My favorite Life-Changing No-Knead Dinner Rolls are incredibly easy โ no stand mixer, no hand mixer, and no kneading required!
These rolls rise high with soft, fluffy centers and crisp edges. Yes, they really are life-changing!
If youโve never made homemade rolls before, Iโll guide you through each step with all the tips and tricks Iโve learned over the years.
Why You Need This Dinner Roll Recipe!
These are the best dinner rolls! Theyโre big, soft, buttery, and taste amazing fresh from the oven with some honey or apple butter or jam!
Besides tasting incredible, theyโre also super easy to make. This No-Knead Bread recipe is a favorite at my house because itโs so simple, and I wanted the same in a roll.
Hereโs why these rolls are magic:
- Only 7 ingredients
- No mixer needed
- Mixed by hand with a spatula
- No kneading required
- Make ahead or can be ready same-day
I canโt wait to hear what you think!
How To Make Dinner Rolls
- Proof the yeast: Mix warm water with yeast and honey, and let it sit for 5-10 minutes until it gets foamy.
- Mix ingredients: Whisk melted butter, eggs, and honey. In a large bowl, combine flour and salt, then add the butter and egg mixture. Stir with a spatula until a thick, rough dough formsโno kneading required!
- Let the dough rise: Cover dough and let it rise in a warm spot for 1ยฝ to 2 hours, or until it doubles in size.
- Shape the rolls: Once risen, shape the dough into a rectangle and cut it into 12 pieces. Roll each piece into a ball and place in a greased 9ร13-inch pan. Let them rise again for 30-45 minutes.
- Bake: Preheat the oven to 350ยฐF. Bake until golden, then brush with melted butter. Enjoy warm!
Quick Tip
Why do they call it โproofingโ the yeast? Just think about it: Yeast that doesnโt rise wonโt make good bread. So, when you put the water, honey, and yeast together, youโre proving that itโs all fresh. And thatโs proof!
Tips for Perfect Dinner Rolls
- Foamy yeast: If your yeast doesnโt get foamy, it could be old, or the water might be too hot. Start over to avoid flat rolls.
- Speed up rising: To help the dough rise faster, place it somewhere warm, like near a low-heat fireplace or in an oven warmed to 170ยฐF and then turned off.
- Best rise temperature: The dough rises best at 70ยฐF. Too hot can kill the yeast, and too cold will slow it down.
- Shape easily: To shape the rolls, pull the dough from the top to the bottom and pinch underneath to make smooth, round rolls.
Variations
These rolls have a light sweetness from the honey, and with jam, theyโre perfectly sweet! For a sweet soft dinner roll, add a few tablespoons white sugar to the flour mixture.
Dinner Rolls FAQs
Dinner rolls are small, individual-sized loaves of bread served as a side dish. Originally, they were designed to be easily passed around during meals.
Dinner rolls come in many typesโcrusty, soft, chewy, or dense, and made with different flours. But classic dinner rolls are usually puffy, with a soft inside, a tender crust, and a light buttery flavor, made with white all-purpose flour.
A few possible culprits:
-inactive/dead yeast
โtoo much flour
โnot enough proofing (rising) time
Want to jazz up your rolls? Try these ideas:
-Brush with butter and sprinkle with fresh herbs like thyme, parsley, oregano, or rosemary.
-Serve with great butter and jam.
-Brush with butter and sprinkle with sea salt flakes.
What To Serve With Dinner Rolls
These soft dinner rolls are perfect for dunking or sopping up sauces!
- Pair them with hearty meals like Shepherdโs Pie, CrockPot Roast, or Spaghetti Bolognese.
- Theyโre also great for dipping in soups like Broccoli Cheddar Soup, Creamy Vegetable Soup, or Tortellini Soup.
- These are perfect for holiday dinners like Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas!
Storing Dinner Rolls
These rolls are best the same day theyโre made.
Let them cool completely on a rack for about an hour before storing. Wrap in an airtight bag at room temp (donโt refrigerate or theyโll go stale).
- Freezing: Cool, wrap individually in foil, and place in an airtight bag.
- Thawing: Leave out overnight, then warm in foil for 10 minutes at 300ยฐF. Serve warm.
Note: Rolls will lose some texture and flavor after freezing or on the second day.
Quick Tip
Since this is a slightly different dinner roll recipe, itโs a good idea to watch the quick video tutorial and read through the recipe before getting started!
More Easy Bread Recipes
- Hawaiian Roll Cinnamon Rolls using packaged rolls!
- Focaccia no kneading
- Herb Bread overnight, artisan-style bread
- French Bread with a crusty exterior and soft, chewy interior
- Easy Cinnamon Roll Recipe no kneading
Dinner Rolls
Video
Equipment
- 9 x 13-inch baking pan use ceramic if possible
Ingredients
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter divided
- 3 teaspoons instant yeast or active dry, see note 1
- 3 tablespoons honey divided
- 1-1/2 cups water warm (110โ)
- 2 large eggs
- 4-1/2 cups all-purpose flour plus more for shaping rolls
- 2 teaspoons salt
Instructionsย
- In a microwave-safe bowl, melt 4 tablespoons of butter. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
- In a medium bowl, combine yeast, 1 tablespoon honey, and the warm water (see note 2). Whisk and let sit 5 minutes or until the mixture looks creamy/foamy. If not, the yeast may be inactive, or the water was too hot, and youโll need to start over.
- In the melted butter bowl, add the remaining 2 tablespoons honey and the eggs. Whisk until smooth.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour and salt. Create a well in the center. Pour in the butter mixture and yeast mixture. Stir with a strong rubber spatula until a thick, shaggy dough forms, with no dry streaks of flour. Cover with plastic wrap.
- First Rise:Same Day Rolls: Let the dough rise in a draft-free environment (about 70ยฐF) for 90โ120 minutes, or until nearly tripled in size (typically 90 minutes).Overnight Rolls: Let the dough rise in a draft-free environment for 30 minutes. Then refrigerate for 8โ12 hours. Before shaping, let the dough stand at room temperature for 30 minutes or until tripled in size.
- Shape Rolls: Generously spray a 9ร13-inch pan with cooking spray.Flour a large clean work surface and your hands. Dust a spatula with flour and scrape the dough onto the floured surface. Shape the dough into a rectangular log and cut it into 4 equal pieces, then cut each piece into 3 more pieces (to get 12 dough balls). Dust with flour as needed to prevent sticking.Shape each piece into a smooth ball by pulling the dough from the top and pinching it underneath. Place the pinched side down on the work surface and gently roll into a round ball. Place the balls into the prepared pan in 4 rows of 3. Cover with lightly greased plastic wrap.
- Second Rise: Let the rolls rise for 20โ30 minutes (up to 45 minutes) or until nearly doubled in size.
- Preheat oven to 350ยฐF. Once the rolls have risen, remove the plastic wrap and bake for 45โ50 minutes until golden brown and hollow-sounding when tapped. Brush the tops with the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter.
- Let the rolls cool slightly before serving.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
The measurements were accurate and it is an easy recipe to follow. Someone had noted to read the instructions thoroughly so you dont miss a few steps, (Like the butter and honey) My only very minor criticism is the rolls are kind of flavorless. I would add more salt to the recipe in the future, and there will definitely be a future, if not weekly use of this recipe. ,)
Can you bake these in muffin tin instead?
Hey Carol, I havenโt tested this so I canโt recommend it, so sorry!
Can you use 1for 1 gluten free flour ?
I havenโt tested these rolls with a 1 for 1 gluten free flour, and because this is a yeast based dough that relies heavily on gluten for structure and rise, a straight swap is very likely to give dense or gummy rolls. Most 1 for 1 blends donโt behave the same in enriched yeast doughs like this one.
These sound/look delicious.
Question: will the recipe still work if I reduce the amount of honey? I would like them more savory than sweet. If you think I can with good results, how much should I reduce by to still have them turn out just fine?
Thank you so much. I just discovered your recipesโฆso many I want to try!
Kat