French Bread Rolls

Name: French Bread Rolls
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 17 min
Total time: 102 min
Ingredients: 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour (divided); 1 ¼ cups water (warm (between 110-120°)); 2 tablespoons honey; 2 tablespoons olive oil (plus more for bowl); 2 ¼ teaspoon instant yeast (1 packet); 2 teaspoons salt; cornmeal (optional)

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These French bread rolls have the subtle sweetness of a good dinner roll recipe, but the delightfully crusty exterior of French bread. Best of both worlds! You’ll love them served alongside a bowl of your favorite soup or piled high in a bread basket for a holiday dinner—and you’ll especially love how easy it is to make them!

French bread rolls in a towel line bowl with a small dish of butter nearby.

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Recipe at a Glance
Ingredients to make French Bread Rolls
Popular substitutions & additions
How to make French Bread Rolls
Tips for making the best French Dinner Rolls
What to serve with Crusty French Bread Rolls
How to store & reheat French Bread Rolls
Frequently asked questions
More bread recipes:
French Bread Rolls Recipe

I always get excited for homemade dinner rolls, but these French bread rolls are extra special. While most dinner rolls are soft and pillowy all the way through, French dinner rolls have a chewy, crusty exterior similar to French bread. If the crust is your favorite part of bread, then this is the recipe for you! Don’t worry, though—tucked inside of the crust is a tender, sweet, fluffy center. Basically, this is a recipe that will please everyone!

Making fresh bread from scratch can be intimidating, but these easy French bread rolls are the perfect recipe for a first-time bread baker. Your (minimal!) effort will be rewarded with a batch of fresh, warm French dinner rolls to slather with butter or dunk into Roasted Tomato Soup.

Recipe at a Glance

Cuisine Inspiration: American, with French inspiration

Primary Cooking Method: Oven

Dietary Info: Vegetarian

Key Flavor: Slightly sweet

Skill Level: Intermediate

Summary

A dinner roll recipe for beginners: This is a fuss-free recipe perfect for novice bakers, but even seasoned pros will love the results!
Unique texture: The combination of pillowy soft dinner rolls with a French bread crust is a total crowd-pleaser. These French bread rolls are impossible to resist!
Classic dinner roll flavor: Despite the unique texture, the flavor here is traditional—most dinner rolls are lightly sweetened and this recipe gets its subtle sweetness from honey.
Freezer-friendly: Keep a batch of these crusty French bread rolls in the freezer so you’ll have them on hand for future meals!

Ingredients to make French Bread Rolls

Ingredients for recipe in individual dishes: hot water, oil, yeast, flour, honey, and salt.

All-purpose flour: No need for anything fancy here. Everyday all-purpose flour is perfect!
Water: Warm it up until the temperature reaches 110-120°F.
Honey: Dinner rolls typically have a lightly sweet flavor. Honey is perfect for this!
Olive oil: Dinner rolls are also rich! Some recipes call for butter, but I like to use olive oil.
Instant yeast: Not to be confused with active dry yeast! Be sure to buy instant, since that’s what I used when developing this recipe.
Salt: Always essential in a homemade bread recipe.
Cornmeal: This adds some texture and flavor to the bottoms of the rolls, but it’s optional.

Popular substitutions & additions

Add some whole grain goodness. Swap half of the all-purpose flour for white whole wheat flour. White whole wheat flour (as opposed to regular whole wheat flour) adds whole grains to the rolls without creating a dense texture.
Fold in some herbs. Fresh minced chives, rosemary, or thyme add flavor to French dinner rolls. Fold these in before you begin kneading the dough.
Make them buttery. Once the rolls are finished baking, you can brush them with melted butter (or melted garlic butter) to infuse them with flavor—just note that this will soften the crust a bit.
Add seeds. Brush the tops of the rolls with egg wash and sprinkle on sesame or poppy seeds.

How to make French Bread Rolls

There’s no lengthy rise time for these French dinner rolls, but you should plan for about 2 hours for the entire process, including cleanup.

Prepare bread dough

Combine 2 cups of flour with the rest of the ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer.
Use the dough hook to mix everything together, adding more flour ¼ cup at a time.
Knead until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl and forms a ball.
Set the ball of dough in an oiled bowl, flip it a few times to coat it in oil, cover the bowl, and let it sit until the dough doubles in size.

4 image collage making recipe in the bowl of a stand mixer: 1-water, yeast, sugar, oil, and honey added before mixing, 2- after mixing with flour added to show a round dough, 3- after kneading dough and resting in the bowl, coated with oil before rising, 4- after doubling in size.

Make french bread dough balls

Gently deflate the dough, then turn it out onto a clean work surface.
Cut the dough into 16 equal pieces.
Form each piece of dough into a tight, smooth ball.
Set the balls of dough on a parchment-lined baking sheet; cover with a kitchen towel and proof until the rolls are doubled in size.

4 image collage making recipe: 1-deflated dough on a floured surface, 2-dough divided into 16 pieces, 3- hand rolling pieces into a ball, 4- dough balls on a parchment-lined sheet pan before second rise.

Bake French Bread rolls in oven

Score each roll with a sharp knife.
Bake until the French dinner rolls are golden brown.

2 image collage showing recipe before and after baking.

Tips for making the best French Dinner Rolls

Don’t scoop the flour. Because we’re measuring by volume instead of weight, it’s really important that you measure accurately! Instead of scooping the flour out of the jar or bag with your measuring cup, lightly spoon it into the cup, then use a butter knife to scrape off any excess.
Use your hands if you don’t have a mixer. No stand mixer? No problem! Stir together the dough with a wooden spoon until it all comes together, then switch to using your hands for kneading.
Don’t over-knead the dough. Kneading activates the gluten in the flour, which gives bread its structure. But too much kneading can result in tough, dense rolls. Only knead until the dough is smooth and elastic.
Shape the rolls tightly. When shaping the dough into rolls, it’s not enough to simply roll them into balls. Fold the sides under each roll, stretching them a bit to create some tension. Then roll the dough between your hands. Creating taut, tight balls of dough will help them rise tall, rather than simply expanding outward.
Score the tops. This isn’t just for looks—it serves an important purpose. The steam needs to escape somewhere as the rolls bake. If you don’t score the tops, your dough will decide where to let the steam escape—which will result in rolls that are misshapen and blown out. Scoring gives you control over where the vent is. Use a sharp knife or bread lame to do this; if it’s sticking to the dough, you can coat the blade with olive oil.
Don’t forget to create steam. The pan of water at the bottom of the oven is key to getting the perfect French bread crust on these rolls. Without it, your dinner rolls will still be delicious, but you won’t have the crusty exterior.

Hand holding a french bread roll that's cut in half to show the fluffy inside texture.

What to serve with Crusty French Bread Rolls

How to store & reheat French Bread Rolls

Let the rolls cool completely, then store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. To reheat, wrap them in foil and place in a preheated oven at 350ºF for 5 to 10 minutes.

Can i freeze French Dinner Rolls?

You can freeze these rolls either before and after baking. To freeze before baking, shape the rolls and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Freeze until solid, then transfer the balls of dough to a freezer bag or airtight container for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to bake, let them thaw for about an hour before following the recipe’s instructions.

To freeze after baking, let the rolls cool completely, then place them in a freezer bag or container. They will keep for up to 3 months. You can let them thaw at room temperature and enjoy them that way, or warm them up in the oven.

Frequently asked questions

How do I know my yeast is active?

Using warm water between 110-120°F should activate your instant yeast. However, if you’re unsure about the viability of your yeast, you can test it by mixing it with a bit of warm water and a pinch of sugar. If it froths up within a few minutes, it’s good to go.

What makes homemade rolls tough?

Over-kneading and under-proofing the dough can result in tough, dense rolls. If your house is chilly, you may want to let the rolls proof in the microwave, your pantry, or even in the oven with the pilot light on to protect the dough from drafts of cold air. This will help ensure that they proof in a reasonable amount of time.

Do you let rolls rise before baking?

Yes, this allows the dough to rest and expand, resulting in lighter and fluffier rolls. It also develops the flavor of the bread.

Why is my dough not rising?

There are several possible reasons why your dough may not rise. It could be that the water temperature was too hot or too cold, affecting yeast activation. Or, you might be using expired yeast. Also, make sure your dough is in a warm, draft-free environment for effective proofing.

French bread roll cut in half and smeared with butter sitting on top of more rolls.

Warm, homemade French bread rolls make any dinner special! You’ll love the soft, pillowy centers and irresistibly chewy golden-brown crust. Keep a batch in the freezer and enjoy them anytime!

More bread recipes:

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