1-Hour Light and Buttery Dinner Rolls

buttery dinner rolls in a rectangular white baking dish

4.39 from 95 votes

1-Hour Light and Buttery Dinner Rolls

In only an hour, you can have these light, buttery quintessential dinner rolls on the table. They are worthy of a holiday, but easy enough to make any night of the week.

Prep Time50

Cook Time20

Total Time1 3

Course: Bread

Keyword: 1 hour bread, Dinner rolls, easy bread recipe, feed a crowd, Holiday recipe, Homemade bread, party and entertaining

Servings: rolls

Author: Jess Smith via Inquiring Chef

Equipment

Stand Mixer
9x13 Baking Dish

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 Tbsp 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

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. Serve immediately.

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