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 these rolls proof overnight in the refrigerator or proof overnight on the counter and be baked the next day
Once you've shaped them I would let them proof in the fridge overnight to avoid over proofing the dough.
can these rules proof overnight in the refrigerator and be baked the next day
The bulk proof needs to be done in the counter, you can then put them in the fridge for up to 48 hours
These rolls are amazing!! Would it be okay to double the recipe to increase the number of rolls? Are any adjustments needed? Thanks for your help!
Thanks Jan! Yes you can, no adjustments needed
Advice? You use a 1:3:3 starter ratio for 12 hours. My starter is based on. 1:1:1 ratio and peaks in 8-9 hrs. Will the 1:3:3 starter, with my very active starter need 12 hrs to reach peak? Or should I plan for less time?
Hi Renee, it depends on the temperature of your kitchen. I use this ratio so that I can feed before bed and mix in the morning. My kitchen is around 70°F.
I’ve tried this recipe twice and both times my dough didn’t rise well and the rolls were very dense. Should I be using my starter at peak? Or after it has started falling? My starter is very active and doubles within 3-4 hours of feeding so I’m wondering if feeding 12 hours before mixing is the issue…would love a suggestion!
Hi Courtney, yes you need to be using the starter when it is at it's peak. Is your home very warm? Also, are you using the feeding ratio that we suggest in the recipe card? This small ratio of starter to flour and water allows it to rise slowly overnight.
Hi again! Making the dough right now. I’m confused, it said it is good to use a stand mixer to knead after step 2. Is that in place of stretch and folds? My initial mix was just to incorporate all of the flour so now I’m not sure whether to knead or not. Help!
Yes, thats correct! You can use the stand mixer in place of the stretch and folds.
do you think is would ruin the recipe to use heavy whipping cream instead of milk?
Hi Megan, I haven't tried it with this recipe so I can not confirm if it would come out the same. I believe the heavy whipping cream may result in a denser roll.
I started making sourdough bread last year with my own "scratch made" starter....boules, soft sandwich bread loaves and cinnamon swirl loaves. I have been wanting to do dinner rolls for a while. I found this recipe yesterday. I shaped and put them in the fridge overnight and baked this morning. I had to let them rise in my oven with the light on for a couple of hours. That was just enough warmth for a good rise. They are as good cold and plain as they are warm with butter and honey. I have another batch in the works to bake Thanksgiving morning. Thank you!!!
Hi! If I am doubling the recipe, should I double the starter too? When I bake my regular sourdough bread, I use about 120 g of starter to 750-1000 g of flour, but doubling this would give me 200 g of starter to just 750 g of flour. Just thought I would see what you think before messing them up! haha
I made a test batch last week and they were incredibly fluffy, tangy and gone in 60 seconds! Today I’m baking 30 (78g) rolls in two 9x13s. I have to travel with them two hours tomorrow and won’t be serving until Thanksgiving dinner midday. Would you freeze the rolls tonight, let them defrost on car ride and then refrigerate over night? Then reheat to serve. Or would you just leave them on the counter for two days and reheat to serve? They are shaped and in the second rise about an hour. Thanks!
Hi Jessica, either way will work fine! If you leave them on the counter, just make sure they are covered and I would only leave them out for 2 days max.
It is me again. I doubled the recipe and used my stand mixer and the dough seems really sticky. It is currently going through the first rise. Is there anything I sould do to correct the stickiness or just work it like a high hydration dough?
Hi Janet, I would let it rise and when you go to shape, use flour as needed to prevent sticking and to shape them.
After the rise they lost the stickiness. Keeping my fingers crossed. I put them in the fridge waiting for Thursday.
If I am baking this ahead of time, after I take the rolls out of the refrigerator to bake, how long should I let them rise for?
Hi Brooklyn, since the rolls will be cold they will need a couple extra more hours of rise time. So about, 5-6 hours depending on the temperature of your kitchen.