I don’t know about you, but we love to have warm rolls to eat with our dinners … especially during the winter and fall when it’s “soup season.” And if you’re like me, sometimes you have plans to start those rolls in the morning, but then life gets busy and suddenly it’s time to get the kids from school and on to activities and there’s not enough time to make rolls anymore.

That’s where this recipe came from. Because sometimes we want to eat rolls and I just don’t have the time (or energy) to spend all day in the kitchen.

These dinner rolls are light and fluffy and so easy to make. And the best part, they can be hot and on your table in 90 minutes or less if you need them to be.

I’ll share two different time lines for the rolls because sometimes I’m in a hurry and sometimes I have a little extra time. Both ways are delicious. If you have a few extra minutes, follow the 2 hour version. It’s worth it.

These rolls are leavened with commercial yeast, so that’s why they come together so quickly. With just two short rise times, they’re pretty easy when it comes to dinner rolls.

Working with roll dough can be a little intimidating if you’re new to baking. roll dough is typically a bit sticky – that’s how they get that light and fluffy texture.

NOTE: sticky does not mean cake to your hands and the counter and be unmanageable. Sticky just means sticky or tacky. You’ll need to work confidently when you shape your rolls. Try not to add too much extra flour to combat the stickiness or you’ll end up with heavy, dense rolls. If you need a little extra flour, add it, but try to keep that minimal.

Shaping the rolls:

These rolls are really simple to shape. Just portion them out – I like to use my kitchen scale to make sure they’re all the same size (this recipe makes 15 rolls that are 65-70 grams each).

Then you’re going to take those portions and gently pinch the sides up and into the middle to start forming a ball. Then place them seam-side down on the counter and with gentle pressure from your palm, roll them on the counter until a tight, smooth dough ball forms Then place on a greased sheet pan for the second proof.

Portion out

Pinch into a ball

Roll ’em out

Sample 90 minute dinner roll schedule:

Sample 2 hour dinner roll schedule

These rolls taste delicious on their own or dipped in soup, but our family loves to use these in place of Hawaiian rolls and make sliders for dinner.

Just bake up your rolls, slice them in half and add your favorite sandwich meat and cheese. Spread the rolls with a little mayo and Dijon mustard for extra yumminess when you’re assembling the sandwiches. Then just brush the top with some melted butter and sprinkle some garlic salt (or make the traditional slider sauce with worcestershire sauce and poppyseeds – my kids won’t eat them that way, so we just use butter and garlic.) Then cover the pan with some foil and bake 20-30 minutes until the cheese is melted. They’re such a delicious, easy meal that everyone is happy with.

Quick & Easy Dinner Rolls

These dinner rolls are so fast and easy to make, your family is going to love them. They can be finished in less than 90 minutes, which makes them perfect for weeknight dinners.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Proofing Time 1 hour hr

Course Rolls

Equipment

• large mixing bowl or stand mixer
• Kitchen scale
• 9×13 baking pan

Ingredients

  

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• ½ cup milk
• 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
• 1 cup of warm water
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3½ to 4 cups flour – either bread or all purpose flour will work great

Instructions

 

• In a microwave safe dish, melt 2 tablespoons of butter. Add 1/2 cup of milk to the bowl and warm for 30 seconds so your milk is warm, but not hot. Pour milk and butter mixture into the bowl of your stand mixer.
• Add in yeast, 1 cup of warm water, and 2 tablespoons of honey. Give it a quick mix so everything is combined.
• Add 3 cups of flour and 1 teaspoon of salt into your mixing bowl and mix on low until everything is combined. Add remaining flour 1/4 cup at a time until dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
• Knead of medium-low for 5 minutes until dough is tacky and smooth. This dough will always be a little bit sticky/tacky. Try not to add too much extra flour or you’ll end up with dense, dry rolls.
• Cover your dough and let raise for at least 30 minutes, or up to an hour.
• Divide your dough into 15 even portions. Gently roll into a ball. Place on a greased sheet pan. Cover and let raise at least 20 minutes, or up to an hour.
• Bake at 350*F for 15-20 minutes until rolls are golden brown and cooked through.
• Enjoy these warm and brushed with butter if you want them to be over-the-top delicious.

Notes

Don’t have honey? You can sub granulated sugar in a pinch.

Keyword dinner rolls

Some of the links on this page are affiliate links. This means that if you click on a link and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. These commissions help support the content I create and allow me to continue providing valuable information. I only recommend products and services that I trust and believe in.