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–+ servings
beautiful pan of sourdough dinner rolls

Soft Sourdough Dinner Rolls

Soft sourdough dinner rolls that are made with no added yeast and just a few simple ingredients are easy to make and a healthy addition to any meal.  There’s nothing better than soft, buttery dinner rolls made from scratch and served alongside meat and vegetables for a healthy well rounded meal.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
rise time 12 hours
Total Time 12 hours 40 minutes
Serving Size 15 Rolls

Ingredients

  • 1 cup sourdough starter active or discard
  • ¾ cup sugar
  • 1 ½ cups warm water or milk
  • 1 cup melted butter or other fat
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 5 cups flour

Instructions

  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, or in a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients.
  • Knead in the stand mixer bowl on medium speed for at least 5 minutes, or by knead by hand for at least 10 minutes.  You want to make sure the gluten in the dough is properly developed.  This is why I like to make these rolls in a mixer, because I can start it mixing and work on the dishes or cleaning up the kitchen while the mixer does the work for me.
  • Place the lid on the mixer bowl, or cover with a tea towel and allow it to bulk ferment or do it's first rise at room temperature for 8 to 12 hours or overnight.
  • The next day, divide the dough ball into 15 equal pieces and shape it by rolling it around on the countertop to create tension on the dough, or shape by putting your thumb in the center of the roll and pinching the sides together.  (See video below).
  • Place it in a greased 9” x 13” baking dish.
  • Cover with a tea towel and allow to rise in a warm place for 1 to 2 hours or until double.  If you’re going to be away from home prior to the meal you want to serve these rolls at, you can always raise them in the refrigerator for several hours as well.
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • Bake for 35-30 minutes or until golden brown.
  • Brush with butter and allow to cool a bit before serving with homemade butter, jam or honey.
  • Store leftovers in a ziplock bag or other airtight container for 3-4 days on the countertop or a week in the refrigerator.  These rolls can also be frozen for up to six weeks.
  • If you try this recipe and love it, please come back and give it 5 stars! Tag me on Instagram @wagonwheelhomestead21 

Notes

Tips 

  • Mix up the dough the night before if you want to serve these at noon the following day. Or mix it up in the morning if you want to serve them at night.  This will give you the best results and the maximum health benefits of long fermentation.  This also makes the rolls fast and easy to shape and bake before serving.  
  • To make sourdough discard dinner rolls, just mix up the recipe using sourdough discard instead of active starter if that’s all you have.  It will turn out just fine, they may just take a little longer to raise.
  • If you need your rolls to rise more slowly because you’ll be out of the house, you can always shape them and then let the dough rise in the refrigerator.
  • You can make these sourdough dinner rolls ahead of time and freeze them for up to six weeks.  Just thaw, and then warm in the oven for a few minutes before serving.
  • Knead the dough for at least 5 minutes in the mixer or 10 minutes by hand to properly develop the gluten which will give you the softest and fluffiest rolls.
  • To find out if you have properly developed the gluten you can also do the windowpane test. Start by pulling up a section of the dough once it’s done mixing to see if you can “see” through it without it tearing.  This means the gluten is properly developed and they will rise well.
  • If you want to make a smaller batch of rolls, feel free to cut this recipe in half.  This is just the size that works best for my family.