Our favorite easy Dinner Rolls are made with only eight ingredients! This post walks you through each and every step of making this recipe. Plus all my tips and tricks for perfect dinner rolls every time.
Pour warmed milk into the bottom of a stand mixer bowl. If you have a thermometer, ensure the milk isn't heated above 115 degrees F. Sprinkle the yeast in an even layer right on top of the milk and then sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon sugar over the yeast. Whisk. Cover and let stand for 5 minutes. The yeast should be very foamy after 5 minutes. (Check photos in post.) If not, your yeast is dead and you'll need to begin again. Either the yeast was bad or the milk was too hot.
Add remaining 1/4 cup sugar, 5 tablespoons softened butter, and large egg to the yeast mixture. Mix on slow speed to combine. Add in 1 cup of flour (136 grams; use a food scale or spoon and level the flour measurement) and the salt. Beat on low speed for about 1 minute, scraping the sides of the bowl with a silicone spatula. Add 2 more cups of flour (261 grams). Beat on medium speed until the dough comes together and begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl. Increase speed and beat for about 1 minute. Slowly add the remaining 1/4 cup flour (1 tablespoon at a time) only as needed until the dough no longer clings to the sides of the bowl and is wrapped around the dough hook. The dough should still be tacky.
Lightly sprinkle a work surface with flour. Tap your hands in the flour and pull the dough from the bowl. Use a spatula to remove all the dough. Knead on the lightly floured surface by hand for about 2 minutes. Form into an even ball.
Cover the dough ball with a towel and wash out and dry the mixer bowl. Pour in 3/4 teaspoon vegetable oil and rub it all over the bowl. Place the dough in the bottom of the bowl and rub the remaining 1/4 teaspoon vegetable oil to coat the ball of dough. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel.
Allow the dough to rise in a draft-free warm environment for 1 and 1/2 to 2 hours or until double in size.
Grease a 9×13-inch baking pan with nonstick spray.
When the dough has risen, punch it down to release the air. Divide the dough into 16 equal pieces. I love using a food scale here! Each dough ball should be around 1.9 ounces. Shape each piece into a smooth ball (I just shape it with my fingers, pulling dough around to the bottom until a smooth ball is formed.) and then place in the prepared pan.
Cover rolls with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and allow to rise again in a warm environment. This takes around 30 minutes to an hour.
Adjust oven rack to one position below the middle and preheat oven to 375 degrees F. (It’s best to bake the rolls towards the bottom of the oven so the tops don’t burn.)
Bake the rolls: Bake for 18-26 minutes or until golden brown on top and the center rolls sound hollow when tapped. Rotate the pan halfway through baking. If the tops of the rolls are browning too quickly, loosely place a piece of foil over the tops. Remove rolls from the oven. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and brush across the tops of the rolls. Allow to slightly cool before using a metal spatula to remove the rolls from the pan.
Notes
Transfer any leftover rolls into a plastic bag once they are completely cool, and store at room temperature for 2-3 days. Alternatively, store in the fridge for up to 1 week. We like these best the same day they're made.Nutritional information will vary slightly based on how much extra flour is added and how much melted butter is spread over the baked rolls.