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These One Hour Rolls are soft & buttery, and a fail-proof easy yeast recipe for dinner rolls that anyone can make! Perfect for a Holiday dinner like Thanksgiving and easy enough for family dinner too!

We love to make these rolls for thanksgiving alongside this crockpot cranberry turkey breast and when we have soup night. This hamburger soup and minestrone soup are family favorites. 

A baking dish of rolls inside of it.

One Hour Dinner Rolls Recipe

This one hour roll recipe is the best one to try if you’re nervous with yeast recipes! It’s a fail-proof dinner roll recipe that produces the softest, fluffiest, most buttery rolls ever. 

I’ll be honest and admit that even I struggle with yeast bread recipes but not this one. This is an easy beginner recipe that anyone can make. 

You can either make this roll recipe in a stand mixer or use a mixing and your hand. I would highly recommend a stand mixer so that way your arm doesn’t have to do all the work ?

A wooden spatula with one roll on it. A close up picture to show the buttery texture of the roll.

What You’ll Need

You just need a few basic ingredients to make homemade rolls in one hour. 

  • Active Dry Yeast – Don’t confuse this with quick yeast. You will activate the yeast with sugar and hot water so get regular active dry yeast for this recipe. 
  • Granulated Sugar – This is needed to activate the yeast.
  • Hot Water – No need to boil water. Simply turn your kitchen faucet all the way to hot and then measure out the water needed. If your yeast does not bubble and become frothy after 5 minutes, that more than likely means the water was too cold or too hot. 
  • Butter – You will need butter for the bread dough and also for the top of the rolls.
  • Table Salt – This is regular iodized salt.
  • All-Purpose Flour

A wooden bowl of dinner rolls with a cloth next to the bowl.

How To Make Easy Dinner Rolls

The easiest way to make these rolls is with a stand mixer. You can use a mixing bowl, a spoon, and your hands to mix and knead the dough but it’s much easier with some sort of stand mixer. 

Yeast + Sugar : Mix together the yeast and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer or a mixing bowl. 

Add Water : Add the hot water and stir to combine.

Activate Yeast : Let the water and yeast mixture sit for 5 minutes. At the end of 5 minutes it should be frothy and bubbly. If it is not, you need to start over because that means the yeast did not activate properly. Either the water was too hot or too cold. 

Remaining Ingredients : Add the softened butter, table salt, and 3 cups of the flour. Beat on medium speed to combine. Add more flour, in 1/4 cup increments as needed, until the dough pulls away from the sides of the stand mixer bowl. 

Rise Time : Cover the bowl with a towel and let rise for 20 minutes. Punch down dough at the end of the rise time. 

Rolls : Roll the dough into 20 rolls. Place inside the baking dish and slather some butter over top the rolls. Let rise in the pan, uncovered, for 15 minutes. 

Oven : Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Bake the rolls for 15-18 minutes or until the tops are golden brown. 

How to make dinner rolls with ingredients shown and then the first step which is a bowl of yeast mixed with sugar and water.

Step by step photos for how to make one hour rolls with two pictures in the collage. One bowl with the bread dough and one bowl with the flour inside the wet ingredients.

Step by step photos for how to make dinner rolls with two pictures in the collage.

Two pictures of unbaked rolls in the pan and then another picture in the collage showing the baked rolls in the pan.

Tips For Success

I have a few tips I’ll share with you that will help you make this roll recipe in your own home. 

  • Yeast – Do not use quick rise yeast. Quick yeast has a different preparation method and this recipe won’t turn out the same with it. 
  • Activate Yeast – If your water and sugar/yeast mixture is not frothy and bubble at the end of the 5 minutes then you need to start over. That means the water was either too hot or too cold. 
  • Hot Water – Tip for the hot water, as this can be the most difficult part of yeast recipes, is to turn your kitchen faucet all the way to hot. Measure out 1.5 cups of hot water and then pour it immediately into the bowl with the yeast + sugar. 
  • Roll Shape – To get smooth looking rolls be sure and roll the dough into smooth and round balls. How the dough balls look in the pan before baking is how they’ll look once they’re baked. So if you want those smooth topped rolls then be sure and take your time and roll the dough balls into smooth balls. 

Bowl of rolls with a bowl of salt in the background.

How To Store Leftover Rolls

Leftover rolls will store at room temperature for 4-5 days. You can also keep leftovers in the fridge to help them keep longer. 

We love to warm up a roll in the microwave for a few seconds. It makes it tastes freshly baked.

I store leftover rolls inside a Ziplock bag or you can use an air-tight container like Tupperware to store them at room temperature or in the fridge.

Can I Freeze Dinner Rolls?

Yes! These one hour dinner rolls freeze perfectly. I like to wrap the rolls up in tin foil and then store them in a freeze safe Ziploc bag for up to 3 months. 

Simply let thaw at room temperature or you can thaw them in the microwave. 

Overhead shot of a bowl of dinner rolls.

Serving Suggestions For One Hour Dinner Rolls

I love to serve these rolls with any Holiday dinner like Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter. I usually serve it alongside this slow cooker honey glazed ham along with this no mushroom green bean casserole

You can also make them and serve it with this slow cooker shredded root beer chicken. Make shredded chicken sandwiches with them. 

I love to make these rolls as a side for soup night. These buttery soft rolls are the perfect way to sop up leftover soup in the bowl. One of my family’s favorite soup recipes is this cream cheese chicken soup. So creamy and warm and the perfect dipping soup for bread. 

One roll in a white plate. Close up shot.

You’ll Love These Other Easy Bread Recipes

Parmesan Garlic Bread Knots – So quick and easy to make thanks to the refrigerated biscuit dough!

Easy Breadsticks – These require yeast but they are basically fail-proof just like these one hour rolls are. They are buttery, twisty, soft, and just perfect.

Cornbread Drop Biscuits – Just like cornbread but in an easy drop biscuit.

One roll in a white plate. Close up shot.
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One Hour Rolls


Author Jessica
Course bread, Side Dish
Cuisine American
Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 20 rolls
These One Hour Rolls are soft & buttery, and a fail-proof easy yeast recipe for dinner rolls that anyone can make! Perfect for a Holiday dinner like Thanksgiving and easy enough for family dinner too!

Ingredients
  

  • 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • cups hot water see notes below
  • 2 tablespoons butter softened
  • 1 teaspoon table salt
  • 3-4 cups all-purpose flour

Topping

  • 3 tablespoons butter melted
  • sea salt or kosher salt optional

Instructions

  • Prepare a 9 x13 baking dish by spraying with cooking spray or lining with parchment paper. Set aside.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer add the yeast and sugar. Stir together to combine.
  • Pour the hot water over it and stir. Let this sit for 5 minutes. At the end of the time the mixture should be frothy and bubbly looking.
  • Add softened butter, salt, and 3 cups of flour. Mix on medium-low speed, using the dough hook, until combined.
    Add additional flour, 1/4 cup at a time, until dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. The dough should still be slightly sticky and soft. Be sure to not add too much flour!
  • Knead for 5 minutes with the dough hook on low-medium speed.
    It should look smooth. Cover with a towel and let rise for 20 minutes.
  • Gently punch down the dough and divide into 20 pieces (each piece will be a bit larger than a golf ball). Roll each piece into a ball and place into the prepared baking dish.
  • Brush rolls with the melted butter (I save some of this to brush on the rolls after they cook) and sprinkle with some sea salt if wanted.
    Let rise, uncovered, for 15 minutes.
  • While rolls are rising heat oven to 400°.
  • Cook rolls for 15-18 minutes or until tops are golden brown. Serve warm!

Video

Notes

Water : A trick that I use for the water is to turn on the kitchen faucet all the way hot. I then use that water to pour into the yeast/sugar mixture. If the water is too hot then it will kill the yeast, but if it's not hot enough then it won't activate the yeast. If your mixture is not frothy and bubbly after the 5 minutes then you need to start over as it means your yeast was not properly activated or the yeast is just old. 
Yeast : You need 1 tablespoon of active dry yeast for this recipe (NOT quick rise yeast) so I would suggest buying a small jar of it at the grocery store instead of the smaller packets. Once opened, store the jar in the fridge. Or buy the packets and measure out 1 tablespoon.
Butter : Make sure the butter is very softened so it incorporates nicely into the dough. If it's too cold or not soft enough then it will be harder to mix it into the dough without having butter chunks. I put mine in the microwave to get it really softened. You don't want it melted, but rather soft chunks of butter. 
Melted Butter : I always save some of the butter called for in the 'topping' section of the recipe, to spread on top of the rolls when they come out of the oven. If you want lots of butter then just melt 2 tablespoons of butter (in addition to the 3 tablespoons needed for the topping) to spread on top of the warm rolls. 

Nutrition

Calories: 99kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 8mg | Sodium: 143mg | Potassium: 22mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 87IU | Calcium: 4mg | Iron: 1mg

Did You Make This Recipe?

I'd love to see it! You can share it with me on @togetherasfamilyblog and follow on Pinterest @together-as-family-blog-recipes or Facebook @togetherasfamilyblog for more!

Old picture from before the post was updated in October 2021 with new pictures. Recipe is the same. 

Soft and fluffy One Hour Rolls are a fail-proof, easy yeast recipe that anyone can make. Perfect for a Holiday dinner like Thanksgiving and easy enough for family diner too!

 

 

 

 

 

 

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38 Comments

  1. Shelly Amerine says:

    All your recipes look great!!

    1. Together As Family says:

      Thank you so much Shelly ☺️!

  2. Thanks. Good recipe.keep up

  3. Do you use self rising or plain flour?

    1. Together As Family says:

      I use all-purpose. I will clarify that in the recipe!

  4. Laura Sisco says:

    I didn’t have active dry yeast only quick yeast but made them anyway. Very easy to make with my Stand Mixer. They taste awesome. Next time I will make them bigger and have more like a dinner bun. Thanks so much for the fast and easy recipe.

    1. Together As Family says:

      Awesome! So good to hear ? I’m happy they turn out with the quick yeast. I’ve always used regular active yeast but now I’ll have to test them out with quick. Thanks for letting me know!

  5. Susan Redding says:

    Please let me know what kind of flour you used in these rolls. Thanks

    1. Together As Family says:

      I use unbleached all-purpose flour. You don’t have to use unbleached but I prefer it.

  6. Just made them and they were very easy for those of us who are “dough impaired.” They will be on my Thanksgiving table. Thanks so much for sharing.

    1. Together As Family says:

      Yay! I’m not that great with yeast dough recipes but this is one that always turns out for me. So glad it worked for you.

  7. Your site is so full of yummy recipes!
    Can I double or triple the batch of Soft and Fluffy One Hour Rolls?

    1. Together As Family says:

      Thank you so much Jodi! That is so sweet of you 🙂 Doubling or tripling would be just fine but I am not sure they make a mixer enough for all that bread dough if you double/triple it. Unless you do it by hand of course…. maybe just make separate batches??

  8. If I don’t have a dough hook what do you recommend using?

    1. Together As Family says:

      You can use a wooden stir spoon and a bowl. That should work just fine and you will get a bit of an arm workout in 🙂

  9. I love your recipe as it is but I am looking to be a little more healthier would it work if I used whole wheat flour instead of white?

    1. Together As Family says:

      That would work just fine. I tend to prefer white whole wheat flour as it does not make breads dense like the whole wheat flour does. So yes, you can use whole wheat flour but just know that they probably won’t come out as fluffy as they would with the white flour or even the white whole wheat flour. Let me know how it goes! 🙂

  10. Claudette says:

    Can you freeze these for a period of time? Or are they bake and serve?

    1. Together As Family says:

      I don’t freeze things so I don’t really know. I have always just baked and served these rolls.

  11. Can you make these rolls GF by using GF flour?

    1. Together As Family says:

      Probably. I don’t have experience with gluten free flour, but I would assume that as long as it’s an equal substitution then it should work just fine.

  12. Hello,
    When having a dinner party and preparing all the other dishes, would it be harmful to the rolls if they did the second rise longer than 15 minutes?
    It’s one thing if just making the rolls, however, a different story if preparing a dinner and oven is in use for say a prime rib. Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks JK

    1. Together As Family says:

      I always cook rolls before all the other stuff needs the oven. It’s not the best thing for rolls to rise too much so I would make them first thing, and let them cook before the prime rib or whatever else needs the oven. You could easily warm up the rolls right before serving, or just eat them as is which is delicious too.

  13. Thank you for answering me and your suggestion.

  14. Does the towel have to be damp when it is being used to cover during the first ride?

    1. Together As Family says:

      No it does not. I just use a regular kitchen towel (dry).

  15. I made these today using half white and half whole wheat flour. They turned out very nice. I’m going to try the recipe with all whole wheat flour. Thank you for your guidance. We enjoyed them!

  16. Gail Richards says:

    I made your 1 hour dinner rolls but I left them in the oven too long in hopes of getting a golden color so the bottoms were too hard. Next time i would try an egg wash instead of brushing them with butter before baking. Are they good light in color?

    1. Together As Family says:

      Mine are always very pale in color. I guess it just depends on what you want the rolls to look like. These are not the buttery, brown type rolls more the soft and extra fluffy rolls, which will result in that really pale color.

  17. Andrea Andr says:

    5 stars
    I just made the rolls this evening in my kitchenaid. They’re easy to make and absolutely delicious! Thank you so much!

  18. 5 stars
    These were fantastic. All the roll lovers in my family thumbed up this recipe. So glad I found this one…it’s going in my recipe book.

  19. Bernadette Angle says:

    5 stars
    Thanks so much for a great recipe These rolls are easy to make , soft and yummy. My Dad was an amazing professional baker and he would be proud of me making these. My grandkids loved them ! Thanks again.

  20. Was curious if this recipe could be doubled…

    1. Together As Family says:

      Yes of course. Double every ingredient and you would just need two of the 9×13 pans or use a cookie sheet for double the amount of rolls.

  21. 5 stars
    This is an awesome recipe! Quick and easy to make! Nice and fluffy! Will be making again!

  22. If making ahead, would you suggest freezing them after they have risen and before you bake them, or have you ever tried to freeze the dough before cooking them? Just wondering the best way, when I freeze them after cooking them I don’t think they taste as good

    1. Together as Family says:

      I’ve never tried freezing these rolls. But my thought is that it would be best to freeze after they have risen and then allow them to thaw before baking them. Let me know how it turns out!