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    Home » Recipes » Sourdough

    Published: Nov 1, 2023 by Ashley Petrie, RDN, LDN · This post may contain affiliate links · 6 Comments

    Sourdough Dinner Rolls

    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe

    These Sourdough Dinner Rolls are soft and fluffy with a lightly sweet, nutty flavor. Made with sourdough starter and no yeast, they can be ready the same day and are the perfect side dish for any holiday meal.

    A white pie plate filled with baked golden brown sourdough dinner rolls. The rolls are brushed with butter and sprinkled with kosher salt.

    Since I started making my own sourdough bread from scratch, I've become a bit of a bread snob. And with Thanksgiving quickly approaching, I knew I didn't want to buy bland, floury store-bought dinner rolls this year.

    So, with my sourdough starter bubbly and active, I set out to make a simple, yet flavorful dinner roll. After testing various versions, this recipe was by far my favorite.

    These sourdough dinner rolls have the perfect combination of a soft, fluffy inside and a crusty, buttery outside. Plus, the nutty whole wheat flour and sweet honey add a rich, complex flavor.

    I chose to rely solely on whole milk for adding fat to the dough and giving these sourdough rolls their soft, tender texture. This not only simplifies the ingredient list but also creates a dough that is easy to handle.

    Today, I’m walking you through the entire process of making these same day sourdough dinner rolls at home, including which ingredients to use, tips for success, and how to easily fit this sourdough recipe into your busy schedule.

    Disclaimer: Some links throughout this post are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. You can learn more by visiting my Affiliate Disclosure Page.

    Ingredients & Substitutions

    Here are some notes on the key ingredients. For the full list of ingredients, check out the recipe card below.

    • Bread Flour- High in gluten-forming protein, bread flour helps create a strong gluten structure for good rise and chewiness.
    • Whole Wheat Flour- Through testing, I found that whole wheat flour is essential for giving the rolls a nutty, slightly sweet flavor and hearty texture. Feel free to swap some or all of it for more bread flour if preferred.
    • Sourdough Starter- You'll need a 100% hydration active sourdough starter for this recipe. If you have fresh sourdough discard from a strong, mature sourdough starter, you can use that too.
    • Whole Milk- The fat in whole milk acts as a tenderizer, resulting in soft, fluffy rolls. Warming the milk brings the temperature of the dough up, which helps make the yeast more active.
    • Honey- Adds sweetness, boosts yeast activity, and keeps the rolls soft and moist after baking.
    • Kosher Salt- I prefer kosher salt as it does not contain added ingredients and anti-caking agents found in table salt.
    • Butter- Coats the pan to prevent the rolls from sticking. You can also brush melted butter on top of the rolls after baking to give them a glossy finish and buttery flavor.
    The ingredients to make sourdough dinner rolls. Each ingredient is labeled with text. They include sourdough starter, whole milk, bread flour, wheat flour, kosher salt, butter, and honey.

    Tips for Success

    • Use an active starter. For the best rise, make sure your sourdough starter is bubbly and active.
    • Find a warm spot. Aim to keep the dough at around 75°F as it rises. If your kitchen is cool, try putting it in the oven with the light on.
    • Weigh your ingredients. Using a kitchen scale helps ensure accuracy, which makes a big difference in sourdough baking.
    • Be flexible with timing. The dough’s rise can vary depending on your starter’s strength and kitchen temperature. Don’t worry if it rises faster or slower than the recipe says.
    • Check for proper rise. Your dough is ready when it’s doubled in size, looks puffy, and has some bubbles on the surface.
    • Try different variations. Add herbs to the dough, brush the finished rolls with homemade honey butter, or sprinkle them with parmesan cheese for a flavorful twist.

    How to Make Sourdough Dinner Rolls

    Here is how to make homemade dinner rolls with sourdough starter.

    Step 1: Feed the sourdough starter. Give your sourdough starter a feeding 6-12 hours before making the dough for an active, bubbling starter.

    An active, bubbly sourdough starter in a glass jar.

    Step 2: Warm the milk. In a small saucepan over low heat, combine milk and honey. Whisk until honey is dissolved and milk reaches about 90°F. Set aside to cool slightly.

    Whole milk and honey in a stainless steel pot.

    Step 3: Combine dough ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together bread flour, whole wheat flour, and kosher salt. Add the warmed milk-honey mixture and sourdough starter.

    Step 4: Mix the dough. Use your hands to mix until a cohesive, slightly shaggy dough forms and there's no dry flour visible. Cover the bowl with a damp towel or plastic wrap and let it rest for 30 minutes.

    Flour and kosher salt in a blue mixing bowl.
    All of the dough ingredients in a blue mixing bowl before being mixed together.
    Sourdough dinner roll dough in a blue mixing bowl after being mixed together.

    Step 5: Stretch and fold. Perform four sets of stretch and folds at 30-minute intervals, gently flipping the dough over after every set (see video below for a more detailed demonstration of this technique).

    The dough folded over itself in a blue bowl during a process called stretch and fold.
    The dough being stretched and folded in a blue mixing bowl.

    Step 6: Bulk fermentation. Let the dough rise until it's noticeably puffy and roughly doubles in size. This takes about 4 hours at around 75°F.

    Sourdough dinner roll dough in a blue mixing bowl at the start of bulk fermentation.
    The dough after bulk fermentation.

    Step 7: Shape the rolls. Butter the baking dish generously. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide it into 12 equal pieces (about 57 grams each). Shape into balls and arrange evenly in the pan.

    The dough portioned out into equal-sized pieces before being shaped into rolls.
    Three pieces of dough showing the various stages of shaping. The top piece is flat and unshaped. The middle piece has the corners folded into the center. The third piece is after the corners have all being pinched together and sealed.

    Step 8: Proof the rolls. Cover the rolls and allow them to proof for 1-2 hours, or until they look noticeably puffy.

    Twelve shaped dinner rolls in a buttered white pie plate before proofing.
    The dinner rolls after proofing.

    Step 9: Bake the rolls. About 20 minutes before they're done proofing, preheat the oven to 375°F. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the tops turn a light golden brown and the internal temperature of the rolls reaches 190°F. If the tops are browning too quickly, cover them loosely with foil.

    Step 10: Butter and serve. Remove the rolls from the oven, immediately brush with melted butter, and sprinkle with kosher salt. Let them cool for 5-10 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

    The baked sourdough dinner rolls in a white pie plate.
    The dinner rolls brushed with butter and sprinkled with salt while still warm after baking.

    Sample Schedule

    Here is an example of a schedule you can use to make these sourdough dinner rolls. The kitchen in this example is approximately 70°F.

    Night Before

    10:00 PM: Feed sourdough starter.

    Day Of

    6:00 AM: Mix dough together.

    6:30-8:30 AM: Stretch and folds.

    8:30 AM-12:30 PM: Bulk fermentation.

    12:30 PM: Shape dinner rolls.

    1:00-3:00 PM: Proof dinner rolls.

    3:00 PM: Bake dinner rolls.

    Make Ahead

    • After Bulk Fermentation- Cover and refrigerate the dough once it doubles in size. When ready, shape the dough, let it proof, and bake.
    • After Shaping- Arrange the dinner rolls in the pan, cover, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Before baking, let them sit at room temperature for 2 hours for their final rise.
    Sourdough dinner rolls in a white pie plate. Two of the dinner rolls have been removed from the dish and are to the right of it. One of the rolls is ripped open. There is a large serving fork in the pie dish.

    How to Store

    Store leftover sourdough dinner rolls in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

    For longer storage, place rolls in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before reheating.

    A cover of a recipe ebook with the title "Everyday Sourdough: 27 Sweet & Savory Sourdough Discard Recipes." There is an image of sourdough discard cinnamon rolls on the front. At the bottom, it reads "By Ashley Petrie of Everyday Homemade."
    Grab a copy today!

    Are you tired of watching your sourdough discard go to waste?

    It’s time to turn excess discard into something delicious with my new ebook - Everyday Sourdough!

    Inside, you’ll find 27 tried-and-true sourdough discard recipes that will transform your leftover starter into mouthwatering creations your family and friends will love.

    No more guilt about wasting your discard - with Everyday Sourdough, you have endless options to quickly make something amazing anytime.

    Let's Connect!

    Be sure to leave a comment below if you have any questions. You can also connect with me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, or via email at [email protected].

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    📖 Recipe

    A white pie plate filled with baked golden brown sourdough dinner rolls. The rolls are brushed with butter and sprinkled with kosher salt.
    Print Pin SaveSaved!

    Sourdough Dinner Rolls

    These Sourdough Dinner Rolls are soft and fluffy with a lightly sweet, nutty flavor. Made with sourdough starter and no yeast, they can be ready the same day and are the perfect side dish for any holiday meal.
    Course Bread, Side Dish
    Cuisine American
    Prep Time 15 hours hours
    Cook Time 30 minutes minutes
    Total Time 15 hours hours 30 minutes minutes
    Servings 12 rolls
    Calories 150kcal
    Author Ashley Petrie, RDN, LDN

    Equipment

    • 9-inch round cake pan, pie plate, or cast iron skillet
    • Kitchen scale
    • Basting brush

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup (235 grams) whole milk
    • 1 ½ tablespoons (30 grams) honey
    • 1 ¾ cups (210 grams) bread flour
    • 1 ¼ cups (150 grams) whole wheat flour
    • 2 ½ teaspoons (7 grams) kosher salt
    • 6 tablespoons (75 grams) active sourdough starter 100% hydration
    • Unsalted butter for coating the pan
    • Extra melted butter and kosher salt for topping

    Instructions

    • Give your sourdough starter a feeding 6-12 hours before making the dough for an active, bubbling starter.
    • In a small saucepan over low heat, combine milk and honey. Whisk until honey is dissolved and milk reaches about 90°F. Set aside to cool slightly.
      1 cup (235 grams) whole milk, 1 ½ tablespoons (30 grams) honey
    • In a large mixing bowl, whisk together bread flour, whole wheat flour, and kosher salt. Add the warmed milk-honey mixture and sourdough starter.
      1 ¾ cups (210 grams) bread flour, 1 ¼ cups (150 grams) whole wheat flour, 2 ½ teaspoons (7 grams) kosher salt, 6 tablespoons (75 grams) active sourdough starter
    • Use your hands to mix until a cohesive, slightly shaggy dough forms and there's no dry flour visible. Cover the bowl with a damp towel or plastic wrap and let it rest for 30 minutes.
    • After 30 minutes, perform your first set of stretch and folds. Do this by dipping your hand into a bowl of water before grabbing one edge of the dough and pulling it up as far as it will stretch before folding it over onto itself. Rotate the bowl 90 degrees and repeat. Repeat this stretching and folding around the dough two more times (for a total of 4 times). Then, gently flip the dough over so that the fold side is now facing down. Cover and allow the dough to rest for 30 minutes before performing another set of stretch and folds. Perform 4 sets of stretch and folds in total.
    • Let the dough rise until it's noticeably puffy and roughly doubles in size. This takes about 4 hours at 75°F.
    • Generously coat the bottom and sides of a pie plate or cake pan with butter. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 12 equal pieces, about 57 grams each. Take each piece, bring its edges to the center, and shape them into balls. Roll the creased side around the counter to seal it. Place the dough balls equally spaced into the prepared pan.
      Unsalted butter
    • Cover the rolls and allow them to proof for 1-2 hours, or until they look noticeably puffy.
    • About 20 minutes before they're done proofing, preheat the oven to 375°F. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the tops turn a light golden brown and the internal temperature of the rolls reaches 190°F. If the tops are browning too quickly, cover them loosely with foil.
    • Remove the rolls from the oven, immediately brush with melted butter, and sprinkle with kosher salt. Let them cool for 5-10 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
      Extra melted butter and kosher salt

    Video

    Notes

    • Storage: Store leftover rolls in an airtight container for up to 3 days or freezer for up to 3 months.
    • To Make Ahead: Cover and refrigerate the dough after bulk fermentation once it doubles in size. When ready to proceed, shape the dough, allow it to proof, and proceed with baking. Alternatively, cover and refrigerate the shaped rolls for up to 24 hours. Before baking, allow them to sit at room temperature for 2 hours for their final rise.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1dinner roll | Calories: 150kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1.5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 6mg | Sodium: 276mg | Potassium: 94mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Calcium: 30mg | Iron: 1.4mg
    Did you try this recipe?Let me know! Comment below, or take a picture and tag me on Instagram @everydayhomemadebyashley.

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    Reader Interactions

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Rachel says

      November 12, 2024 at 5:24 pm

      I will be making and baking these ahead of time in order to drive with them ( 4 hours). Do you have any heating guidance for either thawed or frozen rolls?

      Reply
      • Ashley Petrie, RDN, LDN says

        November 13, 2024 at 11:32 am

        Hi Rachel! Yes, I recommend thawing them at room temperature before reheating. Then, you can reheat them in a 350°F oven. Just cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil and heat for about 10 minutes or until they're warmed through. Hope this helps! 🙂

        Reply
        • Megan says

          November 13, 2024 at 3:14 pm

          What about freezing the dough before you bake them. Have you tried that?

          Reply
          • Ashley Petrie, RDN, LDN says

            November 13, 2024 at 3:55 pm

            Hi Megan! I have not tried that before so I can't say for sure how they would turn out. I would probably freeze them after shaping/before proofing, then let them sit out overnight to thaw and proof before baking the next day. I'm not sure how they would bake up if you froze them after proofing, then baked them from frozen. I may have to try this in the future as an experiment!

            Reply
    2. Beth says

      April 13, 2025 at 7:27 am

      Could I substitute a plant based milk?

      Reply
      • Ashley Petrie, RDN, LDN says

        April 13, 2025 at 8:08 pm

        Hi Beth! I haven't tried it myself, but using plant-based milk should most likely work as a substitute for the whole milk in this recipe. It may alter the flavor a little, but it should still turn out well. Let me know how it goes!

        Reply

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