Dinner rolls are the perfect pairing for many a from-scratch-dinner. Make them for dinner parties, freeze away for later, or bake as a healthy bread option for your family. This recipe is quick, simple, and produces the soft and scrumptious rolls.
Plus, they’ll give you the peace of mind in knowing they only contain natural sweeteners and the health benefits of sourdough fermentation.
I’ve been prepping a dinner roll recipe to have make alongside spaghetti, roasts, and other delicious dinners. I’m continuing my journey of Converting Bread Recipes to Sourdough, and this one is a success! Want to see what other recipes I’ve converted? Here are a few: Fluffy Sourdough Breadsticks, Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls | Naturally Sweetened, Sourdough Peanut Butter Swirl Brownies, Sourdough Red Lobster Biscuits, and more!
Here you will find everything you need to know in order to make a batch of delicious, soft, Sourdough Dinner Rolls. Get the health benefits of long fermentation by mixing them up the night before baking, or simply make and bake all in one day! Oh, they’re also cheaper to make from scratch than to buy at the grocery store! All of the needed details are listed down below. Haven’t begun your own sourdough starter yet? Scroll to the end of this post to find more information on that process.
How to Make Sourdough Dinner Rolls
What You’ll Need
- Stand mixer
- 9×9 or 9×13 baking dish. Baking it in a 9×9 baking dish gives you more of pull apart sourdough rolls.
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Large mixing bowl
- Tea towel, plastic wrap, or beeswax wrap (for covering the bowl while the rolls rise)
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup of honey
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 2-2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (just enough until it is coming together)
- 1/2 cup fresh sourdough starter
- 3/4 cup warm water
- 1/4 cup melted butter
- Egg (for egg wash)
Step by Step Instructions
Follow these instructions if you are baking them right away (no long fermentation time):
- In a stand mixer bowl, add all of the ingredients.
- Knead on medium speed for 10-15 minutes using the dough hook, until the dough becomes smooth, stretchy, and can pass the windowpane test.
- Place in a greased bowl and cover with a towel.
- Allow to rise until doubled (this takes anywhere from 4-8 hours).
- After the dough is doubled, divide it into eight equal parts and put in a greased 9×13 or 9×9 dish. Allow it to rise until doubled, approximately one to two hours.
- Preheat oven to 375
- Brush top with egg wash (optional, but will give it that lovely golden color).
- Place the rolls into the oven for about 25-30 minutes, or until they start turning golden brown.
- Top with melted butter if desired.
- Allow to cool, and enjoy.
Follow these instructions if you are allowing the batter to ferment for at least 8 hours:
- In a stand mixer bowl, add ingredients.
- Knead on medium speed for 10-15 minutes using the dough hook, until the dough becomes smooth, stretchy, and can pass the windowpane test.
- Place in a greased bowl and cover with a towel.
- Allow to rise overnight (8-24 hours).
- The next day, divide the dough into eight equal parts and put in a greased 9×13 or 9×9 dish. Allow it to rise until doubled, approximately one to two hours.
- Preheat oven to 375
- Brush top with egg wash (optional, but will give it that lovely golden color).
- Place the rolls into the oven for about 25-30 minutes, or until they start turning golden brown.
- Top with melted butter if desired.
- Allow to cool, and enjoy.
Keep in Mind:
- The starter must be fed, active, and nice and bubbly to use in this recipe.
- Use melted, but slightly cooled butter. You don’t want to accidentally burn your starter. Same goes for the water: it should be warm, but not hot.
- Organic cane sugar, maple syrup, or coconut sugar will work. Honey will leave you with a stickier dough, though.
- Don’t over-knead or under-knead your bread. Knead for 5 minutes in the stand mixer or 10 minutes by hand. You should be able to take a small piece of dough and pull it apart, creating a window that you can see through.
If you make this recipe and love how it turned out, feel free to come back and comment about your experience. I’d love to see your creation and how you served it!
Why is a long fermentation time healthier?
Fermentation allows the sourdough to break down the flour and make the muffins easier on the digestive system. You can read more details about this amazing process here.
Can I Freeze Them?
Yes! There are two options for this:
- Bake as instructed above. Allow the rolls to cool completely. Wrap each one in plastic wrap, or separate them with wax paper, and place in a freezer-safe bag or container. They can be frozen for up to 3 months. Ready to eat them? Just take them out of the freezer, allow to thaw at room temperature, and reheat in the microwave for about 15-20 seconds. You can also reheat them in the oven at 350 degrees F for about 5 minutes.
- Mix as instructed above. Allow to ferment overnight (if desired). Divide the dough into 8 equal parts, place on a baking sheet, and freeze for 1-2 hours. Once fully frozen, remove the dough from the baking sheet and place them in a gallon ziplock bag or an airtight container. Store the dough balls in the freezer until ready to bake. Ready to eat them? Remove the dough from the freezer, place in a 9×13 or 9×9 baking dish and allow to rise until doubled. Bake as instructed above.
How Can I Make My Own Sourdough Starter?
Interested in implementing sourdough into your kitchen? Here’s everything you need to know to get your sourdough starter going.
All it takes is flour, water, and about 7 days time.
I also answer a few of the most frequently asked questions about sourdough over here.
How is Sourdough Healthier than Regular Bread?
Read more in depth about the health benefits of sourdough here. I explain four reasons that sourdough is one of the healthiest breads you can consume, as well as describe how the fermentation process of sourdough works.
More Sourdough Recipes:
- Sourdough Blueberry Muffins | Naturally Sweetened
- Naturally Sweetened Sourdough Pancakes
- Naturally Sweetened Sourdough Waffles
- Basic Homemade Naturally Sweetened Granola
- Homemade Sourdough Discard Crackers
- Sourdough Red Lobster Biscuits
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