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Home / Latest Posts / Recipes / Course / Bread / Fluffy Dinner Rolls

Fluffy Dinner Rolls

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By: Leigh Anne WilkesPosted: 8/08/23Updated: 1/09/25

This post may contain affiliate links. Please see disclosure policy here.

overhead shot of fluffy dinner rolls

Light as a feather describes these fluffy dinner rolls perfectly.  They are made using a flour paste which adds extra moisture into the dough. 

fluffy dinner rolls on a cooling rack

Why You’ll Love This Recipe!

This particular recipe makes 12 nice size fluffy dinner rolls. Sometimes you just don’t need two dozen rolls, but if you need more than 12 you can easily double the recipe.

The recipe uses a unique process to make the most delicious homemade dinner rolls. It was fun to try something different and the results were amazing!

close up of fluffy dinner rolls

What is Tangzhong?

It is a Japanese bread making method that uses a flour paste which adds extra moisture into the dough.  It helps the rolls maintain that soft, light, fresh out of the oven texture for more than a day.  The way in which the rolls are rolled out and then formed also helps create the soft feathery texture that give these fluffy dinner rolls their name.

Ingredients Needed

  • Bread flour
  • Cold Milk
  • Egg
  • Instant or Rapid Rise Yeast
  • Sugar
  • Salt
  • Butter

What is Flour Paste?

Flour paste is a combination of bread flour and water. You stir the two together and then cook it in the microwave until it forms a pudding like consistency.  This is added into the dinner roll dough.  If you are a bread maker you will notice that the directions are different for these fluffy dinner rolls than you may be use to, but be sure and follow them.  There are scientific reasons for them including building a strong gluten structure within the dough.

flour paste in a bowl

How to Make Fluffy Dinner Rolls

Make Flour Paste:

  • Mix together water and flour in a small bowl until there are no lumps.
making flour paste in a bowl
  • Microwave for 20 seconds and stir, do an additional 20 seconds if the mixture hasn’t thickened to pudding like consistency. It should mound when dropped from the end of a spoon.
  • In a stand mixer. combine flour paste and milk together. Mix until smooth. Add in egg and mix to combine.
  • Add in flour and yeast and with dough hook attachment mix on low until flour is incorporated.
  • Let rest for 15 minutes.
  • Add sugar and salt and mix on medium low speed for 5 minutes.
  • Keep mixer running and add in softened butter, 1 Tbsp at a time. Continue to mix for 5 more minutes, scraping bowl if necessary.
  • Place dough onto a very lightly floured surface. Knead to form a ball. Place into a lightly greased bowl and lightly coat surface of dough and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise for 1 hour or until doubled in size in a draft-free place.
dough doubled in size in a bowl
  • Grease a 9 inch cake pan.
  • Transfer dough to counter and press out into a 8 x 9 rectangle with short side facing you.
cutting dough for fluffy dinner rolls
  • Cut into 4 equal strips lengthwise and then cut into 3 equal pieces crosswise for a total of 12 pieces.
  • Stretch each piece of dough into a 8 inch x 2 inch strip.
stretching out fluffy roll dough
  • Starting at the short end of the dough roll up into a tight cylinder. Place into greased pan seam side down.
fluffy roll dough rolled up
  • Cover with plastic wrap and let rise 1 hour.
  • When doubled in size bake in a oven preheated to 375 degrees F for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.
doubled in size fluffy dinner rolls
  • Let cool on a cooling rack for 3 minutes and then remove from pan, turning upside down onto a rack and then reinvert.
  • Brush tops with melted butter.
brushing rolls with melted butter
  • Allow to cool for 20 minutes before serving (I never do)

Tips for Making Fluffy Dinner Rolls

  • Use instant yeast or active dry yeast.
  • If you all you have is dry active yeast you can definitely use that. Replace 1/2 of the milk with 1/4 cup of warm water, using only 1/4 cup of milk. Place yeast in warm water (105-110 degrees F for about 10 minutes or until foamy and bubbly.
  • To get your dough to rise quicker try one of these tips:

Cover your bowl of dough and place into your oven with the light on. The heat from the light will help the dough rise faster.

overhead shot of fluffy dinner rolls

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I freeze fluffy dinner rolls?

I like to freeze the dough before it is baked. Freeze the rolls before the second rise. Cover with plastic wrap tightly and a layer of foil and freeze them in the baking pan. You can later remove them from the baking pan after they are frozen solid if you like.
To bake: Remove from the freezer an place the rolls back in the baking pan if you removed it and allow them to thaw overnight in the refrigerator. They will rise as they thaw. Bake according to directions. For a quicker thaw you can let them sit at room temperature until double in size.

Can I mix the dough by hand?

You can definitely make this dinner roll recipe without a mixer. Mix the dough ingredients together in a large bowl with a wooden spoon. Once the dough comes together knead by hand for about 10 minutes.
To knead by hand, use the heel of your hand to press on the dough moving in a forward rolling motion. Rotate your dough ball and repeat. Continuing until dough is soft and smooth. ! 

Check out more delicious roll recipes:

  • 30 Minute Rolls
  • 30 Minute Cheese Herb Rolls
  • Orange Rolls for Two
  • One Hour Cinnamon Rolls
  • Small Batch Dinner Rolls

Be sure and follow me over on You Tube for weekly cooking demos.

4.89 from 9 votes
overhead shot of fluffy dinner rolls

Fluffy Dinner Rolls

Recipe From: Leigh Anne Wilkes
Light as a feather describes these fluffy dinner rolls perfectly.  They are made using a flour paste which adds extra moisture into the dough. 
serves: 12 rolls
Prep:2 hours hours 20 minutes minutes
Cook:15 minutes minutes
Total:2 hours hours 35 minutes minutes
Rate Recipe

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup water
  • 3 Tbsp bread flour

Dough

  • 1/2 cup cold milk
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 cups bread flour
  • 1 1/2 tsp instant or rapid rise yeast
  • 2 Tbsp sugar
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 4 Tbsp butter softened
  • 1/2 Tbsp butter melted

Instructions

Flour Paste

  • Mix together water and flour in a small bowl until there are no lumps.
  • Microwave for 20 seconds and stir, do an additional 20 seconds if the mixture hasn’t thickened to pudding like consistency. It should mound when dropped from the end of a spoon.

Dough

  • In a stand mixer combine flour paste and milk together. Mix until smooth.
  • Add in egg, stir.
  • Add in flour and yeast. and with dough hook attachment mix on low until flour is incorporated.
  • Let rest for 15 minutes.
  • Add sugar and salt and mix on medium low speed for 5 minutes.
  • Keep mixer running and add in softened butter, 1 Tbsp at a time. Continue to mix for 5 more minutes, scraping bowl if necessary.
  • Place dough onto a very lightly floured counter. Knead to form a ball. Place into a lightly greased bowl and lightly coat surface of dough and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
  • Grease a 9 inch cake pan.
  • Transfer dough to counter and press outinto a 8 x 9 rectangle with short side facing you.
  • Cut into 4 equal strips lengthwise and then cut into 3 equal pieces crosswise for a total of 12 pieces.
  • Stretch each piece of dough into a 8 inch x 2 inch strip. Starting at short end of dough roll up into a tight cylinder. Place into greased pan seam side down.
  • Cover with plastic wrap and let rise 1 hour.
  • When doubled in size bake in a oven preheated to 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.
  • Let cool on a cooling rack for 3 minutes and then remove from pan, turning upside down onto a rack and then reinvert.
  • Brush tops with melted butter.
  • Allow to cool for 20 minutes before serving (I never do)

Tips & Notes:

If you all you have is dry active yeast you can definitely use that. Replace 1/2 of the milk with 1/4 cup of warm water, using only 1/4 cup of milk. Place yeast in warm water (105-110 degrees F for about 10 minutes or until foamy and bubbly.
To get dough rise quicker, place the bowl of dough, covered with a towel into the oven.  Turn your oven light on.  The heat from the light will help it to rise faster.

Recommended Products

Measuring Spoons
Measuring Cups
Cake Pan (9in)

Nutrition Facts:

Calories: 140kcal (7%) Carbohydrates: 19g (6%) Protein: 3g (6%) Fat: 5g (8%) Saturated Fat: 3g (19%) Cholesterol: 26mg (9%) Sodium: 242mg (11%) Potassium: 44mg (1%) Sugar: 2g (2%) Vitamin A: 170IU (3%) Calcium: 18mg (2%) Iron: 0.3mg (2%)
* Disclaimer: All nutrition information are estimates only. Read full disclosure here.
Course:Bread
Cuisine:American
overhead shot of fluffy dinner rolls
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Originally posted January 20, 2016

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4.89 from 9 votes (3 ratings without comment)

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  1. Phaedra kowis says

    Posted on 9/12 at 12:25 pm

    Had to say this was a different recipe for me in the way to make rolls but minus the mishap of lighting up my tea towel on top of the stove they turned out great. I followed the directions just as they were given and yes once you add the butter the dough is soft, but once I dropped it on the lightly floured counter and gave it a couple of kneeds it was perfect. Hot out of the oven they were fantastic!

    Reply
  2. Vicki says

    Posted on 4/15 at 1:33 pm

    Do you put the dry yeast in the flour mix? I have never done that before. I have always mixed it with warm water first.

    Reply
    • Leigh Anne says

      Posted on 4/22 at 6:45 am

      This recipe calls for rapid rise yeast and that is how it works – you add it in with the dry ingredients. No need to proof it first in water.

      Reply
  3. Alisha says

    Posted on 4/7 at 12:30 pm

    I’ve been looking for a recipe like this for MONTHS. I needed a perfect roll for a dinner I was having and was making 3 different types of rolls a day, until I found this recipe. My go to recipe for rolls! They rose beautifully and taste amazing!

    Reply
    • Leigh Anne says

      Posted on 4/7 at 12:49 pm

      Alisha, SO glad you loved them too!

      Reply
  4. Maria says

    Posted on 1/24 at 4:56 pm

    The rolls were amazing. The prep time is an hour longer than stated at the top of the recipe, so hopefully you can correct that for future readers. I didn’t realize it until I was half way through, and therefore ended up not having enough time to finish them up and bake them after the second rising that night. I put the dough in the fridge and set them out the next afternoon to come to room temp and rise again, then popped them in the oven and they were perfect.

    Reply
  5. Georgia says

    Posted on 1/24 at 2:59 pm

    I’m in the process of making these right now and 2 cups of flour seems like not nearly enough. I have added about 3/4C extra flour and it finally has enough grip to form it into a ball that isn’t just goo. Did you only have 2 cups or did you have to add more? I’m in Utah, so I know I need to add a little more flour because of the elevation difference, but usually not that much more. I wonder why mine is so different from yours.

    Reply
    • Georgia says

      Posted on 1/24 at 6:31 pm

      These were the best thing I’ve ever made. I had three and wanted all twelve. I may be a full pound heavier on the scale tomorrow and I blame you. Curse you and your delicious food!

      I did have to add a full 3/4 cup extra flour, but I wonder if that’s because I make my own bread flour with 2t gluten in each cup of flour. Maybe store bough has more substance.

      Reply
    • Diana says

      Posted on 4/3 at 12:11 pm

      I had the same problem. Not enough flour. I wonder if 3/4 cup flour to be added to the water was intended because I had to microwave much longer in order to get the proper consistency.

      Reply
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