The best part is that they’re easy to prepare and most of the time spent is hands-off, waiting for the dough to rise. Simply knead the dough in a stand mixer, let the dough rise, shape, rise again, and they’re ready to bake.
Sourdough Starter Versus Yeast
While commercial yeast is one isolated strain of yeast for bread baking, sourdough is a culture of wild yeasts and good bacteria present in the environment and your flour. Compared to yeast from the store, sourdough adds extra flavor to breads and rolls, including that characteristic tangy flavor. It also adds strength to the dough and improves the texture for a chewier crust and a fluffy interior.
Baking Tips for Successful Sourdough Dinner Rolls
Sourdough baking has a reputation for being overly difficult and advanced. But that doesn’t have to be the case. In addition to making this recipe easy to mix, here are some baking tips to give you some confidence.
Make sure to use softened butter. Melted butter will make the dough too greasy and cold butter will not incorporate into the dough.Use warm milk; cold milk will slow down fermentation. Heat the milk in the microwave to lukewarm. If you have an instant-read thermometer, aim for between 100°F and 110°F. It should feel warm to the touch but not scalding hot. If it’s a tolerable temperature for you, it’s tolerable for the starter.If you have one, I recommend a glass bowl for bulk fermentation (a.k.a. the first rise). It’s easy to pick up the bowl and check the progression of fermentation by looking at the underside of the dough to see how aerated it is.
How To Tell When the Dough Is Ready
With sourdough, it’s sometimes difficult to tell when bulk fermentation is finished and ready for shaping, and when it’s done proofing (a.k.a. the second rise) and ready for the oven. Fermentation time also depends on how warm your kitchen is. Seeing how much the dough has risen gives a good clue, but sourdough doesn’t necessarily double in size like other yeasted doughs do. The dough will have noticeably risen, look light and airy, and the surface of the dough will be smooth and feel soft to the touch. If it still looks shaggy or feels dense, it needs more time to rise. Give it another 30 minutes and check again. The shaped rolls are fully proofed when they’ve doubled in size and look very puffy. They will have spread enough to touch each other.
How to Plan Ahead
There are a few options for making these rolls ahead of time or breaking the recipe down into smaller steps over more time. You could mix the dough the day before you plan to serve, let it go through its first rise for 2 hours, then cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place it in the fridge overnight. The next day, continue with shaping and proofing. Rolls that rise in the refrigerator overnight will have a stronger, tangier sourdough flavor. You can also make the rolls ahead of time and freeze them. I prefer to freeze baked rolls, as I find it takes a long time for the dough to thaw and proof for baking.
Homemade Dinner Roll Recipes We Love
Copycat Olive Garden Breadsticks Milk Bread Rolls Challah Rolls Homemade Crescent Rolls Garlic Parmesan Pull-Apart Rolls
1 large egg or 3 tablespoons whole milk or melted butter
Mix on low speed until everything comes together and forms a rough ball, about 1 minute. Increase to medium speed and continue kneading for 7 to 10 minutes until the dough clings to the dough hook. It should be smooth and elastic and pull away from the sides of the bowl—it may still stick to the bottom of the bowl. There’s a magic moment when the sticky goop of wet flour suddenly transforms into a cohesive mass that sticks to itself more than other surfaces. Then, the dough is developed enough for bulk fermentation. If the dough feels too sticky while shaping, instead of sprinkling flour over it, put the dough in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or so. You’ll find that it’s easier to shape cold dough. Bake the rolls for 20 to 25 minutes, until they’re golden brown on top. An instant thermometer inserted into the center of a roll in the middle of the pan should read 190°F or above. Store any leftover rolls tightly wrapped on the counter for up to 5 days. Baked rolls can be frozen, wrapped in a layer of plastic, then a layer of aluminum foil, for up to 2 months. Let the rolls thaw at room temperature, still wrapped, for about 1 hour. To serve them warm, reheat them for about 15 minutes in a 325°F oven. Did you love the recipe? Leave us stars below!
