soft. Enjoy.
Can I freeze these dinner rolls before baking them?
You can, but I don’t recommend it. These have zero preservatives and don’t have the ingredients to make them rise after being frozen.
Can I freeze these dinner rolls after baking them?
I bet you won’t have any left with this small batch! All you have to do is freeze them in freezer bags. Thaw at room temperature when you want to enjoy them.
How do I store them after baking these dinner rolls?
I store mine in freezer bags on the countertop. They will stay soft for about 3-4 days. Remember, they don’t have preservatives, so eat them within this timetable.
Is it okay to store these dinner rolls in the refrigerator after baking?
The fridge will dry out the rolls. It’s best to store them in freezer bags at room temperature on the countertop.
Can I use a different flour to make these dinner rolls gluten-free?
I wish you could, but most gluten-free recipes have so many ingredients I can’t even pronounce. I’m so sorry, no gluten-free flour will work for bread 1:1, only cakes and cookies can use that ratio for flour.
For two recipes, can I use active dry yeast instead of instant rapid-rise yeast in this easy-to-make dinner roll?
I like to use instant yeast because it eliminates unnecessary steps. The instant yeast can be directly added to the dry ingredients, whereas you would need to dissolve the active dry yeast in warm water before adding it to the dry ingredients. It’s all about simplicity, right?
Here are some other delicious dinner roll and bread recipes to try!
- Pumpkin Dinner Rolls
- No-Fail Dinner Rolls
- Soft Dinner Rolls
- No-Fail Whole Wheat Dinner Rolls
- Cinnamon Rolls for Two
- Croissant Rolls
Final Word
Please let me know if you can make my easy-to-make dinner roll recipe for two of you! Small-batch dinner rolls are the best when there are just two of you, a college student, or someone living alone.
There is something incredible about grabbing a bowl and dumping the ingredients into it to make dinner rolls at the last minute for dinner. Ohhh….and the smell of homemade dinner rolls right out of the oven! Don’t even get me started!
We need to teach this skill to our kids and grandkids so they can make bread, regular rolls, cinnamon rolls, biscuits, and tortillas. May God Bless this world, Linda
I really appreciate having a recipe to make just a few rolls. Not a lot of gatherings right now so this is perfect.
Hi Tiffany, thank you, I love having a recipe that is smaller now that the kids have their own families. Linda
I love the smell of bread cooking in the oven! I love all of your recipes! Thank you sooo much for sharing! I’m making these rolls tonight to go with my spaghetti dinner 🙂 Can’t wait!
Hi Camille, you will love these dinner rolls with your spaghetti dinner! Yummy!! Linda
I can’t wait to make these!
Hi Alli, you will love these dinner rolls!! Let me know if you make them! Linda
I am going to make some this afternoon.
I learned to make bread about 60 years ago. I don’t eat a lot of bread – just isn’t my thing but I do love homemade bread straight out of the oven with lots of butter!! Anyway, one of the main reasons I don’t eat a lot of bread is that I live alone and most recipes are for 2 loaves of bread. I know I could give away a loaf but I still would have a difficult time eating a whole loaf before it went stale. So, I just don’t eat bread often!
A couple of things that I might say about the post, though, for those who may not have much experience baking bread is that while the Danish whisk might be really nice, you don’t need to have one. I have never used a whisk when making bread, I don’t have a stand mixer nor a bread machine. I do it all the way my mother taught me – using my arm muscles! I do have a bench scraper and use it often for so many things. So, for those who just cannot afford to get the whisk, don’t worry about it. You can still make homemade bread products with wooden spoons and such.
Also, according to Amazon, the dough enhancer is out of stock and they don’t know when it will be back in stock. There are other dough enhancers available but not the one recommended in this post. The one recommended here is available through Nutrimill, though.
Hi Leann, thanks for the heads-up on the Amazon link (Dough Enhancer). You are so right, you do not need a Danish Whisk. I like to tell people about the 11-inch whisk because it works with my sourdough starter as well. It’s perfect for using it when the power is out. Yes, a spoon works as well. I learned from Melissa Richardson (Natural Yeast Book) about the Danish whisk. I have used it since I watched her do her magic with natural yeast. Linda
Linda – the only reason I mentioned the Danish whisk is that I am sure that a lot of people cannot justify the cost right after Christmas!! I know I cannot. I would love to try it out but it will have to wait a while.
Hi Leanne, oh I totally get it. My mother used her hands, literally to make 14 loaves at a time. I first heard about the Danish whisk about ten years ago. So I’ve been using it a long time. The 13-inch one is too big for me. I only use the 11-inch one. Linda
Linda – I recall the one time that my mother and I made bread called Farmer’s Market Bread. It was fun but a lot of work – it made 10 loaves! Then, mom didn’t like it because it was a very dark, heavy bread but dad and I went to town on it! It was so good but oh such a lot of work.
Hi Leanne, I need to dig my mom’s recipe out and cut it way down. It had molasses and raisins and it tasted so good when toasted with butter or peanut butter on it! I’m sure it was a heavy bread, but I sure loved it! Life is full of wonderful memories! Linda
KAF has the dough whisks at a god price. Yes, they are very handy!
Hi Cheryl, I will have to look there. I can only use the 11-inch ones. They fit inside the wide mouth quart mason jars, the 13-inch ones are too wide. Linda
What size cake pan are you using. Thank yiu
Hi Elaine, it’s a 6-inch cake pan. Linda
King Arthur Flour has dough enhancer and the whisk.
Hi Sylvia, that’s awesome! Linda
Linda:
These rolls would make great rolls for 3. My husband and I only eat one each when we have rolls and my daughter eats 2 so that would make enough rolls for the 3 of us. If there is one left over I can put it in a bag and save it for morning and I can make my daughter a Canadian Bacon and egg sandwich for breakfast along with some grits and it makes a good breakfast in the winter for her.
Hi Jackie, now we’re talking! I grew up on egg sandwiches. Yummy! Linda
Hello again. I just wanted to let you know I’m saving this recipe, but I also wanted to share a recipe I found on the net that I made yesterday for dinner rolls. You’ll freak when you see it. These biscuits turned out moist and fluffy and taste great too! As follows:
2 cups flour; 1 cup of milk; 4 T mayo.
Preheat oven to 350°, bake 15 mins. Serves 12. I got 11, a little heavy handed. Use a muffin pan, greased.
I had 6 muffin pan. So I had to do it twice. I also had to bake them about 5 extra min. Gas oven. If anyone tries this, please let me know. I don’t bake with yeast much, but do have some, so this I thought I’d try instead of drop biscuits. You don’t taste the mayo when they’re baked. Thanks. TTYL
HI Pamela, oh my gosh, I need to make these, thank you!!!! Linda
So happy you liked it. Thanks.
Thank you for posting this recipe! I will pass it along to one of my children who just moved into his first apartment and now has to do his own cooking since Mom won’t be cooking his meals anymore!
Hi Kate, oh my gosh, I love hearing this! His first apartment! Yay! How exciting! He will miss your meals, I’m sure! Linda
Amazing, Linda!! Thank you for creating this four-roll recipe.
I like the way you got the egg in there, too, so smart.
Gonna try baking these in our counter top oven…..
Hi Janet, it took me 4 times to get the results I wanted. I love that I can make a few rolls so quickly. Oh, and no bread mixer needed. Life is good when you have a hot roll with butter on it. Linda
I belong to a Friendship club and we were at lunch a few months ago and I had mentioned that I
hadn’t made homemade bread in a while cause I don’t need to have it around cause I love it. I had
about 5 members that said they would be happy to take it off my hands if I baked to much. I had
to laugh.
A few years ago a gentlemen from my old church passed away and they had a funeral lunch for his
family at the church. I knew he loved my dinner rolls so I made 200 rolls for the luncheon. A few years
later I made another 200 for his wife’s funeral luncheon. There was some left over and I gave them to the family. They really enjoyed them.
Think I might have to try your cut down recipe. A good homemade roll is great with so many things. Soup, stew or just because. Hot out of the oven with butter and homemade jelly.
Hi June, oh what a wonderful idea to make your homemade rolls for the funeral lunches of both the husband and wife. I bet the church group loved it! There is nothing better than homemade stuff! And homemade dinner rolls are the very best!!! I love this! Linda
Can I still make without dough enhancer ?
Hi Vaishali, yes you can make the rolls without the dough enhancer. People have made rolls without for years without it. The dough enhancer makes them fluffier. They taste good either way. Linda
This recipe is a keeper. The rolls turned out delicious and couldn’t be easier to make!
Hi Barb, oh you are so nice!! Thank you for the 5 stars! I’m glad you liked them. I’m working on cinnamon rolls for two this week!! Linda
What temp is the milk to be at?
Hi Cathy, I have never used a thermometer for my bread making. If it’s warm, not hot, it will work. Linda
Linda,
I just printed this recipe off. It sounds perfect for Jane and I. We love rolls but leftovers often go stale if we make a regular size batch (the birds and Chickens love those crumbled up leftovers).
I just harvested lettuce, carrots and bok choi from my garden as a start on today’s salads. I’ll also use the bok choi in the shrimp fried rice I’m making for dinner. I finally got that recipe tweaked so that Jane loves it and she wanted it tonight so… Also, I just picked up a 31-40 count package of shrimp on sale because Jane wants to make shrimp spread (to die for) and we’ll have plenty of left over shrimp for my fried rice. I normally get large or jumbo shrimp for that but you use what you have.
Hi Ray, I finally got some Bok Choi seeds, I can’t remember if I told you. Shrimp spread sounds awesome! I love hearing what you harvest, it makes me smile every single time. Linda
Yummy sounding recipe..as usual…but I would like to try it with the Danish wisk and since I have small hands/ short fingers the 11 inch sounded perfect but I cant find one! Their all 13 inches..even on Ebay. Is there a certain place to find one? Amazons are 13 inches too. Thanks Linda, you have so many good recipes and ideas, love your blog! Jeanne
Hi Jeanne, thank you for the 5 stars, my sweet friend. This is the 11-inch (I have several, LOL). https://amzn.to/3Tr0m2e
Thank you for your kind words, Linda
Thank you! Just ordered it can’t wait to try it, you saved me hours of searching!
Hi Jeanne, yeah!!! I can’t use the 13-inch one it’s too big. Linda
What can I substitute for the mayo?
Thanks.
Hi Bayou, thank you for the 5 stars, there is no mayo in this recipe. Did I miss something? Linda
Hi Bayou, thank you for the 5 stars. There is no mayo in this recipe. Linda
I should have also mentioned that this recipe led to me getting one of those Danish Whisks. And I clicked on the link in your article to do so. Glad I did.
HI Ray, thank you for the 5 stars, my sweet friend! Those Danish whisks are the best!! The first time I used one I was sold! Of course, I was helping someone at a Bosch Kitchen store making natural yeast. Best purchase ever. Linda
My favorite recipe!!!!!
Hi Alli, thank you for the 5 stars, my sweet friend! Linda
Linda –
I printed out the recipe when you first published it but alas, who knows where it is after I moved. Thought I had all my recipes in one binder but I could not find many of the ones I made pretty often. This was one of them!! So, I am printing it out again so I can make some rolls this week.
Hi Leanne, thank you for the 5 stars, my sweet friend. I have a recipe Janet gave me for a copycat Jiffy Corn Muffin mix, I finally found it, so I get it! LOL! I need to make it so my readers can print it out. I love that we share recipes. Linda