Good traditional dinner rolls are a delight any time of the year. However, with thanksgiving quickly approaching I am always thinking of what rolls I want to have on my thanksgiving menu. These sourdough dinner rolls check all my boxes for a roll. They are soft and have a pillowy crumb structure. Each one is brushed with a flavorful herb butter, and because they are baked in a pan, they are the perfect pull-apart rolls. They are so easy to mix up and so simple, they will be the star of any dinner table.
And for soup season rolls are such a great thing to serve with a cozy bowl of soup, like our favorite cream of chicken soup. A seaming bowl of soup and a plate of warm buttered rolls are what everyone needs on a brisk fall or winter evening.
Sourdough
I love how sourdough makes you slow down. It makes you stop and wait. Commercial yeast is ready in an hour or two, but the wild yeasts in sourdough can take hours. It forces you to enjoy the process and not hurry through it just to get it done. As the unhurried homemaker, it is something I embrace as a reminder to not race through life and all the little moments.
If you or someone you know wants to start their sourdough journey, but is overwhelmed by where to start, check out my book. In “The Art of Sourdough“, I explain what sourdough is, how to create and maintain a starter, and answer a bunch of commonly asked questions. It also includes 5 of our favorite sourdough recipes!
If you like this recipe, and are looking for some other recipes, be sure to check out some of the most popular ones on the blog. Such as our scones, sourdough burger buns, and artisan pumpkin sourdough bread with the most beautiful golden crust.
Tools
Electric mixer – or a large bowl and a pastry whisk.
Tea towel
Bench scraper – This is one of my favorites, and most used kitchen tools!
9×13 Glass baking dish
Small saucepan
Pastry brush – The butter can be drizzled with a spoon, but using a brush allows for a much more even layer.
Ingredients
Dinner rolls
Active sourdough starter – Since we are not using active dry yeast, the wild yeast in the starter takes its place and gives them the most beautiful rise.
Sugar – I use organic cane sugar. Other sugars can be used, but the flavor may change a bit depending on the sweetener used.
Salt – These need some salt to enhance the flavors. One of my favorite brands is crucial four because it is clean and packed with nutrients.
Milk – The fat and protein in the milk enrich the dough and keep it tender. I prefer whole milk because of the flavor.
Butter – This keeps the dough moist and fluffy. Salted butter or unsalted butter work very well in this recipe.
Egg – The addition of an egg not only enhances the flavor, but it also keeps the dough soft and the crumb tender.
Flour – I use all-purpose flour. There is no need for a fancy bread flour. Keep a little extra on hand for dusting the counter and your hands when shaping the rolls.
Herb butter
Butter – Again, salted or unsalted will work. However, if using salted, lowering the salt just a bit would be wise if you are sensitive to salt.
Salt – This enhances the flavors and makes the butter layer all the better.
Garlic – Fresh garlic tastes better in my opinion, but garlic powder works just as well, just use a bit less.
Parsley – I like the color and flavor of parsley, and it pairs so well with the garlic. If using fresh, make sure it is chopped up very finely.
Oregano – It adds another layer of flavor and is what sets these over the top.
Additional ingredients and substitutions
Fresh herbs – If you want to use fresh herbs for the parsley and oregano, do it. The flavors and colors will be more intense. Dried do work fine in a pinch, but fresh are better if you have access to them. And if you wanted to add other herbs, go for it! Make the herb butter a flavor profile you will love. Sea salt and rosemary is another favorite.
Sourdough discard – I do not recommend using discard in this recipe. While discard can still rise, it does take longer, and the end result is much fluffier when using active starter.
Let’s make sourdough dinner rolls!
Making the dough
In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the sourdough starter, sugar, salt, milk, butter, and egg. This can be done with bowl and pastry whisk. However, it is a very wet sticky dough. Do most of the mixing in the bowl and kneed in the bowl as well. If turning it out onto a counter do not add extra flour, it is supposed to be very soft.
Add in 275g of the flour on top of the wet ingredients.
On low speed, mix with a dough hook attachment until the flour is incorporated. Mix for 2 minutes on medium speed.
Add in the remaining flour in three portions, mixing 2 minutes in between each addition.
It should have formed a smooth dough and be pulling away from the sides of the bowl. It will be sticky, but if it seems soupy or loose, add an extra 25g of flour.
Remove the dough hook and cover the bowl with a tea towel. Allow the dough to sit at room temperature overnight, or for 8-10 hours for the first rise, until it is about doubled in size. Make sure it is covered so the top of the dough does not dry out.
Shaping the rolls
The next morning, turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface.
Divide the into 24 equal sized dough balls.
Take each piece of dough and flatten it, then tuck the edges into the center, forming a ball. Pinch the place where all the edges meet, and place it seam side down. Dust dough and hands with flour as needed to keep from sticking.
Transfer all the rolls into a lightly greased 9×13 glass baking dish.
Cover with a tea towel and leave at room temperature until puffy. This should take 6-10 hours or so depending on the temperature.
Baking
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Once the oven is up to temperature, place the rolls int he oven and bake for 10 minutes. Rotate the pan and bake for another 6-10 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown.
Finishing the sourdough dinner rolls
While the rolls are baking, prepare the herb butter.
Heat the 3 tablespoons of butter in a saucepan until it is melted. Add in the salt and garlic and sauté until fragrant.
Remove from the heat and add in the herbs and stir. Set aside.
Brush the rolls with the warm herb butter as soon as they come out of the oven.
Serve warm! They are a perfect accompaniment for cream of chicken soup!
Enjoy!
Storing
Store any leftover rolls covered, or in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
Freezing
These rolls can be made ahead of time and frozen. Wrap the rolls once they have cooled completely in plastic wrap and place them into a freezer bag. Store in the freezer for up to 4 months.
Long ferment sourdough dinner rolls
To allow the wild yeasts more time to work their magic, make the dough, allow it to ferment, then shape the rolls as directed. Then cover the rolls and place them into the fridge for up to 48 hours. Take them and leave them on the counter until puffy, then bake as directed.
A possible timeline
This is how I would make the rolls if I was planning to serve them for dinner on Friday night. I found the sourdough math to be intimidating when I first started, so I hope this is helpful for you! It can easily be shifted or adjusted a little depending on schedule and how they are rising.
Thursday:
9:00am. – feed the sourdough starter so it is active.
9:00pm. – Make the roll dough. Cover it and leave it at room temperature.
Friday:
7:00am – Shape the rolls and place them into the prepared baking pan. Leave them in a cool place if the house is warm so they do not overproof. Transfer them into the fridge if they are rising too fast.
5:00pm – Bake the rolls
5:30pm Serve the rolls with dinner!
These times can be adjusted as needed and the rolls can be tucked into the fridge for a few hours right after shaping if they are being served later.
Tips for success
Soft butter – The butter that is getting added into the dough should be very soft. This means that it will be easily incorporated into the dough and not have butter chunks. This creates a very silky dough, and the result is soft sourdough dinner rolls.
Mixing – Mixing the first portion of flour with the wet ingredients allows them to be fully incorporated. Then adding little bits of flour at a time lets each addition get fully hydrated and incorporated. It also creates a complex gluten structure. Proper mixing really does produce the best sourdough dinner rolls.
Rising – If the place these rolls are being made is colder, keep the dough in a warm place. This lets the dough rise well because if it is too cold it can take longer. But if it is really warm and humid, it may take less than the 6-10 hours recommended.
Shaping – This seems like a messy and time-consuming process. It is really simple and makes a world of difference when the rolls are baked. It pulls all the gluten strands tight, creating surface tension. This makes the texture and appearance of each roll much nicer.
Baking – This time will really depend on the oven the rolls are baked in. The tops should be nicely golden brown, but if the heating element is on the top of the oven they can brown too quickly. Place a sheet of foil or a sheet tray over them if they are browning too quickly.
Thank you
I hope you love this recipe as much as we do. It is always such a delight hearing about how much you enjoyed a recipe or what you think could be improved. So, thank you for leaving a comment! Don’t forget to share with friends and family so they too can enjoy making the best pull-apart sourdough dinner rolls. Thank you!
Sourdough dinner rolls
These rolls are so soft and tender, each one brushed with herb butter. They are perfect with soup, as a little sandwich, or on their own. The perfect addition to a meal when having friends over for dinner.
Ingredients
Dinner Roll Dough
- 225g Active sourdough starter
- 68g White sugar
- 12g Sea salt
- 240g Whole milk
- 70g Butter (soft)
- 1 Egg
- 450g All-purpose flour
Herb Butter
- 3 Tbsp. Butter
- 1/4 tsp. Salt
- 1 tsp. Garlic (minced, or 1/2 tsp garlic powder)
- 2 tsp. Parsley (Dried or freshly chopped)
- 1/2 tsp. Oregano
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the sourdough starter, sugar, salt, milk, butter, and egg.
- Add 275g of the flour on top of all the wet ingredients.
- On low speed, mix with a dough hook until the flour is incorporated. Mix for 2 minutes on medium high speed.
- Add the remaining flour in three portions, mixing two minutes in between each addition.
- It should have formed a dough and be pulling away from the sides of the bowl. It will be sticky, if needed add another 25 grams of flour.
- Remove the dough hook and cover the bowl with a tea towel. Allow it to sit overnight at room temperature, about 8-10 hours, or until doubled in size.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured counter.
- Divide the dough into 24 equal portions.
- Take each piece of dough and flatten it, then tuck the edges into the center, forming a ball. Pinch the place where all the edges meet and place it seam side down. Dust with flour as needed to prevent sticking.
- Transfer all the rolls into a greased 9x13 glass baking dish.
- Cover with a tea towel and leave at room temperature until puffy (6-10 hours or so).
- Heat the oven to 375 degrees.
- Once the oven is up to temperature, place the rolls in the oven and bake for 10 minutes. Rotate the pan and bake for another 6-10 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown.
- While the rolls are baking, prepare the herb butter.
- Heat the 3 tablespoons of butter in a pan until it is melted. Add in the salt and garlic and sauté until fragrant. Remove from the heat and add in the herbs. Set aside.
- As soon as the rolls come out of the oven, brush them with the herb butter.
- Serve warm!
- Store any leftover rolls covered at room temperature for up to 4 days.
- Enjoy!
Notes
Long Ferment Sourdough Dinner Rolls
These rolls are already pretty much long ferment with the overnight ferment. However, if you wanted them to ferment longer, place the rolls into the fridge for up to 48 hours once they are shapped and in the baking dish. When done fermenting, take them out of the oven and allow them to rise until puffy, then bake as directed above.
These can be mixed with a pastry whisk if desired, then kneed in the bowl or on the counter, but do not over flour. The dough is supposed to be very sticky.
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