Homemade Dinner Rolls
Updated Sep 29, 2025
Classic homemade dinner rolls are made from scratch with instant yeast and come out light and fluffy, simple, and easy to make with pantry ingredients.
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my homemade dinner rolls are so good

When I first learned how to cook, making anything with yeast was so intimidating. So when I finally worked up the courage to try baking, dinner rolls were the very first bread I made! They turned out pretty good, too (good enough I wanted to keep learning how to bake).
My Homemade Dinner Rolls are what I dreamed of making back then: They’re light, fluffy, and just a little sweet. I don’t think there’s anything better than one of these warm, soft dinner rolls slathered with butter. I want to eat them right now, just writing this!
Happy Cooking!
– Yumna
Homemade Dinner Rolls Ingredients

- Dry ingredients: You’ll need flour, yeast, and salt! Make sure to use instant yeast, which can be mixed with the other dry ingredients and doesn’t need to bloom first. If you want to use active dry yeast, just mix it with the milk and honey to activate the yeast for 10 minutes and then add the other ingredients.
- Wet ingredients: These yeast dinner rolls call for milk, olive oil, an egg, and honey! I use whole milk, but you can use oat or almond milk if you’re dairy-free.
How to Make Homemade Dinner Rolls











Homemade Dinner Roll Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon instant yeast
- 1 cup whole milk warmed
- 4 tablespoons olive oil plus more for brushing
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons honey
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine flour, salt and instant yeast. Whisk to evenly distribute everything.
- In a small bowl, combine the milk, olive oil, egg and honey.
- Add wet ingredients to the dry. Stir with a spoon until all of the flour is incorporated. Cover and allow to sit for 10-15 minutes.
- Scrape dough onto a smooth, lightly floured surface. Knead for 8-10 minutes or until smooth and stretchy using a folding motion, adding more flour when needed. The dough is a bit wet so constant motion will help prevent it from sticking.
- Place dough in an oiled bowl or container. Cover with plastic wrap or a tight cover and allow to rise in a warm area until 2.5 times the size, about 90 minutes.
- Scrape dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Cut into 15 even pieces (about 55 grams each).
- Taking one piece at a time, fold the edges into the center, pinch them closed, and then roll the ball in your hands. Place the dough seam side down a 9×13 baking dish and repeat with the remaining pieces.
- Cover the dough balls loosely with plastic wrap. Allow to rise until doubled in size, about 30 minutes.
- While the dough is rising the second time, preheat oven to 375° F. Once doubled in size, uncover the dough and place in the oven on a middle rack.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and while still hot, brush with olive oil, if desired. Allow to cool for about 10 minutes before enjoying.
Notes
- Pay attention to the temperature of your kitchen. It will drastically impact the rising time of your dough. When it is warmer, the dough rises faster.
- Weigh the rolls. For this dinner roll recipe, I like using a scale to weigh the rolls when I’m making them! That way, they’re all the same size.
- Instead of whole milk, try almond milk, which is what I use in the recipe video! I recommend against coconut milk or rice milk.
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
RECIPE VIDEO TUTORIAL
Recipe Variations
- Add herbs. You can try mixing ¼ cup of chopped, fresh herbs into these easy homemade dinner rolls! I think parsley, basil, or chives would be good.
- Make them cheesy. I mean, who can say no to cheese?! Knead ¼ to ½ cup of grated cheddar, parmesan, or mozzarella into the dough!
- Bagel them. Before baking, sprinkle the tops of the quick dinner rolls with everything bagel seasoning! I usually make my own spice blend because it takes just 5 minutes and keeps for a long time!
Recipe Tips
- Don’t skip the resting time after mixing the wet and dry ingredients together. This will make the bread easier to knead and give the flour time to absorb the liquid.
- Use any kind of plant-based milk or regular whole milk will work. However, I recommend against coconut milk or rice milk. Make sure the milk is not too hot (above 115°F) or it will kill the yeast.
- Use a stand mixer if you have one. You can mix and knead the dough in one with a dough hook. You may have to add an additional tbsp of flour and work the dough for up to 15 minutes to get the right consistency with a dough hook!
- Pay attention to the temperature of your kitchen. It will drastically impact the rising time of your dough. When it is warmer, the dough rises faster.
- Weigh the rolls. For this dinner roll recipe, I like using a scale to weigh the rolls when I’m making them! That way, they’re all the same size.
FAQs
There a few reasons why your homemade dinner rolls come out of the oven hard instead of light and fluffy! Check to make sure your yeast isn’t old or expired, which could stop it from rising. You should also make sure the milk isn’t hot when you add it, since heat can kill yeast! (You just want to milk to be warm.) Also, give the dough long enough to rise and avoid overcooking the rolls!








Comments
Great recipe, but I am having issues with the texture! The rolls are crusty and hard on the outside, and dense on the inside, not soft and fluffy. The only thing I did different was substitute a half cup of white flour with whole wheat flour, would that change have caused the texture to come out the way it did?
Yes, whole wheat flour make the rolls denser. That is likely the cause!
Hi. Looks easy enough & tasty! Will be trying it tonight. Quick question: Can I omit the honey / sugar altogether? Thank you. Am a big fan, btw.
Thanks, Tina! Since the recipe uses Instant Yeast you don’t need to use sugar or honey, but I do find it helps with the overall final taste. That said, I think they will work out perfectly fine without it!
Hi this is a great recipe. But I had an issue and I forgot to warm up my milk will the dough still be good and how can I fix it ?
Oh no! The milk needs to be warm to activate the yeast, but I have heard that if you add the dough to your oven wrapped in plastic wrap with just the light on (no heat) it can help warm up and activate the yeast. The ideal temperature is between 100ºF and 110ºF, so make sure it doesn’t exceed 115ºF. Good luck! I hope you’re able to salvage them.
I have been baking bread for 65 years, including grinding the grain for the flour. The milk even at room temperature will be okay; it might take a very little more time to rise. The milk can also be warmed in the microwave – lukewarm will do. You can even use the milk at cold temperature – and it will just take longer to rise. Yeast bread dough is not the delicate, finicky thing it has been made out to be. Our pioneer forebears made bread without our moderate conveniences, remember. Cooks using wood-fired ovens used to make bread….. Have I had failures over the years? Yes, of course. However, even ‘failed” homemade bread is good for eating!! Persevere! And enjoy, enjoy!
I’ve successfully made this recipe and it was a hit! Wondering if you’ve tried making burger buns using this recipe. If so, how many do you think it’d make? Thanks in advance!
I haven’t used this recipe for burger buns before but that sounds so good! I’d love to hear how they turn out!! Enjoy!
Silly question but I’ve had issues with a family recipe due to it not rising. Do you heat the milk for the yeast on the stove or microwave? I’m trying to see if I’m destroying the yeast. I used microwave with temperature thermometer and got it to 110 or less. That was the other recipe. Just curious when you say “warm” milk, that’s heated on stovetop?
I typically heat my milk up in the microwave. As long as the temperature is under 115ºF, it shouldn’t kill the yeast so I’m not sure what happened with your rolls. Sorry I couldn’t be more helpful!
Great recipe! Tried it for the first time today and they were a hit on our thanksgiving table.
Yay, so happy to hear that!! Thanks, Amira!
Delar Yumna !
I Would love to make These dinner rolls but unfortunately the measurements are in CUPS.
I live in Uk and have ben trynig to convert the cup to mg and ml but there are so Many variation. Andy suggestion ??
Please advise
Regards
Frida
Hi Frida, I am so sorry! I know it can get confusing and since I don’t bake in mg and ml I don’t give out the measurement conversions, because they are so many variations I don’t want to give out the wrong ones. Thank you for understanding!
Holy moly!
I am from the UK and followed your recipe using the cup scoops we have available here and they came out stunning.
A firm hit and will be on repeat in my house!
To all other brits they taste almost like iced finger buns! Yumna if you haven’t tried them like that i highly suggest it lol
So happy you enjoyed them!
Can we sub sugar for honey? If so, please note the amount. Thanks in advance!
It should still work, and I’d try using the same amount (2 tablespoon).
These rolls are so easy and so delicious! I was such a fan and very impressed with them! I made some small adjustments, active yeast instead of instant, and dairy milk instead of almond milk. Yum!
Thank you so much! That is perfect. Yay!!
Thank you for your feedback! I would love to find a way to have both the metric and standard system on my website.
Such an easy recipe to follow. However I did let my Kitchen Aid do the kneading for me. Thanks for this.
Thank you so much! The easier the better!
Love this recipe. Just finished baking it.
🤍🤍🤍 absolute favorite.
Thank you so much! Yay!!
When I mixed wet ingredients with the dry, it didn’t mix well, in fact, the mix only pebbled into small pebbles, not the well mixed version that I viewed ~ what went wrong?
I’m not sure what could’ve gone wrong there! Was there enough liquid?
I’ve actually found that you just have to trust it will work! Trust me, I know that kneading crumbly dough is frustrating, but if you let it sit like it says and then work it, you have the BEST recipe for any occasion – I got my grandmother’s approval to make our Thanksgiving rolls!!!
Yes, I agree! Letting the dough rest so the gluten relaxes is super important!
Can you do an overnight refrigerator rise for these?
I have yet to try that! It might work, so let me know if you decide to give that a try.
Can I use skim milk? Maybe with a bit of 18% cream?
It should work, but I haven’t tried it yet!
I didn’t have instant yeast…I did have active dry yeast, in the little envelope. I used one envelope = 2 1/2 teaspoons. I’m in the 90 first rise. I hope it rises since I used a different yeast. If it doesn’t I’ll head to the store for the correct yeast and start over.
Please let me know how it goes!
So…it appears that using the Dry Active Yeast wasn’t a problem. During the 90 minute rise I went to the store for some Instant Yeast just in case. It rose like it was supposed to and they tasted AWESOME. But…I’m worried that I might not get the respect rolls like these deserve…because the recipe is so dang easy. I know…I won’t tell anyone!!! Thank you!!! I have your website now in my favorites!!!
That’s great! I think it still counts. That makes me so happy to hear!
I made these rolls tonight and I’m blown away with how perfect they came out and incredibly delicious. I’m not skilled in bread making but thanks to your you tube video it gave me the confidence to attempt this and help me understand what to do, I’m never buying bread again! (Only changes I made was using whole milk and I weighed out my flour and used 420g)
That makes me so happy to hear! Glad it was easy too!
Can this recipe also be turned into a loaf instead of rolls ?
I have yet to try that, but it’s worth a try!
Hi Yumma, ☺️
These are absolutely amazing and so so easy to make. They raise beautifully and cook in no time. So, so delicious and fun to make with the children too 😉Thank you so much for sharing this recipe 💗
Thank you so much! Happy to have shared!
Hi Yumna,
I have followed every step of the recipe (the instant yeast bas not expires) but the dough does not rise unfortunately.
Best wishes,
In that case, is it possible the dough didn’t get enough time to rise?
Thank you for your kind reply. I tried again yesterday and it is much better and I used my stand mixer this time, I’m afraid my kneading isn’t quite on point 🙂
Of course! It’s great that you’ve pinpointed what went wrong, so you can perfect making this recipe!
I made this with my mom for thanksgiving!! It was so delicious and I will for sure be making it again!!
I love that so much! Yay!
These dinner rolls are amazing and so easy to make . My grandson could not stop asking for more ☺️.
Thank you so much! I love that!
I’m horrible at making bread. Decided to take the risk and give these a shot this thanksgiving. They were a success and the family loved them! I’m so proud and grateful to this recipe.
So glad you decided to give these a go! Yay!!
Made these rolls for Thanksgiving I used a flaxseed egg as my granddaughter is allergic to eggs and diary. Made the pumpkin pie recipe and they both came out perfect!
That makes me so, so happy to hear! Yay!!
I seen this recipe from Facebook Reels this morning and decided to give it a shot. I don’t bake EVER! I accidentally used a tablespoon of salt instead of a teaspoon. Is it still edible, or should I just jump ship now? Help!
It is still edible! Let me know how it went!
Can you freeze the dough to bake another day?
Yes, these rolls freeze well and will keep for up to three months. Let the rolls cool completely and then wrap them individually in foil before placing in a freezer bag. Wrapping them securely like this will prevent freezer burn.
Hi Yumna,
Do you think Vanilla Almond milk would work with this recipe?
Thanks
It will, but the flavor will change.
Almond milk? No thanks I’ll stick to the old fashioned recipe
Did you not like how it turned out with the almond milk?
First time baking bread/buns/anything of the sort – every other recipe just struck fear into my heart, but this one seemed simple enough and was explained well – and they turned out beautifully! Didn’t have honey so I just used a teaspoon of brown sugar instead, which was perfect for our taste – I would recommend it to someone who isn’t used to bread being particularly sweet (so, South Africans, like us), because I think perhaps the honey would have made it significantly sweeter? Either way – thanks for helping me impress my new husband! I wish you could have seen his face 😀
I’m so glad that you gave it a try and enjoyed it! You’re so welcome!!
I have made SO many bread recipes in my life i can’t even guess how many…
These are the perfect dinner rolls, they are so fluffy and easy to make, and delicious!
Perfection!
That means so much to me! Thank you!!
I am a vegetarian… How can I substitute the egg with ?
These rolls look super delicious 😋
Wow so Good! Thank You.
Fun, easy to make 🤍 & delicious.
Yay! Thank you!!
The first time I made these other I forgot the egg and they turned out fine!
That’s so good to know!
Just one word: simplydelicious! 👌🏻
Thank you!!
The buns look like and taste like they are made by an experienced baker though it was my first time baking a bread. Even my horrible eater toddler loves them, thank you!
That’s incredible! I’m so glad you both enjoyed!!
This is one of my favorite recipes of all time. We made it this year for Thanksgiving and since, several members of my family have asked for the link. It is SO good!
I’m so glad you all enjoyed it! Thank you!
I’ve been eyeing this recipe for a while, and finally made them tonight! They were a huge hit – my husband and son loved them! I thought I messed up with the initial dough and kneading (didn’t come out as smooth or stretchy as I wanted) but the rolls still turned out perfect. Will definitely be making these again!
I’m glad to hear! Yay!!
First time ever making rolls! The recipe was very easy to follow, which was very helpful as I’d never made a bread recipe before. They were a great accompaniment to Christmas dinner and very tasty! I will definitely be making this recipe again soon!
Yay, so glad to hear that you tried and enjoyed the recipe! Thank you!!
I made these rolls on christmas dinner, they were so tasty and ate them with cheese also soo good😋
Thank you for recipe!
So glad you enjoyed them! Thank you!!
I just made these today as a test for Christmas and they are soooooo good! It is exactly what I imagined when wanting to make a homemade dinner roll. Thanks for the recipe! I will definitely be using it for Christmas day
Yay! I’m so glad they passed the test for Christmas and so happy for you to enjoy these with your family!
Made these dinner rolls to go with chilli…..and it was a huge HIT with my family!!! Thanks! Especially loved the soft and fluffy texture
So happy to hear that!! Thank you!!
These were delish and so easy! I love to cook but not so much bake so these were perfect to make and enjoy with my family. I’ve tried several of your recipes, ps…they’re all fantastic! Thanks for your hard work helping us all cook and feel good 🤗💕
Yay I’m so glad to hear that these turned out well for you! Thanks so much for sharing!
Thank you Yumna for the lovely recipe I made it today and it was a success loved by everyone who tried it!!! Highly recommended 👍🏽👍🏽
I made.them but they did not come out brown.
Did you substitute something in the recipe or change the cooking time?
I actually had to add a couple of minutes. I didn’t have honey.
Oh the sugar in the honey is important for the yeast activation
Made these yummy rolls last night in the air fryer!
Crunchy on the outside, softt on the inside😋 thank you for the recipe! Very easy to make🙌
Wow I never thought to make them in an air fryer…game changer!
This was my first time making any kind of bread but it turned out great! Mine weren’t sweet (prob need to add more honey next time) but perfectly soft and fluffy! Thanks for this simple and delicious recipe!
So glad you made it and loved it! Yup, they’re not really sweet, just more of a neutral flavor but you can add more honey!
Hi Yumna my kids and myself tried the dinner rolls
And omg we are in love, such simple recipe nd amazing results
Thank you for sharing the recipe
Yay! So happy to hear that!
I just made these and they turned out gorgeous! I didn’t change a thing. I was worried I messed up because the mix after kneading was still “loose” but they turned out great. I don’t bake much but these are going to be a staple from here on out. Thank you for this wonderful , easy recipe!
I love to hear that! It’s always worrying when it’s your first time. Glad it worked out well!
SIMPLY AMAZING! Everyone loved them so much! I can’t wait to make them again!
AWESOME!!
Loved this recipe! It was so easy to make and extremely delicious!
So glad to hear you enjoyed it! Thanks for leaving a review 🙂
Couldn’t fault this recipe it worked and we all enjoyed it and most importantly it was the first time I’ve made bread rolls successfully.
So glad to hear it!! Thank you!!
I was honestly blown away by these! They turned out absolutely beautiful, just like the pictures. I really couldn’t believe that I made them. This was my first time ever kneading dough, and I definitely had my doubts, but this is the perfect recipe for a beginning like myself. I will definitely never be buying store bought rolls ever again! 🙂
My girls and I made these rolls! They are absolutely delicious and so easy to make! They are soft, fluffy and so yummy!
Aww love that that you made them together. Thank you for the review!
Amazing recipe! These rolls are moist, a little sweet and SO EASY to make! The perfect addition to a meal!
Thank you so much!!
Made these rolls for Thanksgiving and they were absolutely loved by all! Recipe was easy to follow and the rolls were top quality! Will definitely be saving this recipe for future use! Thank you so much for sharing it.
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you!!
Awww that’s the best feeling!!! Thank you 🙂
Amazing rolls. Great and easy recipe 😍
Thank you so much for the recipes they are so easy to follow that even my 15 year old can cook and bake👏🏼😄 (he baked these rolls🤗🤭)
Yay! So glad to hear that!
I’ve never cooked a day in my life before 2020, and these recipes are the only ones I’ve found online that I love and are so delicious!! The rolls turned out so perfectly for thanksgiving and were a huge hit. 10/10 would recommend and they were a huge hit with everyone from ages 2-80!
Makes me so happy to give you the confidence to cook your first Thanksgiving using my recipes! Thanks for taking the time to give a review!! Means a lot to me!
Hey Yumna, I’ve already made this amazing rolls twice this month! Both times doubled the recipe, it’s so simple and easy to make, not to mention how delicious! Thank you thank you I love your recipes!
So happy to hear that Julia! Thank you!
Thank you so much for this! I have always wanted to try baking and was scared but this actually worked and I’m confident! Your recipes are amazing
Aww that makes me so happy to hear!!
These are so easy and yummy! I doubled the batch and they turned out great. Really fun to make with kids too!
Yay! So glad to hear that! Thank you 🙂
These are amazing! Thanks so much for the recipe. They worked so well, they were perfect. I’m in the UK so I used white bread flour in place of all purpose flour. Taste amazing with butter or even dipped in gravy
Oh that sounds so perfect!! Glad you tried it and it worked well!
You don’t have to let the yeast boom for this recipe?
No, since we’re using instant yeast. 🙂
Hi! How do I alter recipe if using active fry yeast? And can I make these the day before and leave dough overnight in fridge?
Thank you!
Just mix with the milk and honey to activate the yeast for 10 minutes and then add in all the other ingredients. And you can make them the day before but it’s best to leave them out on the counter at room temperature.
These turned out so amazing that I decided to make them again but used the dough as a meat pie recipe , and got to say they even went faster than the rolls. I will for sure be saving this recipe and using it over and over. I can’t wait to make these again for Thanksgiving and for sure will double the batch this time.
Oh what a great idea to use them for meat pies! So glad you enjoyed the recipe. Thank you!!
Absolutely fantastic!!! This recipe was so easy to follow and turned out yummy, moist, and a real hit with everyone. I never need to buy dinner rolls again! Yumna’s recipes never fail me and she explains every step in great detail and adds so many tips and tricks! I made these in a round pan so I could have “pull apart” dinner rolls just for fun! Try this recipe! You’ll never need to buy dinner rolls ever again or any other recipe!
Hi, can active dry yeast be used instead of instant yeast? If so, how would that change directions?
Hello, you would have to active the yeast with the milk and honey first for 10 minutes until it proofs and then you can add the other ingredients and carry on with the recipe.
hii, the calories are per one serving or for the whole loaf?
thank you
I divided the dough into 15 servings, so the calories is for 1 roll out of 15.
First time making bread/rolls, and these turned out great! Took a chance at something new because the recipe made it look easy with simple ingredients. Will definitely be making again.
So happy to hear that! Thanks so much!
I realy fell in love with these dinner rolls 😋
Thank‘s for this great recipe! ☺️
So glad to hear it! Thank you!!
Made them today!! So good!!!
So glad to hear it!
It was amazing recipe 😋
Yay! So glad to hear it!
Can i use 1/2 whole weat and half all purpose flour or what ratio should use? They look so yummy!
My father lately starting using fir his bread recipe “bread flour” can i use it?
Yes! You can use half whole wheat and half all purpose flour or even bread flour. Both work!
Turned out so good thank you for recipe😊😊
So glad to hear it!
I used 1/3 whole grain flour and cow milk! The result is so lovely! Thanks a lot 🙏❤️ So fluffy, light and yummy!
Yay! So glad to hear it! Thanks for sharing!
They turned out delicious and soft They were a big hit and already all eaten by husband abs kids loved it thank you so much 😊
They turned out so tasty! If you’ve never made bread before this would be a good recipe to try out. Happy baking!(-:
Haha yes! Perfect for first-timers!
Great and very easy to do
my family and my kids liked it som much
Aww I’m so happy you all enjoyed it!
Hey they came out perfectly fine!
Yay! So glad to hear it!
This recipe is a must ! They come out so soft and fluffy. They even taste great. I Will not be buying dinner rolls at the store anymore. Love how simple and clean this recipe is and how great they come out !
So glad you enjoyed it! Thank you!
Awesome recipe. They turned out great. I stuffed them with a butter mixture filled with chives, shredded cheddar and garlic seasoning! Super tasty.
Yummmm what a great idea!! Thanks for sharing!
Easy and super delicious!
So glad to hear it! Thank you!
They turned out beautifully! I am someone who really can’t bake and this was easy to do and clearly laid out! They were a big hit and already all eaten 🙈 Thank you!
Yay! I love to hear that! Thanks so much for sharing!
We made your dinner roll recipe and we are so happy with how they turned out!!:)
Love to hear that! Thank you!
Such an easy and fun recipe to follow! They tasted so good. Can’t wait to make them again!!
So glad to hear it! Thanks for leaving a review!
I made these buns after seeing your Instagram story. I didn’t even go to the recipe, just followed instructions on the story. This recipe was easy to make. The result delicious buns, fluffy soft. A winner 😀
Added a big pinch of herbes de Provence. My two boys Loved them! Ate warm out of the oven! So good!
Yummm…great idea! So glad your family enjoyed them!
So easy to make – so delicious to eat 👍
So glad to hear it! Thank you 🙂
Love the recipe. It’s very easy to make and tastes delicious!
So glad you enjoyed it! Thank you!!
Super soft and yummy
Must try recipe!
Sooo good no doubt
So happy to hear that! Thanks for taking the time to leave feedback 🙂
Yumna you’re the best and your recipe is resounding in mine and my Papis tummy. Thank you these dinner rolls are absolutely delicious and addictive my Papi really enjoyed them. We had some with just butter and a thin slice of cheese it was divine 😊
So glad to hear you enjoyed it!! Thanks so much!
Hi Yumna. Thank you for posting and sharing this recipe. I live in the U.K. and we don’t have be allowed like purpose flour. We only have plain flour, self raising flour or bread flour. Which one would you recommend?
Plain flour or bread flour will work here!
Can I brush them with something else if i wanna make them taste sweeter?
You can try egg yolk and honey
Hello Yumna, any replacement for eggs?
I would have to re-test it with flax eggs but that might be a good thing to try if you’d like!
Can i use oat flour? Thank youuu
No unfortunately the oat flour won’t work in this recipe.
Can I use whole wheat flour?
Yes, I recommend it for half the flour amount for best texture.