These soft milk dinner rolls are super simple to put together with just seven ingredients. It is safe to say this dinner roll recipe is a treasure to keep. They have a super fluffy texture complemented by a touch of sweetness from condensed milk.
If you're a first-time baker, don't be intimidated by these rolls. It's not too complicated to achieve, I promise. Once you get it, you will fall in love with yeasted baked goods sooner than you thought.
If you're a frequent baker looking for the best version of homemade fluffy, soft milk dinner rolls, please look no further. These rolls are what you've been looking for.
If you love dinner rolls and want to try something new, why not explore other amazing homemade recipes? Like this viral fluffy condensed milk bread (it got shared over 30 30,000 times on Pinterest) and this dairy-free fluffy braided challah bread.
These Original honey dinner rolls and buttery Parker house rolls are also hit recipes you shouldn't miss.
Do you still need more? These 12 creative homemade dinner rolls variations surely can keep your creativity to the fullest.
Baking schedule
- 9 am - gathering all ingredients
- 9:15 am - start mixing process
- 9:25 am - start kneading by hand
- 9:30 am - first proof (1.5 to 2 hours)
- 11:30 am - start shaping process
- 11:45 am - second proof (1 to 1.5 hours)
- 1:15 pm - brush with egg wash
- 1:20 pm - baking
- 1:50 pm - cooling and brush with milk glaze
- 2:00 pm - ready to serve
Essential ingredients
As mentioned above, you only need seven ingredients for this dinner roll recipe. Chances are you already have these ingredients in your pantry, so why wait?
- Unbleached flour: This has more protein than regular all-purpose flour, providing more structure for these sweetened condensed milk dinner rolls.
- Instant yeast: I use SAF Gold Instant yeast. Choosing and storing yeast are very critical. So make sure you do it the right way.
- Salt: Kosher salt is what I'm always using.
- Unsalted butter: unless otherwise stated, I always use unsalted butter in baking recipes.
- Sweetened condensed milk: you use this in the main recipe and the glaze, which helps make these sweet rolls shinier.
- Eggs and 7. whole milk.
Essential equipment
You can make these easy dinner rolls with just your bare hands. But if you want bakery-quality rolls, I recommend you should invest in these equipment:
- Stand mixer makes your job much easier, especially with this rich dough.
- Pastry cutter: to cut your dough into small pieces easier and faster.
- Baking pan: an 8x8 inches baking pan is used in this recipe.
- Mixing bowl: for your convenience, go for large stainless steel mixing bowl.
- Silicone spatula.
- Pastry brush: I prefer regular pastry brush over silicone brush for baking.
How to make soft milk dinner rolls
Combine all dry ingredients in a stand mixer’s mixing bowl. Meanwhile, whisk milk and egg together in a different small mixing bowl until the egg is well beaten.
On low speed, add wet ingredients to the dry mixture (using a stand mixer dough hook). Mix until cohesive dough forms and no dry flour remains, about 1 minute. Use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl if necessary. Increase speed to medium-low; add softened butter, one piece at a time. Make sure each piece is fully incorporated before adding the next.
Then, mix the dough until it is smooth and elastic and pull completely from the sides of the bowl—approximately 7 to 8 minutes.
Please do not add more flour to the dough because it is intentional for it to be lightly wet.
Transfer the dough to a lightly floured or coated with oil in a large mixing bowl. It is best to use a mixing bowl to knead instead of a countertop/surface due to the wetness of this enriched dough.
Knead by hand to form a smooth, round ball by gently lifting and folding the edge of the dough toward the middle. Then, turn the bowl 90 degrees and fold again. Repeat the turning bowl and folding dough until two full circles are completed.
Place the dough seam side down (if you're kneaded on a countertop, carefully move the dough to a clean, large mixing bowl).
Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and let the dough rise until it is double in size, approximately 1.5 to 2 hours (first proof). Do not rush this proofing process for this dinner roll recipe, or you’ll end up with heavy and dense rolls.
Meanwhile, grease your baking pan with softened butter.
When the dough is ready, press down to deflate it. Then, carefully transfer it to a clean and lightly floured counter. Divide the dough into nine equal pieces (about 2.6 to 3 oz for each piece).
Work with one piece of dough at a time. Cover the rest with plastic wrap to prevent them from drying out. Stretch the dough around your fingers and pinch the edges at the bottom to form a smooth, round ball.
Place the round dough seam side down on a counter (no flour to create more friction). Use your hand to drag the dough in small circles until it is completely round and smooth.
Arrange round doughs, seams side down, in a butter-greased baking pan.
Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let them rise until doubled in size, about 1 to 1.5 hours (second proof).
After completing the second proof, gently brush these milk dinner rolls with an egg wash mixture.
Put the dough on the middle rack of the oven. Bake until these soft milk dinner rolls are golden brown, approximately 30 to 40 minutes at 340F. Remember to rotate the baking pan halfway through the process.
Useful tips
- Use butter at room temperature - leave the butter out for 30 to 45 minutes before mixing time. Soften butter is easier to mix and faster to incorporate into the dough.
- Eggs and milk should be also at room temperature - having them at room temperature helps to speed up the mixing and proofing processes.
- Sift your flour - you should always sift your flour when baking. Sifted flour is lighter and easier to mix into batter or dough.
- Make sure to level your cups of flour - this is very important to perfectly achieve this recipe (and any other recipe). Always level off the top of the cups to get the exact amount of flour called for in the recipe.
- Also, level tbsp and tsp - not only cups need to be leveled, but any amount called for using a teaspoon or tablespoon also needs to have a leveled surface, to be precise.
FAQs
These enriched rolls can be wrapped in plastic and stored in a cool, dry place at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Yes, you can. After shaping the dough into equal pieces and placing it in a baking pan, refrigerate them for at least 8 or 24 hours. Then, let the dough sit at room temperature for 1 hour before baking. So, you can use the schedule above to plan accordingly.
Yes. After kneading the dough in a mixing bowl, you can wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and freeze it. The dough can be kept for up to 2 weeks.
Remember to let the dough thaw in the chiller the night before your baking day.
When you're ready to shape the dough, let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to an hour. Then, please go ahead with the shaping process.
You can substitute an equal amount of bleached or bread flour if you don't have unbleached flour.
Did you make this recipe? If so please leave a rating and let me know how it went in the comment section. Also, don't forget to tag me #cookmorphosis @cookmorphosis on social media.
Soft Milk Dinner Rolls
Equipment
Ingredients
Dinner roll dough
- 3 ¼ c AP unbleached flour sifted
- 1 tbsp instant yeast
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 c whole milk room temperature
- ½ c sweetened condensed milk room temperature
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 2 oz unsalted butter cut into small cubes, softened at room temperature
Egg wash
- 1 large egg
- 1 tbsp whole milk
Condensed milk glaze
- 3 tbsp sweetened condensed milk
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter softened at room temperature
Other
- extra butter for greasing pan and mixing bowl
- extra flour for dusting counter top
Instructions
Mixing process
- 3 ¼ c AP unbleached flour, 1 tbsp instant yeast, ½ tsp salt
- Meanwhile, whisk milk and egg together in a different small mixing bowl until the egg is well beaten.1 c whole milk, ½ c sweetened condensed milk, 1 large egg
- On low speed, add wet ingredients to the dry mixture (using a stand mixer dough hook). Mix until cohesive dough forms and no dry flour remains, about 1 minute.
- Use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl if necessary.
- Increase speed to medium-low; add softened butter, one piece at a time. Make sure each piece is fully incorporated before adding the next.2 oz unsalted butter
- Then, mix the dough until it is smooth and elastic and pull completely from the sides of the bowl—approximately 7 to 8 minutes.
- Please do not add more flour to the dough because it is intentional for it to be lightly wet.
Kneading & first proof
- Transfer the dough to a lightly floured or coated with oil in a large mixing bowl. It is best to use a mixing bowl to knead instead of a countertop/surface due to the wetness of this enriched dough.
- Knead by hand to form a smooth, round ball by gently lifting and folding the edge of the dough toward the middle. Then, turn the bowl 90 degrees and fold again. Repeat the turning bowl and folding dough until two full circles are completed.
- Place the dough seam side down (if you're kneaded on a countertop, carefully move the dough to a clean, large mixing bowl).
- Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and let the dough rise until it is double in size, approximately 1.5 to 2 hours (first proof). Do not rush this proofing process for this dinner roll recipe, or you’ll end up with heavy and dense rolls.
Shaping & second proof
- Meanwhile, grease your baking pan with softened butter.extra flour
- When the dough is ready, press down to deflate it. Then, carefully transfer it to a clean and lightly floured counter. Divide the dough into nine equal pieces (about 2.6 to 3 oz for each piece).extra butter
- Work with one piece of dough at a time. Cover the rest with plastic wrap to prevent them from drying out. Stretch the dough around your fingers and pinch the edges at the bottom to form a smooth, round ball.
- Place the round dough seam side down on a counter (no flour to create more friction). Use your hand to drag the dough in small circles until it is completely round and smooth.
- Arrange round doughs, seams side down, in a butter-greased baking pan.
- Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let them rise until doubled in size, about 1 to 1.5 hours (second proof).
Baking
- Pre heat oven to 340F.
- After completing the second proof, gently brush these milk dinner rolls with an egg wash mixture.1 large egg, 1 tbsp whole milk
- Put the dough on the middle rack of the oven. .
- Bake until these soft milk dinner rolls are golden brown, approximately 30 to 40 minutes at 340F. Remember to rotate the baking pan halfway through the process.
- When the milk dinner rolls are done baking, let them cool down for 5 minutes at room temperature.
- Then, brush with condensed milk glaze again. Serve warm or at room temperature.3 tbsp sweetened condensed milk, 1 tbsp unsalted butter
Notes
Storing
These milk dinner rolls or any other enriched bread/dinner rolls (see: fluffy condensed milk bread) can be wrapped in plastic wrap and stored in a cool, dry place at room temperature for up to 3 days.Leftover idea
Leftover easy homemade dinner rolls can be used to make bread pudding. Check out this fantastic soft cinnamon raisin bread pudding recipe.Plan ahead
You'll be able to make this milk buns recipe ahead of time. After shaping the dough into equal pieces and placing it in a baking pan, refrigerate them for at least 8 or 24 hours. Then, let the dough sit at room temperature for 1 hour before baking. So, you can use the schedule above to plan accordingly.Related recipes
- Old-fashioned honey dinner rolls – these rolls aren’t just fluffy, moist, and delicious. They are also less sweet than store-bought ones.
- Butter Parker house rolls are a cousin version of dinner rolls. They are fluffy and soft with a light, thin crust.
- No-knead classic brioche buns – The easiest version of dinner rolls. No stand mixer, no problem.
- Still not enough? These 12 creative homemade dinner roll variations surely can keep your creativity to the fullest.
Nutrition
can the bread flour be substituted for un bleached flour? if so what are the measurements for the bread flour?
I wasn’t sure how long to bake them but the tops were getting dark. They were too doughy for me and needed some more salt. My little kids loved them though, so Ill take anything they will eat.
Very nice rolls, yummy too.
Hi Elizabeth,
I'm so happy that you like the recipe 🙂
you don't actually say how long you should bake the rolls... is there a certain amount of time to do so?
Hi Tiago,
Sorry about that. I must've accidentally deleted the baking time. The rolls are baked from 30 to 40 minutes. It'll depend on your reference whether you like bright or deep golden crust. Hope this helps and thank you so much for pointing the mistake out. I really appreciate it.
Can I freeze the dough after the first rise?
Hi Cari,
Yes, you can. After you knead the dough in a mixing bowl, you can wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and freeze them. The dough can be kept for up to 2 weeks.
Remember to let the dough thaw in the chiller a night before your baking day (this is technically when the first proof is happening).
When ready to shape the dough, let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to an hour. Then proceed with the shaping process.
You said whole milk. If I don't have that, can I use 2% milk?
Definitely! Just keep in mind that the buns might be less fluffy compared to those using whole milk. The fat in whole milk helps weaken the gluten structure of the dough during the process thou.
Had a nightmare with this.... nothing looked like it should at any stage.. no dough stage just gooey mess. First attempt and last, takes forever and I'm sure I've only ever seen commercial versions of this....
My kids were so disappointed... they love the shop bought ones.
Mine were yellow, not white.. back to my griddle bread..
Hi Liam,
I am so sorry that the rolls did not work out for you. Perhaps if you elaborate more about the making process, I can help to troubleshoot what has been going wrong? These dinner rolls do require a little bit of time and patience to make them. Perhaps the temperature in your kitchen is little bit higher so it caused the dough to sweat quickly than normal. Furthermore, my rolls were not insanely white either because I used unbleached flour, they did have a yellow undertone afterwards.
Measured very carefully and my dough was so incredibly wet that it was impossible to knead. I even left it in the stand mixer for an extra few minutes but it never came together or pulled away from the sides. Against the recipe I added 2 extra tablespoons of flour but it was still an absolute mess. Extremely hard to shape because dough just wanted to spread and stick rather than form a nice surface tension. Flavor was nice but something was off for me.
You listed condensed milk as an ingredient, is that sweetened condensed milk or evaporated milk?
Hi Brenda,
It's sweetened condensed milk :). Please let me know how the rolls turn out.