These dinner rolls are one of the easiest and most delicious bread recipes I have. I first learned how to make dinner rolls from one of our previous employer’s wife, on the Fulton Quien Sabe Ranch. She was a great cook and made many things from scratch but boy could she make a bread recipe now! She always had to make double because each cowboy would eat 4 or 5 rolls each. Yes, they were that good.
I haven’t made dinner rolls with her recipe for a long time and since I had to cook for the ranch today, I thought it’d be a good time. Two important things about this recipe. Try to follow directions exactly to have the softest rolls ever. So when it says little flour, use VERY little flour if any. And when it says to butter them, be generous! Enjoy y’all!
INGREDIENTS
- 1 envelope Active dry yeast
- 1/4 cup very warm water
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup scalding hot milk
- 1 egg –lightly beaten
- 4 1/2 cups of sifted all purpose flour
- 2 Tablespoons of melted butter for brushing rolls
DIRECTIONS
Sprinkle the yeast over very warm water in a large bowl. (warm water should feel comfortably warm when dropped on wrist) Stir until yeast dissolves.
Add sugar, the 1/4cup butter and salt to hot milk and stir until the sugar dissolves and butter is melted. Cool mixture to 105 to 115 degrees.
Add milk mixture to yeast, then beat in egg. Beat in 4 cups of flour, one cup at a time to form soft dough. Use some the remaining 1/2 cup flour to dust a pastry cloth. Knead the dough lightly for 5 minutes, working in the remaining flour (use if for flouring your cloth and hands).
Place dough in a warm buttered bowl; turn greased side up. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 1/2 hrs.
Punch dough down and knead 4 to 5 minutes on a lightly floured pastry cloth. Dough will be sticky, but use as little flour as possible for flouring your hands and the pastry cloth, otherwise the rolls will not be as feathery light as they should be.
Pinch off small chunks of dough and shape into round rolls. Place in neat rows, not quite touching, in a well-buttered 13×9x2 pan. Cover rolls and let rise in warm place until doubled, 30-45min.
Brush tops of rolls generously with melted butter, then bake in a 375′ oven for 18-20minutes or until nicely browned.
Serve warm with plenty of butter. I pour melted butter on top of the rolls right when the come out of the oven.
Recipe makes about 2 dozen!
I served up my rolls in my brand new, very pretty Tuscan Everyday Baker. I love that color!
Let me know if you make them!
Those look g.o.o.d=GOOD! I’m definitely trying this one out!
These look fabulous. Thanks for the recipe chicky.
One question, is 275 degrees right to bake them at? It just seemed low
Oh. My. Yumness. Can you FedEx a dozen to me right away? Pretty please?
Hey SBShell!!! so glad you caught that. Definitely an error on my part. I have corrected the post to reflect the correct oven temperature to 375′
So sorry and thanks for keeping me on my toes!
No prob, will probably make these tomorrow LOL! Thanks for a great blog!
Those look heavenly!! I can’t wait to try this recipe.
I have never had any luck baking bread but your pictures make me want to try these. I’ll bookmarked this post will hopefully try it out this week.
Can this me modified to work in a bread machine up to the point of the last part where you actually form the rolls and they rise for the last time in the pan…?
I’ve always wanted to know the recipe for those rolls. Now that I know, I will definitely make them. Thanks!!
I have no clue Mary. I’ve never worked with a bread machine. Maybe someone else will comment and know the answer.
I’ll have to give this recipe a try. My dinner rolls always come out good but are harder than I would like. Yours look perfect.
Those look delicious! I’m definitely going to try this recipe next time I make rolls.
the look more than great and they taste better than they look this bread is super good and i will keep using it.
These look lovely! I hope to try these soon.
I’ve tried other recipes similar to this in the bread machine and they’ve worked out just fine. Just put the wet ingredients in the machine first, ending with the yeast – set the machine on the dough cycle. When the cycle finishes (mine takes 2 hours), take the dough out and shape into rolls. Let rise again for a brief time and then bake according to directions.
Hey girl, I just made the dough for these and it is rising right now
I totally got lost as to whether I put in 3 or 4 cups of flour lol, I HOPE I did it right lol, Its not sticky or anything so I think its fine. Ill let ya know how it goes and if they turn out Ill blog about them and give a link to your recipe 
Thanks so much for all you do 
Carm
I’ve been trying to make bread for a while now, something close puertorrican bread. Your recipe has been the best!! I felt right at home!!! Who knew? Gracias!!!
hi i just made these and they are soooo good!! i added a little bit more butter than you said. I made it in the afternoon went out and let it rise. I totally forgot about them i baked them about 5 hours of rising later and they were so soft and fluffy! thanks!
I was wondering if you’ve ever tried freezing these rolls to bake later?
I have not tried that! I’d love to know though…….if you do attempt it (even a if it’s a roll or two) let me know how it turned out!
its still good after you freeze it. I frooze mine 2 days after I made them for almost a week. Put them in the oven for a few mins until soft and it tastes even better than before
Wow, these rolls melt in your mouth! I used a bread machine, put the yeast in first, then sugar, flour and salt. I heated the water, butter and milk all together in the microwave for two minutes and added it to the dry ingredients along with the egg. My machine dough setting is 1 1/2 hours, and then I followed the second rising and baking instructions…okay, almost. I melted the butter and used a spoon to spoon it over the top before baking.
Yuuummmyyy!! I made the dough for these rolls with the help of my bread maker. I added the wet ingedients then the yeast and then the dry ingredients. I finished up like the later of the recipe instructed. It made so many rolls I was going to share with a neighbor…but my teenage boys saw that it didn’t happen:) I’ve been instructed to bring them to the Thanksgiving table!!
i tried many recipes in this is truly the best. They really are soft and melt in your mouth. I will be making for my family on Thanksgiving. Thanks for sharing!
I made the rolls and they were really excellent, I made one mistake I didn’t shape them as the the recipe stated, but used muffin pans instead. I don’t think I let them rise enough after shaping. I am going to use the recipe for our Thanksgiving dinner. One question the picture shows Rapid Rise yeast do I need to use it instead of regular yeast?
I have another question, has anyone modified the recipe by adding additional sugar and salt (just a dash)? Thanks
Helena, I know I just use Active yeast..I buy it in bulk (cheaper that way and I bake a lot of bread) and use 2 1/4 teasp., since I don’t get the packets. I also use my breadmaker to make the dough, I still punch it down on a VERY little floured surface make 2 long rolls and cut it with a knife in 1 1/2 in. chunks, so that they’ll be around the same size,then form them into a ball and put them on a lg. buttered cookie sheet. I do let them rise for about 30-40 min depending on how cold my house is..(I put seran wrap on top of them and set them in a sunny part of the house, if there is sun)…I didn’t modify the sugar or salt..Good Luck:)
when you say an envelope do you mean the whole 3 packs or just one?? i want to try to make these, they look delicious.
Just one;) Let me know how they turn out!
oh my gosh, i love you for this recipe, these rolls are the bomb….thank you so much. my co-worker robert made them too and they are delicious….thanks again. keep the recipes coming lol. happy thanksgiving.
hi i did acutally added more sugar. i added 1/2 sugar instead of the 1/3 for extra sweetness and they are still delicious and soft and fluffy as cotton. lol..
I use to have a sourdough starter that I made fabulous rolls an bread with, but this Thanksgiving plans were so uncertain that I didn’t have it ready. I’m prayin’ your recipe will be similar an’ we’ll have another winner. Its raisin’ now. I’ll letcha know. Have a wonderful Thanksgivin’ ever’one.
I love hearing all this guys!! I’m so happy to hear that they are turning out tasty and I can’t wait for a follow up from the ones are making tomorrow! Happy Thanksgiving y’all!
I am going to make these rolls today for our Thanksgiving dinner. Our daughter requested homemade rolls and this is the recipe that I choose… Your rolls look so soft and airy. I do hope mine turn out as well as yours. I live in New Mexico and I was wonderring if the ranch that your friend worked on is in Alto, New Mexico. I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving Holiday!!!
I made these for the first time on Thanksgiving. These were by far the best rolls ever! Thank you for sharing this recipe
These look great. I just wrote a post called The Best Dinner Rolls, too. But you totally have me beat out in the Google rankings. :O) Nice site, by the way.
WoW they look so good. I need to make them..
I made these they are great we loved them thank you..
my daugther made these last weekend love them had to double the batch this weekend happy baking lol :”)
hi.. i love to make these rolls. ive tried 3 times but never succeded, rolls where not cooked ,it was raw inside,they dont trun brown either .can u plz help me