These easy yeast rolls for beginners are made with just a few simple ingredients and become fabulous and golden brown. You're going to love this easy bread recipe because it's made from scratch and simple.
Recipe: $1.06 | Per Serving: $0.12 | Yields: 9 rolls
I adore baking bread from scratch, especially when it yields delicious dinner rolls like these. They're tall, fluffy, soft, and slightly chewy—everything you could want in a perfect dinner roll.
This recipe is based on my trusted 5 Ingredient White Bread Recipe, the foundation for many of my yeast bread creations like Vegan Burger Buns and Vegan Slider Buns. When a recipe works well, I stick with it.
Experience the joy of the warm, yeasty aroma wafting through the kitchen as these rolls bake to golden perfection. With their soft, fluffy texture, they offer pure comfort with every bite.
For non-vegans, a spread of Copycat Texas Roadhouse Butter complements these rolls perfectly. Alternatively, try them with Sugar Free Strawberry Jam or Sugar Free Blueberry Jam.
Jump to:
🍯 Why This Recipe Works
- They're allergen friendly. What makes them better is that because they're vegan yeast rolls, this means by default that they are dairy free and eggless dinner rolls too. Perfect for those with allergies or simply those who don't want to run to the store for another dozen eggs. My Eggless Banana Bread also happens to be vegan, for similar reasons.
- They taste like regular dinner rolls. Serve these tasty vegan rolls to friends and family, and I bet no one will notice the few missing ingredients either. My family hasn't noticed yet. 😉
- We only need 5 ingredients! Flour, yeast, sugar, salt, and oil. If you count water as an added ingredient, then we actually need 6 ingredients.
🥘 Ingredients
Ingredient Notes:
Flour- You will need all-purpose flour or bread flour for the gluten structure and base in this recipe. Bread flour will give it a softer texture, stronger crumb, and a slightly better flavor as well, but all purpose flour works just fine.
Yeast- Use some yeast to get the dough to expand and rise. I like to use active dry yeast, but instant will work fine. Make sure that your yeast is not expired.
Water- Use warm water that is about 110F to activate the yeast. If your water is too cold, the yeast won't activate and if it is too hot, it will kill the yeast.
For specific ingredients and measurements, please see the recipe card below.
🔪 Instructions for Easy Yeast Rolls
Step 1: In a bowl, whisk together the flour, yeast, and salt.
Step 2: Make a well in the center and add to it the sugar, oil, and water.
Step 3: Stir to combine.
Step 4: Knead the dough on a floured surface for about 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Feed it more flour as needed to get it no longer sticky. You will need about 1 additional cup of flour but this amount will vary.
Step 5: Place in a greased bowl and cover. Let rise until doubled, about 1 hour in a warm place.
Step 6: Punch down and divide into 9 equal sized rolls. Shape them out into smooth topped balls and place them into a greased 8x8 or 9x9 square baking dish.
Step 7: Cover again and let rise until doubled in size. About another hour.
Step 8: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and bake your dinner rolls for 15 minutes or until tops are lightly golden.
Step 9: Brush top with vegan butter spread or olive oil immediately after removing from the oven for that nice golden color.
🍴 Recipe Tips
- Check yeast freshness. Ensure yeast is not expired or old. If unsure, opt for a new packet with a long expiration date to guarantee effectiveness.
- Water temperature matters. Use water at around 110°F, similar to the warmth used when washing hands. Water that's too hot can kill the yeast, while water that's too cold may result in dense bread. A food thermometer is handy for temperature accuracy.
- Proofing time may vary. Although the recipe suggests an hour for the dough to double in size, the actual proofing time can vary depending on factors like temperature and humidity. In warmer climates, dough may double in size in as little as 30 minutes.
- Bread maker option. If preferred, see the recipe card below for instructions on using a bread maker for this vegan dinner roll recipe.
🍞 How to Knead Bread Dough
Hand Kneading Method
To achieve the perfect dough consistency, hand-kneading is preferred as it reduces the risk of overworking.
- Prepare the Surface: Place the dough on a floured surface.
- Roll and Fold: With both hands, roll the dough into an oval shape, then fold it back onto itself.
- Repeat and Rotate: Continue rolling and folding, periodically rotating the dough about 90 degrees to ensure even kneading.
- Check Consistency: After about 10 minutes, the dough should be smooth and elastic. Test by stretching a piece; it should not tear easily and should spring back when poked.
🥖 How Long to Proof Dough
Optimal Proofing Time- The duration required for dough proofing varies due to several factors like climate, yeast age, and temperature. While it typically takes 1 to 3 hours, some instances may only need 30 minutes.
Assessing Dough Readiness- Rather than relying solely on time, observe the dough's response. Aim for doubling in size, a sign of successful proofing.
Proper Techniques
- Covering the Dough: Use greased plastic wrap to cover the dough, preventing dryness and ensuring heat retention. Cooking spray helps prevent sticking.
- Warm Environment: Create an ideal environment for proofing. A popular method involves preheating the oven to 200 degrees F, then turning it off. Place the covered dough inside for optimal rise.
- Alternative Locations: If the oven isn't available, other spots like a closed microwave or a countertop on a warm day can facilitate proofing.
💭 Recipe FAQs
A dinner roll is a type of small, round, soft bread that is typically served with dinner, particularly in Western cuisines. Dinner rolls are characterized by their fluffy and tender texture and mild, slightly sweet flavor. They are a staple at many family gatherings, holiday feasts, and formal dinners.
When bread comes straight out of the oven the tops should be hard and sound hollow when tapped. Allowing it a few minutes to cool down will help it to soften. Brushing the tops with butter or oil will also help. If your bread texture is tough and chewy, it can be a result of overmixing. Allowing your dough to rest and proof can help to solve some overmixed issues as it gives the gluten a chance to relax.
If you didn't knead your bread dough well enough you will not have created the gluten elasticity needed for a fluffy texture. Make sure to knead your dough well and to give it that much-needed tension so that the texture is perfect.
❤️ More Delicious Vegan Recipes
If you tried these Easy Yeast Rolls for Beginners, please leave a ⭐️ star rating and share your feedback in the 📝 comments section below. I would truly appreciate it!
📖 Recipe
Easy Yeast Rolls for Beginners
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups all purpose flour or bread flour ($0.20)
- 2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast (one packet) ($0.38)
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt ($0.01)
- 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar ($0.05)
- 3 Tablespoons vegetable or olive oil ($0.42)
- 1 cup warm water (about 110 degrees F) ($0.00)
Instructions
- In a bowl whisk together the flour, yeast, and salt.
- Make a well in the center and add to it the sugar, oil, and water.
- Stir to combine.
- Knead the dough on floured surface for about 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Feed it more flour as needed to get it no longer sticky. You will need about 1 additional cup of flour but this amount will vary.
- Place in a greased bowl and cover. Let rise until doubled, about 1 hour in a warm place.
- Punch down and divide into 9 equal sized rolls. Shape them out into smooth topped balls and place into a greased 8x8 or 9x9 square baking dish.
- Cover again and let rise until doubled in size. About another hour.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and bake your dinner rolls for 15 minutes or until tops are lightly golden.
- Brush top with a vegan butter spread or olive oil immediately after removing from oven for that nice golden color.
Bread machine option
- Place ingredients in order of owner manual for your specific bread machine.
- Turn the machine to "dough cycle" and close the lid. Waiting for the beep.
- Take the dough and turn it onto a lightly floured surface. Knead for just a minute and divide into 9 rolls. Continue with the steps above starting with dividing the dough, shaping the rolls, and placing them into a square baking dish.
Notes
- Make sure your yeast is fresh; expired yeast can lead to poor results.
- Use water at the right temperature, around 110 degrees F.
- A food thermometer can help verify the water temperature.
- Proofing time may vary but usually takes about an hour; environmental factors can affect it.
- Properly knead the dough until it's smooth, elastic, and non-sticky.
- Freshly baked bread will have hard tops that sound hollow when tapped; letting it cool slightly can help.
- Tough, chewy bread may result from overmixing; allowing the dough to rest and proof can resolve this issue.
- Ensure thorough kneading to create the needed gluten elasticity for a fluffy texture.
Erika says
These were easy and turned out great. I made the dough and first rise in my bread machine. Then took them about and used a springform pan for the second rise and baking. I think I got 10 rolls. Brushed with olive oil after baking. They were delicious. My daughter and I both loved them. I’ll be making for Thanksgiving! I might even add in some rosemary 😋
BeeyondCereal says
I'm so glad you liked the rolls, these are some of our favorites! Adding rosemary sounds festive and delicious.
Bec says
This is a really tasty recipe! Thank you for sharing.