I’m a bread girl, plain and simple. I could live off good bread and butter or a jazzy oil sitch (oil, balsamic, pinch of salt = YummO!). It’s easy, it’s delicious, and let’s be real—there’s a reason every culture has its own version of bread with a dipping situation. Seriously, think about it! Everybody and their mama loves bread, and for good reason—it’s just GOOD!
Now, let’s dive into these dinner rolls. I may be a bread girl, but I’m also a lazy chef at heart. Time is money, people! I want the goods, but I’m not about to spend all day kneading and proofing dough. Enter: my easy peasy, breezy, beautiful go-to bread recipe. This one’s a winner, trust me. And in my humble opinion, it’s best served with a hefty slather of honey thyme butter. I mean, if we’re already going for it, let’s go big, boo! We’re here to enjoy, right?
in a warm, cozy spot for about 1.5 hours.
You want it to double in size, so be patient
and let the magic happen!
in a circular motion on your counter
until it’s smooth and perfectly shaped.
with egg wash (or milk) for that perfect
golden finish, then pop them in the oven and bake!
beauties apart and slather them
with butter. Enjoy every warm,
buttery bite!
This recipe is a breeze—almost entirely made in your mixer, with a little help from the oven (you know, the real diva of the kitchen who always wants to be center stage). What sets this dinner roll recipe apart from the rest? The combo of butter, shortening and those Nonfat milk solids. Butter gives that rich flavor we love, while shortening adds lift and tenderness. Nonfat milk solids bring in that extra flavor and richness you just can’t fake, so don’t even think about substituting this ingredient. Trust me, it’s worth it! Salt and sugar? Essential for balance (and because I said so, lol). And let’s not forget the bread flour—it has more protein than all-purpose, so it gives us that perfect bread-like texture. This is a roll, not a scone or biscuit. The rest is pretty standard: we’re using active dry yeast for a quick rise. Just make sure to test your yeast first—these little guys are living creatures, and they need to be activated to do their job and puff up our bread.
Now, before you dive into the very technical and intense recipe below, here are your very serious orders: Make the bread. Eat the bread. And slather it with lots of honey thyme butter—don’t skimp on the goods. Trust me, it’s a game-changer!
The BEST Fluffy Dinner Rolls
Ingredients
- 12.5 oz. Water lukewarm
- 3 ¾ tsp Dry Active Yeast
- 21 oz. Bread Flour
- 2 tsp. Salt
- 2 oz. Sugar
- 1 oz. Nonfat Milk Solids
- 1 oz. Shortening softened & room temperature
- 1 oz. Butter softened & room temperature
- 1 egg beaten (for egg wash)
Instructions
- Grab your bowl, it's time to wake up the yeast! In the bowl, mix warm water, yeast, and a pinch of sugar—just a gentle stir, no need to overdo it. Let it chill for about 5 minutes until you see a bubbly party on the surface. Those bubbles (aka yeast farts) mean our yeast is alive and ready to rock! No bubbles? Give it a few more minutes, if you still don't see any activity your yeast may be expired! Grab a fresh batch and start over if needed.
- But if you've got bubbles, you're in the game! Add your flour to the bowl, attach the dough hook, and toss in the remaining ingredients. Set your mixer to medium speed and watch as it comes together into a rough dough.
- Then, switch to low speed and let it knead for 10-12 minutes until you've got a smooth, elastic dough that's ready to rise and shine.
- Transfer that dough ball into a large bowl spritzed with pan spray (don’t forget to give the top a little spritz, too). Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm, cozy spot—80°F is ideal—for about 1 ½ hours, or until it doubles in size.
- Time for some dough therapy! Punch it down by folding the edges into the center, then shape it into a smooth ball.
- Divide the dough into 16 pieces (or fewer if you’re craving bigger rolls). Roll each piece in a circular motion on your counter until smooth and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet, giving each one a couple of inches to breathe (2 inches apart).
- Brush the tops lightly with egg wash for that glossy, golden finish, and let them proof for another 20 minutes until they double up again.
- Brush the tops lightly with egg wash for color and let proof for another 20 minutes. They should double in size again.
- Pop them in a 400°F oven and bake until they’re perfectly golden brown. Boom! Fresh, warm rolls that are ready to steal the show. Enjoy!
