These sourdough discard dinner rolls are fast, easy, and guaranteed to be a family favorite. Ready in under 2 hours, making them perfect for busy weeknights.
I don’t know about you, but we love having warm rolls with dinner—especially during the fall and winter when it’s full-on “soup season.” And if you’re anything like me, you intend to start those rolls in the morning… but then life happens. Before you know it, it’s time to grab the kids from school, juggle activities, and suddenly there’s no time left to make homemade rolls.
That’s exactly where this recipe came from. Sometimes we want fresh, homemade rolls, but we don’t have the time (or energy) to spend all day in the kitchen. These rolls use sourdough discard for extra flavor, and even though they’re still leavened with commercial yeast, the discard adds a subtle tang and richness that makes them taste like you worked a whole lot harder than you did.
These dinner rolls are light, fluffy, and incredibly easy to make. And the best part? They can be hot on your table in 90 minutes or less when you’re in a rush.
I’ll share two different timelines for the rolls because sometimes I’m running on a tight schedule and sometimes I’ve got a little wiggle room. Both versions turn out delicious, but if you can spare the extra time, the longer version is totally worth it.
Even with the sourdough discard added in, these rolls rise quickly thanks to the commercial yeast. With just two short rise times, they’re about as easy as homemade dinner rolls get.
Working with roll dough can feel a little intimidating if you’re new to baking—especially because a good roll dough is naturally a bit sticky. That stickiness is actually what helps them bake up soft and fluffy.
Sticky does not mean unmanageable. Your dough shouldn’t glue itself to your hands or the counter, but it should feel tacky. When shaping the rolls, work confidently and try not to add too much extra flour, or your rolls can turn out dense instead of airy. Add a tiny bit of flour only if you need it, but keep it minimal.
Equipment:
- Stand Mixer (optional) – Makes mixing and kneading the dough quick and effortless, but not required.
- Mixing Bowl & Dough Whisk – If you prefer to mix by hand, a sturdy bowl and dough whisk work great.
- Kitchen Scale – For accurate, consistent measurements—especially important when baking with sourdough discard.
- 9×13 Baking Pan – The perfect size for letting the rolls rise together and bake up tall, soft, and fluffy.
Ingredients:
- Instant Yeast – This gives the rolls their quick rise and helps them stay light and fluffy.
- Sourdough Discard – Adds a subtle tang and depth of flavor without slowing down the rise time. It also helps create a softer, more tender crumb.
- Honey – Naturally sweetens the dough and adds moisture, helping the rolls brown beautifully in the oven.
- Bread Flour – Provides the structure and strength the dough needs to rise tall and stay airy.
- Unsalted Butter – Brings richness and softness to the dough while keeping the flavor balanced.
- Salt – Enhances all the flavors and helps strengthen the gluten for a better texture.
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).
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:
| 4 p.m. | Mix up your roll dough |
| 4:10 p.m. | Cover dough and let raise 30 minutes |
| 4:40 p.m. | Shape your rolls. Place on a greased sheet pan. |
| 4:50 p.m. | Cover and let raise 20 minutes while your oven preheats |
| 5:10 p.m. | Bake your rolls |
| 5:30 p.m. | Dinner is served … with amazing, warm rolls on the side. |
Sample 3 hour dinner roll schedule
| 2:00 p.m. | Mix up your roll dough |
| 2:10 p.m. | Cover dough and let raise 1-2 hours |
| 4 p.m. | Shape your rolls. Place on a greased sheet pan. |
| 4:45 p.m. | Cover and let raise 45-60 minutes while your oven preheats |
| 5:15 p.m. | Bake your rolls |
| 5:30 p.m. | Dinner is served … with amazing, warm rolls on the side. |
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.
Bake your rolls, slice them in half, and layer in your favorite sandwich meat and cheese. Add a little mayo and Dijon mustard for extra flavor, then brush the tops with melted butter and sprinkle with garlic salt (or make the classic slider topping with Worcestershire sauce and poppy seeds—my kids prefer the simple butter-and-garlic version). Cover the pan with foil and bake for 20–30 minutes, until the cheese is perfectly melted. It’s an easy, crowd-pleasing meal everyone loves.
Discard Dinner Rolls
Equipment
- large mixing bowl & spoon, or stand mixer
- 9×13 pan
- Kitchen scale
Ingredients
- 75 grams sourdough discard (about ⅓ cup)
- 125 grams milk (½ cup)
- 10 grams instant yeast (1 tablespoon)
- 40 grams honey (2 tablespoons)
- 7 grams salt (1 teaspoon)
- 625 grams bread flour (about 5 cups)
- 235 grams warm water (1 cup)
- 28 grams unsalted butter, melted (2 tablespoons)
Instructions
Activate the Yeast
- In a mixing bowl, combine the warm water, honey, and yeast. Stir gently and let sit for 5 minutes, or until foamy.
Mix the Dough
- In a stand mixer or large mixing bowl, add the sourdough discard, milk, melted butter, and salt to the yeast mixture. Stir to combine.
- Add half of the flour and mix until incorporated. Continue gradually adding the remaining flour until the dough comes together.
Knead
- Knead for 10 minutes, or until the dough is smooth and elastic and passes the windowpane test.
First Rise
- Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover, and let rise for 1–2 hours, or until doubled in size.
Shape
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide into 15 equal portions. Shape each piece into a tight ball.
- Arrange the rolls in a greased 9×13-inch pan.
Second Rise
- Cover and let rise again until puffy and doubled, about 45–75 minutes depending on room temperature.
Bake
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Bake the rolls for 18–22 minutes, or until golden brown and cooked through.
- Optional: Brush warm rolls with melted butter. Serve warm.
Notes
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