Bread & Dough Biscuits & Rolls
Soft Dinner Rolls for 12
Soft, pull-apart dinner rolls that stay tender enough for the supper table and the next day's sandwiches.
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If this is your kind of supper, breakfast, or bake, keepBig-Batch Buttermilk Sandwich Bread, Ham Broccoli Potato Supper Bake, and Buttermilk Biscuits by the Dozen nearby for the next pan.
If you want a cleaner fix or a little backup, these guides helpHow to Swap Buttermilk by Weight and How to Choose Bread for Baked Breakfast Casseroles.
If you want the household logic around this pan, keepBy Wednesday, the Supper Plan Breaks — Here Is How We Catch It and At 7:10, Breakfast Starts Too Fast — Here Is How We Hold It nearby too.
These rolls are meant to be useful, not fussy. They bake soft, pull apart cleanly, and still make sense the next day if supper leaves a few behind.
Recipe Rescue
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Recipe details
Timing & yield
- Prep
- 25 minutes
- Cook / bake
- 20 minutes
- Total
- 165 minutes
- Yield
- 12 rolls
Ingredients
Dough
- 1 cup warm milk
- 1/2 cup warm water
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 large egg
- 4 tablespoons softened butter
- 4 to 4 1/4 cups bread flour
Finish
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
Method
- Step 1. Grease a 9x13 baking dish.
- Step 2. Mix the milk, water, sugar, yeast, salt, egg, butter, and 4 cups of flour into a soft dough.
- Step 3. Knead 8 to 10 minutes until the dough is smooth and only lightly tacky, adding the last 1/4 cup flour only if needed.
- Step 4. Cover and let the dough rise until doubled, 60 to 75 minutes.
- Step 5. Divide into 12 pieces, shape into smooth balls, and set them in the dish.
- Step 6. Cover and let rise until puffy and touching, 35 to 45 minutes.
- Step 7. Heat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Step 8. Bake 18 to 20 minutes until golden and at least 190°F in the center.
- Step 9. Brush with melted butter and cool 10 minutes before serving.
Equipment
- stand mixer or large mixing bowl
- 9x13 baking dish
- bench scraper
Storage & safety
Keep cooled rolls covered at room temperature for 2 days or freeze for longer holding. Warm briefly before serving if you want them soft again.
Troubleshooting
- The rolls baked up dense
- The dough likely needed more kneading or more rise time before shaping.
- The tops browned too fast
- Tent loosely with foil for the last few minutes and keep baking until the centers are done.
Recipe rescue notes
- The dough feels sticky
-
Likely cause: The flour has not finished absorbing or the dough needs more kneading.
Fix: Knead 1 to 2 minutes longer before adding more flour.
Next time: Start with the lower flour amount and add only what the dough truly needs.
Substitutions
- Milk
- Use buttermilk. — The dough may need a touch more flour and will bake with a slightly richer tang.
Carryover / Next Meal Ideas
Ham or egg sandwiches
Split leftover rolls for quick sandwiches the next day.
- Warm them lightly first if they were refrigerated.
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