No-Fail Soft Dinner Rolls
Today I wanted to update and repost my no-fail soft dinner rolls, and I should say, they are truly no-fail dinner rolls. If you have fresh ingredients, anyone can make these soft fluffy dinner rolls.
I may have mentioned, when I was asked to write my book “Prepare Your Family For Survival” that I submitted my bread recipe for whole wheat bread. It makes eight, one-pound loaves.
The publisher said, no, no, no. No one makes 8 loaves of bread at one time. Well, we do in Utah! I still laugh over that.
I had to cut the recipe down to two loaves.
Well, with the holidays we have all during the year, I decided to cut my dinner roll recipe way down. You can make a small batch of dinner rolls every Sunday if you want.
The bonus is this, no bread mixer is needed because the batch is so small. Yay!
This recipe only needs one bowl and a Danish Whisk. It’s so easy, you will wonder why you haven’t made dinner rolls before now.
No-Fail Soft Dinner Rolls
Ingredients
- Milk: Due to the fat content, milk helps to produce a softer bread and enriches the flavor; browns the dough while cooking.
- SAF Instant Yeast (this is what I use): A leavening agent; that helps to produce a needed gas that causes the bread to rise; feeds on the sugar that is added, which expels 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, it provides food for the yeast. Helps to speed up the rise time in the rolls. Used to maintain moisture, creating a softer roll.
- Egg: Great source of protein, helps to bind the bread dough together which creates a moist and soft dinner roll. Increases browning during the cooking process. Adds a deliciously rich flavor and helps to extend the life of the dinner roll.
- Oil: Helps to keep the dinner rolls from crumbling; prevents the water from evaporating, which creates a moist and soft dinner roll.
- Water: Water helps to keep the dinner rolls moist.
- 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 rolls and adds more nutrients.
Items You Need In The Kitchen:
- 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
- 8-Inch Cake Pan
- Measuring Cups
- Measuring Spoons
- Dough Enhancer (it makes your bread and rolls fluffy)
No-Fail Soft Dinner Rolls
Step One – Gather the Ingredients
Gather the ingredients so they are ready to go. Please make sure your ingredients are fresh. I keep my SAF Instant Yeast and Dough Enhancer in the refrigerator, the excess stays in the freezer. I only buy enough bread flour for 12 months.
White flour is good for 12-18 months, if stored in an airtight container. I store it in 5-gallon buckets (food grade) with Gamma Lids.
Step Two – Dump Ingredients Into Mixing Bowl
I have been making bread for over 50 years. There is something I love about feeling the dough in my fingers as I knead it. It makes me happy every time I make bread, dinner rolls, cinnamon rolls, etc.
I dump, yes I dump, all of the ingredients into the bowl, after measuring them of course. This recipe is so easy you will love it!
Step Three – Whip Egg Quickly
Be sure and whip the egg quickly because the warm milk could possibly “cook” it. I used a Danish Whisk as shown below. The 11-inch one is easier for me to use.
It also fits inside a wide-mouth mason jar to stir your sourdough starter. Just giving you the heads up. In case you missed the SourDough Starter post here it is. If you’ve never made a bread dough starter you should try it. I found it fun to watch the process as the starter grows.
Step Four – Stir Dough Mixture and then Knead the Dough
After you stir the mixture, if the dough is too sticky add a tiny bit of flour. You don’t want “dry” dough. But “sticky” is not what we want either.
This sounds complicated but it really isn’t, I promise. Sprinkle some flour on your countertop. On the lightly floured surface or counter, you will continue kneading the dough for about 3-4 minutes.
Step Five – Cut Dough into 8 Sections
I was taught never to “pull” the dough, so I use a Dough Scraper to “cut” the dough into 8 sections.
Step Six – Roll Dough Pieces into Balls
Now you take the sections and roll the dough pieces into balls. As you can see, the balls have some space to rise.
Step Seven – Cover Baking Pan with Hot Wet Towel
Cover the baking pan with a hot/warm wet towel. I used a washcloth because it was just the right size.
Step Eight – Allow Dough to Rise. Cook at (350°F) = (176°C) degrees for 25-30 Minutes.
Let the dough rise until it looks like the picture below. You can see, now the balls are barely touching. Depending on the temperature of your kitchen, they will rise anywhere from 1/2 hour to an hour.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Bake for 25-30 minutes, depending on your oven. Don’t overbake. I like mine lightly golden brown.
Finished Product
No-Fail Soft Dinner Rolls
These No-Fail Soft Dinner Rolls 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. I think you'll like the simplicity and yumminess of these rolls.
- 1/2 cup warm milk
- 1 teaspoon SAF Instant Yeast (this is what I use)
- 1 teaspoon Dough Enhancer (optional-it makes the rolls fluffy)
- 1/2 scant teaspoon salt
- 4 tablespoons sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 4 tablespoons water
- 1-3/4 to 2 cups white all purpose flour (I use bread flour)
-
1. Gather the ingredients. Grease an 8-inch round cake pan and set aside. Grab a bowl and a Danish Whisk.
2. Dump everything into a large bowl. 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 the dough to be fluffy.
3. Be sure and whip the egg quickly because the warm milk could possibly "cook" it. I used a Danish Whisk.
4. Lightly flour a countertop and scoop the dough out onto the countertop. Kneading the dough for about 3-4 minutes.
5. Cut the dough into 8 sections (never stretch your dough).
6. Take each section and mound into a ball and place the eight balls in the greased pan.
7. Cover with plastic wrap or a warm wet towel.
8. Let rise for about an hour. Preheat the oven to t (350°F) = (176°C) degrees. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until slightly golden brown. Slightly brush the tops with melted 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.
How do I store these soft dinner rolls after baking them?
I keep my dinner rolls in baggies, typically the gallon size. Please remember, they don’t have any preservatives in them so they will only be good for 2-3 days on your countertop.
Should I store these dinner rolls in the refrigerator after baking?
I would not recommend this because the refrigerator will dry out the dinner rolls. It is best to store them at room temperature on the countertop in freezer bags.
Can I freeze the baked dinner rolls?
Yes, you can. Place the desired amount in a freezer bag and store them safely for about 2-3 months.
I thaw them on the kitchen countertop for dinner. Just giving you the heads up, mine never make it to the freezer very often. We use them for sandwiches or French toast.
Can I freeze these dinner rolls before baking them?
You can, but I don’t recommend it. Here’s the deal, these have zero preservatives and don’t have the ingredients to make them rise after being frozen.
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, but no gluten-free flour will work for bread 1:1, only cakes and cookies can use that ratio for flour.
Can I use active dry yeast instead of instant rapid-rise yeast in this easy-to-make soft dinner rolls recipe?
I like to use instant yeast because it eliminates additional steps that I don’t feel are necessary. 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?
What can I serve with these easy-to-make soft dinner rolls?
- Soup
- Stew
- Garlic Butter
- Honey Butter
- Cheese varieties
- Spaghetti
- Chicken Alfredo
Here are some other delicious dinner roll and bread recipes for you to try!
- Pumpkin Dinner Rolls
- No-Fail Dinner Rolls
- Soft Dinner Rolls
- No-Fail Whole Wheat Dinner Rolls
- Cinnamon Rolls for Two
- French Bread Rolls In One Hour
- Croissant Rolls
Final Word
I really hope you try these easy-to-make soft dinner rolls. I don’t know why I didn’t cut down my recipe before so my family and friends, like you, can make a small batch of dinner rolls. The next few weeks as families and friends get together for special occasions, these rolls are ideal. During our busy schedules, having rolls like these to make sure simplifies life!
If you’re like me, you can almost smell these homemade dinner rolls baking in the oven. These have been a hit when I have served them at a Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner! Please keep teaching your family to cook from scratch. Life is good when we eat at home. May God Bless this world, Linda
I love a warm fresh baked roll. These a yummy!!!
Hi Tiffany, homemade rolls are the best! Enjoy the recipe! Linda
I love this recipe! Now to go make some. Yummy! Hubby will be surprised and very happy.
Hi Deborah, oh my gosh, you will love this recipe! I’m actually working on cutting the recipe down to 4 rolls as well. That will be another post. No mixer needed! Linda
I just printed off this recipe and either me or my wife will make these. We both love fresh rolls. I didn’t rate the recipe because I haven’t made them yet but they look delicious, and since you are posting this recipe, I’m sure it is.
Hi Ray, it’s funny because so many people want to make rolls but they don’t need 2 dozen dinner rolls. I decided to practice making 8 rolls and will be writing a post after the first of the year making only 4 rolls. Yes, people can cut the recipe in half, it will be interesting because it will only need half of an egg! I will do that recipe after the first of the year. It will be perfect for a college student, single people, a couple, etc. We must teach our offspring to bake! Thank you for using my links! The Danish Whisk is my favorite tool for pancake batter, brownies, and this recipe!! Linda
The only way I can think of to do half an egg is by using powdered eggs, though I suppose you could do the same if you used one of those egg mixes that come in a carton. Otherwise you’d have to beat the egg separately and somehow divide it in half and I know I wouldn’t be very good at that. Besides 8 rolls is perfect for my wife and I, since it gives us two meals worth.
Hi Ray, I was thinking I would stir the egg and split it in half, and toss the other half. 8 rolls work great for Mark and me because we use them for sandwiches or French toast (sliced). Linda
Linda, I also used your links to buy a Danish Whisk and a scraper. I’d always used wooden spoons and knives, but am heeding your advice. And I used the links you provided deliberately so you could earn your small commission, as a thank you for posting such terrific recipes and Preparedness advice.
I know that, like me, you aren’t really in this for the money, but to spread good advice and much needed information.
Hi Ray, I use that Danish Whisk for so many things. If we lose power it’s a great tool for many recipes! Linda
Linda, the reviews I read said the handle of the whisk was untreated wood and advised using mineral oil to seal the handle. What do you think?
Hi Ray, yes, I do that. Not often, it’s like my cutting boards, I do when I have time. They sell stainless steel ones, but I learned with the 11-inch Danish Whisk and I can’t switch. I’m an old dog who can’t change. I hand wash it. I have oiled it once in 8 years. And I use it all the time. Linda
Thanks, that’s about what I figured. We have an old spiral whisk and wooded spoons and they maybe get oiled once a decade. Always hand washed.
Linda:
Do you have this recipe in a larger version? I would also like the bread recipe that makes 8 loaves of bread. In a family of bread eaters that would be a good recipe to have. I just love all your bread recipes.
Hi Jackie, yes I do. Here is the post: https://www.foodstoragemoms.com/make-bread/ I buy Fat Daddio pans as described in this link. Oh, I love making bread. I use the one-pound loaf size. My recipes are no-fail recipes. I have taught bread-making classes in my home, churches, and fancy kitchen stores, and even Bosch stores. Have fun! Linda
Hi Linda,
In your recipe, one of the ingredients is “dough enhancer”. What, exactly, is this and where can you buy it?
When I make bread I always add extra gluten, but don’t know what ‘dough enhancer’ is??
Thanks,
Suzanne
Hi Suzanne, oh thank you for reminding me. I have made bread and rolls for 50 years. It makes the bread fluffy. It’s optional but it makes your finished product fluffy. I use wheat gluten AND dough enhancer when I make whole wheat bread. For my white bread, I use dough enhancer. Let me grab a link. Keep it in the frig or freezer like yeast and wheat gluten. You can find it at Bosch stores, this is the brand I use: https://amzn.to/37U57uL Linda
Thank you Linda, this is awesome and a much better size recipe for a small family. I read in your comments that you are working on a recipe for 4 rolls. In that you say you’ll beat an egg and use half: I suggest the remaining beaten egg be added to scrambled eggs.
Hi Janet, yes, I’m working on a recipe with 4 dinner rolls. It’s so funny when I said I would toss the other half of the egg, I was picturing holding my camera, stirring the eggs, etc. Life gets hectic when I’m shooting images for my blog. Linda
Hi Linda!
I’ve never used dough enhancer before. I’m wondering if it might help to make gluten free rolls “fluffy?”
Hi Amy, the problem I see with gluten-free bread is the flour and the other ingredients. I’m not sure if a dough enhancer would work. It’s worth a try. I tried making gluten-free bread and I never liked the results. The flour that King Arthur makes that is 1:1 does not work for bread. It is only good for cakes, cookies, etc. But not bread or dinner rolls. I tried a recipe with some ingredients I couldn’t even pronounce. Then I found out that Costco sells 2 loaves of gluten-free bread for less than I could make it. If you have a good recipe I would try it for sure. Linda
I had to get rid of my dough enhancer when my daughter was diagnosed with Celiac disease. It has gluten in it.
HI Pamela, my dough enhancer is gluten-free. It says it right on the package. It does say other products with wheat are processed where it is but every measure is made to wash and sanitize the equipment before making this brand. It’s called L’Equip Dough Enhancer. Linda
I want mine to turn out like yours, Do you use a 2 or 3 inch depth pan in your pictures. Thank you
Hi Elaine, oh my gosh, I’m glad you asked. The first time I made them, I used a 6 by 3 inch pan. I didn’t like how it looked. So I made them again with the 6 in by 2-inch pan. Here is the link. https://amzn.to/3xBsB40 You will love making these, my friend! Linda
Thanks for this recipe! My question is, do you use an 8” round pan or a 6”? It says 8” at the top of the post in a couple of spots, and then 6” down in the comments…. Thanks in advance – and I agree, God bless our world.
Hi Jonee, thank you for the 5 stars, my friend! This recipe takes an 8-inch pan. I cannot see anywhere in this post that says a 6-inch pan. My 6-inch pan makes this dinner roll recipe for 2: https://www.foodstoragemoms.com/easy-to-make-dinner-rolls-for-two/
Please tell me which line and I will fix it. Thank you for your patience. Linda
Hi Linda! You gave the 8″ size in the recipe, it was just in the comment (above my question, the one from Elaine – your reply references 6″ and the link took me to a 6″ x 2″ round pan. But please don’t feel bad, I’m just easily confused any more!! 🙂 The Fat Daddio’s pans are awesome, I also like the Made in USA pans. My mother would have loved the pan choices we have now! Take care!
Hi Jonee, oh, thank you!! I’m easily confused sometimes! LOL! My mom would have loved the Made In USA pans and the Fat Daddio pans as well!! Stay safe, Linda
Hi Linda:
8 rolls would not work in my family. With 5 family members we go through a whole lot of bread in our family. I wish you had a recipe for Hamburger buns.
Hi Jackie, thank you for the 5 stars, my sweet friend! I do have a recipe for hamburger buns. You can make this recipe in a bowl as well. https://www.foodstoragemoms.com/hamburger-buns/ LInda