One Hour Dinner Rolls
Published Oct 28, 2020•Updated Jul 04, 2025
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Got an hour? That’s all you need to make these incredibly light, fluffy one hour dinner rolls. I first created this recipe in 2012 and it has earned itself many super-fans over the years. You can be next! Just read on for more about this easy dinner roll method.
Amber says: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Awesome recipe! Followed the recipe exactly but made 12 larger sized rolls instead of 24. They turned out perfect.
These classic dinner rolls have been a staple around our table since I first published them back in 2012 (!). Check out the comments to hear from many fans of these soft, light, buttery rolls. And even if you’ve never made homemade dinner rolls, give this one a try. You just need one bowl. They’re easy and turn out great every time.
I love to serve them with everything from Thanksgiving favorites (my spatchcock turkey and favorite Thanksgiving sides beg for these homemade dinner rolls). Throughout the year I pair them with Creamy Tomato Basil Soup, Lemon Chicken and Orzo Soup, or Tuscan Kale and White Bean Soup.
Ingredients
- Fast-Acting or “Instant” Yeast – This dough rises quickly and requires yeast labeled as Fast Acting, Instant, Quick-Rise, Bread Machine, or RapidRise. Do NOT use “Active Dry Yeast” for this recipe; it needs to be dissolved in water before using.
- Unsalted Butter – Butter shows up in this recipe in two places. Mix some softened butter into the dough and brush melted butter over the tops before and after cooking.
- Warm Water – Use water that is warm to the touch. Check the label on your brand of yeast for the recommended water temperature to get the best results.
- Sugar, Flour, Kosher Salt – Standard pantry ingredients for bread-baking.
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How to Make Dinner Rolls Ahead
To make the dinner rolls ahead, bake them as written and allow them to cool completely. Cover tightly and store at room temperature for up to 24 hours.
To Reheat: To reheat the rolls place a piece of foil on a sheet pan. Add the rolls and brush them with some melted butter. Enclose the rolls tightly with foil, sealing the edges. Warm the rolls in foil in a 350°F / 177°C oven for about 15 minutes. Serve immediately.
To Freeze and Reheat Dinner Rolls
To Freeze: After testing many different methods, I have found that the best way to prepare and freeze these dinner rolls is to bake them completely as directed. Allow them to cool and then freeze flat on a baking sheet until solid, 2 to 3 hours. Transfer to a freezer-safe bag and freeze for up to 3 months.
To Reheat: Take the rolls out of the freezer about 3 hours before baking and let fully defrost at room temperature. Place them on a sheet pan and cover tightly with foil. Bake, covered, in a 350°F / 177°C oven until warmed through, 20 to 25 minutes. Brush generously with melted butter.
Printable Freezer Label
Print and attach the label below so cooking instructions are ready when you are!
More Homemade Bread Recipes
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One Hour Dinner Rolls
Equipment
- Stand Mixer
- 9×13 Baking Dish
- Serrated Knife
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups Warm Water (110°F / 43°C)
- 1 Tablespoons Instant or “Fast-Acting” Yeast
- 2 Tablespoons Granulated Sugar
- 2 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter, softened to room temperature (2 Tbsp = 28g)
- 4 cups All-Purpose Flour, divided (4 cups flour = 500g)
- 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
For topping:
- 3 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter, melted (3 Tbsp = 40g)
- 1 teaspoon Sea Salt or Kosher Salt
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, stir together warm water, yeast, and sugar. Let stand until creamy, about 5 minutes.
- Lightly grease a 9×13 baking pan.
- To the yeast mixture, add 2 Tablespoons softened butter, 2 cups of flour, and salt (making sure that the salt is added on top of the flour and doesn't come in contact with the yeast until you begin mixing). Mix on low until the ingredients begin to come together.
- Add remaining 2 cups of flour and mix again on low until flour is fully incorporated.
- Increase the speed to medium and knead until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. (You will know it is ready when the dough starts to make a slapping sound as it hits the sides of the bowl.)
- Remove the bowl from the mixer and cover it with a dish towel. Let the dough rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 20 minutes. (Note: I like to turn on the oven's light and let the dough rise inside the oven. The light produces just enough heat to help the dough rise quickly.)
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and form it into an even ball.
- Using a serrated knife, cut the dough into quarters. Slice each quarter of dough into 6 even slices (you should have 24 even pieces of dough). With lightly floured hands, roll each piece of dough into a ball.
- Place rolled dough in even rows in prepared pan.
- Heat oven to 400°F / 200°C. Cover the rolls with a dish towel and put them near the warm oven to rise for 20 minutes.
- Lightly brush the rolls with half of the melted butter (reserve the other half).
- Bake until golden brown, 18 to 22 minutes.
- Immediately after removing the rolls from the oven, brush them with the remaining melted butter and sprinkle with salt.
- Flip the pan over to remove the rolls.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I absolutely never respond to these posts but I had to this time. These are by for the very best yeast rolls that I’ve ever made and I’ve tried quite a few. :)) My family adored these will become a family heirloom recipe to be passed down for generations.
Amazing! And amazingly easy! I have made other rolls and these were the best. None left. Thank you so much for the recipe!
Hello! I’m just curious about the sugar in them…can I sub that for honey? Or regular sugar? I’m not sure about the physics on baking…is the sugar for flavor (can I skip it?) or is it necessary for the actual bread to let’s say …rise?
Thank you!
Andrea – you can certainly substitute honey or any other sweetener. You’re right though – you’ll need some form of sugar to encourage the yeast to rise.
Made these rolls a couple weeks ago and my kids and grandkids loved them. My bread loving son has requested them several times since and will be thrilled to see them at dinner. Great recipe!
I’ve commented before, but I had to come back and say, you know, you can shape these differently and get wonderful hot dog and hamburger rolls, too. Don’t skip the butter and salt at the end for those.
My momma told me to make those at 10 pm because she didn’t have any bread to make my siblings’ school lunch. On oh good Lord, they taste so good and are so fluffy even though they might seem dense. Thanks a bunch <3
I don’t have a stand mixer, would this be a hard recipe to mix by hand?
Thank you, thank you, thank you. I have been looking for a fail safe fluffy white roll recipe I could actually bake for ages. I tried making these by hand last night (after work since it is such a quick recipe) and they came out perfect!
You are awesome!
WoW! the rolls are delicious and the cook up there in the photo, who is brushing butter on the rolls…..sure is skinny! -inspite of making and eating home made rolls!
Have made this more times than i can count perfect everytime! this recipe never disapoints i’ve also made them into loafs by only splitting dough in half and still amaizing.