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My favorite 1-Hour Soft and Buttery Dinner Rolls recipe is easy to make by hand or with a stand mixer and absolutely heavenly served warm out of the oven.
Is there anything better than a freshly-baked pan of homemade dinner rolls?
Actually, yes — this easy dinner rolls recipe that can be ready to go in just one hour!
This recipe has been my go-to for years and always yields the most perfectly soft, fluffy, buttery rolls. But I especially love it because the ingredient list is simple, the rise times are minimal, and the dough can be easily made either by hand or with the help of a stand mixer. And everything can come together quickly in just an hour or so, which makes this recipe more do-able on busy weeknights when you’re craving some homemade bread, and also super-helpful on holidays when you’re trying to multi-task all the things.
Many of you have also asked about make-ahead options with this recipe over the years, so I have updated the post with instructions for how to make the bread dough in advance. And I have also included some fun variations if you would like to make your rolls more garlicky, herb-y, cheesy, or whatever other add-ins sound fun.
Bottom line, this dinner rolls recipe is a keeper and never lets me down. So if you are looking for a good one to add to your repertoire, bookmark this one and give it a try!
1-Hour Dinner Rolls Recipe | 1-Minute Video
Homemade Dinner Rolls Ingredients:
Before we get to the full recipe below, here are a few notes about the ingredients that you will need to make this homemade dinner rolls recipe:
Water and milk: These will serve as our base liquids for the bread dough. I used dairy milk, but you are welcome to sub in a plain plant-based milk (such as oat milk or almond milk) instead.
Melted butter: Which we will both bake into the rolls and brush on top.
Honey: To add just a hint of sweetness.
Active dry yeast: This recipe calls for 1 tablespoon of yeast. So if you are purchasing your yeast in 0.25-ounce packets, you will need slightly more than one packet.
Flour: I have only tested this recipe with all-purpose flour. But if you try out different flours, please let us know how it goes in the comment section below!
Salt: Which we will mix into the rolls to bring out all of those delicious buttery flavors. Feel free to sprinkle a bit of flaky salt on top of the warm rolls just before serving too!
Tips For How To Make Dinner Rolls:
The full recipe is included below for how to make these dinner rolls, but here are a few helpful tips to keep in mind too:
Be sure that your yeast has not expired. This is one of the most common reasons for why a batch of bread dough does not rise. Double-check the expiration date on any yeast that may be hanging out in your pantry. And if the yeast does not begin to puff and bubble up after 5 minutes once it has been added to the wet ingredients, toss out the batch and start over with new yeast.
Double-check the temperature of the liquid ingredients. When heating the liquid ingredients (water, melted butter, milk and honey), it’s essential that they be within the temperature range of 100-110°F. If the mixture is too hot, it can kill the yeast. If it is too cool, the yeast may not activate. The mixture should feel warm and not hot to the touch, but I always recommend testing the mixture with a cooking thermometer just to be sure.
Don’t skip the rise times. They are essential to helping the dough rise and create that soft and fluffy texture we’re going for.
No worries about perfection. When portioning the dough into 12 rolls, don’t worry about them all being perfectly equal in size. They will all bake up together in the pan, and if some are slightly larger or smaller, hakuna matata. :)
Possible Recipe Variations:
Here are a few other possible variations that you could make to this dinner rolls recipe:
Make-ahead option: For make-ahead dinner rolls, follow the recipe through the step that you shape the individual rolls and place them in the baking dish. Then tightly cover the baking dish and refrigerate for up to 48 hours. Transfer the dish to the counter and let it warm up to room temperature for 2 hours before baking, and then bake as directed.
Make it vegan: Use plant-based milk and butter and your preferred sweetener in place of honey.
Add garlic: Add in 1 teaspoon of garlic powder to the bread dough to make the rolls more garlicky, and/or you could also simmer some minced garlic with butter to brush on top of the rolls after baking.
Add herbs: Add in 1 to 2 tablespoons of finely-chopped fresh herbs (such as rosemary or parsley) to the bread dough to add flavor to the rolls, and/or you could also mix some fresh herbs in with the melted butter to brush on top of the rolls after baking.
Add cheese: You can also mix in 1/3 to 1/2 cup of freshly-grated cheddar cheese to make cheesy rolls. (Or I also love mixing in some freshly-grated Parmesan, and then sprinkling some on top of the rolls during the final 5 minutes of baking.)
More Favorite Bread Recipes:
Looking for more easy bread recipes to add to your repertoire? Here are a few of my faves…
My favorite 1-Hour Soft and Buttery Dinner Rolls recipe is easy to make by hand or with a stand mixer and absolutely heavenly served warm out of the oven.
Prep your oven and baking dish. Heat the oven to 400°F. Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray, and set aside.
Heat the liquids. In a microwave-safe bowl (or saucepan, see below), stir together the water and melted butter, then add in the milk and honey and stir until combined. Microwave the mixture for 1 minute and give it a stir. Continue microwaving the mixture in 15 second intervals, until it reaches 110°F. It will be warm but not hot to the touch. (*Alternately, you can heat the mixture over medium-low heat in a saucepan until it reaches 110°F.)
Add yeast. Pour the liquid mixture into the large bowl of a stand mixer. Sprinkle the yeast evenly on top, give it a quick stir with a fork to combine, and let the yeast activate for 5 minutes until it is foamy.
Add dry ingredients. Add in 3 1/2 cups of flour (not all of the flour) and the salt.
Mix. (See alternate instructions in the notes below for how to knead the dough by hand.) Use the dough-hook to mix in the dry ingredients on medium-low speed until combined. If the dough is sticking to the sides of the bowl, add in 1/4 cup more flour at a time until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl and is only slightly sticky to the touch. (Only use up to 4 cups of flour total.) Continue mixing on low speed for 4-5 minutes until the dough is smooth. Then form the dough into a ball with your hands and transfer it to a greased bowl.
Let the dough rise. Cover the bowl with a damp towel or paper towel, and let it rise briefly for 15 minutes.
Form the rolls. Gently punch the dough down and divide into 15 equal-sized pieces. Form each piece into a ball and place the dough balls in the greased baking dish. Cover the dish again with a damp towel or paper towel and let the dough balls rise for an additional 15-20 minutes.
Bake. Uncover and bake for 15 minutes, or until the rolls are lightly golden brown on top and cooked through.
Brush with more butter. Transfer the baking dish to a wire cooling rack and brush the tops of the rolls with melted butter.
Yeast: I typically purchase my yeast in bulk. But if you are using the 0.25-ounce packets, they each contain 2.25 teaspoons of yeast. So you will need slightly more than one packet to yield 1 tablespoon.
How to knead the dough by hand: If you do not have a stand mixer, no prob! For step 5 (mixing the dough), simply stir the dry ingredients into the dough as much as possible. Then turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead by hand for 5 to 7 minutes until smooth, adding up to 1/4 cup of extra flour if the dough is too sticky.
These are some of the easiest and most delicious dinner rolls I ever made! I didn’t have milk so I used evaporated milk diluted with water and I kneaded by hand. They turned out beautifully! Soft, fluffy, and golden brown. I made them for Thanksgiving dinner and used them the next day to make sliders with the leftovers. I will definitely try some variations, adding cheese or herbs etc. These are just SO good!
I love your “No Knead” bread so I gave this a try! The rolls came out super dense. I bought new yeast for this as recommended. Should I have used quick rise? I followed the steps religiously but the yeast never got “foamy” in those early steps
Emily Anderson —
If your liquids were too hot when you put in the yeast, it will kill the yeast and it wont rise. Maybe that was your problem?
Mary —
if the yeast doesnt foam, your liquid is too hot or not hot enough. I am a chef and the perfect water temp to disolve your yeast with the sugar is 110 degrees!
Easy and fast but I’ve used this recipe 3x now and it never ever gets to the point where it’s “barely sticky to the touch” for me. It’s extremely sticky and I’ve adjusted the flour and the knead time and it still is almost impossible to work with. They bake off perfectly but getting them formed into balls is a doozy. But I’ll still use this recipe whenever I don’t have time to rise 2-3 hours.
Julie Sayers —
I spray my hands with oil before handling the dough and that seems to do the trick.
A Great Recipe. This is second or third time I have made these – always just as described, soft and buttery. I added some garlic powder to the tops and they were great. Next time, I will add it to the dough which is what I meant to do this time but I forgot :)
Such an, easy, quick and delicious recipe! It’s so convenient for when you want rolls but are too short on time to wait for the dough to rise for a long periods. This recipe is great even if you’re not short on time. Flavor and texture are not compromised by the quickness of the recipe. Thanks for sharing!
Ilse —
I made this with buckwheat, gf all purpose and chia seeds. they turned out wonderful
I used Bread Flour, and only had one packet of yeast, so not a whole teaspoon.. I don’t have a stand mixer so just used my hands. It still turned out FANTASTIC! Made these for Christmas dinner and it was the highlight of the meal!
My kids are still talking about it
Mary B —
Just tried these rolls for the first time and they turned out amazing! Thank you for this easy recipe. My mother would make some of the best dinner rolls I ever had, but I could never get her recipe down, but this recipe is delicious and very easy to make. Thank you again.😋
Can you make the dough before and, and store in refrigerator of baking later? Thanks
Tess —
I know its been a monthly but didn’t see a reply. Yes is your answer. After you form into rolls and place into your baking dish cover with plastic and place in upper part of your fridge. Just not the bottom shelf which is coldest. Then make sure to take them out at least 30 minutes before baking. Letting them come back to room temperature and rising a little. I forgot them for an hour and they still came out nice. I love this recipe. I have made with both honey and sugar.
Tess —
Well I can not figure out how to cancel reply. Or edit. I have made this recipe 5 times now. I coming back to check my ingredient amounts I remember THIS is where I found out I could make them ahead but I see recommended time to come to room temp is 2 hours. Guess that’s why my 1 HR time was ok. Plus I m in the hot muggy deep south. Still love these rolls.
Easy and delicious. I’ve had a stroke leaving my left arm usless.
But I can manage this recipe very well.
Also, I often have company for meals and I can count on these rolls for a great addition
We use this recipe often and it is a big hit. It is so quick and easy. Thank you. Can you use this recipe to make loaf bread and if so, how long should it be baked? Again, thank you.
First time I made them they came out great! Rather large though, so I’m making them smaller tonight, maybe not bake them as long, I will let you know!! So love this recipe, because I’m very challenged with yeast bread dough recipes, especially my mothers beloved cardamom bread braided bread. Wish me luck!
Had a last minute thought to make rolls to go with the roast this evening. Tried these and the were quick and easy. I do like to use potatoes water sometimes so I just added a heaping tablespoon of instant mashed potatoes to the water and the dough turned out so soft. I made 6 rolls and 6 long buns for tomorrow’s lunch sandwiches. Will be making these again.
SUSAN —
Thank you so much for this amazingly simple, delicious recipe. This hit the spot. I have been craving soft rolls after living 30 years in Germany. I used spelt flour. Turned out perfect for us, slightly crumbly, but still doughy and delicious. Was sceptical about honey, but was not sweet at all and perfect with bacon and scrambled eggs.
I am not a confident yeast baker by a long shot and I’ve made these three times now and they’ve come out great each time. This last time I rolled each dough ball in melted butter to completely coat it before the second rise. I was thinking maybe I’ll try this dough for cinnamon rolls. Anyone else try it?
Thanks for the recipe.
These buns are absolute perfection!! I wondered though, if I wanted to omit the honey, could I just add 2 more tablespoons of butter? (I’d like to give my little guy small bits to munch on but he’s under 1 and can’t have honey yet.)
Linda Cooper —
If omitting honey, use some granulated sugar as an alternative. Adding extra butter is not an alternative to the honey.
Kylee —
The honey is cooked so it isn’t an issue. Raw honey is where the risk lies for babies.
I have been super nervous to try bead making again, as I’ve not had super good luck over the years. I think the thing that made the difference was WEIGHING 1c of flour (120g for all purpose) instead of just using the scoop. My flour tends to get packed, and I’d been using WAYYYYY too much. I also took my meat thermometer to the liquids. That said, these were super easy to do and were really, really good. Will be making again while the weather is cold.
I made these today and they came out great! I proofed the active dry yeast as described and used a thermometer for the liquid and go it to 112 F. I kneaded the dough by hand as it’s too much work to get out the stand mixer! I’ve eaten ten of them in about 30 minutes….yikes! The picture that comes with the recipe makes these look under cooked and yellow. I cooked them for 15 minutes and they were browned on the top. Will make again!
I LOVE THIS RECIPE!!
So easy and so good, a real hit with my family. I will use this recipe every time.
Thank you so much, gimmesomeoven does it again.
Until this recipe, dinner rolls I made were more like weapons. These are perfect. I left the second rise for 30 minutes and baked only 14 minutes. Also, I think that I had probably always added too much flour. This time I stuck with just 3 1/2 cups. No more. They are Perfect!! Thank you.
Lynn —
HAHAHA!! Weapons!!! Love it! Glad I’m not alone. lol
Got them perfect on the third batch. I did not know how good my yeast was and I am not a particular fan of active dry yeast, but it is all I had. I started the yeast in warm water with sugar which I substituted for the honey. I tossed it all in the bread machine and let it do its thing. I am at 6852′ elevation, so I lowered the oven temp to 350, formed the rolls and let them rise. The reason the first 2 batches went to the chickens was that these rolls cook super fast. It takes less than 10 minutes for them to be golden brown. I am currently working with a high gluten commercial baking flour and the rolls turned out evey bit as wonderful as fresh from the bakery.
Awesome recipe – one of the best and simplest techniques for milk bread. Alternatively, I use bread flour for a super fine crumb, along with 1 cup 18% cream and 1/2 cup water.
I also under bake slightly, to “just lightly golden”, because I’m of the squishy white bread sort, plus when I take the tray of buns to a get together, (they’re a huge hit btw), right before serving I can pop them in a hot oven for 3 or 4 minutes without them getting too dark or dry.
I’ve also frozen the dough after shaping the buns and after thawing for 1 hour, they baked up beautifully.
What am I doing wrong? Second time I’ve made this and the dough just won’t rise. Yeast is fine. Hand kneaded for maybe 4-5 minutes max. How much should it rise in 15 minutes?
These have become my go-to rolls for family get-togethers, so much so that my niece will make (friendly) complaints when I don’t bring them. Thanks for the recipe!
I tried this recipe , followed to a T! Yeast good when proofed. Rolls are packed and tasteless. I am in southeast texas. Any suggestions for correcting?
These rolls were a huge hit with my household ❤ Easy to follow recipe, easy to make and they turned out absolutely AMAZING! My kiddos love sliders so we used some of the rolls for sliders too and they were perfect for those. Can’t wait to make em again! Thanks so much for the great recipe!
These are some of the easiest and most delicious dinner rolls I ever made! I didn’t have milk so I used evaporated milk diluted with water and I kneaded by hand. They turned out beautifully! Soft, fluffy, and golden brown. I made them for Thanksgiving dinner and used them the next day to make sliders with the leftovers. I will definitely try some variations, adding cheese or herbs etc. These are just SO good!
First time making rolls and they were easy to make and delicious to eat.
These were very amazing and SUPER easy to make. Thanks so much for the recipe!!
I love your “No Knead” bread so I gave this a try! The rolls came out super dense. I bought new yeast for this as recommended. Should I have used quick rise? I followed the steps religiously but the yeast never got “foamy” in those early steps
If your liquids were too hot when you put in the yeast, it will kill the yeast and it wont rise. Maybe that was your problem?
if the yeast doesnt foam, your liquid is too hot or not hot enough. I am a chef and the perfect water temp to disolve your yeast with the sugar is 110 degrees!
Easy and fast but I’ve used this recipe 3x now and it never ever gets to the point where it’s “barely sticky to the touch” for me. It’s extremely sticky and I’ve adjusted the flour and the knead time and it still is almost impossible to work with. They bake off perfectly but getting them formed into balls is a doozy. But I’ll still use this recipe whenever I don’t have time to rise 2-3 hours.
I spray my hands with oil before handling the dough and that seems to do the trick.
A Great Recipe. This is second or third time I have made these – always just as described, soft and buttery. I added some garlic powder to the tops and they were great. Next time, I will add it to the dough which is what I meant to do this time but I forgot :)
Wonderful dinner rolls! Thank you for the recipe.
Such an, easy, quick and delicious recipe! It’s so convenient for when you want rolls but are too short on time to wait for the dough to rise for a long periods. This recipe is great even if you’re not short on time. Flavor and texture are not compromised by the quickness of the recipe. Thanks for sharing!
I made this with buckwheat, gf all purpose and chia seeds. they turned out wonderful
I used Bread Flour, and only had one packet of yeast, so not a whole teaspoon.. I don’t have a stand mixer so just used my hands. It still turned out FANTASTIC! Made these for Christmas dinner and it was the highlight of the meal!
My kids are still talking about it
Just tried these rolls for the first time and they turned out amazing! Thank you for this easy recipe. My mother would make some of the best dinner rolls I ever had, but I could never get her recipe down, but this recipe is delicious and very easy to make. Thank you again.😋
These rolls were quick and easy and so delicious!! My grandson loved them and he doesn’t usually eat bread.
I tried these tools and the yeast bubbled so it was good but they did not bake up light and fluffy
Made these buns for the first time and they are super easy and so delicious! 😁
Can you make the dough before and, and store in refrigerator of baking later? Thanks
I know its been a monthly but didn’t see a reply. Yes is your answer. After you form into rolls and place into your baking dish cover with plastic and place in upper part of your fridge. Just not the bottom shelf which is coldest. Then make sure to take them out at least 30 minutes before baking. Letting them come back to room temperature and rising a little. I forgot them for an hour and they still came out nice. I love this recipe. I have made with both honey and sugar.
Well I can not figure out how to cancel reply. Or edit. I have made this recipe 5 times now. I coming back to check my ingredient amounts I remember THIS is where I found out I could make them ahead but I see recommended time to come to room temp is 2 hours. Guess that’s why my 1 HR time was ok. Plus I m in the hot muggy deep south. Still love these rolls.
Easy and delicious. I’ve had a stroke leaving my left arm usless.
But I can manage this recipe very well.
Also, I often have company for meals and I can count on these rolls for a great addition
Perfect consistency. Soft and buttery.
I’m so excited to try this recipe! Question can this be used to make quick cinnamon rolls?
We use this recipe often and it is a big hit. It is so quick and easy. Thank you. Can you use this recipe to make loaf bread and if so, how long should it be baked? Again, thank you.
Wow! These are amazing and so incredibly easy – great for pleasing a crowd!
I must say thank you for this recipe best ever 🥰
First time I made them they came out great! Rather large though, so I’m making them smaller tonight, maybe not bake them as long, I will let you know!! So love this recipe, because I’m very challenged with yeast bread dough recipes, especially my mothers beloved cardamom bread braided bread. Wish me luck!
Loving it!!!!
Easy to make,
Really quick bake.
Legit recipe, thanks!!
What brand of all purpose flour do you use?
These were fast and turned out perfect!
Followed the recipe and everyone loved these rolls, great recipe to impress
Had a last minute thought to make rolls to go with the roast this evening. Tried these and the were quick and easy. I do like to use potatoes water sometimes so I just added a heaping tablespoon of instant mashed potatoes to the water and the dough turned out so soft. I made 6 rolls and 6 long buns for tomorrow’s lunch sandwiches. Will be making these again.
Thank you so much for this amazingly simple, delicious recipe. This hit the spot. I have been craving soft rolls after living 30 years in Germany. I used spelt flour. Turned out perfect for us, slightly crumbly, but still doughy and delicious. Was sceptical about honey, but was not sweet at all and perfect with bacon and scrambled eggs.
I am not a confident yeast baker by a long shot and I’ve made these three times now and they’ve come out great each time. This last time I rolled each dough ball in melted butter to completely coat it before the second rise. I was thinking maybe I’ll try this dough for cinnamon rolls. Anyone else try it?
Thanks for the recipe.
I made these tonight…east and very delicious! Love the texture too! Win win!!!
I use this recipe to make kolache. It’s super easy and delicious!
This is my go to recipe for rolls. So easy to make and they turn out light, fluffy & delicious!
can this be made with instant dry yeast? it was the only yeast available at my store =(
These were amazing and very simple to make although I would make 12 slightly bigger ones rather than 15.
These buns are absolute perfection!! I wondered though, if I wanted to omit the honey, could I just add 2 more tablespoons of butter? (I’d like to give my little guy small bits to munch on but he’s under 1 and can’t have honey yet.)
If omitting honey, use some granulated sugar as an alternative. Adding extra butter is not an alternative to the honey.
The honey is cooked so it isn’t an issue. Raw honey is where the risk lies for babies.
I love your recipes. You are my go to for making bread and many other things and I just wanted to tell you, “You Rock”
I have been super nervous to try bead making again, as I’ve not had super good luck over the years. I think the thing that made the difference was WEIGHING 1c of flour (120g for all purpose) instead of just using the scoop. My flour tends to get packed, and I’d been using WAYYYYY too much. I also took my meat thermometer to the liquids. That said, these were super easy to do and were really, really good. Will be making again while the weather is cold.
I made these today and they came out great! I proofed the active dry yeast as described and used a thermometer for the liquid and go it to 112 F. I kneaded the dough by hand as it’s too much work to get out the stand mixer! I’ve eaten ten of them in about 30 minutes….yikes! The picture that comes with the recipe makes these look under cooked and yellow. I cooked them for 15 minutes and they were browned on the top. Will make again!
I LOVE THIS RECIPE!!
So easy and so good, a real hit with my family. I will use this recipe every time.
Thank you so much, gimmesomeoven does it again.
These are awesome!
I’ve Made them three or four times. Twice they flopped but I think it was my oven. Still legit tho!
Best roll recipe EVER💜
Until this recipe, dinner rolls I made were more like weapons. These are perfect. I left the second rise for 30 minutes and baked only 14 minutes. Also, I think that I had probably always added too much flour. This time I stuck with just 3 1/2 cups. No more. They are Perfect!! Thank you.
HAHAHA!! Weapons!!! Love it! Glad I’m not alone. lol
Got them perfect on the third batch. I did not know how good my yeast was and I am not a particular fan of active dry yeast, but it is all I had. I started the yeast in warm water with sugar which I substituted for the honey. I tossed it all in the bread machine and let it do its thing. I am at 6852′ elevation, so I lowered the oven temp to 350, formed the rolls and let them rise. The reason the first 2 batches went to the chickens was that these rolls cook super fast. It takes less than 10 minutes for them to be golden brown. I am currently working with a high gluten commercial baking flour and the rolls turned out evey bit as wonderful as fresh from the bakery.
Great easy ,yummy buns, will be our go to recipe. The best one I have tried. Thanks. Laura
Are you able to double it? To make them bigger?
I haven’t made them bigger, but I did double the recipe tonight and they’re on their second rise and look and feel the same, so I’d say go for it!
Awesome recipe – one of the best and simplest techniques for milk bread. Alternatively, I use bread flour for a super fine crumb, along with 1 cup 18% cream and 1/2 cup water.
I also under bake slightly, to “just lightly golden”, because I’m of the squishy white bread sort, plus when I take the tray of buns to a get together, (they’re a huge hit btw), right before serving I can pop them in a hot oven for 3 or 4 minutes without them getting too dark or dry.
I’ve also frozen the dough after shaping the buns and after thawing for 1 hour, they baked up beautifully.
Thanks for your great recipe!!!
What am I doing wrong? Second time I’ve made this and the dough just won’t rise. Yeast is fine. Hand kneaded for maybe 4-5 minutes max. How much should it rise in 15 minutes?
I love these rolls they are so soft and yummy. The recipe was easy to follow and my boy friend is going to love these!!
These have become my go-to rolls for family get-togethers, so much so that my niece will make (friendly) complaints when I don’t bring them. Thanks for the recipe!
Meant to put 5 stars
I tried this recipe , followed to a T! Yeast good when proofed. Rolls are packed and tasteless. I am in southeast texas. Any suggestions for correcting?
Can you make cinnamon rolls with those recipe? These rolls are absolutely delicious. I wish I had this recipe 60yrs ago.
These rolls were a huge hit with my household ❤ Easy to follow recipe, easy to make and they turned out absolutely AMAZING! My kiddos love sliders so we used some of the rolls for sliders too and they were perfect for those. Can’t wait to make em again! Thanks so much for the great recipe!
These turned out wonderful as is. I look forward to tweaking them some by adding cheese or herbs as suggested in the notes. A great recipe!