Recipes

Easy Yeast Rolls

Topped with honey butter before serving, these easy yeast rolls are sure to be a hit at your gathering. Perfect for big family dinners.

Warm easy yeast rolls are arranged on a towel over a tray, ready to be served.

Soft, buttery yeast rolls are the ultimate comfort food. I don’t think I know a single person who would turn down a fresh, hot roll, straight from the oven.

Rolls and breads are kind of my forte when it comes to baking. I love kneading dough, the smell of the bubbling yeast. I especially love seeing how much the dough has risen after being placed in a warm spot for an hour.

It truly is a science, but bakers all over have turned it into an art, too. 

As much as I love making rustic, artisanal breads, creating pretty designs through braiding or scoring, nothing beats a simple, classic dinner roll. Perfect plain or slathered in honey butter, easy yeast rolls are a classic dinner accompaniment.

Leftover rolls can easily be warmed to serve the following days or used for making mini sandwiches or dipping into soup. I just can’t get enough of them!

Many times I freeze half the batch for a later date. So convenient!

Without further ado, here’s how to make my easy yeast rolls…

Easy yeast rolls are piled high, waiting to be devoured. They are drizzled with honey butter.

Tools

Large mixing bowl

Measuring cups and spoons

Whisk

Liquid measuring cup

Cookie sheet

Linen or tea towel

Balls of easy yeast dinner rolls are lined up on a baking tray, ready to go int the oven.
Rolls are placed together when baking to keep edges and sides softer.

Ingredients | Easy Yeast Rolls

For exact recipe measurements, please see recipe card at the end of this post.

Yeast – Yeast helps the dough rise, giving it the fluffiest texture ever.

Sugar – Adding a little sugar helps the yeast work a little faster by feeding it.

Flour – Use all-purpose white flour for the lightest, fluffiest rolls. You won’t be disappointed.

Salt – Salt helps round out the bread recipe, enhancing the flavor.

Easy dinner rolls are piled into a kitchen towel and are ready to be eaten.

Steps for Easy Yeast Rolls

Mix yeast and sugar into warm water; let sit for about 10 minutes.

Then, mix salt into the flour into a separate mixing bowl.

Mix the wet ingredients into the flour mixture; knead for 5-6 minutes.

Place dough in warm area to rise for one hour.

Next, preheat the oven to 375º and grease a cookie sheet.

Now, divide the dough into 16 pieces, rolling each into a small ball. Place balls of dough onto greased cookie sheet, touching one another.

Let rise again for 20-30 minutes, and then bake the rolls for 14-18 minutes. Serve warm with butter and honey.

A bowl of water and yeast is bubbling and ready for use.
Yeast, bubbling away and ready for use.
A counter is floured and a woman's hands kneading some bread dough.
Dough is being kneaded on a floured surface, which is essential to develop the gluten and give it a light, high rise.
A bowl of risen bread dough is waiting to be divided into small balls before a second rise.
Dough, after proofing for an hour in a warm spot.

Tips for Easy Yeast Rolls

Easy yeast rolls can be made using either sugar or honey. I’ve made these rolls either way and it honestly doesn’t make much of a difference. The sugar serves its purpose either way, which is to feed the yeast to get it activated. 

I like to sit my bowl of dough in the oven with the light on to rise. Keep the oven temperature off, and simply place it covered under the light (which creates the perfect warm, humid environment for proofing dough) for an hour.

More Baking Inspiration

The Best Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

Easy Flatbread Recipe

Fudgy Brownies

Easy Artisan Bread

Peach Crumble Recipe

Easy Blackberry Cobbler

Pumpkin Apple Muffins

Easy Yeast Rolls

Topped with honey butter before serving, these easy yeast rolls are sure to be a hit at your gathering. Perfect for big family dinners.
Course Side Dish
Cuisine American
Keyword best dinner rolls, dinner roll recipe, easy yeast rolls, fluffy rolls, homemade dinner rolls
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Resting Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 5 minutes
Servings 16
Calories 100kcal

Equipment

  • large mixing bowl
  • measuring cups and spoons
  • whisk
  • liquid measuring cup
  • cookie sheet
  • linen or tea towel

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups warm water
  • 2 1/4 tsp yeast 1 packet
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 tsp salt

Instructions

  • Mix the yeast and sugar into warm water. I like to mix this straight into the liquid measuring cup. Just be sure the water isn’t too hot or it’ll kill the yeast. You want it warm to the touch and nothing more. Let this sit for about 10 minutes or until it’s activated. It will bubble and look a bit foamy on top when it’s activated.
  • Now mix the salt into the flour before then mixing the yeast and water mixture into the flour mixture. Once it’s all incorporated, knead the dough for 5-6 minutes. 
  • Dough will be sticky, so a thoroughly floured surface is necessary for kneading. Re-flour the surface as needed. Knead the dough for several minutes. The dough will be done when it’s smooth and elastic.
  • Place the dough in a covered, greased bowl in a warm area to rise for one hour. After pulling the dough out, preheat the oven to 375º and grease a cookie sheet.
  • Divide the dough into 16 pieces, forming each one into a small ball. Finally, place the balls of dough onto the greased cookie sheet and let them rise, covered, for about 20-30 minutes, until they’ve doubled in size.
  • Bake for 14-18 minutes. Rolls will be slightly golden brown on top when finished and bounce back when gently pressed. Serve warm.

Notes

Easy yeast rolls can be made using either sugar or honey. I’ve made these rolls either way and it honestly doesn’t make much of a difference. The sugar serves its purpose either way, which is to feed the yeast to get it activated. 
I like to sit my bowl of dough in the oven with the light on to rise. Keep the oven temperature off, and simply place it covered under the light (which creates the perfect warm, humid environment for proofing dough) for an hour.

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