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Perfect soft and buttery rolls will be your classic go-to roll recipe! They are tender fluffy, and baked with a buttery golden top. These rolls are sure to be a family favorite!

If you want a really big, soft, and buttery roll, then this is the recipe for you. Homemade rolls are the best part of any meal! Need more delicious roll recipes? Try my amazing 1-Hour Rolls, these Copycat Texas Roadhouse Rolls, or Parker House Rolls for your next dinner.

Close view of a perfect soft and buttery roll stacked on top of the pan of fresh baked rolls.

Perfect Soft and Buttery Rolls

These perfect soft and buttery rolls are truly the most amazing homemade rolls you will ever make! What makes them perfectly soft and buttery? The addition of the fats from the milk, butter, and eggs makes them extra tender, fluffy, and melt-in-your-mouth delicious. These rolls are a labor of love, but definitely worth it when you bite into the pillowy roll! If you’re new to working with yeast, don’t be intimidated because this is a great recipe and I walk you through all the steps. They turn out beautifully no matter what!

You will be known for these perfect soft and buttery rolls when you share them with family and friends! Make them for holiday meals, special occasions, or whenever you want a comforting warm homemade roll. Slather your rolls with honey butter, jam, or this cinnamon honey butter.

What You Need to Make Perfect Rolls

Don’t let working with yeast scare you. It’s super simple and these rolls can’t get any easier. You’ll have perfect soft and buttery rolls in no time. Most of these ingredients are probably already in your pantry ready to go.

  • Whole Milk: Warmed but not hot! Warm it between 80 and 110 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Sugar: This is necessary for the yeast to activate.
  • Active Dry Yeast: Use 2 ¼ teaspoons or 1 packet for this recipe.
  • All-Purpose Flour: All-purpose flour is best to achieve fluffy soft rolls.
  • Salt: Salt is essential for bread to have flavor.
  • Unsalted Butter: melted but not hot
  • Large Eggs: It helps to beat the eggs before adding them to the dough ingredients.
  • Butter: To brush on the tops of the rolls!

Let’s Make Perfect Soft and Buttery Rolls

The best roll recipes take time, especially when it needs time to rise, so don’t rush it. This will ensure a nice light fluffy interior when you allow the air pockets to form during rising. I promise it will be worth the wait! I can’t wait for you to make these perfect soft and buttery rolls!

Prepare and Raise the Dough

  1. Proof the Milk, Sugar, and Yeast: In a medium bowl mix together the milk, sugar, and yeast. Let it rest until the yeast has become foamy and active.
  2. Combine the Flour and Salt: In the bowl of the stand mixer, add 3 cups of the flour then whisk in the salt. Pour the yeast mixture into the flour mixture. Using the dough hook attachment mix on low until the dough begins to come together.
  3. Knead the Flour Mixture, Yeast Mixture, Butter, and Eggs: Pour in the butter and eggs. Then add the remaining flour ¼ cup at a time until the dough pulls away from the sides of the mixer. The dough will still be slightly tacky, you may not use all of the flour.
  4. Cover and Raise the Dough: Remove the dough from the bowl and add it to a lightly oiled bowl. Cover with saran wrap or a damp cloth. Let the dough rise until it has doubled in size, about 45 minutes to an hour.

Shape and Raise the Rolls

  1. Divide and Shape Dough Balls: Place the dough on a lightly floured surface and punch it down to release the air. Divide into 15 equal pieces and roll each piece into a ball.
  2. Raise the Rolls: Grease a 9X13-inch baking dish with butter. Evenly arrange the rolls in the prepared pan. Cover the rolls and let them rise until they are doubled in size. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

Bake the Rolls

  1. Bake: Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. The temperature of the rolls out of the oven should be 190 degrees Fahrenheit.
  2. Brush with Butter and Enjoy: Remove the perfect soft and buttery rolls from the oven and brush with additional melted butter. Enjoy warm!

Tips For Perfect Soft and Buttery Rolls

No matter which roll recipe you are making, here are a few tips that will come in handy. Once you get the hang of it, you will become a roll master!

  • Activate: Make sure the yeast gets activated. If the yeast does not activate, your rolls will not rise. If the yeast does not get bubbly and frothy, then I recommend starting over. 
  • Flour: Do NOT add too much flour. Adding too much flour will turn an amazing soft roll into a heavy dry roll. Add the flour 1/4 cup at a time until it pulls away from the bowl. The dough will still be slightly tacky, you may not use all of the flour. Knowing how much flour to add can be tricky, but the more rolls you make, the easier it will be to tell when there is enough.
  • Tip For Shaping the Rolls: You can always spray your hands with cooking spray to help shape the rolls and keep the dough from sticking to your hands.
  • Do NOT Overbake: If you overbake your rolls, they will be dry and no one wants a dry roll. If you really want to get technical, use a thermometer to check the internal temperature of the rolls when they come out. They should be 190 degrees Fahrenheit.
Top view of perfect soft and buttery rolls baked in a baking dish.

Storing and Freezing Rolls

Everyone loves these perfect soft and buttery rolls and we fight over the leftover rolls! Especially when you warm them in the microwave for 10 seconds. It tastes like it’s fresh from the oven! I’ve also added some tips for freezing the dough to make rolls for later!

  • At Room Temperature: Store completely cooled rolls in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
  • Freeze the Dough: Keep the dough frozen in an airtight container for up to a month. I recommend spacing the rolls on a sheet pan and freezing them into balls first, then place in an airtight container.
  • Thaw and Bake: To thaw, remove the frozen rolls from the freezer and place them in a greased baking dish. Cover with a tea towel then let them rest and rise at room temperature until they have thawed and doubled in size. Bake using the instructions on the recipe card!
Close view of a perfect soft and buttery roll split open on top of a pile of rolls.

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Perfect Soft and Buttery Rolls

5 from 1 vote
By: Alyssa Rivers
Perfect soft and buttery rolls will be your classic go-to roll recipe! They are tender fluffy, and baked with a buttery golden top. These rolls are sure to be a family favorite!
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
proofing time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
Servings: 15 rolls

Ingredients 

Instructions 

Prepare and Raise the Dough

  • In a medium bowl mix together the milk, sugar, and yeast. Let it rest until the yeast has become foamy and active.
  • In the bowl of the stand mixer, add 3 cups of the flour then whisk in the salt. Pour the yeast mixture into the flour mixture. Using the dough hook attachment mix on low until the dough begins to come together.
  • Pour in the butter and eggs. Then add the remaining flour ¼ cup at a time until the dough pulls away from the sides of the mixer. The dough will still be slightly tacky, you may not use all of the flour.
  • Remove the dough from the bowl and add it to a lightly oiled bowl. Cover with saran wrap or a damp cloth. Let the dough rise until it has doubled in size, about 45 minutes to an hour.

Shape and Raise the Rolls

  • Place the dough on a lightly floured surface and punch it down to release the air. Divide into 15 equal pieces and roll each piece into a ball.
  • Grease a 9X13-inch baking dish with butter. Evenly arrange the rolls in the prepared pan. Cover the rolls and let them rise until they are doubled in size. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

Bake the Rolls

  • Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown. The temperature of the rolls out of the oven should be 190 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Remove the rolls from the oven and brush with the melted butter. Enjoy warm!

Nutrition

Calories: 276kcalCarbohydrates: 44gProtein: 7gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 41mgSodium: 330mgPotassium: 101mgFiber: 1gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 258IUCalcium: 43mgIron: 2mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Appetizer, Bread
Tried this recipe?Mention @alyssa_therecipecritic or tag #therecipecritic!

 

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About Alyssa Rivers

Welcome to my kitchen! I am Alyssa Rivers and the food blogger behind The Recipe Critic. The blog launched in 2012 as a place to share my passion for cooking. I love trying new things and testing them out with my family. Each recipe is tried and true, family-tested and approved.

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28 Comments

  1. Witch one is correct?
    1. Bake your dough: Preheat oven to 400 degrees and bake for 12-13 minutes. Tent rolls with foil the last few minutes of baking. The rolls brown pretty quickly, so tenting them with foil is a must. When done baking, brush with remaining 2 Tablespoons of melted butter. Makes around 16 large rolls.
    2. Grease a 9X13 inch baking dish with butter and place the rolls in the dish 3 by 5. Cover the rolls and let them rise until they are doubled in size. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees fahrenheit.
    When the rolls have doubled in size, bake the rolls for 20-25 minutes, until they are golden brown and temp out to 190 degrees fahrenheit

    1. Hi Charlie! Sorry for the confusion, I just updated the instructions. You’ll bake for 20-25 minutes at 375 degrees Fahrenheit.