Soft White Dinner Rolls Recipe (2024)

By Nigella Lawson

Soft White Dinner Rolls Recipe (1)

Total Time
2 hours 15 minutes
Rating
4(966)
Notes
Read community notes

Getting supper on the table quickly makes you feel efficient. Baking a batch of soft dinner rolls makes you feel cozily competent. This may be an unfashionable virtue, but it is also a deeply satisfying one.

Featured in: AT MY TABLE; Why Make Yeast a Forbidden Pleasure?

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Ingredients

Yield:30 rolls

    For the Dough

    • 3½ to 4cups all-purpose flour
    • 3teaspoons rapid-rise, bread-machine or other instant yeast
    • teaspoons salt
    • 1tablespoon superfine sugar
    • cups milk
    • tablespoons butter, softened
    • Vegetable oil for bowl and baking sheet

    For the Toppings

    • 1large egg, lightly beaten
    • 1tablespoon milk
    • Pinch of salt
    • 1teaspoon sesame seeds
    • 1teaspoon poppy seeds

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Nutritional analysis per serving (30 servings)

80 calories; 2 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 1 gram monounsaturated fat; 0 grams polyunsaturated fat; 13 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 1 gram sugars; 2 grams protein; 75 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Soft White Dinner Rolls Recipe (2)

Preparation

  1. Step

    1

    In a large bowl, combine 3½ cups flour, yeast, salt and sugar. In a small saucepan, combine milk and butter, and place over low heat until milk is lukewarm. Pour into bowl of dry ingredients. Mix with a fork to make a rough dough, adding more flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, if necessary.

  2. Step

    2

    Using a mixer with dough hook, or by hand, knead dough until smooth and silky. Place in an oiled bowl, and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm place until double in size, about 1 hour.

  3. Step

    3

    Punch air out of dough. Oil a baking sheet, and set aside. Pull off pieces of dough the size of walnuts, and form into round balls. Place on baking sheet almost touching, about ¼ inch apart, in 6 rows of 5 each. Cover with a kitchen towel, and let rise in a warm place 30 minutes. Meanwhile, heat oven to 425 degrees.

  4. Step

    4

    When rolls have risen, make a glaze by beating together the egg, milk and salt. Paint rolls with glaze. Sprinkle one row with sesame seeds and the next with poppy seeds; leave the third row plain, and then repeat pattern. (A teaspoon of seeds should decorate 2 rows.)

  5. Step

    5

    Bake rolls until risen and golden brown, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack or serve immediately. To serve, place on a plate so rolls can be torn off to be eaten.

Ratings

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out of 5

966

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Private Notes

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Cooking Notes

amy

Just for anyone who is new to this recipe, they actually changed the amount that is listed so now it is consistent with what the commenters "reduced" it to. I found that all very confusing until I read the very last comment by the administrator that says they updated the recipe to reflect the change in salt. Now it should be good and not overly salty the way it is.

Margaux Laskey, Senior Staff Editor, NYT Cooking

Thanks for the flag, all! We've updated the recipe.

Eric

These are good and easy. I think they are a tad too salty, so I might reduce that next time. I made 24 rolls, and they were on the small side, so I don't think 30 rolls is realistic from this recipe.

lklandrum

Can the last rise be in the fridge the night before? If so, how long to bring them to room temp?

Jen

On the Nigella website this recipe is posted with 1/2 the salt. Other than that I followed the recipe as written and ended up with 30 beautiful little rolls!

Patricia

After reading the previous comment I reduced the salt in the dough to 1 and 1/2 teaspoons,used the dough hook on my KitchenAid to mix right from the beginning. Also used a half sheet pan for the rolls and fit 24 nicely,the other 6 I put in a separate dish to try when they come out of the oven. Excellent texture,while light on the inside,crunchy crust on the outside,flavor very,very good. These will be a hit for Easter dinner!! Thank you!

Hyacinth

Boy, I agree about the salt. I know that some breads need more salt than others, but in a soft roll I think that 1 1/2 tsp is plenty. Thanks for the heads up!

Julie Linderman

Made these with Thanksgiving dinner, and they were my favorite thing on the plate. They were tiny though. Walnut size seems too small. Very tasty though.

Sherri

I made 24 with this recipe and they were all still pretty small. Still baked them for 15 minutes as called for in recipe -- turned out perfectly. Reduced the salt to 1.5 tsp., per other comments. Saltiness was just right.

Marcella

The recipe was vague about how long you need to knead the dough. I stopped when it was still a little sticky, but wasn't too sure, because it was already smooth and silky then. As other comments, I made my balls about an inch big and they rose twice as big cooked, which is still small. I only did half of the recipe thinking I wouldn't want to make 30 rolls or 15 rolls but they came out so good that within a few hours the rolls were all gone. Thanks for the delicious recipe- will make them again

JV

Definitely reduce he salt. 1.5 teaspoons is plenty. Not as fluffy as other rolls. Perhaps too much flour?

Christine H.

I made the dough in a bread machine through the first rise cycle. I then rolled them into balls and let them rise another 30 min after putting sesame seeds on top. They turned out perfect. Fast, easy and delicious!

Buckaroo Banzai

Mine came out garlic knot size and consistency. Not bad at all but I was hoping for a slightly larger, lighter roll. I added some chopped rosemary to the dough (stolen idea from another roll recipe). Definitely will make again for a holiday or other fancy dinner.

Elizabeth

Easy, and turned out exactly as promised.

Rose

The recipe is pretty vague but I used a stand mixer and mixed for 8 minutes on low speed. I also let the buns proof for 45 minutes because my kitchen was cold. The buns are good but a little dense. I may try extending the final proof. They’re also not as flavorful as I’d hoped.

Yves

Experienced baker here. I used 420g of King Arthur A/P flour, equivalent to 3 1/2 cups, but the dough was very wet, so I added about 60-70 g more. Followed the recipe to a T and they came out perfect

Flailing in the Kitchen

I would make these a bit bigger.

J Myers

So I made these and they were quite dense. Was I overzealous with the punch after first rise? Still new to baking!

Gabe

These came out looking amazing and the texture was great, but they were not very tasty.

April

Quick, simple, and delicious! The rolls came out soft and glossy. The small size makes a perfect serving.

Nancy

Fewer, larger rolls would be better but I wanted them touching each other after 2nd rise to get the soft sides, so I eeked out 35 rolls in a 9x 13 pan. To Those of you who made larger rolls, what size pan did you use?

Jenny

Made these with oat milk (no regular milk at home)—they worked out fine! I would make them more evenly sized the next go around.

Heather

I used a scant 1.5 tsp salt and I would've liked more, but I like a lot of salt. I found them a little bland. Also I let them rise an hour after forming into rolls because they didn't rise much in 30 minutes. I don't know why, but things never rise right for me. I don't usually bake bread, so perhaps I did something that caused my problems.

jane

Good when you need rolls fairly quickly, but a little dry. I made them about 2x the size called for in the recipe.

Mallory Busch

Okay so I did something a lil bit crazy here:- Ran out of milk, put 1cup milk 1/2 cup half & half in instead- Over-worked & over-kneaded the dough (whoops)- Ran out of milk AND half&half, used heavy whipping cream for the glaze- Put sea salt and fennel on the top along with sesame seedsThe result was a far more dense, but delicious bread roll that was almost like a biscuit. It was a tasty treat and a hit at Thanksgiving!

Regan

These were pretty bland and didn't rise much (yes, my yeast is fresh). Not impressed at all.

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Soft White Dinner Rolls Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret of soft buns? ›

The secret to soft, light rolls, if you're looking for something like a dinner roll, is an enriched dough that contains butter or other dairy, eggs, or both. If you want something more bread-like, you want a high hydration dough that's been properly kneaded and given at least two bulk fermentations before shaping.

What is the difference between a soft roll and a dinner roll? ›

Soft rolls and hard rolls are yeast breads, but quick breads are chemically raised doughs (with baking powder or baking soda). Soft rolls would be dinner rolls or sandwich buns which are usually enriched with dairy, butter or some other fat, and normally are sweetened to some degree.

Why are my dinner rolls not light and fluffy? ›

Too much flour, or not the right kind, could be to blame. Dough made only from flour with a high or even average amount of protein (like bread flour or all-purpose flour) can become tough from overmixing. Protein gives bread structure in the form of gluten—the more you mix and move the dough, the more gluten you get.

How do you keep homemade rolls soft? ›

Brush the rolls with butter.

Melt the butter and brush it over the risen dinner rolls. This helps the tops to brown and keeps the crust soft.

What ingredient makes bread soft? ›

Sugar: Not only does it sweeten the bread, but sugar also retains moisture. This means that adding sugar can indeed make bread softer. Baking Soda: When added, especially in recipes with acidic ingredients, it can make bread soft and spongy.

What ingredient makes bread light and fluffy? ›

Sugar: When yeast is mixed with sugar it consumes the sugar and produces carbon dioxide gas, which causes the bread dough to rise and become light and airy. Instant Yeast: Instant dry yeast can be added directly to the flour mixture without needing to be activated first.

Is bread flour or all-purpose flour better for rolls? ›

You can also use all-purpose in many bun or roll recipes, which tend to have lower hydration and rely less on strong gluten and more on butter and sugar for texture. (Though bread flour can still give you a fluffier, almost cotton-candy-like texture in most buns and rolls.)

Why are my homemade dinner rolls dense? ›

If you are measuring by cups, you may be packing the flour too dense and using too much. Also depending temperature in your home, you may just need to let them proof longer. Test the yeast. Active yeast takes longer to rise than instant dry.

Is soft rolls lean dough? ›

Hard rolls, French- and Italian-style breads, and whole wheat, rye and pumpernickel breads are considered lean. Enriched dough (for soft rolls, brioche and challah) is produced by adding fat or tenderizing ingredients such as sugars or syrups, butter or oil, whole eggs or egg yolks, milk or cream.

How can I make my bread fluffier instead of dense? ›

Potato Flakes or Potato Water

Starch helps the dough by trapping the gas from the yeast in the dough and makes the bubbles stronger. This helps the bread to rise and be lighter and fluffier. If you are boiling potatoes, you can use the unsalted water in place of the water in your bread recipe to help out the yeast.

How long to let rolls rise before baking? ›

The dough rises in about 1-2 hours in a relatively warm environment. Punch down the dough to release the air and shape into rolls. Let the rolls rise for about 1 hour. Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.

What is the secret to super soft bread? ›

Instant milk powder makes bread dough super soft and fluffy and also helps to give it a good rise. It also contributes to the dough staying nice and soft after baking for a little longer than a recipe that does not use milk powder.

Will more yeast make bread fluffier? ›

Because gas is created as a result of yeast growth, the more the yeast grows, the more gas in the dough and the more light and airy your bread loaf will be.

Does kneading bread dough make it softer? ›

As you knead, you'll start to feel the texture of the dough change; it will begin to smooth out and feel softer and more elastic. The length of time a dough requires kneading depends on the recipe. Some doughs take just 3–5 minutes, while others can take up to 10–15 minutes.

What makes bun so soft? ›

Incorporate ingredients such as milk, eggs, or butter into the dough, which add moisture and tenderness. Knead the dough until it's smooth and elastic, which helps develop the gluten and results in a softer texture. Can I make homemade hamburger bun dough ahead of time? Yes, you can make the dough in advance.

What is the secret of soft dough? ›

Add Sugar

Sugar acts as a liquifying agent in the dough. Adding sugar weakens the gluten structure, absorbs water, and eventually makes the bread lighter and softer. As a result, sugar improves the bread's taste, structure and texture.

What is the best way to soften buns? ›

Try steaming your burger buns on the stove.

Steaming store-bought buns can make them more tender and plump up stale buns by adding moisture. "Hot-dog stands steam their buns because it makes them taste good. You can do the same at home in just a few minutes," Alto said.

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