1-Hour Dinner Rolls
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Hello, 1-Hour Dinner Rolls! Can you believe you can make soft, fluffy, warm dinner rolls in just 1 hour? I know, I couldn’t believe it either at first. But it’s true. You can do it!
They stay soft for days, and the recipe turns out perfect every single time. They have a slightly sweet taste and a tender crumb that melts in your mouth. And that melted butter and flaky sea salt on top make them totally irresistible! Despite their speedy preparation, these rolls rise beautifully and bake to perfection, making them ideal for weeknight dinners.
I love that they’re a quick recipe but seem like you spent all day in the kitchen. They’re perfect with a cozy, hearty soup like my Broccoli Cheddar Soup, to make as part of your holiday spread, or just with some softened butter. Whatever you serve them, these one-hour dinner rolls will leave everyone asking for more!
Why this recipe works
- Optimized Rising Time: By using a slightly warmer oven environment for rising, the dough can double in size in just 15 minutes instead of the usual 1-2 hours. This is possible because the activated yeast is already in high gear, and the warm environment further accelerates the process.
- Double Rise: The recipe includes two short rises—a first rise for the entire dough and a second rise after shaping the rolls. This double-rise technique lets the dough develop flavor and structure quickly, ensuring the rolls are airy and light.
- Simple Ingredients: The recipe is straightforward because it uses basic, readily available ingredients like bread flour (or all-purpose flour), sugar, milk, and butter. There’s no need for long fermentation or specialty flours, which makes the process faster without sacrificing flavor.
Ingredient Notes
Scroll down to the recipe card for the complete list of ingredients and measurements.
- Bread flour: I love using bread flour because it gives the rolls a bakery-style texture. But if you don’t have it, all-purpose flour works well, too.
- Sugar: even though we’re using instant yeast, the sugar is still like food for the yeast, which feeds off the sugar. It also gives the rolls a slightly sweet flavor.
- Rapid Rise Yeast: Since we’re using rapid rise or instant yeast, the yeast is mixed right into the dry ingredients.
- Whole milk: The milk needs to be ~115-120°F. If the milk is too hot, it can kill the yeast; if it is too cold, the yeast may not activate properly. I like to use milk instead of water for a richer flavor and better crumb.
- Egg: You’ll need an egg for the dough and the egg wash. The egg wash gives the rolls a shiny, golden crust on top.
- Salt: essential for flavor!
Step by Step Directions
Be sure to scroll down to the recipe card for the full recipe instructions.
Warm the milk
Heat the milk and butter in a microwave-safe bowl or measuring cup for about 1 minute or until warm, ~115-120°F is perfect. Then whisk in the egg and oil.
Make the dough
Using the stand mixer, whisk together the dry ingredients, add the milk mixture, and then knead for 6-8 minutes.
5-10 minute proof, then shape
Cover dough with plastic wrap and rest for just 5-10 minutes. Shape the dough into ~65g portions.
Proof #2 (20 minutes) then bake!
Brush with an egg wash over the top, and bake until golden.
Enjoy!
Brush tops with melted butter and sprinkle with salt and enjoy warm!
Success Tips
- Don’t over knead: Kneading is essential, but overdoing it can result in tough rolls. Just knead until the dough is smooth and elastic, 6-8 minutes using the stand mixer is perfect.
- Adjust Flour as Needed: The dough should be soft and slightly sticky but still manageable. If it feels super sticky, add 1 Tbsp. at a time and knead it again.
- Flavor Variations: For a garlic twist, mix in a teaspoon of garlic powder into the dough, add in herbs, or sprinkle some grated Parmesan cheese on top before baking. You can also top the rolls with sesame seeds or poppy seeds for added texture and taste.
- Prevent Overbaking: Keep an eye on the rolls as they bake. They can go from perfectly golden to overbaked quickly. Bake them until they are just golden brown and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom.
Make Ahead
- You can prepare the dough ahead of time. Yay! After shaping the rolls, cover and refrigerate them overnight. The next day, let them rise at room temperature for 30 minutes before baking.
Storage
- Room temp: Once completely cooled, store them at room temperature in an air-tight baggie for up to 2 days. I don’t like putting them in the fridge because they can dry out.
- Freezing: For longer storage, you can freeze the baked rolls. Place the cooled rolls in a resealable freezer bag or wrap them individually in plastic wrap and then in aluminum foil to prevent freezer burn. Label the bag with the date.
- To Reheat from Frozen: When ready to use, thaw the rolls at room temperature or reheat them directly from frozen. To reheat, wrap the rolls in foil and warm them in a preheated oven at 300°F (150°C) for 10-15 minutes or until heated through.
- Microwave Reheat: You can also reheat rolls in the microwave by wrapping them in a damp paper towel and microwaving for 10-20 seconds. This method is quicker but may not yield as good results as oven reheating.
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1-Hour Dinner Rolls
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk
- 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
- 3 3/4 – 4 cups bread flour, spooned and leveled, plus more for dusting
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 standard packets (4 1/2 tsp.) rapid rise yeast/fast acting yeast
- 1 tsp. salt
Egg wash and finishing
- 1 egg, lightly beaten with a splash of water
- 2-4 Tbsp. softened butter, for brushed on baked rolls
- flaky sea salt, I use Maldon
Last step! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 170°-180°F. Or whatever your oven will go to at the lowest, mine is 175°F. Spray a 9×13-inch oven-safe baking dish with nonstick spray or spread with softened butter. Set aside.
- Heat the milk and butter in a microwave-safe bowl or measuring cup for about 1 minute or until warm, ~115-120°F is perfect. Be sure to use a thermometer to ensure it’s not too hot or too cold. The butter doesn’t need to be completely melted, just softened.1 1/2 cups whole milk, 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
- Whisk in the room-temperature egg and oil. If this step significantly drops the temperature, microwave just for another few seconds to bring it up to that sweet spot range.1 large egg, room temperature, 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
- Whisk together the flour (start with 3 ¾ cup), sugar, yeast, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the dough hook. Slowly add the milk mixture on low speed.3 3/4 – 4 cups bread flour, spooned and leveled, plus more for dusting, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, 2 standard packets (4 1/2 tsp.) rapid rise yeast/fast acting yeast, 1 tsp. salt
- Increase the speed to medium-low and knead for 6-8 minutes. The dough will be smooth, and a little sticky is OK. If it still feels very sticky, add 1 tbsp. Flour at a time and knead again. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and rest for 5-10 minutes.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Flour your hands and using a bench scraper, divide the dough into 2 logs and then cut into 15 equal portions. I like to use a kitchen scale to make sure they’re measured perfectly, each roll will weigh ~60-65 grams.
- To shape each roll, pinch the dough at the bottom, roll it on the counter under the palm of your hand with a gently touch until it comes together in a smooth ball (see video for more guidance).
- Place dough balls in the prepared 9×13 pan. Cover with a clean kitchen towel. Transfer the rolls to the oven, but turn the oven OFF and all the rolls to rise again for 20 minutes. They should double in size.
- Remove the rolls from oven. Turn the oven to 375°F. Once preheated, brush the tops of the rolls with the egg wash.1 egg, lightly beaten with a splash of water
- Bake the rolls for ~16-18 minutes, keeping an eye on them so the tops don’t brown too fast. If they are, you can tent a piece of foil over the tops. They should have golden brown tops, and an internal temperature of 190°F-200°F is perfect. Remove from the oven and brush with softened butter. Sprinkle flaky sea salt on top.2-4 Tbsp. softened butter, for brushed on baked rolls, flaky sea salt, I use Maldon
- ENJOY!
Video
Notes
- Room temp: Once completely cooled, store them at room temperature in an air-tight baggie for up to 2 days. I don’t like putting them in the fridge because they can dry out.
- Freezing: For longer storage, you can freeze the baked rolls. Place the cooled rolls in a resealable freezer bag or wrap them individually in plastic wrap and then in aluminum foil to prevent freezer burn. Label the bag with the date.
Nutrition Information
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is automatically calculated. It should only be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary and Kroll’s Korner can’t make any guarantees to the accuracy of this information.
Delicious and super easy!! I love fresh baked rolls and love that these can be done quickly and with normal ingredients I already keep on hand.
I had some tiny hands helping me with this one! They were great!!
I would give this a five-star rating. It tasted awesome, and they went fast at church. The bread itself was light, with just the right touch of salt. You can leave out the salt from the dough, as there is already salt on top! But either way, it would be tasty.
thank you so much Katie, they look fab!
All of your recipes are so detailed that it makes any recipe seem easy! These were soooooo yummy with our chicken Alfredo pasta for dinner.
WOW, WOW, WOW!!!! Perfect, fluffy, delicious and EASY recipe!!!! The whole family devoured these!!! They will definitely be a weekly staple all through the gall and winter!! Thanks, Tawnie, for another absolute winner!
So easy and delicious!
I’ve made so many of your recipes so I knew this one was going to be just as good as the others. Family loved them!! Adding this recipe to our Thanksgiving menu.
So yummy and so easy! We really enjoyed the rolls!
These rolls were quick *even with the added step of the yeast blooming*, dimple, and the perfect bite, especially with the salt.
These rolls were quick *even with me adding the step of letting the yeast bloom*, simple, and are the perfect bite, especially with the salt.
These are delicious and easy to make!!