30 Minute Buttermilk Dinner Roll Recipe (2024)

Updated on |By Kate|80 Comments

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Soft 30 Minute Buttermilk Dinner Roll recipe that’s made from scratch in just half an hour! You’ll be amazed at how quick & easy they are!

30 Minute Buttermilk Dinner Roll Recipe (1)

I absolutely love quick dinner roll recipes! And this 30 Minute Buttermilk Roll Recipe doesn’t disappoint!

The rolls are soft and tender (thank you, buttermilk!) with a mild flavor and a hint of sweetness. Because of their mild flavor, they work well with any number of dishes.

These easy rolls are delicious! They would be equally at home on your holiday dinner table or alongside a quick weeknight dinner.

No matter when you make these rolls, you’ll be glad you did!

How to make 30 minute buttermilk dinner rolls

30 Minute Buttermilk Dinner Roll Recipe (2)

In a small saucepan, melt the butter most of the way. Once the butter is mostly melted, stir in the buttermilk and warm to about 110F.

Add the yeast and honey to a large mixing bowl (or bowl of a stand mixer). When the milk mixture is at temperature, stir into the yeast and honey.

30 Minute Buttermilk Dinner Roll Recipe (3)

Add the egg and salt, and stir until combined. Mix in 2 cups of flour.

Continue to add flour until the dough clings to the dough hook and clears the sides of the bowl (or until it forms a soft, slightly sticky dough if mixing by hand). The dough should feel a little sticky but shouldn’t come off on your finger when you pinch it.

30 Minute Buttermilk Dinner Roll Recipe (4)

With floured hands, shape the dough into 12 rolls. Cover and let rest in a warm spot for 10 minutes.

Uncover and bake until golden brown. Brush the warm rolls with melted butter.

30 Minute Buttermilk Dinner Roll Recipe (5)

Tips

  • Butter: I use salted butter in this recipe.
  • Buttermilk: If you don’t have buttermilk, you can make a quick substitute with this recipe.
  • Yeast: If you would prefer to use active dry yeast, substitute an equal amount for the instant yeast. After step 5, let the mixture sit for 5-10 minutes, or until foamy. Then, continue with the recipe as written.
  • Flour: You don’t want to use too much flour when making rolls. Too much flour will give you a heavy, dense, or dry roll. The dough should still feel a bit sticky, and it’s better to flour your hands when shaping the rolls rather than continuing to add additional flour to the dough.
  • Rising: Since the resting/rising time is so short in this recipe, it’s important that you have a warm spot for the rolls to rest in. If your kitchen is cool, you can create a warm spot by turning your oven to 350F for exactly 60 seconds and then turning the oven off. This will give you a spot that encourages the rolls to rise.
  • Baking temperature: You may find that you need to decrease the given baking temperature. My older oven worked better with this recipe at 400F. However, my newer oven bakes hotter, and I find that I need to decrease the temperature to 375F in order for the rolls to completely bake though before the tops over-brown. So, please adjust the baking temperature according to the way that your oven bakes.

30 Minute Buttermilk Dinner Roll Recipe (6)

More roll recipes that are ready in 60 minutes or less!

  • 60 Minute Dinner Rolls
  • 30 Minute Garlic Knots
  • 30 Minute Honey Butter Rolls

If you’ve tried this 30 minute buttermilk roll recipe, don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave me a comment below. I love to hear from people who’ve made my recipes!

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30 Minute Buttermilk Dinner Roll Recipe (7)

30 Minute Buttermilk Dinner Roll Recipe (8)

4.97 from 28 votes

30 Minute Buttermilk Roll Recipe


Author Kate @ I Heart Eating

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Resting time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Soft buttermilk dinner rolls that are made from scratch in just 30 minutes! Please check out the tips/notes for additional information and check out the step-by-step pictures above the recipe.

Equipment

  • 9x13 rimmed baking sheet

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup butter plus extra for brushing on rolls
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 2 tablespoons instant yeast
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 large egg
  • 3– 4 cups all-purpose flour I use about 3 ¼ cups
  • 2 tablespoons butter melted

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400 F. Lightly grease a half sheet pan or a 9x13-inch rimmed cookie sheet.

  • In a small saucepan, melt butter.

  • When butter is mostly melted, stir in buttermilk, and heat mixture to 110 F.

  • Meanwhile, add yeast and honey to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or a large mixing bowl if mixing by hand).

  • When milk mixture is at temperature, add to yeast and honey; stir to combine.

  • Add salt and egg, and stir until combined.

  • Stir in 2 cups all-purpose flour.

  • Add remaining flour 1/4 cup at a time until dough clings to paddle and cleans the sides of the bowl. Dough will feel a little sticky, but it shouldn't come off on your fingers if you pinch it.

  • With floured hands, shape dough into 12 rolls, and place dough on prepared baking sheet.

  • Cover, and let dough rest for 10 minutes.

  • Bake for 8-12 minutes, or until lightly golden brown.

  • When rolls are done baking, brush with 2 tablespoons melted butter.

Video

[adthrive-in-post-video-player video-id="B3aMIsjk" upload-date="2019-10-30T01:24:45.000Z" name="HOW TO SHAPE DINNER ROLLS" description=" Video showing how to shape dinner rolls"]

Notes

  • Butter: I use salted butter in this recipe.
  • Buttermilk: If you don't have buttermilk, you can make a quick substitute with this recipe.
  • Yeast: If you would prefer to use active dry yeast, substitute an equal amount for the instant yeast. After step 5, let the mixture sit for 5-10 minutes, or until foamy. Then, continue with the recipe as written.
  • Flour: You don't want to use too much flour when making rolls. Too much flour will give you a heavy, dense, or dry roll. The dough should still feel a bit sticky, and it's better to flour your hands when shaping the rolls rather than continuing to add additional flour to the dough.
  • Rising: Since the resting/rising time is so short in this recipe, it's important that you have a warm spot for the rolls to rest in. If your kitchen is cool, you can create a warm spot by turning your oven to 350F for exactly 60 seconds and then turning the oven off. This will give you a spot that encourages the rolls to rise.
  • Baking temperature: You may find that you need to decrease the given baking temperature. My older oven worked better with this recipe at 400F. However, my newer oven bakes hotter, and I find that I need to decrease the temperature to 375F in order for the rolls to completely bake though before the tops over-brown. So, please adjust the baking temperature according to the way that your oven bakes.
  • Nutrition values are estimates.

Nutrition

Serving: 1roll | Calories: 357kcal | Carbohydrates: 63g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 29mg | Sodium: 176mg | Potassium: 136mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 205IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 37mg | Iron: 3.5mg

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Created by Kate

Kate got her first cookbook when she was five years old, and she hasn't stopped cooking since then! Her delicious recipes have been featured on Food Network, MSN, Better Homes & Gardens, Buzzfeed, The Huffington Post, and more. When she's not cooking or baking, she can be found on her mini farm with her husband and her five kids.

Reader Interactions

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    Comments & Reviews

  1. Phyllis says

    Great recipe! I am a bread maker, too, but arthritis has made me give up traditional bread making (kneading). I really appreciate you sharing this recipe. The only kneading was to form each roll. Mine came out beautiful and light despite substituting 2 cups of regular flour with two cups fresh ground hard red wheat (a 50/50 mix). Nothing better than a hot, buttery home made yeast roll. Your efforts in pulling this recipe paid off. It’s a “keeper recipe”.

    Reply

    • Kate says

      Thank you so much!

      Reply

  2. Laura Miller says

    30 Minute Buttermilk Dinner Roll Recipe (9)
    This recipe was so delicious! I used full fat buttermilk so I’m sure that didn’t hurt the flavor. They were slightly sweet and the texture held up! I will say I had to double or so the rose time for whatever reason, but other than that, easy peasy!

    Reply

    • Kate says

      Thank you!

      Reply

  3. Fifi says

    Out of honey…could you use sugar and how much?

    Reply

    • Kate says

      Yes, you can use granulated sugar. Honey is much sweeter than granulated sugar, so you would need about 2/3 cup of granulated sugar. Also, granulated sugar pulls moisture while honey adds moisture. You may find that you need to add additional buttermilk or go lighter with the flour to help avoid dry dough.

      Reply

  4. Grace says

    30 Minute Buttermilk Dinner Roll Recipe (10)
    Came out wonderfully! Thank you for this.

    Reply

    • Kate says

      You’re welcome! I’m glad you liked the rolls!

      Reply

  5. Vilma says

    This recipes is really good. The first time I made it. It was perfect. I tried 3 times again and I can not get them light and soft. But reading all the comments I think my mistake is in the buttermilk and butter heat! I think I’m killing the yeast processed. I’m going to try again. Because they are really good!
    Thank you for sharing

    Reply

    • Kate says

      Thank you! I’m sorry that you’ve had trouble with it the other times! Absolutely! When the liquid is too hot, it will kill the yeast. Even if you’re using instant yeast, you can let it proof for 5-10 minutes to make sure that has activated before you continue. At least that way if it hasn’t, you don’t waste the rest of the ingredients.
      Another factor can be room temp. If your kitchen is cool, it can slow the rising speed down. You can turn on your oven to 350F for exactly 60 seconds. Then turn it back off again. This will create a warm, draft-free spot to let the rolls rest. Hope that helps!!

      Reply

  6. Aunt Mamie says

    30 Minute Buttermilk Dinner Roll Recipe (11)
    I haven’t made anything with yeast in 10 years. Seeing this recipe for 30 minute dinner rolls sounded easy. These rolls were delicious and made the house smell wonderful. I will make for Thanksgiving. Best part – No preservatives. Hooray for homemade!

    I used regular yeast and gave it an extra 10 minutes to activate/bubble before adding dry ingredients. The buttermilk balances the sweetness of the honey.

    I plan to make a breakfast version using cinnamon and sugar (might add raisins pre-soaked to soften in hot water and drained) then roll out long tubes and wind up into snail shape.

    Reply

    • Kate says

      Yay!! I’m so glad! The breakfast version sounds delicious! =)

      Reply

  7. Tuti says

    30 Minute Buttermilk Dinner Roll Recipe (12)
    My rolls did not turn out as pretty as yours but the flavoring if the rolls is really good. Also, how much should the dough rise? Did I kill my yeast? My rolls the inside looks like a biscuit texture. Is that how it should look like?

    Reply

    • Kate says

      The rolls won’t rise much during that time. They’ll be just a bit larger when they’re finished rising. No, they should look like a dinner roll inside. I’ll try to make this recipe again in the next couple days so I can post photos to show you what they look like throughout the process.

      Reply

    • Kate says

      Hi! I made a batch of the rolls and took pictures of the process as I went. I’ve added those photos to the “how to make” section. Also, since I’ve made these rolls several times over the years, I added a “tips” section with tips and tricks that I’ve found as I’ve made this recipe. I hope that the photos and the tips will help for next time. Also, please feel free to ask if you have any more questions.

      Reply

  8. GiGi says

    30 Minute Buttermilk Dinner Roll Recipe (13)
    A surprisingly easy recipe that makes light fluffy rolls quickly. My family loves them.

    Reply

    • Kate says

      Thank you!

      Reply

  9. Yana says

    30 Minute Buttermilk Dinner Roll Recipe (14)
    Thank you for this awesome recipe. I also thought that 2 tablespoons of yeast is too much for the amount of flour( I don’t like to feel too much the taste the yeast)
    I used 2 teaspoons of active dry yeast. Didn’t change anything else in the recipe or the process. I kneaded the dough by hand.( don’t have a standing mixer) it took me about 5-10 min to form the dough this way on the countertop. The buns turned out delicious and just as beautifully looking as on your photo:) Love the quickness of this recipe and how they taste and how they look! And the smell!..
    Thank you again!

    Reply

    • Kate says

      You are very welcome! Glad that the rolls came out well for you! Thanks for commenting.

      Reply

  10. Billie says

    30 Minute Buttermilk Dinner Roll Recipe (15)
    The recipe was as promised, fast and easy. They are not as light as the ones that are kneaded and have a double rise time. But… they definitely produce a very tasty hot bread roll that can be on the table in 30 minutes. These are just perfect for the middle of the week when you want something flavorful but don’t have the 3 hours to spend on making bread rolls. I will be using this recipe on a regular basis.

    Reply

    • Kate says

      Thank you! If you’re looking for something in between the usual 3 hour roll and this 30 minute roll, you may like my 60 minute dinner rolls. They’re a little lighter and fluffier than these rolls.

      Reply

  11. Lolli says

    30 Minute Buttermilk Dinner Roll Recipe (16)
    OH MY GOSH! My son made these to go with our steak dinner last night. We could’ve just eaten these!! AH-MAZE-ING!! Definitely a keeper!

    Reply

    • Kate says

      Yay!! I’m so glad!! Thank you for taking the time to comment! =)

      Reply

  12. John Trotter says

    Just found this recipe. In the ingredient list you have 2 tablespoons of instant yeast. 1 table of yeast sounds an awlful lot for the amount of flour being used.

    Reply

    • Kate says

      Hey! The amount of yeast corresponds to the rising time, not the amount of flour in the recipe. That’s why you can use 1/2 teaspoon of yeast with 3 cups of flour in a no knead bread that has an 18 hour rising time versus 2 1/4 teaspoons of yeast and 3 cups of flour in a traditional roll dough with a 1.5 hour rising time.
      Since the rising time is so short for these rolls, the increased amount of yeast is necessary. Hope that helps!

      Reply

  13. Coleen Hamilton says

    From what I read, dinner rolls need to be kneaded sufficiently so that the gluten forms long strings. When making biscuits, however, the biscuit dough is lightly mixed forming shorter strands of gluten. These two techniques result in the difference in texture. The instructions don’t tell you to knead the dough but just to take get from the mixer and form it into balls. I’m going to try and make this recipe however I’m going to after the dough is finished mixing I’m going to need it until it’s elastic. Then I’ll shake my rolls and let it rise.

    Reply

    • Kate says

      True! The yeast in the dinner rolls also makes a big difference in the texture of the final product. I’d be interested to hear how they come out! Thanks! =)

      Reply

    • A. Johnson says

      30 Minute Buttermilk Dinner Roll Recipe (17)
      Made a double batch of these rolls for Thanksgiving. They are absolutely easy, quick, and delicious. I found that a 9×13 pan was too small to bake 12 rolls. I had to use a a sheet pan for each batch. I think this recipe will be a frequently used one. I have already been asked for it. Thanks for sharing it.

      Reply

      • Kate says

        Thank you!

        Reply

  14. Liz says

    I tried them today but had the wrong amount of yeast. Will try them again with two tablespoon of yeast.
    Do I need to let the yeast sit before I put the flower in?

    Reply

    • Kate says

      If you use instant yeast, you can just mix it in and keep going. If you use active dry yeast, you need to proof it (mix it with the sugar and liquid) and let it sit for 5-10 minutes, or until foamy, before continuing. Hope that helps!

      Reply

  15. Jamie says

    I have tried this recipe 3 separate times and everytime they turn into really heavy biscuit type things that I need to throw out:(
    Forst time I had the yeast measurement wrong and these past 2 times….I’m not sure:( I really want them to work cause it’s so fast. I’m using “quick-rise instant yeast” is that right????:(

    Reply

    • Kate says

      I’m sorry to hear that! Since these rolls have such a quick rising time, it’s important that the water be warm enough (but not so hot that it kills the yeast) and that they rise in a warm spot. Do you think either of those things were issues?

      Reply

    • Coleen Hamilton says

      From what I read, dinner rolls need to be needed sufficiently so that the gluten forms long strings. When making biscuits, however, the biscuit dough is lightly mixed forming shorter strands of gluten. These two techniques result in the difference in texture.

      Reply

  16. Anna Madden says

    Tried these rolls, used 3 cups of flour, but they were more like a biscuit then a yeast dinner roll, family complained that they had no taste. I was expecting them to be very light and airy, mine turned out very dense.

    Reply

    • Kate says

      I’m sorry to hear that! They shouldn’t be dense like a biscuit. I’m happy to help you troubleshoot if you’d like.

      Reply

« Older Comments

30 Minute Buttermilk Dinner Roll Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Why are my homemade dinner rolls dry? ›

Either, you added too much flour or you possibly used all bread flour. Alternately, not giving your dinner rolls enough time to proof and get puffy before baking could yield dense rolls.

How to make dinner rolls rise fast? ›

Preheat oven to 200°F. Then turn the oven off. Boil 2 quarts water and put in a pan on the lowest rack. Put rolls in the oven and let thaw and rise until double in size.

How to make homemade bread less dense or more light & fluffy? ›

You can actually add a small amount of wheat gluten to enhance the dough and make it lighter and fluffier. The more gluten, the stronger the dough is. You can purchase vital wheat gluten and replace 1 Tbsp of flour with the vital wheat gluten. Here's a link to Anthony's Premium Vital Wheat Gluten on Amazon.

What helps bread to become light and fluffy? ›

Sugar: When yeast is mixed with sugar it consumes the sugar and produces carbon dioxide gas, which causes the bread dough to rise and become light and airy. Instant Yeast: Instant dry yeast can be added directly to the flour mixture without needing to be activated first.

What is the secret of soft buns? ›

The secret to soft, light rolls, if you're looking for something like a dinner roll, is an enriched dough that contains butter or other dairy, eggs, or both. If you want something more bread-like, you want a high hydration dough that's been properly kneaded and given at least two bulk fermentations before shaping.

How to keep homemade rolls from drying out? ›

Wrap The Bread To Keep It Fresh

Wrap each roll or bun individually and check the sides to make sure the foil covers each one in its entirety. If you use a plastic storage bag, push all excess air from inside before you seal the lip area. Any air left in the bag will aid in drying the bread quicker.

How to make homemade rolls less dry? ›

For the softest dinner rolls, use whole milk. Nondairy or low fat milks work too, but whole milk produces phenomenal flavor and texture. Yeast: You can use active dry yeast or instant yeast. If using active dry yeast, the rise times will be a little longer.

What happens if you add too much flour to dinner rolls? ›

It's a common mistake, especially for newer bakers. When there's too much flour and not enough liquid, the whole rising process is thrown off. The dryness of the dough will prevent the yeast or another rising agent from activating properly, leading to a stunted rise (or it may not rise at all).

What type of pan is best for baking rolls? ›

For most uniformly shaped pull-apart rolls, bake them in a round or rectangular pan. For non-pull-apart perfect spheres, bake rolls free-form. Though in the end, how much difference does it really make – so long as there are hot rolls, brushed with butter, on the table when dinner is ready?

How to tell if dinner rolls are done? ›

The internal temperature of a loaf of crusty yeast bread when it is cooked to perfection should be 200 to 210 F. Soft breads and dinner rolls should be 190 to 200 F. The bread will pull away from the sides of the pan and will feel firm to the touch. The bread will sound hollow when you tap it lightly.

Why did my homemade rolls get hard? ›

Too much flour, or not the right kind, could be to blame. Dough made only from flour with a high or even average amount of protein (like bread flour or all-purpose flour) can become tough from overmixing. Protein gives bread structure in the form of gluten—the more you mix and move the dough, the more gluten you get.

Is active dry yeast the same as instant yeast? ›

A Quick Primer

Dry yeast comes in two forms: active and instant. "Active" describes any dry yeast that needs to be activated prior to use, while "instant dry yeast" describes any dry yeast that's ready for use the instant you open the package.

Can I microwave dough to make it rise? ›

Turn Your Microwave into a Proof Box

As the water continues to steam in the closed microwave, it creates a warm, humid environment, similar to that of a bread dough proofer. The warmer and more humid the air is, the faster the bread should rise.

Why is my bread not light and fluffy? ›

For baking light and fluffy bread, it is necessary to choose flour that has high levels of protein. If you choose to use flour with lower protein levels, you'll be left with the bread being dense.

Why is my bread dense and not fluffy? ›

Fermentation is at the heart of many of them. (FYI: Fermentation refers to the process yeast goes through to make bread rise or proof.) If the fermentation is too fast or too slow, too long or too short, or not as predicted, dense bread is often the result.

Does letting bread rise longer make it fluffier? ›

Does Rising Bread Affect Its Texture? For a fluffy bread texture, the key is to let the bread rise long enough.

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