This old fashioned beginner friendly recipe makes the easiest yeast rolls that you’ll want to eat with everything. No mixer or fancy tools required. Perfect for Thanksgiving dinner, these never fail yeast rolls are sure to impress! Plus an easy substitution makes these delicious rolls egg and dairy free.
When my husband and I got married I started a small recipe binder that I have only ever put my favorite, no-fail recipes into. This was the first recipe I put into that binder. Made entirely with pantry staples in 30 minutes, this recipe yields big, fat easy yeast rolls that were perfect for my beginner baker skill level. I love warm yeast rolls at the holidays, with a steamy bowl of soup or in the morning smothered with salty butter. And these never fail yeast rolls – well they’ve never failed me.
Some old fashioned bread making techniques require special tools or elaborate time sensitive steps. I like things to be simple and reproducible. So if you’re a beginner who wants to make yeast rolls from scratch, but don’t have a stand mixer or special shaping bowls, this is the recipe to try.
What is the correct order of steps when making yeast rolls?
When making any type of yeast bread with dry yeast the general order is the same. Which is one reason I love baking with dry yeast and recommend it to beginner bakers or those who want to fit baking bread from scratch into their busy schedule.
- Activate yeast – water rehydrates the yeast and sugar gives it a snack to “wake it up”. This is an important step to be sure your yeast is fresh and ready to rise your dough.
- Add oil, salt and flour – You can use most any kind mild flavored oil.
- Optional Rise – This step is typical for a loaf type recipe and can add additional rise and softness to your yeast rolls, but isn’t necessary if you’re short on time.
- Shape – This step is obvious for dinner rolls, but even loaves can be shaped for the best presentation.
- Final Rise – This step gets the bread light and fluffy. Be careful not to over rise your dough.
- Bake – The rolls will continue to rise in the oven and turn a nice golden brown.
Egg and Dairy Free Options
Another reason this recipe is so great is how easy it is to convert these into vegan yeast rolls. Eggless yeast rolls are easy to find in the freezer aisle, but with two options for substitutions, making them homemade is as easy as it gets.
Option 1
Substitute the egg for 1 tablespoon of ground flax. Mix the ground flax with water and let it set up for about 10 minutes. Then us in your recipe in place of the egg. You might notice a slightly different texture, but the taste is just as good. Don’t have ground flax? Try Option 2.
Option 2
Substitute the egg for 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar and 1 tablespoon of baking soda. Mix the two in a small bowl or measuring cup and then add to the recipe as you would the egg. Be sure to use apple cider vinegar or you might taste the vinegar in the final product.
Both of these options are great, but I love Option 2 for easy yeast rolls without eggs or milk. Vegan options without substituting texture or taste? AND no specialty ingredients? It doesn’t get better than that!
How to shape dinner rolls
When shaping dinner rolls I like to divide my dough in half, then in half again. Divide each quarter into three equal pieces, but don’t worry if they’re not perfect. Then imagine you’re wrapping the dough around a marble in the middle. Fold each piece from the top down and then turn and repeat. Image the final shape something like a wonton. Place the pinched bottom into the pan with the smooth side on the top. This will create smooth rounded tops for your rolls.
Why are my yeast rolls tough? And what makes them light and fluffy?
Yeast rolls can get tough for a couple of different reasons, but most commonly they have either been kneaded too much or too much flour was added. Be careful when adding flour to your dough and stop if it starts to look dry. This dough will be slightly sticky. I like to use a little bit of oil on my hands when shaping to get a smooth top texture.
What makes yeast rolls fluffy is good active yeast and a full rise. If you’re asking why your yeast rolls didn’t rise or are flat, you’ve likely missed the mark on one of these. Be sure your dry yeast foams nicely in the very first step. If the yeast is good and you’ve still got flat rolls try letting them rise a little longer or doing a second rise. Ideally they will double in size.
How long for yeast rolls to rise?
Typical yeast rolls made with active dry yeast should take about 10-15 minutes to double in size, depending on the warmth of your kitchen. Warmer kitchens will speed up the process and cooler kitchens can slow it. I like to let mine rise on my stove as my oven preheats!
How to tell when yeast rolls are done
When the yeast rolls are done they will be lightly golden all across the tops and smell deliciously fragrant. If you notice it looks a little doughy in between the rolls you can continue baking for an additional 2 minutes or so. Just watch them and don’t let them get overbrowned.
Why did my yeast rolls fall?
Another common issue with yeast rolls is falling. If your yeast rolls look super fluffy and big before baking, but then fall when you remove them from the oven you’ve probably removed them too soon or opened the oven door too soon.
If your yeast rolls fall before you put them in the oven you’ve let them rise too much. Yes yeast rolls can rise too much. If they do the bread won’t be able to support itself and will collapse. Remember you’re looking for about double in size.
Can yeast rolls be made ahead of time?
If you want to make from scratch yeast rolls quick and easy this recipe only takes 30 minutes. But if you want to make them even more convenient you can make and shape the rolls the day before. Place them in a baking dish and allow them to rise overnight in your fridge. Once they’ve doubled in size you can pop them in the oven.
Can yeast rolls be frozen before baking?
Yes! This recipe can be whipped up and frozen for use later. Stock your freezer with a couple dozen of these frozen yeast rolls when the weather turns cold for an easy addition to winter soups and holiday dinners. Your future self will thank you!
Simply mix up and shape into rolls according to the recipe. Flash freeze before the second rise, about 15 minutes. Keep the yeast rolls frozen and in a well sealed container or freezer bag.
When you’re ready to use place the rolls in a greased baking dish, allow to thaw and double in size. This takes about two hours on the counter. If you’re short on time put them into your oven with the oven light on. Once they’ve doubled, pop them into the oven for ten minutes and you’ve got delicious fluffy from scratch rolls for your dinner table.
Easy Yeast Rolls for Beginners
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp active dry yeast
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 1/8 cup warm water
- 1/3 cup oil
- 1 egg
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3 1/2 cups all purpose flour
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400° and grease a 9×13 pan.
- Mix yeast, sugar and warm water into a bowl and cover with a clean towel for 10 minutes to activate the yeast.
- After 10 minutes the yeast and sugar mixture should be nice and foamy. Add egg, salt, and oil and mix well. The dough will still be a bit sticky.
- Begin adding flour to the mix, one half of a cup at a time.
- Once the dough is mixed divide into 12 equal size rolls. Shape and place into a greased 9x 13 pan.
- Cover the rolls and be sure to place in a warm spot to raise for ten more minutes.
- Once the rolls have doubled, lower the oven temperature to 350° and bake for ten minutes.
- Once the rolls are lightly golden on top, remove and brush the top with butter of choice.
- Best served warm. Keep stored in a cool dry place for up to one week.
