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These 1-hour dinner rolls are the perfect solution for making fresh bread in a pinch! This easy and delicious roll recipe will become your new favorite and are perfect for any occasion.
Homemade dinner rolls are a necessity for every meal. For a roll on the sweeter side try my amazing Hawaiian sweet rolls or these copycat Texas Roadhouse rolls are always a hit! Or, for that perfect in-between buttery goodness, go for my perfect dinner rolls.
Easy 1-Hour Dinner Rolls
These 1-hour dinner rolls are the solution for that tasty homemade flavor without all the prep time! I LOVE the flavor and texture of homemade rolls but it can get pretty time-consuming. Good news! With just a little rapid-rise yeast and simple ingredients, you can recreate the soft, buttery texture of fresh rolls with just 40 minutes of prep time.
This is a great place to start for easing into the world of baking bread. Getting the perfect dough and working with yeast can sometimes be a bit tricky! This 1-hour dinner roll recipe takes the guesswork and long proofing times away with the use of rapid-rise yeast and just a few simple instructions. Perfect for any dinner, dipping in some tomato soup, or even for enjoying with a little honey butter or jam.
Ingredients For 1-Hour Dinner Rolls
No grocery trip is required here! 1-hour dinner rolls are amazing because they use super simple ingredients. All individual measurements are in the printable recipe card below.
- All-Purpose Flour: All-purpose flour works great for achieving that light, fluffy bread texture.
- Granulated Sugar: Needed for activating your yeast!
- Rapid Rise Yeast: Be doubly sure you’ve got rapid rise yeast and not active dry yeast. This will change the conditions necessary to make your dough.
- Salt: Salt is added to enhance the rolls’ overall flavor.
- Milk: Milk is a vital part of your dough and makes your rolls more tender. You can use any kind of milk here! Even dairy-free options like oat milk, almond milk, or cashew milk.
- Unsalted Butter: Added to dough for a rich flavor and soft texture. Additionally, butter is needed to melt and brush on top! This gives your rolls that bakery-worthy shine.
How to Make 1-Hour Dinner Rolls
The steps to make these 1-hour rolls are really straightforward. You’ll have hot, buttery rolls fresh from the oven in no time! It’s the perfect recipe whether it’s your first time making them or you’re a seasoned cook! Honestly, all they need from you is a little love. The simple ingredients will do the rest!
Preparing Dough
- Preheat Oven/ Prepare the Pan: Let’s make some tasty rolls! First, set your oven to warm. Or as low as you can set it if you don’t have a warm option, about 170 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly spray a 9×13 pan with non-stick cooking spray then set aside.
- Prepare Yeast Mixture: In the bowl of your stand mixer, whisk together the flour, sugar, yeast, and salt.
- Combine with Milk and Butter: In another bowl, combine the warm milk and 4 tablespoons of melted butter. Using the dough hook on low, slowly add the liquid to the dry ingredients. Knead the dough for about 4 minutes or so, until it is smooth and elastic. If the dough is still very sticky, add more flour 1-2 tablespoons at a time.
- Rest: Once you have achieved a smooth dough, cover the bowl then let rest for about 5-10 minutes.
- Divide: Once the dough has rested, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and divide the dough as evenly as you can into 15 pieces. I like to use a kitchen scale so I can get them equal in size. Weigh the whole ball of dough in grams then divide it by 15. That’s the weight each roll should be. Shape each piece into a ball and pinch the dough together on the bottom.
Baking
- Let Rise in the Oven: Next, place the dough balls into the baking pan and use your fingers to rub a little bit of water over the tops of the balls so they don’t dry out while baking. Then, transfer them to the warm oven and let them rise for 20 minutes, or up to 30 minutes if they have not doubled in size after 20. I find it helpful to use a spray bottle to spray the bottom of the oven to create steam to help the rolls rise faster.
- Bake: Remove the risen rolls from the oven and bump the heat up to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. As soon as the oven has preheated, bake the rolls for 16-18 minutes, until the tops are golden brown. Brush with melted butter as soon as they come out of the oven.
Tips For the Best 1-Hour Dinner Rolls
Here are some tips and tricks for making buttery soft rolls! 1-hour dinner rolls are so incredibly delicious they are perfect for any occasion.
- Watch Temperatures: You’ve got to make sure the temperature of your milk isn’t too high when adding it to your yeast mixture. The sweet spot is about 100 degrees Fahrenheit. If you add liquids that are too hot, they will kill your yeast, and you’ll have to start the whole process over.
- Lemon Juice: Yeast grows best in a slightly acidic environment. Adding a few drops of lemon juice can help it rise!
- Adding Flavors: These rolls are a blank canvas and you can add your favorite flavors! I love adding fresh herbs and some of my Italian seasoning to the dough for an aromatic finish. You could also add a teaspoon of garlic powder or grated cheddar for a cheesy variety. For a sweeter variety of this recipe, add honey or pineapple juice!
- Other Uses: Besides being an amazing dinner side, these yummy rolls make a great foundation for sliders and sandwiches!
Storing Leftover Rolls
These 1-hour dinner rolls make great leftovers! Eat them with butter and jam, or use them for sliders.
- At Room Temperature: These rolls will keep for up to 5 days. I like to store them in a large bowl covered with plastic wrap because it keeps them from drying out quickly.
- Making Ahead: You can make these rolls in advance, making any meal that much simpler! After you have shaped your rolls, then place them on your baking sheet. Wrap them tightly, then store them in the refrigerator. You can keep them there for up to 2 days. Allow them to come to room temperature before baking.
More Homemade Roll Recipes
Once you start making your rolls from scratch, you won’t go back! I’ve rounded up some of my all-time favorite roll recipes for you to try!
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1 Hour Dinner Rolls
Ingredients
- 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons Granulated Sugar
- 1 tablespoon rapid rise yeast
- 1 ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ¼ cup milk, warmed
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and divided
Instructions
- Set the oven to warm or alternately as low as you can set it if you don’t have a warm option, about 170 degrees Farhenheit. Lightly spray a 9×13 pan with pan spray and set it aside.
- In the bowl of your mixer whisk together the flour, sugar, yeast, and salt.
- In another bowl combine the warm milk and 4 tablespoons of melted butter. Using the dough hook on low, slowly add the liquid to the dry ingredients. Knead the dough for about 4 minutes or so, until it is smooth and elastic. If the dough is still very sticky, add more flour 1-2 tablespoons at a time.
- Once you have achieved a smooth dough, cover the bowl and let rest for about 5-10 minutes.
- Once the dough has rested, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and divide the dough as evenly as you can into 15 pieces. I like to use a kitchen scale so I can get them equal in size. Weigh the whole ball of dough in grams and then divide it by 15. That’s the weight each roll should be. Shape each piece into a ball and pinch the dough together on the bottom.
- Place the dough balls into the baking pan and use your fingers to rub a little bit of water over the tops of the balls so they don’t dry out while baking. Transfer to the warm oven and let rise for 20 minutes, or up to 30 minutes if they have not doubled in size after 20. I find it can be helpful to use a spray bottle to spray the bottom of the oven to create steam to help the rolls rise faster.
- Remove the risen rolls from the oven and bump the heat up to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. As soon as the oven has preheated, bake the rolls for 16-18 minutes, until the tops are golden brown. Brush with melted butter as soon as they come out of the oven.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
These came out great for me. They rose beautifully and tasted great. Thanks for the easy, delicious recipe! My kids loved them!
Hello Alyssa,
Could I use whole-wheat flour in this recipe with good results? Also, would they turn out well without sugar? They look so yummy and easy!
Thanks!
Nancy Wilson
Thanks for another great recipe. I always do laundry on the days I bake bread. After drying a load of laundry, I place my pan with the dough into the dryer and it rises within 20 minutes. Then I pop the baking pan into my already pre-heated oven. Breadmaking has never been so quick.
I was wondering if it’s possible on your site to gives us the option of imperial or metric. When I bake I love using metric and always get best results. I’ve notice more sites are giving us this option.
I’m always looking to optimize! I think that would be really helpful.
I made these today for family Thanksgiving. I woke up not feeling well but made the rolls to send since I wasn’t up to going. Realized after my husband left to deliver them that I had used original yeast instead of rapid rise. There was a small pan of rolls that was extra. I went ahead & baked them, not expecting them to be good. Oh my, they are amazing!!! This will be my go to recipe from now on 😛
Aren’t they great? So happy you liked them!
Wow! These turned out fab! Thanks!!!
Can this recipe be frozen then thaw and baked at a later date?
Yes it can!
I would like to make these rolls but don’t have a stand mixer. Can I use a hand held one or something else? Thank you and have a wonderful Thanksgiving.
Yes a handheld mixer will work great!! Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
Made these for our thanksgiving dinner first batch was small and didn’t rise. Second Batch turned out perfect. Let them rise covered in a grease 9by 13 dish at room temp covered tightly in plastic and when they were done baking I brushed honey butter on top 😋
Made these yesterday. They were amazing. I didn’t have oven space so they simply sat on the counter covered in plastic wrap for about an hour and fifteen minutes. They baked up perfectly. There were a few left, but the kids ate them with butter this morning. I’ll be making these again.
These are some of my very favorite dinner rolls! Easy and delicious! I’m glad that you liked them too!
Can it be made into a loaf?
I haven’t tried that before with this recipe!
First time i made these they were soft and fluffy ,while they did not rise in 20 min the second ,third and 4th time i made them ,following directions they did not rise very much ,after 2 hours i cooked them and they were small and dense texture ,what am i doing wrong ,yeast was from a new bottle
Doughs like this will be dense if too much flour is added. Try backing off just a bit, only adding last 1/2 C of flour in bits until right elasticity you want?
Measuring flour is one of the great mysteries of baking and using cups is a very poor way to do it. Flour weight can vary from 120grams per cup (King Arthur) to spooned flour (135-140 grams per cup) to scooped with the measuring cup (150grams +). Everyone has their favorite way and unless it is stated, you have no idea. I like weight, it never changes. Based on this recipe I would estimate 500g of AP flour and 300 grams of warmed milk as starting points. It is what I plan on trying. The actual calculated measurements would be 490g and 302 grams.
What alterations are needed if I want to use active dry yeast instead of rapid rise? Thanks!
The rolls look amazing! I am wondering if you can reduce the salt in the recipe for those who are on a low sodium diet?
They turned out perfect with this measurement but you are welcome to adjust to your needs.
Salt is an essential part of baking performance, it is not there for taste.
don’t have a dough attachment on mixer – should I try or will this fail?
Mix everything together with a spoon or spatula and then knead by hand on a lightly floured surface. They take a good 10-15 minutes of kneading on the counter but knead by hand until the dough is smooth. It might end up taking a little longer than an hour because of it taking longer by hand but they will still be soft and delicious!