Soft Sourdough Dinner Rolls
Soft sourdough dinner rolls are everything you ever dreamed of!
These amazing pull-apart-style dinner rolls are soft and fluffy with just a touch of sweetness. Like our sourdough pumpkin dinner rolls and sourdough sweet potato rolls, you won't believe how easy they are to make!
Hi guys, I'm so excited to bring you this simple recipe for soft sourdough dinner rolls. We've been in the kitchen testing dinner roll recipes for weeks and we are finally ready to share it with you!
These sourdough dinner rolls are the pull-apart kind of rolls that everyone goes crazy for.
The taste reminds me of a cross between the sweet yeast rolls that they used to serve at restaurants like O'Charleys® and the little rolls that you get at Chik-fil-A® with the chicken nuggets for breakfast.
Serve these rolls alongside dinner or turn them into ham and cheese sliders for a delicious lunch or appetizer.
The dough can be mixed in the morning and baked up fresh for dinner the same day.
They are so easy to make and are completely irresistible!
What you need
- active sourdough starter
- bread flour
- water
- salt
- butter
- milk
- sugar
Here are a few ways to modify this recipe if needed.
- bread flour - All-purpose can be substituted for bread flour.
- sugar - The recipe calls for 3 tablespoons of sugar but it can be reduced if needed to 1 tablespoon.
- milk/butter - Non dairy butter and milk can be used for a vegan option.
Equipment needed
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Sample baking schedule
The following baking schedule has been tested in a kitchen with an ambient temperature of 68°F (20°C).
- 8:00 PM: Feed sourdough starter.
- 7:30 AM: Melt butter, milk, salt and sugar and allow it to cool down to room temperature.
- 8:00 AM: Mix dough and lest rest 1 hour.
- 9:00 AM: Stretch and fold dough, cover and let rest 30 minutes.
- 9:30 AM: Stretch and fold dough, cover and let rest 30 minutes.
- 10:00 AM: Stretch and fold dough, cover and let rest 2 hours.
- 12:00 PM: Divide dough, place in baking dish, cover and let rise 3-4 hours or until puffy.
- 4:00 PM: Bake.
NOTE: Warmer kitchens need less time to rise, colder kitchens will need more time to rise.
How to make them
Let's go over the steps needed to make these amazingly soft sourdough dinner rolls.
Step 1: This recipe calls for active sourdough starter so you will need to have your starter active and bubbly when you go to mix the dough. I feed my starter the night before I want to make the rolls.
Step 2: Melt the butter, milk, sugar and salt over low heat in a saucepan. Allow it to cool completely. Mix the liquid with the sourdough starter and flour in a mixing bowl. Cover and let rest 1 hour at room temperature.
Step 3: Perform 3 sets of stretch and folds, spaced 30 minutes apart. After the last set, cover the bowl and let the dough rest at room temperature for 2 hours.
NOTE: The dough is ready to shape when it has risen by about 50%. Adjust the rising time according to the temperature of your kitchen.
Step 4: Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide the dough into 12 equal pieces. Each piece should weigh approximately 65g using a kitchen scale.
TIP: If you don't have a kitchen scale, gently press the dough into a rectangular shape and use your best judgement to cut into even portions.
Shape each piece into a ball by gathering up the sides and pinching them together.
Turn the dough over so that the seam side is down on the work surface and gently form a smooth ball.
Place the dough balls into a lightly greased, glass baking dish. Cover the rolls with a kitchen towel and allow them to rise at room temperature for 3-4 hours.
TIP: If you'd like to prepare the dough and bake the rolls at a later time, shape the rolls, cover the dish with plastic and keep in the fridge for up to 36 hours. When ready to bake, allow them to have the second rise at room temperature until puffy and proceed with baking.
The picture below shows the rolls when they are first shaped on the left, and after they have risen for 3 hours on the right.
Step 5: Bake the rolls in a 375°F (204°C) for 25-30 minutes. The top of the rolls should be light golden brown and a digital thermometer inserted in the center should read at least 190°F (88°C).
Brush the tops with melted butter after they come out of the oven. Carefully remove the rolls from the baking dish and serve hot!
Tips for success
- kitchen temperature: It's very important to take the ambient temperature of your kitchen into account when working with sourdough. Our recipes are tested in a kitchen that is 68°F (20°C). If your kitchen is warmer, you will need to reduce your rising time in the first and second rise to avoid over-proving the dough.
- baking dish: Baking the rolls in a glass baking dish gave us the softest rolls. They can be baked in a 9" x 13" metal tin but you will need to bake them at 400°F (204°C) for less time. Check on the rolls around 22-25 minutes to make sure they don't over-bake.
How to store them
- Store the baked dinner rolls in a bread bag or wrapped in a tea towel at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- The baked rolls can be frozen for up to 3 months, stored in a freezer-safe bag.
More simple sourdough recipes
When it comes to sourdough, simple is the name of our game! Check out our delicious sourdough recipes that are made for home bakers. Each recipe comes with step-by-step instructions so that you can make delicious sourdough baked goods with confidence.
Soft Sourdough Dinner Rolls Recipe
EQUIPMENT
- 9" x 13" glass baking dish See notes for using a metal baking dish or silicone
Before You Begin
INGREDIENTS
Ingredients to make ½ cup (100 g) of Active Sourdough Starter
- 1 tablespoon (15 g) sourdough starter
- ⅓ cup + 1 tablespoon (50 g) all-purpose flour
- 3 ½ tablespoons (50) water
Dough Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons (28 g) butter
- 1 cup (240 g) milk
- 3 tablespoons (44 g) sugar (or 2 tablespoons of honey)
- 1 teaspoon (5 g) salt
- ½ cup (100 g) active sourdough starter
- 3 cups + 2 tablespoons (375 g) bread flour
- 1 tablespoon melted butter (for brushing the top of the rolls after baking)
INSTRUCTIONS
Feed Your Starter
- 8 PM Feed starter: 12 hours before you plan to mix the dough, add the ingredients to make ½ cup (100 g) of active sourdough starter to a clean jar. Stir until combined, loosely cover the jar and let the starter rise at room temperature. (The ingredients will create a total of 115 g active starter but, because some of it will stick to the sides of the jar during the transfer, we are making a little more than needed.) The sourdough starter is ready to use when it has doubled in size and there are plenty of bubbles on the surface and sides of the jar.
Make the Dough
- 7:30 AM Melt butter: In a small saucepan, melt the butter, milk, sugar and salt together over low heat. Pour the mixture into a mixing bowl and allow it to cool down to room temperature.
- 8 AM Mix the dough: Add the flour and active sourdough starter to the bowl of the cooled butter mixture and stir with a spatula until the ingredients are combined and there are no dry bits left in the bowl. Cover the bowl and allow to rest at room temperature for 1 hour.
- 9 AM First rise: Perform 3 sets of stretch and folds spaced 30 minutes apart, keeping the bowl covered between sets. To perform a set, pick up the dough on one side and stretch it up and over itself. Turn the bowl a quarter turn and repeat this step until you have turned the bowl a full circle. After the final set, cover and allow the dough to rise for 2 hours or until it has risen by 50% in size. (See preliminary notes above for using a stand mixer.)
- 12 PM Shape and Second rise: Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and divide it into 12 pieces, approximately 65 grams each. Shape each piece into a ball by gathering up the sides and pinching them together. Turn the dough over so that the seam side is down on the work surface and gently form a smooth ball. Arrange them in a lightly greased glass baking dish. Cover the dish with a tea towel and let rise for 3-4 hours.
- 4 PM Bake: About 20 minutes before you are ready to bake preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Bake for 25-30 minutes or until they are golden brown on top. The internal temperature of the rolls should be 190°F when fully baked. Brush the top of the roll with melted butter and serve. Please see the notes below for important instructions on how to make ahead and freeze.
Can the sugar be replaced with honey in this recipe?
Yes it can.
I want to start making these and usually have an active starter ready to go so how much should I add of starter in grams to this recipe?
100 grams of active starter.
I have made this recipe several times over the past year. They are amazing and everyone loves them. when I measure each to 65g I come up short every time. My math said all the ingredients add up to 692g which would be 57.67 or about 58g each. I'm confused. Can you help me understand where I'm going wrong?
Hi Bug, when I add up the ingredients I come up with 792 grams, when divided by 12 equals 66. Are you including the 100 grams of sourdough starter in your calculations?
I ran into this same problem! The subsequent times that I have made it I keep each individual piece to know more than 60 g. these rolls are amazing and my family loves them!
These are delicious! They taste very similar to my traditional yeast rolls. Love this recipe!
So bummed I made these! Now I have to make them for EVERY holiday! 😂. Seriously, great recipe. Didn’t get big rise but they were soft, fluffy and tasted awesome. Only problem… I didn’t make enough!
Question about the starter. I feed my starter 1:1:1 or (100/100/100). Can I use that? or is 15/50/50 essential for the best rise?
Hi Renee! Thank you so much! Use whatever ratio works best for you. We use the 1:4:4 ratio because it causes the starter to rise slower to work with our schedule.
😂 I feel you! I brought 4 dozen for Thanksgiving, and now my family insists I bring them again for Christmas 🎄 lol. (along with 2 other dishes. I will be baking for 3 days 😂) These really are the best dinner rolls, though! I can't blame them ❤️
Easiest recipe there is and my family loves them. I started my sourdough journey a month ago and I’ve made these rolls 4 times so far. Love that I can start in the morning and have them ready for dinner.
I had two runs at this and both times I failed to get a decent rise in the dough. My starter is fine and making standard loafs although my kitchen is cold at 18c, so long rise times were expected. Tried baking and the flavour was there, just a little too dense.
Hi Mark, Much colder temperatures, especially below 70°F (21°F), take longer to rise, but often, this causes an insufficient rise or may not rise at all. Remember, sourdough thrives in warmer environments. If your kitchen is consistently around 18°C there are a few things you can do to try to get a better rise:
Warming Mat: Warming mats made specifically for baking are great for sourdough and dough, as you can set the temperature.
Proofing Box: We recommend the Brod & Taylor bread-proofing box, and we love it. It folds up easily to save space and you can control the temperature. You can also use it for starter.
Finding Warm Spots: Try places like near a fireplace or above an appliance. Just keep an eye on the dough with a thermometer to make adjustments.
Pseudo-Proofing Box: Place your sourdough in the oven with the oven turned off, and turn the light on. Let the dough sit inside, checking the temperature with a thermometer occasionally. If it gets too warm, turn the light off to make adjustments as needed.
you can also warm your water to 80°-85° (use thermometer) when adding the water to the dough & it'll help it not take so long. when everything else gets mixed with it your final dough temp will be about 78°-80° which is perfect. Also, you can put towels under your dough bowl to keep it off the cold counter. Also, sometimes i wrap a big towel around the bowl my dough ferments in to keep it warm, it helps if the air is chilly inside) Also the tips you received above are also excellent. Best of luck ❤️
btw, when I said to warm the water for the dough.. in this case, let the milk mixture cool off to about 85° and then mix it into the dough.
hi, if I'm dairy free, what should I swap out for butter? I'm fine using oat milk for the milk, but for the butter, I didn't know if vegetable oil would work best, or a vegan butter (which is basically oil) or something else?
Hi Molly, you should use a butter that is solid at room temperature, so a plant-based butter would work!
Yum! I cut the recipe in half as there are only two of us now. I also used a starter that was 1/2 bread flour and the other half is a mix of fresh ground white whole wheat and spelt. The added flour was also the mix of fresh ground flour. You might not get the same rise as with white flour, but the flavor was incredible! I will definitely be making these again!
Have you frozen these after baking by chance?
Hi Ashley, the baked rolls can be frozen for up to 3 months, stored in a freezer-safe bag. To reheat rolls, tent the baking dish with foil and bake at 350°F (176°C) for 15-20 minutes.
Is there a reason to heat in saucepan. Can you just melt the butter and add the milk, sugar and salt? I used the saucepan and wondering if I cooked it too long and lost some liquid as my dough was extremely dry.
Hi Nancy, it sounds like you may have cooked it too long and maybe too high heat. You just want it warm enough to melt the butter and everything mixes together.