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.

Old-Fashioned Soft Yeast Dinner Rolls

Buttery, bakery-soft pull-apart yeast rolls made with one easy rise. Perfectly golden and tender, these classic dinner rolls can be mixed by hand or with a stand mixer — includes an overnight make-ahead option.

• stand mixer with dough hook (or mixing bowl)
• 9×13-inch baking dish
• measuring cups and spoons
• bench scraper
• pastry brush

• 1 cup warm whole milk (100–110°F)
• ¼ cup warm water (100–110°F)
• ¼ cup sugar
• 2¼ tsp instant yeast (or active dry, bloomed)
• 1 large egg, room temperature (optional)
• 3½–4 cups bread flour (start with 3⅓ cups / 400 g)
• 1¼ tsp fine salt
• 4 Tbsp unsalted butter, very soft, plus more melted for brushing

1. Whisk together warm milk, water, sugar, egg (if using), and yeast. If using active dry yeast, bloom for 5–10 minutes until foamy.

2. Stir in flour and salt until a shaggy dough forms.

3. Knead the dough, adding soft butter, until smooth and slightly tacky (6–8 minutes by mixer or 10 minutes by hand).

4. Let the dough rest for 10 minutes. Divide into 12 equal pieces, shape into balls, and arrange in a greased 9×13-inch baking dish.

5. Cover and let rise 35–55 minutes, or until puffy and nearly doubled in size.

6. Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 15–18 minutes, or until golden brown and internal temperature reaches 200–205°F.

7. Brush warm rolls with melted butter. Cool briefly before serving.

Overnight: Shape rolls, cover, and chill 8–16 hours. Bake straight from cold, adding 3–5 minutes.
No egg: Omit egg and add 1 Tbsp milk powder or 1 Tbsp extra butter.
Half batch: Use 8×8-inch pan; bake 10–14 minutes.
Bread machine: Run dough cycle, then shape, proof, and bake.

Bread, Side

American

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