For those special occasions when you need fluffy, soft dinner rolls, consider this recipe! It's my husband's favorite, and he requests it every year for both Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners. They're made a bit healthier by incorporating olive oil and honey.
Our whole family loves these soft and fluffy dinner rolls.
One year, my husband asked me to come up with a healthier dinner roll to eat at Thanksgiving, so I obliged!
This delicious roll is trying to be a bit healthier than the typical white flour-based ones, in that it incorporates whole grain flour, honey, and olive oil.
These are fairly quick to make, coming together in about 90 minutes, and they're a great vehicle to sop up gravy and drippings with!
Ingredients and substitutions
- Bread flour
- White whole wheat flour - I use this in combination with the bread flour to add some whole grains, but also keep the roll light.
- Quick rise yeast
- Sea salt
- Milk - I use whole milk, but any milk will work.
- Water
- Honey - You can also use molasses or even a natural granulated sugar. If you use granulated sugar, add it to the flour mix in step one of the recipe.
- Olive oil - Melted butter or another neutral oil, such as grapeseed, will also work.
Recipe steps
In a large bowl, mix the bread flour with the yeast and salt.
Separately, add the milk and water to a saucepan and heat it until warm (120-130 degrees F). Once warm, stir in the honey and olive oil.
Next, add the milk mixture to the flour and stir. Add in the remaining flour 1/4 cup at a time and stir until a soft dough is created. You should be able to knead the dough without it sticking to your hands, and it should be soft and pliable.
Knead the dough for 4-5 minutes until smooth and elastic.
Cover and let rest for 10 minutes.
Next, divide the dough into 12 equal-sized pieces and form a small ball with each piece.
Place the balls into an oiled or buttered dish, either 8-inch round or square. Cover and let rise in a warm place for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Bake for 10-20 minutes until brown on top.
Brush with melted butter and serve warm.
What to serve with dinner rolls
These would be delicious with any number of entrees, stews, or soups, including the following recipes:
- Fall Apart Instant Pot Chicken
- The BEST Chicken Noodle Soup
- White Bean Turkey Chili
- Crockpot Beef Stew
And, of course, they'd be delicious with Thanksgiving turkey!
FAQs
Store the rolls in a sealed Ziploc bag in the fridge. They will keep for 5-7 days. To reheat them, put them on a baking sheet and into the oven just until warmed through, about five minutes at 350 degrees F.
Yes, just place the cooled rolls into a Ziploc freezer bag and store them in your freezer for up to three months.
Yes; follow the steps until the point that you divide the dough into 12 pieces. Cover and refrigerate them at this point, before the second rise. When you're ready to bake, bring the rolls to room temperature, then allow them to proof for 30 minutes. Bake as stated in the directions.
Recipe notes
I've also used active dry yeast in place of instant yeast with good results. The rise time may be a bit longer, however. Stay with ten minutes for the first rise, and for the second rise, allow them to proof until the dough balls are double in size.
This is the bread flour I use.
My Husband's Favorite Dinner Rolls
Ingredients
- 1 cup bread flour
- 1 1/4 ounce packet instant yeast
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ cup milk of your choice
- ¼ cup water
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 2 Tablespoons honey
- 1 cup white whole wheat flour
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mix the bread flour, yeast, and salt.
- Heat the milk and water in a saucepan until warm (about 120-130℉). Stir in the honey and olive oil.
- Add the milk mixture to the flour and stir until combined.
- Stir in the white whole wheat flour 1/4 cup at a time until a soft, pliable dough forms. Depending on how you measure your flour, you will use almost all of it. The dough should be soft, but not sticky.
- Knead the dough on a floured surface for 4-5 minutes until smooth.
- Place the dough into a clean bowl with a little oil to keep it from sticking. Cover the dough and let it rest for 10 minutes.
- Divide the dough into 12 equal-sized pieces.
- Shape them into balls and place them in a greased 8-inch round or square pan.
- Cover the pan and let the dough balls rise for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350℉.
- Bake the rolls until brown on top, about 10-20 minutes.
- Brush with melted butter and serve warm.
Notes
Nutrition
If you have a chance to try this recipe, please leave a star rating and a comment below letting me know how you liked it!
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