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.
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
Watch the short video below to see how to make this recipe.
The Best Yeast Rolls
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
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Recipe Source: Fleischmann’s
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links.
I tried doubling this recipe and I still ended up with only 20 rolls, I made the dough balls the size of a baked roll. (oops. my bad ) I hope adding a few minutes to the baking time is enough. I was afraid to manipulate the dough too much to make the rolls smaller because I thought it would make them tough. they are sitting in the refrigerator overnight before i bake them. Fingers crossed.
Excellent! Easy to follow recipe. Everyone loved them!
Wonderful! The entire batch was eaten in a day 😂 They’re beautiful, too! 🫶🏻
Really good,add molasses to the roll for even more flavor.
It was fairly easy and delicious
I made these yesterday. Everyone loved them. Easy to make. Turned out great. Took some over to my neighbor. Wife texted a picture of hubby eating some before I even got back to my house. He and she loved them also.
Best yeast rolls I’ve had in a long time. I think the hardest part was getting everything ready to start making them. But they are delicious. By the way, I just wanted you to know that in step 7 of the directions you put that you “make five rows with four in each roll” and I believe that it’s supposed to be ROW…(you make five rows with four in each row). Thank you for the recipe!
Loved them my kids, and grandkids loved them,a clear 10 can’t figure out how the others,didn’t get a good outcome.
Pretty good and simple recipe. I think I over kneaded my dough, so it didn’t prove well and it turned into a light biscuit but was still good. Rating 3 stars because if how the dough should feel and look were included in the recipe, mine would have turned out much better.
Easy recipe to follow and quick rise time. Mine came out light and fluffy.
Made them multiple times and are amazing every time.
I’m making these today hope they turn out as good as they look
Made these for Thanksgiving!! They are THE best yeast rolls. Light, fluffy , yeasty and delicious! Making some today for Christmas dinner! My mouth is already watering !
10,very easy and turned out great
What if you don’t have a paddle attachment?
I’ve used this recipes 25 times and every time they are spot on! Thank you
Recipe seems pretty easy I can’t wait to try it
Excellent turn out. I did add a bit more yeast as that’s what the family likes. But for a novice baker, they turned out great
So yummy! The rolls didn’t look like they were rising properly—had a quick thought to toss in the trash and start over. Glad I didn’t—these are delicious rolls. Especially, cut them in half and toast them the next day. Yum! Thank you for sharing!
They are so easy to make, Thank God! I’ve made them 3 times without any failure. They are delicious!
The recipie was easy.to follow and they did rise beautifully. But they were disappointing in taste. More sweet than we liked and the texture was not to our liking. They were beautiful though and the instructions were very good.