Mel’s Perfect Dinner Rolls

Rolls have always caused me to sweat a little when I think about making them because they’ve always been difficult for me to master. The sizing, the placement in the pan, the rising, all of those variables can make or break a good dinner roll.

Well, I’m happy to report I finally found the perfect recipe! With surprisingly little effort, they taste better than anything you could buy at a store.

A bowl filled with soft, golden dinner rolls nestled in a red cloth, surrounded by green eucalyptus leaves for a beautiful presentation.

Want to watch this recipe in action? Here’s a video of me making these rolls step by step.

Total time: 3 hours

Servings: Makes 12 rolls

Ingredients

  • 1 ¼ cups milk
  • ¼ cup water
  • ¼ cup (57 g) butter, softened or melted
  • 2 tablespoons (27 g) granulated sugar (see note)
  • 1 tablespoon instant or active dry yeast
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 ¼ teaspoons salt
  • 4 ¼ to 4 ½ cups (604-639 g) all-purpose flour
  • Additional butter for the tops

Step 1

Heat the milk slowly until bubbles form around the edges and the milk starts to steam.

A green saucepan on the stovetop with milk warming, a step in preparing dough for the perfect dinner rolls.

Step 2

Pour the milk into a stand mixer that uses a dough hook. A must-have for making homemade bread is a Bosch Mixer. This machine is a beast and makes quick work of kneading the dough. It’s a bit expensive, but it will last for years.

Warm milk being poured from a saucepan into a stand mixer, preparing dough for homemade dinner rolls.

Step 3

Add the butter, water, and sugar. Let the mixture cool off until it’s warm. Dip a finger in to test it; it should feel warm, not hot or cold.

Step 4

Add the yeast and let sit for 5-7 minutes until the liquid foams. Technically, active dry yeast doesn’t need time to proof, but it makes it rise better if you activate it first.

Step 5

Add the salt, egg, and flour, and turn the mixer on. Don’t add all the flour at once – start with 3 3/4 cups and add additional flour gradually. You only want to add enough flour to make the dough clean the sides of the bowl. If you add too much flour, your rolls will become more dense and less light and fluffy.

Flour and ingredients being mixed in a stand mixer to create dough for dinner rolls.

Step 6

Let the dough knead for 5-6 minutes until it’s soft and smooth.

Elastic dough in the stand mixer after mixing, ready for the next step in the dinner roll recipe.

Step 7

Let the dough rise in a warm spot until doubled, about an hour or so. I left the dough in the mixing bowl, covered it with a towel, and set it on my stovetop next to my simmer pot.

Dough resting under a striped cloth on the stove to rise, a key step in making soft dinner rolls.

Step 8

Grease a 9 x 13-inch pan. Lightly punch down the dough and lay it on a greased countertop. I like to add a little bit of coconut oil to my hands to help the dough not to stick while I’m handling it. My cute coconut oil canister is still available, but it’s on clearance, so get it while you can.

Step 9

Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces. I started by cutting the dough ball into thirds. They should weigh about 3 to 3.5 oz, or just measure with your heart like I do. Roll every piece into a ball and place it in the pan.

If you want a nice smooth top when your rolls are finished, shape the dough balls and place the smooth side up. My pan fit four rows of three rolls. Using a dough cutter is much easier than using a knife.

Step 10

Cover and let the rolls rise until doubled. They should be puffy with the sides touching. Preheat oven to 375 degrees and bake for 15-20 minutes until golden on the tops. Butter the tops immediately out of the oven.

Step 11

Devour

Close-up of fluffy, golden dinner rolls, glistening with a light buttery finish and resting in a red cloth.


Check out these other yummy Thanksgiving side dish recipes. These are my favorite Steamed Carrots and I love this recipe for Fresh Green Beans!

Are you interested in other Thanksgiving recipes or need ideas? If so, I created a complete guide on hosting a Friendsgiving / Thanksgiving dinner party. Download it below!

credit: Mel’s Perfect Dinner Rolls

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