Old-Fashioned Soft Yeast Dinner Rolls (Buttery, Fluffy)

Bakery-soft crumb, golden tops, one easy rise, stand-mixer or by hand

Warm pull-apart rolls with a tender, buttery bite that stay soft for days and toast beautifully.

Why You’ll Love It

• Soft and buttery like classic Old Fashioned Yeast Rolls Recipe.
• Beginner-friendly: one-rise method sized for Homemade Bread Recipes Easy.
• Reliable color and lift with milk, butter, and a touch of sugar for even browning.
• Freezer-smart: shape and freeze for effortless holiday batches.
• Flexible: instant yeast or active dry, mixer or hand-knead.

Ingredients (notes only)

Dough base

• Bread flour (AP works; bread flour rises taller)
• Instant yeast (or active dry, bloom first)
• Warm whole milk + splash of water (pillowy crumb)
• Sugar (tender sweetness + browning)
• Egg (optional richness and color)
• Fine salt for balance
• Very soft unsalted butter (in dough + for brushing)

Finish

• Melted butter for glossy tops, flaky salt optional

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Warm & mix liquids: In a large bowl, whisk 1 cup warm milk (100–110°F), ¼ cup warm water, ¼ cup sugar, 1 large egg (optional), and 2¼ tsp yeast. If using active dry, let foam 5–10 min.
2. Add dries: Stir in 3⅓ cups (400 g) flour and 1¼ tsp salt until shaggy.
3. Knead: Add 4 Tbsp very soft butter in pieces. Knead 6–8 min (mixer) or 8–10 min (by hand) until smooth and slightly tacky. Add flour 1 Tbsp at a time only if sticking badly.
4. Bench rest: Cover, rest 10 min so the gluten relaxes for easy shaping.
5. Shape: Divide into 12 equal pieces. Cup your hand and drag each piece on the counter to create tight balls.
6. Proof: Arrange in a greased 9×13-in pan. Cover and proof 35–55 min until puffy and nearly doubled.
7. Bake: Brush tops lightly with milk or butter. Bake 375°F (190°C) 15–18 min to deep golden or 200–205°F internal.
8. Butter & cool: Brush generously with melted butter. Cool 10–15 min before serving.

Pro Tips

• Soft dough = soft rolls: Slight tackiness yields a feathery crumb. Avoid over-flouring.
• Temperature matters: Milk at 100–110°F wakes yeast without shocking it.
• Pan choice: Glass browns slower; start checking 2 minutes later.
• Overnight plan: Shape, pan, cover, refrigerate 8–16 h. Bake from cold, adding 3–5 min.

Variations

• Honey-Butter Rolls: Swap 1 Tbsp sugar for honey; finish with honey butter.
• Garlic-Herb: Melt butter with minced garlic and parsley for brushing.
• 50/50 Wheat: Use half white whole-wheat flour; add 1–2 Tbsp extra milk.
• No-Egg: Skip the egg; add 1 Tbsp milk powder or 1 Tbsp extra butter.

How to Serve:

• Holiday plate with Smoked Turkey and pan gravy
• Citrus-bright Cranberry Orange Glazed Turkey Breast
• Dunk into cozy Slow Cooker Turkey Soup
• Pair with Leftover Turkey Wild Rice Soup for next-day comfort

Make Ahead & Storage

• Same day: Baked rolls stay soft 2–3 days wrapped air-tight.
• Freeze shaped: Freeze balls on a tray, then bag up to 2 months. Thaw in pan 60–90 min, proof until puffy, bake.
• Reheat: Cover and warm 300°F 8–10 min or microwave briefly with a damp towel.

FAQs

Instant vs active dry yeast?
Instant mixes straight in; active dry should be bloomed 5–10 min in warm liquid.

Why are my rolls dense?
Too much flour or under-proofing. Keep dough soft and let rolls nearly double before baking.

Can I make a half batch?
Yes. Use an 8×8-in pan and bake 10–14 min.

Bread machine?
Run the dough cycle, then shape, proof, and bake as directed.

Simple Nutrition (estimate, per roll, 12 rolls)

165 kcal • 25 g carbs • 4 g protein • 5 g fat • sodium varies
Estimates only. Butter brush adds more.