Easy Sweet Dinner Rolls

Name: Easy Sweet Dinner Rolls
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 105 min
Ingredients: 1 packet or 2 ¼ teaspoons of fast acting or rapid rise yeast; 1 cup of warm water around 100 degrees F; 2 tablespoons of sugar or 2 tablespoons of honey; 2 ½ cups of unbleached flour; 1 tablespoon of olive oil.; 1 1/2-2 tablespoons melted butter; 1 tablespoon water; 1 tablespoon sugar

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This easy sweet dinner roll recipe is a family favorite and a perfect, forgiving dough for beginners. It requires only 20 minutes of active time to create wonderfully soft, fluffy, and buttery rolls. It’s the perfect make-ahead side dish for a weeknight dinner or a holiday meal!

What You Will Need:

1 packet or 2 1/4 teaspoons of fast acting or rapid rise yeast
1 cup of water around 100 degrees F
2 tablespoons of sugar or 2 tablespoons of honey
2 1/2 cups of unbleached flour
1 tablespoon of olive oil
For the Topping:
1 1/2-2 tablespoons of melted butter
1 tablespoon of water
1 tablespoon of sugar

Proofing Yeast for an Impressive Rise

Proofing the yeast is essential to the success of your breads and buns. If the yeast is not active or alive then your bread will not rise. This recipe calls for rapid rise or fast acting yeast. The name said it all. The rapid rise yeast shortens the rise time of the dough. Combine the yeast, honey, and warm water. The yeast will feed on the sugar and expand. This YouTube time lapse video will show you what to look for. Once you see this happening it is time to move on to add the flour.

Adding the Flour and The First Rise of the Dough

Normally I use all purpose flour. Experimenting with different flours may yield a recipe your family will enjoy. So make it your own! I try to remember to sift the flour but it is not necessary. Add half of the flour until just combined, then add the second half. When combined, knead the dough by a mixer hook or by hand for about five minutes. The dough can be a bit wet.

When you are done kneading, coat the inside of a large bowl with the olive oil and place the dough into the bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a towel and place in a warm and humid environment for one hour or until the dough has doubled in size. I usually place mine in the microwave (don’t cook the dough!).The microwave provides a small warm space for the dough to do its thing.

How to Shape Your Dinner Rolls

Split the dough into eight pieces. This is what I usually do. If you want a different size then please remember that baking times will change. Fold the dough to the center and repeat every 90 degrees. Roll each piece of dough into a ball by placing your hands under the ball and pulling the bottom of the dough toward you. This will help keep the top of the ball tight. There is a video below to help with this. Trying to explain with text is a bit difficult. Place each ball onto a lined baking sheet that you will be using to bake the buns with. When all eight buns are rolled out cover with a lightly oiled piece of saran wrap and let the rolled buns rise for 10 minutes. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Rolling the buns before baking

Making Sweet Dinner Rolls

In a small bowl, I put the topping ingredients, water, sugar, and butter, in and put them in the microwave for a bit. I usually spread the topping on before I put the buns in, at the halfway point, and after I bring them out of the oven. This way you have a few layers of the topping that caramelize in the oven. Bake the buns for 8 minutes at 400 degrees F or until they are golden brown and delicious. Rotate the sheet halfway through. By rotating the baking pan halfway through the baking time you will ensure even baking. Another option is to sprinkle a bit of sea salt on when they come out. Salty sweet dinner rolls for your family.

FAQ’s:

Can I make these dinner rolls ahead of time?

Yes! This is a great make-ahead dough. You can prepare the dough, let it go through its first rise, and then shape the rolls. Place them on the baking sheet, cover tightly, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Let them sit at room temperature for 30-45 minutes before baking.

Do I have to use rapid-rise yeast?

Rapid-rise yeast shortens the rise time, but you can use active dry yeast—just adjust for a slightly longer rise.

What kind of flour works best?

Unbleached all-purpose flour is standard, but you can experiment with bread flour or a mix of whole wheat for a different texture.

How do I know when the buns are done baking?

They should be golden brown and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom. Rotating the baking tray halfway through ensures even browning.

These rolls are the perfect side dish for my City Chicken Recipe or my Kale and Sauce sage Soup!