Impress your guests, and yourself, with these delicious and easy-to-make Soft Homemade Dinner Rolls, complete with a flavorful chive butter finish. Ready in only 90 minutes, they are perfect for a holiday gathering or a weeknight meal.
Save This Recipe! 💌
I'll email this recipe to you, so you can come back to it later, plus you'll get great new recipes from me every week!
Some of my best recipe ideas come straight from my readers, and these 90 MInute DInner Rolls shot to the top of my to-do list the second I heard about them. After I announced my One Hour Sandwich Bread as our Recipe of the Month, a reader shared that she used the dough to make dinner rolls. I knew right away I had to try it myself, and let me tell you, we all need these quick and easy dinner rolls on our dinner table.
These quick dinner rolls are unbelievably squishy and soft, but the real magic comes after baking, when warm melted butter is infused with fresh chives and generously brushed (really just slathered) all over the tops and finished with a pinch of flaky sea salt.
Whether you're planning a holiday menu or just need soft rolls on the table in a hurry, this is the best and softest dinner roll recipe ever. And I'll let you in on a little secret, sometimes I make them for breakfast and we eat most of them in one sitting
Jump to:
❤️ Why you'll love this recipe
- Speed - These rolls are ready in about 90 minutes from start to finish.
- Softest Texture - They are incredibly soft and springy, thanks to my reliable sandwich bread dough.
- Everyday Ingredients - You only need pantry basics and fresh chives.
- Holiday Friendly - Perfect for Thanksgiving or any special meal.
- Beginner Friendly - Clear steps, a video, and photos make this recipe easy for anyone.
If you have been hunting for the best dinner roll recipe, this is the one to save. The dough rises fast, shapes easily, and bakes up golden and tender every time. They are the perfect addition to any meal.
Ingredients & Substitutions
The photo below shows everything you need to make these chive butter dinner rolls. Here are the major ingredients and how you can substitute them if needed:
- Flour - Use bread flour for a tall, fluffy, and tender roll. All purpose flour will work also, but your rolls will be slightly more dense.
- Instant Yeast - You can use active dry yeast. See note below.
- Milk - Any dairy milk works. Warm whole milk, with warm water, gives the softest texture.
- Oil - I use a neutral flavored vegetable oil, sunflower oil, or canola oil. A light olive oil would work as well.
- Butter - Use unsalted butter. If using salted, reduce added salt.
- Chives - Fresh chives are best, but finely minced green onion tops also work.
See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Using Active Dry Yeast
If you want to use active dry yeast instead of instant yeast, add the active dry yeast to the warm water and warm milk along with 1 teaspoon of the sugar. Stir and let it sit for about 5 to 10 minutes, or until the mixture looks foamy on top. Once foamy, add this mixture to the rest of the dough ingredients and continue with the recipe as written. Be aware that dough made with active dry yeast may take longer to rise.
Variations
Once you start with a really reliable soft dough, you can play with these in an infinite number of ways. Here are a few fun ways to change up your rolls.
- Garlic Butter Rolls - Swap the chives for grated garlic and parsley.
- Cheddar Rolls - Add shredded sharp cheddar cheese to the dough during mixing. Adding ingredients into a dough may slow the rising time, so count on up to another 5 to 10 minutes for each rise.
- Herb and Salt Rolls - Use rosemary or thyme instead of chives.
- Honey Butter Rolls - Brush with honey butter instead of chive butter.
- Everything Rolls - Sprinkle everything bagel seasoning on top before baking.
Cynthia's Recipe Review
I am not kidding when I say these might be my new favorite dinner rolls. Soft, fast, and brushed with chive butter? I cannot stop making them. We are eating "dinner" rolls for breakfast and lunch… and snacks… and dinner again.
Quick Recipe Video
🔥 Hot Tip
Use your oven as a quick proofing box. Turn it on to 300°F for 2 minutes, then turn it off and place your bowl of dough inside for the first rise. For the second rise, set the pan on top of the stove while the oven preheats. You can also place your dough (and pan of unbaked rolls) on a heating pad set to low for a warm, steady rise.
Step-by-Step Instructions
These rolls are easy to make and even easier to shape. Follow along with the video above and the process photos below to guide you as you go.
Make the dough
Step 1: Mix the flour, yeast, sugar, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add warm milk, warm water, and oil.
Step 2: Mix until fully combined into a sticky, shaggy dough.
Step 3: Transfer the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead by pulling the top of the dough back and over the rest of the dough...
Step 4: ... and using the heel of your hand to push it away from you. Turn a quarter turn and continue doing this until the dough is smooth and no longer sticks to your fingers when pressed, about 5 minutes.
First rise
Step 1: Spray your bowl with nonstick spray or a light coating of oil and transfer the ball of dough into the bowl. Cover with plastic wrap (I use an inexpensive shower cap) and put into your proofing oven for 15 minutes.
Step 2: Turn the dough out onto your surface and divide into 12 equal pieces. A kitchen scale helps, but eyeballing works.
Shape the rolls
Step 1: For each piece, place any loose bits on the top and gather the edges up like a drawstring purse and pinch them together.
Step 2: Turn the dough seam side down and roll it into a smooth ball using your cupped hand.
Second rise
Step 1: Place the rolls in a greased or parchment lined 9 x 13 pan. Cover and let rise for 15 to 20 minutes while the oven preheats to 375°F.
Step 2: Brush the tops with egg wash. Bake for about 25 minutes or until deep golden brown.
Bake and finish
Step 1: Let the rolls cool for about 10 minutes while you prepare the chive butter.
Step 2: Melt butter in a small pan, stir in finely chopped chives.
Step 3: Brush generously over the tops of your warm rolls.
Finish: Finish with flaky sea salt. Serve warm with extra chive butter if you like. These rolls are fantastic with soup, holiday dinners, or breakfast sandwiches.
No knead, no problem If you love soft rolls but you don't love kneading dough, try my overnight ciabatta rolls. Literally less than five minutes mixing the night before, and within an hour in the morning you'll be making a breakfast sandwich on fresh baked bread.
Cynthia's Helpful Tips
- Warm liquids - Make sure your milk and water are warm (110°F to 115°F), not hot. This helps the dough rise quickly without killing the yeast.
- Use flour sparingly - While kneading, if the dough sticks to your hands or the counter, dust just a little bit of flour onto the dough, your hand, and the counter and continue.
- Scale the dough - A kitchen scale ensures evenly sized rolls that bake at the same rate.
- Do the pinch and roll - Shaping the rolls correctly gives you smooth tops and even crumb, although perfection is overrated. Do the best you can and your dinner rolls are gonna taste amazing.
- Let them cool slightly - Brushing on chive butter while they are warm helps it melt in.
- Fresh chives only - Dried chives will not give the same color or flavor. If you can't find a chives, use finely chopped green onion tops instead.
Recipe FAQs
Yes. Use the same amount as instant yeast, but bloom it first in the warm milk and water with a teaspoon of your sugar. Add it to the dough as instructed.
Yes. Shape the rolls in the morning, cover the pan tightly, and refrigerate until ready to bake (or make them the night before and let rise overnight in the fridge, baking them the next day). Let them sit at room temperature for 45 minutes before baking.
Store in an airtight container up to 3 days. Reheat wrapped in foil at 300 degrees for 10 minutes.
Yes. Freeze baked rolls in a freezer bag up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature and rewarm before serving.
Did you try this recipe?
Please consider leaving a comment with a ⭐️ rating below and tell me all about it! It helps me to continue to improve my content and lets others know what you think!
I appreciate it so much!
-Cynthia
📖 Recipe
90 Minute Chive Butter Dinner Rolls
Recommended Equipment
- Thermometer instant read
Ingredients
For the dough:
- 3 ½ cups (420 g) bread flour
- 4 teaspoons (16 g) sugar
- 4 teaspoons (12 g) instant yeast
- 1 ¾ teaspoons kosher salt
- ½ cup (120 g) water warmed to about 110 degrees
- ¾ cup (182 g) milk warmed to about 110 degrees
- 3 tablespoons (42 g) neutral oil
For the egg wash:
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon water
For the chive butter finish:
- ¼ cup (56 g) unsalted butter melted
- ¼ cup finely chopped chives
- Flaky sea salt to finish
Instructions
Make dough
- Mix together bread flour, sugar, salt, and instant yeast in a large mixing bowl. Add warm water, warm milk, and vegetable oil. Mix together into a shaggy and sticky dough.
- Transfer to a floured surface and knead by hand until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 5 to 8 minutes. Dust your hands, counter, and dough very lightly with more flour if needed to reduce stickiness while kneading.
First rise
- Form the dough into a ball and place it back in your bowl that has been sprayed with nonstick spray or lightly coated in oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and let it rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 15 minutes.
Shape rolls
- Lightly flour your counter and turn the dough out of the bowl. Use a bench scraper or knife to divide the dough into 12 equal pieces. For the most even rolls, use a kitchen scale to portion the dough, but a good eyeballing works too.
- Working with one piece at a time, gather the edges of the dough up toward the center, like a little drawstring purse, enclosing any small bits of dough in the middle.
- Pinch the gathered dough together, then flip it seam side down onto the counter. Use your cupped hand to gently roll it into a smooth ball. Repeat with the remaining pieces.
Second rise
- Grease or line a 9 x 13 inch baking pan with parchment paper. Arrange the dough balls in the pan, spacing them evenly. Cover with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and let rise for about 15 minutes while you preheat the oven to 375°F.
Bake
- In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and 1 tablespoon of water. Gently brush the tops of the risen rolls with egg wash. Bake in the preheated oven for about 25 minutes, or until the rolls are a deep golden brown. If you have an instant read thermometer, the internal temperature of a roll should be about 195°F to 205°F.
Finish
- While the rolls cool for about 10 minutes in the pan, melt the 4 tablespoons of unsalted butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir in the finely chopped chives.
- Using a pastry brush, generously brush the warm rolls with the chive butter. Finish with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt. Serve warm.
Save This Recipe! 💌
I'll email this recipe to you, so you can come back to it later, plus you'll get great new recipes from me every week!
Definitely worth making these! Easy and quick! I ended up not having a large pan to bake them so I baked them in a muffin pan and it worked out perfectly, baked them a few minutes less this way.
If you're new to baking bread, try these!
This is such a great idea!