The Best Yeast Rolls Recipe (2024)

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The Best Yeast Rolls Recipe Ever – Light, airy, and kissed with honey! This is an easy yeast roll recipe you’ll make again and again.

The Best Yeast Rolls Recipe (1)

Easy Dinner Roll Recipe

Today we’re serving Honey Yeast Rolls that are light, airy, and kissed with sweetness! This is honestlyThe Best Yeast Rolls RecipeI’ve ever made. A classic you’ll come back to again and again.

People get funny when you call somethingthe best.

Here, shove a honey yeast roll in your mouth… It will make you feel less sensitive. *wink*

To clarify, I want it to be known that this is The Best Yeast Rolls RecipeI’veever made. You can choose to disagree, but you’ll need to make and test them first.

Then you’ll find it tricky to say much about anything, because your face will be packed with one yeast roll right after the other.

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Let me tell you why this is The Best Yeast Rolls Recipe…

First, each little yeast roll is kissed with honey. There is honey in the dough and a honey butter glaze over the top.

Second, to balance the light sweetness, these yeast rolls have a generous dose of sea salt to bring out the best flavor.

Third and most important, the dough is sticky, meaning it will rise and bake into delicate pillows of wheaty goodness.

Convinced?

The Best Yeast Roll Recipe is such a versatile rolls recipe. You can shape the dough any way you want and use them as a side dish, or as buns for sliders.

For sliders, I like to roll the dough into balls for a perfectly round yeast roll you can cut in half.

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What Ingredients You Will Need

  • 4 1/4 – 5 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 cups whole milk
  • 3/4 cup unsalted butter divided
  • 2/3 cup honey divided
  • 1 packet dry active yeast about 2 1/4 teaspoons
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
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How To Make Homemade Yeast Rolls

Instructions…

Pour the milk into a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high until it comes to a simmer to scald the milk, then immediately remove.

Add 1/4 cup butter to the milk, stirring until the butter melts. (This starts cooling the milk.) Then stir in 1/3 cup honey.

Pour the milk into the bowl of an electric mixer, and test with your finger for temperature. The milk needs to be just lukewarm before proceeding, so it doesn’t kill the yeast.

When the milk mixture is barely over room temperature, sprinkle the yeast over the top.

Swirl the bowl a couple of times, then let the yeast sit and foam for at least 10 minutes.

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Once the yeast looks foamy, add in eggs and salt.

Then place a bread hook on your stand mixer and turn it on low.

Slowly add the flour until the dough comes away from the sides into a ball, but is still sticky.

Only add 4 1/4 cups of flour, unless extra is needed to make the dough pull away from the sides.

Once the dough pulls away from the bowl, stop the mixer – Do not over-mix.

Cover the bowl with a damp tea towel and allow it to rise for 1-2 hours, until it is double in size.

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Everyday and Holiday Rolls

These rolls are perfect for everyday dinners or Thanksgiving and Christmas meals. I like to make bread basket rolls for these occasions, I like to tie them in knots as you see above.

Just roll a piece of dough into a short rope, cross one end over the other, then push one end through the hole.

And for Easter, I like to make The Best Yeast Rolls Recipe into bunnies!

Simply roll the dough into ovals.

Then poke “eyes” in one end with a chopstick, and usekitchen sheersto snip ears and tail. Fold the tail down to make it round.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How Long To Knead The Dough By Hand?

If kneading by hand, instead of with an electric mixer, it can take about 10 minutes for the right amount of gluten fibers to form. The dough should be tacky, but not sticky, smooth and slightly firm.

Can This Dough be Made and Frozen in Ball Form?

Yes, absolutely! Freeze them flat on a foil-lined baking sheet. Once the rolls are hard, put the balls in a freezer bag and freeze for up to 6 months.

Is There A Reason Why You Don’t Use Bread Flour In This Recipe?

Bread flour is best for recipes where you want a strong gluten stretch… Like pizza dough or sourdough bread. However, with “delicate” baked goods and breads it’s better to use a lighter flour.

Can I Use Quick Rise Instant Yeast instead of Active Dry Yeast?

Yes, you can and it should work the same.

What Can I Use Instead Of Honey?

Maple syrup or brown rice syrup are good substitutions in this dinner rolls recipe!

Can These Be Made Ahead of Time?

You can definitely make the dough early and refrigerate or freeze it, but I would definitely bake right before serving. When making them the night before, I would shape them, brush with butter to protect the exterior, and then chill them overnight. However, you could wrap the whole dough ball with plastic and shape the rolls in the morning.

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Whether you make round rolls, knots, or bunnies, you will soon discover this roll recipe is The Best Yeast Rolls Recipe after all.

It’s one to tuck in yourkitchen journaland use for years to come!

Looking for a gluten-free variation? Try theseGluten Free Dinner Rolls.

We also love thesePotato Rolls.

Check the printable recipe card for the prep time, total time, and nutrition information including calories, carbohydrates, protein, cholesterol, sodium, potassium, fiber, vitamin, and calcium percentages.

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The Best Yeast Rolls Recipe

Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes minutes

The Best Yeast Rolls Recipe Ever – Light, airy, and kissed with honey! An easy yeast roll recipe you’ll make again and again.

Servings: 32 rolls

Ingredients

US CustomaryMetric

Instructions

  • Pour the milk in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high until itcomes to a simmer to scald the milk, then immediately remove. Add1/4 cup butter to the milk, stirring until the butter melts. (This starts cooling the milk.) Then stir in 1/3 cuphoney. Pour the milk into the bowl of an electric mixer, test with your finger for temperature. The milk needs to be just luke-warm before proceeding, so it doesn't kill the yeast. When the milk mixture is barely over room temperature, sprinkle the yeast over the top. Swirl the bowl a couple times, then let the yeast sit and foam for at least 10 minutes.

  • Once the yeast looks foamy, add in eggs and salt. Then place abread hook on your mixer and turn on low. Slowly add the flour until the dough comes away from the sides into a ball, but is still sticky. Only add 4 1/4 cups of flour, unless extra is needed to make the dough pull away from the sides. Once the dough pulls away from the bowl, stop the mixer – Do not over-mix. Cover the bowl with a damp tea towel and allow it to rise for 1-2 hours, until it is double in size.

  • Punch the dough down and cut into 32 equal pieces with a floured knife. Then gently roll into balls, or roll into short ropes and tie into knots. (Or make bunnies! See photos above.) Place the yeast rolls on a parchment paper lined baking sheet, about 2 inches apart, and cover with lightly dampened tea towels or paper towels. Allow the rolls to rise a second time for 30-45 minutes.

  • Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Melt the remaining 1/2 cup butter and whisk with 1/3 cup honey. Once the rolls have risen the second time, remove the towels and gently brush each rollwith honey butter. Bake for 10-15 minutes until golden brown. Wait five minutes before serving.

Nutrition

Serving: 1pc, Calories: 203kcal, Carbohydrates: 34g, Protein: 5g, Fat: 5g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Cholesterol: 23mg, Sodium: 120mg, Potassium: 65mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 6g, Vitamin A: 165IU, Vitamin C: 0.1mg, Calcium: 22mg, Iron: 1.7mg

Course: Biscuits, Bread

Cuisine: American

Author: Sommer Collier

Making this recipe?Follow us on Instagram and tag @ASpicyPerspective so we can share what you’re cooking!

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The Best Yeast Rolls Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Why are my yeast rolls not light and fluffy? ›

If your dinner rolls aren't fluffy it could be because of one of two reasons. Either, you added too much flour or you possibly used all bread flour. Alternately, not giving your dinner rolls enough time to proof and get puffy before baking could yield dense rolls.

Is it better to freeze yeast rolls before or after baking? ›

Let them rise about partway — until just starting to puff, but not ready to bake. At this point, freeze the rolls on their baking sheet for a few hours. Once they're frozen solid, you can transfer the unbaked rolls to a freezer bag or container.

Why did my yeast rolls turn out hard? ›

Too much flour, or not the right kind, could be to blame. Dough made only from flour with a high or even average amount of protein (like bread flour or all-purpose flour) can become tough from overmixing. Protein gives bread structure in the form of gluten—the more you mix and move the dough, the more gluten you get.

Why are my homemade yeast rolls dry? ›

Too much flour makes dough too stiff to rise properly, creating a dry texture. A range of flour is always given in yeast bread recipes because flours vary in moisture content, reacting in different ways depending on the time of year, weather conditions, etc. Be careful measuring flour.

What is the secret of soft buns? ›

The secret to soft, light rolls, if you're looking for something like a dinner roll, is an enriched dough that contains butter or other dairy, eggs, or both. If you want something more bread-like, you want a high hydration dough that's been properly kneaded and given at least two bulk fermentations before shaping.

Can you let yeast rolls rise too long? ›

If the dough has risen too long, it's going to feel fragile and might even collapse as you poke it,” says Maggie. If this is the case, there's a chance you can save your dough by giving it a quick re-shape. Learn more about this fix in our blog on saving overproofed dough.

Can you use too much yeast in rolls? ›

Too much yeast could cause the dough to go flat by releasing gas before the flour is ready to expand. If you let the dough rise too long, it will start having a yeast or beer smell and taste and ultimately deflate or rise poorly in the oven and have a light crust.

Can you over knead yeast rolls? ›

It's vital to stop mixing at the first signs of over-kneading, as a fully over-kneaded dough cannot be fixed. Over-kneaded dough will also tear more quickly, as the gluten strands in the dough have become so tight they easily break under pressure.

What is the best temperature for yeast rolls to rise? ›

Nail the sweet spot — warm enough to rise at a decent rate, yet cool enough to develop flavor — and you're golden. Studies have shown that the optimum temperature for yeast to grow and flavor to develop is 75°F to 78°F.

What is the secret to super soft bread? ›

Instant milk powder makes bread dough super soft and fluffy and also helps to give it a good rise. It also contributes to the dough staying nice and soft after baking for a little longer than a recipe that does not use milk powder.

Is bread flour or all-purpose flour better for rolls? ›

You can also use all-purpose in many bun or roll recipes, which tend to have lower hydration and rely less on strong gluten and more on butter and sugar for texture. (Though bread flour can still give you a fluffier, almost cotton-candy-like texture in most buns and rolls.)

What ingredient makes bread more fluffy? ›

Add Sugar

Adding sugar weakens the gluten structure, absorbs water, and eventually makes the bread lighter and softer. As a result, sugar improves the bread's taste, structure and texture. Yeast also eats up sugar to produce carbon dioxide, which raises the dough and makes bread fluffy.

Is milk better than water for yeast rolls? ›

Yep, you can always sub water for the milk in bread recipes. It does affect the texture a bit, though. Bread made with water will not be as soft or fluffy as bread made with milk, the crumb won't be as fine, and it will go stale faster as well.

What is the best way to store homemade yeast rolls? ›

Storage & Freezing Yeast Breads
  1. When the yeast bread has completely cooled, wrap in an airtight plastic bag, plastic wrap or aluminum foil. ...
  2. Most yeast breads and rolls freeze well. ...
  3. Whole bread loaves or yeast rolls and bread slices can be thawed completely at room temperature.

What makes yeast rolls heavy? ›

This dough is enriched with milk, butter, and sugar. These ingredients slow down gluten development and can make the dough a little sticky. Your instinct might be to add extra flour; however, any extra flour will create a denser, tougher roll instead of the light, fluffy, soft dinner roll we want.

Why is my homemade bread not light and fluffy? ›

Do Not Over-Knead Your Dough. The over-kneading dough is a common bread making mistake, which makes gluten too tight for bread to rise, resulting in chewy bread instead of fluffy. Kneading correctly is most important to strengthen the gluten and give your bread a perfect texture.

Why did my yeast rolls come out dense? ›

There may be several reasons for a dense, cake like texture in bread. It may indicate the kneading wasn't enough for the gluten to develop properly, or the dough was proved for too short a time or the dough may have been too dry. It is also worth checking the flour you used.

Does letting bread rise longer make it fluffier? ›

Does Rising Bread Affect Its Texture? For a fluffy bread texture, the key is to let the bread rise long enough.

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