Fluffy Dinner Rolls

These are amazing dinner rolls! They’re soft and moist and come together really easily using everyday ingredients. They’re perfect for the holiday table or any time that you need light and fluffy dinner rolls. This post was originally published May 2016.

These are amazingly soft dinner rolls! They need everyday ingredients and are easy! You can use this dough to make pizza, burger buns, cheesy garlic dinner rolls, naan and more!

The key to making soft dinner rolls is patience. You have to let the dough rise for the time. The following are my secrets to get the best pillowy dinner rolls. You need a moist dough with moisture from water/milk as well as oil/fat. I add a mix of extra virgin olive oil and vegan butter to the dough for these dinner rolls, because the combination gives them a nice flavor as well as texture. I also add some vegan yogurt to add more moisture and softness to the final product. If you don’t have vegan yogurt, you can use some non-dairy cream or coconut cream instead.

I also add a bit of baking powder to help give even more lift as they bake. The rise from the yeast and from the baking powder happen at different times. Together, they make the most fluffy, pillowy dinner rolls EVER! For a whole wheat version see these dinner rolls.

Why You’ll Love Fluffy Dinner Rolls

• easy to make with a handful of everyday ingredients
• light and fluffy from yeast and baking powder
• versatile! Sprinkle seeds on top, mix in herbs, and try my garlic parmesan variation!
• easy to make nut-free and soy-free

Ingredients and Substitutions

• water – Warm water helps proof the yeast.
• active yeast – This helps the dinner rolls get super fluffy!
• sugar – Feed the yeast. For sweet dinner rolls, add extra sugar.
• flour – Use all-purpose flour or bread flour.
• vital wheat gluten – Optional, it gives the rolls a larger crumb. Rolls are great with or without
• salt – To condition the dough.
• baking powder – Helps the dinner rolls rise even MORE in the oven.
• vegan butter and olive oil – The added fat makes these rolls super moist with a great flavor.
• non-dairy yogurt – Makes these vegan dinner rolls even softer. You can use non-dairy cream or coconut cream instead, if you prefer.
• mix-ins and toppings – You can mix herbs into the dough for herbed dinner rolls, if you like. You can also top with herbs and/or seeds of choice.

How to Make White Dinner Rolls

Warm the water to about 110° F (43° C) or until it is just about warm to touch. Add it to a bowl along with the yeast and sugar, mixing well. Let this sit until the yeast mixture gets frothy, about 10 minutes. 

In another bowl, add in 3 cups of the flour along with the salt, baking powder, and wheat gluten (if using) and mix in.

Then, mix in the yeast mixture, the melted butter, olive oil, and yogurt. Mix to combine with all of the ingredients. The mixture will be somewhat sticky. 

Now, start adding flour, 1 to 2 tablespoons at a time, until the mixture starts to come together into a dough which is not too sticky. Keep kneading, adding flour 1 to 2 tablespoons at a time, until the dough is somewhat smooth. If you’re using a stand mixer or food processor, it will take 4 to 5 minutes. If you’re kneading the dough by hand, it’ll take 6 to 8 minutes. For kneading by hand, just fold the dough over and pound it a little, then fold  again and pound it, and continue.

Once the dough is not too sticky and somewhat even, pull it from the side and tuck under, so that you have a smooth top, and put it in a bowl. Brush the top with some oil, and cover the dough with a kitchen towel and keep it in a warm place for up to 2 hours, or until doubled. Depending on your ambient temperature, the dough can double anywhere from 1 to 2 hours. I usually keep the dough in a slightly warm oven, so that it can proof quickly. 

Once the dough has risen, punch the dough lightly, and use a little flour to pick up the dough and transfer to your workspace. Use a little bit more flour to knead and shape it into somewhat of a long roll.

Then, slice this into equal-sized portions. Depending on the baking dish you’re using as well as the size of the dinner rolls you want to make, you can get anywhere from 9 to 12 or even more dinner rolls. Slice them into equal-sized pieces, then shape into balls by just rolling them or by pulling on the sides and tucking them under and then placing the tucked-side-down on a parchment-lined baking dish or a greased baking dish. Keep the size of the ball about half of what you want your full-sized rolls to be, because these will rise quite a bit. Also, keep them just about 1/2” away from each other if you want them to rise and stick to each other, or keep them 1” or more away from each other, if you want individual dinner rolls.

Brush the tops with oil, and lightly cover with a towel. Put them in a warm place to rise again, about 45 to 55 minutes, until they’re doubled.

Once doubled, spritz the top with water, sprinkle some seeds or herbs on top, and then bake in a preheated 375° F (191° C) oven for 19 to 22 minutes, or until the bread sounds hollow. You want to check the center bun and tap it to see if it’s sounding hollow. If not, then continue to bake for another 2 to 4 minutes, then remove the baking dish from the oven. The buns that are kept closer to each other are going to take a little longer to bake than the buns that are spaced out further.

Remove the baking dish from the oven, and let the buns cool for a few minutes before taking them out of the baking dish to cool on a cooling rack for 10 minutes or so. You can melt some more vegan butter on top and serve them nice and warm with some vegan butter or as a side with soups, curries, your holiday spread, or however you like. 

What to Serve with Vegan Dinner Rolls

You can serve these are your bread with a vegan Thanksgiving or Christmas spread or just butter them for a snack. They’re also great alongside soups and stews or curries.