Dinner Rolls: My No-Fail Recipe
Today, it’s all about how to make no-fail dinner rolls for any occasion. I have the recipe for you if you want to learn how to make the perfect dinner rolls! This is the recipe I use for my white bread, cinnamon rolls, and breadsticks. This is truly the perfect dinner roll recipe.
You could make many of these for Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s Day, or another special dinner event with family and friends. They “fly” off the cookie sheets and help fill people up so that the other food items spread even further.
Fresh Ingredients
If you have FRESH ingredients, you can make these, I promise. The trick is to add half of the flour, mix it, then slowly add the rest (one cup at a time) until the DOUGH pulls away from the side of the bowl or bread mixer. You may need an extra cup of flour if you live in a higher altitude.
You do not want a DRY dough or a sticky dough. Once you get the hang of what the dough should feel like, you can make so many things with this recipe. Have fun making these!
Each recipe has a separate post, so you can print each one. This is my family’s recipe, which we have used for years. It truly is a no-fail, easy-to-make recipe. One secret: the ingredients must be fresh; old ingredients will not let your bread products rise soft and fluffy!
Have fun making these! Thank you to all my readers who send me emails telling me they love this recipe!!!Bosch Bread Mixers
Thankfully, all my daughters have a Bosch bread mixer, so I can make these when I go visit them. I must say, some of my daughters make better bread than me now. Proud mama, here! I love to see our family tradition of making bread, no-fail dinner rolls, cinnamon rolls, and breadsticks carry on in the family.
Bosch Mixer
For this recipe, I do use my Bosch bread mixer, but I learned to make bread by hand, and it turned out great! It’s more work by hand, but the reward is the same: FRESH BREAD! Here are some tools I use that I recommend:
Never “pull” or “stretch” the dough; I cut the dough with this tool to make bread loaves or rolls: OXO Good Grips Multi-purpose Stainless Steel Scraper & Chopper
My favorite cookie sheets for dinner rolls, cinnamon rolls, or breadsticks are Nordic Ware Natural Aluminum Commercial Baker’s Half Sheet. You can use a cookie sheet or a nine by 13″ baking pan for dinner rolls. Baking Pan or a Stainless Steel Pan
Bake Until Golden Brown
I like to bake my dinner rolls a little golden brown, not overly brown, I like mine light fluffy texture of these. My mouth is watering just talking about these rolls. It’s hard for me to go to dinner where dinner rolls are served since most don’t measure up. I am a big fan of homemade rolls. If they taste like yeast, the restaurant has let them rise for too long. Nope, I can’t eat yeasty-tasting rolls.
P.S. I use this recipe and flatten them for hamburger buns or make rectangles for hot dog buns! Once you make your hamburger or hot dog buns, the commercial ones just don’t cut it for taste or texture. I still buy them when we have a crowd for parties, but I suggest you try making your own.
My Favorite Dough Enhancer:
This is the only dough enhancer I use: Dough Enhancer
I store it in my freezer to keep it fresh. You can buy it here from Amazon or at your local Bosch bread store, typically. Most upper-scale kitchen stores sell it on-site. It is optional, but you will see why I use it. Fluffy rolls rock! Update: I usually use NutrimIll Dough Enhancer, but it’s getting hard to find.
My Favorite SAF Yeast
I’m fussy about the flour, dough enhancer, and yeast I use. I highly recommend SAF Yeast and store your yeast in the freezer to keep it fresh. Once opened, store it in OXO Containers or glass mason jars, then place them in the freezer.
Shelf-life of White/Bread Flour:
The shelf life of white enriched bread flour is 8-12 months. I can hear some of you say I have had white flour for years, and it’s still okay. I have learned this, and I feel I need to pass it on to you about the shelf life of white/bread flour.
I am quoting Honeyville Grain:
Honeyville Grain Products. (Please note I buy my flour from Costco only in 25 to 50-pound bags)
“Shelf-Life: Cal Best Bread Flour will store for 1 year in a sealed 50-pound bag under ideal storage conditions (cool, dry place).”
“Shelf-Life: All-Purpose Bleached Flour will store for 1 year in a sealed 50-pound bag under ideal storage conditions (cool, dry place).”
Shelf-life of #10 Cans of Flour:
The shelf life of #10 cans of flour commercially processed has a longer shelf-life than the bags you buy at Honeyville Grain, Costco, or your local grocery store.
I am quoting Thrive Life:
“Shelf life of #10 cans: Closed: 5 years, Open: 1 year (Shelf life based on optimal storage conditions.)”
Cinnamon Rolls and Bread Sticks:
Cinnamon Rolls by Food Storage Moms or Breadsticks by Food Storage Moms
Please let me know if you make some dinner rolls; I would love to hear from you. You can make fabulous dinner rolls with fresh flour and SAF yeast! SAF Yeast (please store in the freezer)
Instructions
Step One: Ingredients
Place all of the ingredients in order into your mixing bowl. I use a Bosch Bread Mixer. Be careful with the eggs. Do not add the warm milk too fast, or you will have scrambled eggs.
Step Two: Add Half Of The Flour
Add half of the flour and keep adding the rest of the flour. Mix for about 5-6 minutes until the bread dough pulls away from the sides of the mixing bowl.
Step Three: Cover With Greased Plastic Wrap
After molding it, place the dough in a ball in a greased bowl.
Cover with greased plastic wrap and let rise the first time until it doubles in size, about an hour.
This is Double in Size
Step Four: Punch Down The Dough
Punch the dough down and mold it into small balls about 1-1/2 inches to 2 inches in diameter.
Step Five: Let Rise Again
Cover with greased plastic and let rise for about an hour or until double the size.
Step Six: Bake the Dinner Rolls
Remove the plastic wrap and bake at (350°F) = (176°C) degrees for about 15-20 minutes on a greased cookie sheet until golden brown. Do not overbake.
Step Seven: Butter The Tops
After baking, I spread a little butter on the tops so the rolls are soft. If you like a crispier top, you can skip this step.
No-Fail Dinner Rolls by Food Storage Moms
- 4 Teaspoons SAF Instant Yeast
- 1/2 Cup Water
- 2 Cups Warm Milk
- 1/4 Cup Olive Oil
- 1/2-3/4 Cup Sugar
- 1-1/2 Teaspoons Sea Salt
- 4 Teaspoons Dough Enhancer NutriMill (optional)
- 2 Eggs
- 6-7 Cups White bread flour (Add 1/2 of the flour and then add more until the dough pulls away from the sides of the mixing bowl)
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Place all of the ingredients in order into your mixing bowl. I use a Bosch Bread Mixer.
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Be careful with the eggs not add the warm milk too fast or you will have scrambled eggs.
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Add half of the flour and keep adding the rest of the flour. Mix for about 5-6 minutes and until the bread dough pulls away from the sides of the mixing bowl.
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Cover with greased plastic wrap and let rise the first time until it doubles in size, about an hour.
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Punch the dough down and mold it into small balls about 1-1/2 inches to 2 inches in diameter.
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Cover with greased plastic and let rise one more time, about an hour, or until double the size.
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Remove the plastic wrap and bake at (350°F) = (176°C) degrees for about 15-20 minutes on a greased cookie sheet until golden brown.
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Do not overbake.
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I spread a little butter on the tops after baking so the rolls are soft on top. If you like a crispier top you can skip this step.
No-Fail White Bread or Dinner Roll Recipe
This recipe is double the recipe above. I use the same dough for breadsticks, bread, dinner rolls, or cinnamon rolls. You will love this bread dough!
- 4 cups warm milk
- 8 tsp. SAF Instant Yeast
- 4 eggs
- 1/2 cup Oil (I use Olive oil)
- 8 teaspoons dough enhancer (optional)
- 3 tsp. Sea Salt
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup warm water
- 13-14 cups white bread flour
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I start with a Bosch Mixer although you could make this in a bowl. I put the yeast, warm water, salt, oil, and sugar in the bowl.
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I then add the eggs and lightly mix them in the Bosch so the eggs do not “cook”. Then I add the warm milk and flour slowly.
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I continue to add flour until the bread dough pulls away from the sides of the Bosch bowl.
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I knead for about 7-8 minutes.
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I place the dough in a greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap.
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I let the dough rise until it is double in size.
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I punch down the dough then cut the dough into seven pieces, mold them, and place these in greased pans.
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I let it rise once again (using the same plastic wrap) until it doubles and then I bake them at (350°F) = (176°C) degrees for 27 minutes. I lightly butter the tops of each loaf after baking while cooling on wire racks.
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I store the loaves in bags and freeze the other loaves we will not eat in 3-4 days. Remember this bread has zero preservatives so it will go bad within 3-4 days.
How do I store these dinner rolls or bread after baking them?
Just place them in baggies and set them on the kitchen counter. The refrigerator will dry them out, I am just giving you the heads up.
Can I freeze the bread?
Yes, you can place the loaves in bread bags and freezer for 2-3 months. Bread Bags with Ties
How do I freeze the leftover baked dinner rolls?
I freeze them in freezer bags for up to 2 months.
Can I freeze the dough and bake it later?
This recipe has no additives or preservatives to help it rise after freezing. I would bake the dinner rolls or bread and freeze them after baking them as directed.
Final Word
I hope you try my no-fail dinner rolls, if you have fresh ingredients you can make them. There is something about teaching our kids and grandkids the skill of making bread and dinner rolls is a great beginning. God Bless this world, Linda.
Copyright Images: Homemade Dinner Rolls AdobeStock_131042832 by By vm2002
Sounds delicious. I make my own bread, but have never tried buns or rolls. I better get to work soon.
Hi Janet, these are so easy! They truly are no-fail with fresh ingredients and using bread flour. Hugs! Linda
I love to used to make my own hamburger buns. I don’t eat much bread now days!! What I loved to do is put an egg wash on the top of my buns and sprinkle finely chopped caramelized onions on the top. Or you can sprinkle sesame seeds or Trader Joes “Everything but the bagel” topping. I also put these seasonings (onion and TJ) in the bread mix and oh my – they were so good.
Yum!
Yummy is so right!
Hi Leanne, oh yummy!! Linda
Linda, when you mentioned flour in #10 cans in your post, it reminded me of a question that I need to ask. Sometimes when I open a #10 can of product that I have canned at the church cannery, there is a distinct metallic taste which is unappealing and I don’t want to use it. How do I eliminate that? Thanks! Deb
Hi Deb, you may not want to hear this but I canned $1200.00 at a local church cannery in Salt Lake City, Utah, and my family had to throw it all out. The oxygen absorbers were not stored properly so we were “dry canning” with useless ones (opened and no longer useable). It was a very expensive mistake on my part. I think this was about 6 or 7 years ago and I am scared to death when we have a disaster that people will be very surprised as to the rancid food that they have “dry canned” themselves. I was not happy as you can imagine. When in doubt, throw it out. I gave several cases to all my daughters so they would be prepared. Yes, this was a financial disaster. Be careful, Linda
Can you use fresh ground flour for this recipe. I have followed your blog and got an electric wheat grinder for breadmaking, so much better bread!
Hi Melissa, let me give you my whole wheat flour recipe: https://www.foodstoragemoms.com/2013/11/whole-wheat-dinner-rolls/ I think I will redo that post for tomorrow and make a printable recipe. These are no-fail as well. I love hearing you got an electric wheat grinder. My whole wheat bread is so easy to make and so soft. Have fun! Linda
Thank you, I’ve been trying to replicate my grandmas homemade dinner roll recipe. I know it was a Parker house roll recipe and I have her cookbook so you’d think I’d get it right. Lol
Going to try yours and see if I can replicate it.
Hi Natasha, this recipe was originally a Parker House roll. I would cut them into circles, and put a small piece of butter in the center of the circle and fold it over and pinch it closed in half. I’m usually asked to bring the rolls to parties so I had to resort to the balls of dough because I usually take four to eight dozen to parties. Oh my gosh, keep me posted when you make your rolls. P/.S. I added more sugar to the recipe, I have a sweet tooth! Happy Holidays, Linda
I made your recipe for dinner rolls for Easter family dinner this year and all I can say is that they were fantastic. Delicious flavor (I didn’t think they needed butter or jam even)! Definitely a keeper!
Hi JoEllen, I’m glad to hear you made my dinner rolls!! I’m so glad you thought they were fantastic! I had to use my Bosch outside at 6:00 a.m. Easter Sunday so my visiting family members wouldn’t wake up. LOL! I hope I didn’t wake up the neighbors, but we have to have my dinner rolls for this special day! My family eats every one of them! Thanks again for commenting, Linda
Can you fit this recipe tripled into a Bosch? I’m needing to make a lot for Thanksgiving. 🙂
Hi Tonya, I noticed today that my regular recipe which I use all the time is not on my website. It is double this recipe. I’m adding it tonight. When I taught bread making at Bosch stores we recommended no more than 20 cups of flour so it would be very close. I hope this helps, these are the best rolls, enjoy! Happy Thanksgiving! Linda
Linda ~ I am making rolls or bread (haven’t decided which) to Thanksgiving at my daughter’s Thursday. I don’t have a mixer or bread machine, unless you count the muscles in my arms!! I am going to try this recipe. Thanks.
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving.
Hi Leanne, either one sounds awesome! There is nothing better than the smell of baking bread! Happy Thanksgiving! Linda
JUST LOVE your bread recipes…esp the hamburger buns!
We don’t eat a whole lot of bread as there are only 2 of us. Could I make this whole 8-loaf recipe and divvy it into all the goodies….bread-sticks, rolls, loaves and cinnamon buns and freeze ready to just thaw and bake?
Hi Elaine, you are so cute! I have never frozen the dough, but I freeze the baked ones all the time. There is nothing quite as good as homemade bread, cinnamon rolls, etc. Linda
I think there is a typo in the roll recipe. In the first one you have 1 cup sugar to 6-7 cups flour, in the other one, the one you say is double, you have 1 cup sugar and 12-13 cups of flour. Another question, in the first recipe you say to mix the dough until it leaves the sides of the bowl. Is the rolls dough not kneaded, just mixed? You do talk about kneading in the doubled recipe. I am new to this and wondered if rolls aren’t kneaded the way loaf bread is kneaded. Thanks for the recipe!
Hi Alice, thank you for letting me know about the typo. It is 1/2 cup of sugar for the smaller batch. One cup would work if you wanted sweeter bread. I changed it in the recipe. I’m going to redo those recipes with pictures. I have been making bread for over 50 years. Here is a recipe if you want to practice. Stay tuned for a picture-filled post on how to make bread. Until then, try this one, my readers asked for a recipe for ONE loaf. Thanks again for letting me know about the typo. Linda https://www.foodstoragemoms.com/easy-to-make-bread-for-one/
Alice, 1/2 cup of sugar. Linda
Linda:
I would like to have all your bread and roll Recipes. I plan on teaching my daughter and daughter in Love to make them also.
Hi Jackie, thank you for the 5 stars, my sweet friend! Yay, for teaching your daughter and daughter in Love! Linda
I have made bread for years, but, my rolls don’t fall in the category of light and fluffy. Some like the denseness and grains in my bread but again, not great for light and fluffy dinner rolls. Tried this recipe and they were a home run. Not only did they look beautiful but they tasted fantastic. Thanks, JOHN
Hi John, thank you for the 5 stars, my friend! I’m so happy you love the recipe! YOU made my day! Happy Thanksgiving! Linda
Jane and I finally got around to making these. Wow! Now a go to recipe.
Hi Ray, thank you for the 5 stars, my sweet friend! I’m so glad you made my dinner rolls! I made another batch yesterday to update this post. There is nothing better than a soft fluffy dinner roll right out of the oven! Linda
I love making bread and rolls. All kinds! I’ve been using more sourdough because it’s better for the “gut” and lower glycemic index which is a concern for diabetics. We have friends who have diabetes so that’s what I make when they visit. My family likes the taste – my sourdough is very mild. You wouldn’t know it was sourdough if I didn’t tell you.
Hi Paula, thank you for the 5 stars, my sweet friend! I love making sourdough rolls. I can’t get mine to taste sour like when I used to go to San Francisco! They have the best water, I guess! Sourdough rolls are easier to make, that’s why I love making them as well. I love the surprise when you open your oven after making sourdough bread and lift the lid! I LOVE it every single time! Just to see the design! Linda
This looks like a delightful recipe to try. My problem is that I often forget one food on Thanksgiving…..it’s usually the rolls!!! This year was a fresh loaf of whole wheat honey bread for my food conscious son in law…. And yes, I forget it until 8am the morning after!!!…… I will try again next year.
Hi Chris, thank you for the 5 stars, my sweet friend! Well, fresh whole wheat honey bread is healthy and delicious as well! Life is good either way! Linda