These are the best Yeast Rolls and they turn out perfect every time. With just the right amount of sweetness, these homemade rolls taste heavenly slathered with butter. They are a great addition for a Sunday supper or holiday meal. And they are a must on the Thanksgiving table.
These rolls are so buttery and light and they bake up golden on top. They are light, but sturdy enough to make mini sandwiches with.
There is nothing better than homemade rolls. I can eat my weight in them. Store bought rolls don’t even come close to competing. These yeast rolls take a little time investment, but it is so worth it. They really are the best yeast rolls.
★★★★★
What readers are saying
Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful!! We had a houseful for family reunion with several teenage boys. The rolls were such a hit but for one thing…I didn’t make enough!!! Next time I will know make more per person.
This recipe is made from your basic dinner roll ingredients: yeast, flour, butter, eggs, and milk plus some sugar. The eggs and butter add a wonderful richness to the rolls.
Why Aren’t My Rolls Light and Fluffy?
No one wants dense rolls. They should be light and fluffy like a pillow. Here are some of the reasons your rolls may not have turned out like you wanted them to.
- The yeast was killed or is too old. Make sure the milk mixture is no hotter than 115 degrees F. Also check the expiration date. If it is past the expiration date, do NOT use it. Also make sure it has been stored correctly- in a cool, dark place.
- Dough didn’t rise enough. You want the dough to approximately double during the rising times. Use the rising time as an estimate. It might take longer.
- Adding too much flour. Only add enough flour so that the mixture is not too sticky to work with. Too much flour will make a dry dough which will result in dense, dry rolls.
Can I freeze these yeast rolls?
Yes. You can freeze them right after shaping them into balls. You will need to remove them from the freezer at least 2 hours before serving. They need to thaw and rise before baking.
Tips for making the Best Yeast Rolls
- If you don’t have a warm place for them to rise, no problem. It will just take longer for them to rise, but they will still rise.
- Good warm places include the top of the dryer when it is on or in front of a sunny window. You can also heat the oven to 200 degrees and then turn it off. Place the dough in the oven with the door cracked open.
This recipe makes a full 9×13-inch pan full of rolls. Perfect for a holiday meal. This is a classic yeast roll recipe you will turn to again and again.
Recommended Equipment
- Electric Stand Mixer- I love my Kitchenaid Mixer, It is a little bit of an investment but they are built to last. I recently got a new one ina beautiful light blue color. My last one was a wedding gift and it lasted well over 25 years!
- 9×13-inch Baking Dish- I have several of these and use them all the time.
More Dinner Roll Recipes
- Cheesy Garlic Skillet Rolls
- Poppy Seed Sausage Rolls
- Sweet Potato Cloverleaf Rolls
- Potato Rolls
- Buttery Herb Yeast Rolls
- Buttery Pan Rolls
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Ingredients
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup butter, melted
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 cup water (105 to 115 degrees)
- 2 packages active dry yeast
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, may need a little more
Instructions
- Place milk in a small saucepan and bring it just to a boil. Immediately remove from heat and stir in sugar, butter, and salt. Let cool to lukewarm. (You don’t want it hotter than 115 degrees.)
- Mix together warm water and yeast. I do this right in the glass measuring cup that I measure the water in. Let sit a few minutes.
- Pour yeast mixture into the mixing bowl for your electric mixer. Add milk mixture, eggs, and 2 cups of flour. Beat with paddle attachment until mixed.
- Beat in remaining 2 1/2 cups flour gradually. There is a chance you will need a little less than 4 1/2 cups of flour.
- Next knead the dough. You can use the dough hook and the electric mixer. Beat with speed set to 2 for about 7 minutes.Or you can knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for about 8 to 10 minutes. I like to use the dough hook for about 5 minutes and then knead by hand for a few minutes.
- Place dough in a buttered bowl. Turn the dough ball so it gets greased with butter on all sides. Cover bowl with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap and set in a warm place to rise for 1 hour.
- Punch dough down. Divide dough into balls of about 2 to 3 tablespoons each. Place in a greased 9×13-inch pan. I do 5 rows with 4 in each roll. Cover and let rise 1 hour.
- About 10 minutes before rolls are ready to bake, preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden brown on top. Brush tops of rolls with butter and serve.
Video
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe Source: Fleischmann’s
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links.
These rolls are delicious! At first I didn’t think the dough was rising because it didn’t rise very much, but the texture and fluffiness was perfect.
Came out great! I had to use skim milk bc it’s all I had!
Mmmm!
Made these with 115° water – NO HOTTER, you’ll kill the yeast! – and they came out perfectly. I let them rise for an hour and a half the first time around to develop the flavor I wanted, then left them to rise on top of a warm oven the second time – perfect! You may want to correct the 155° typo in your ingredients list, though. It sounds like several people made that mistake – for other readers, if it feels warm to the touch but not hot, that means it’s about right temp-wise. You perceive body temp (around 98°) as lukewarm.
Please fix the typo on the water temperature. I believe that’s the only reason people aren’t having success with this recipe. Strongly encourage bread flour, too. The recipe is fantastic otherwise.
Can you use Self Rising Flour when making these Rolls?
I used half of this dough to make cinnamon rolls and they were REALLY good. I just rolled it out flat, spread it with butter, lots of cinnamon, and brown sugar. I then rolled it back up like a jelly roll, sliced in about one inch slices, placed them on the pan and let them rise again.
I noticed that the water temp to activate the yeast says 105-155. That is a MISPRINT. It should say 105-115. You killed your yeast if you went over that. Also it’s best to use fresh bread flour.
I have tried them twice and got the same result. Mine won’t rise! What could I be doing wrong?
This was a perfect recipe! I formed the rolls and froze them, took them out the next morning three hours before baking them. The rolls rose perfectly! Them turned out amazing! The family begged me to make more to have with the leftovers!
A perfect recipe. To ensure it works, make sure you don’t kill the yeast by mixing the water and yeast mixture too quickly with the milk mixture. The milk mixtures should not be hotter than 115 when mixed, 110 is best.
I love these rolls 😍❤️ , this was my first time making yeast rolls and they came out perfectly. Thank you for the recipe 😊