Small Batch Dinner Roll Recipe - only makes 4 rolls! (2024)

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By: Leigh Anne Wilkes

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These light and fluffy small batch dinner rolls are the perfect addition to any meal and you only need to make four rolls instead of two dozen!.

Small Batch Dinner Roll Recipe - only makes 4 rolls! (1)

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Being able to make only four rolls at a time is life changing, I make them so much more often because I don’t end up with dozens of leftover rolls! As an empty nester, a traditional roll recipe that makes two dozen rolls is just way too many. I end up with too many leftover rolls and I eat too many rolls!

  1. Thanks to this recipe I no longer have to reserve roll making to a big holiday dinner with friends and family. I can enjoy homemade rolls with any weeknight meal. They are perfect with a plate of pasta or a bowl of soup, or just about anything.
  2. You don’t have to be an empty nester to enjoy this recipe though. The recipe makes four large rolls but you can easily make 6 smaller rolls if you are needing to feed more people.
  3. It takes under an hour to make these dinner rolls. Just start them at the beginning of dinner prep and by the time dinner is ready, your rolls will be too.
Small Batch Dinner Roll Recipe - only makes 4 rolls! (2)

Ingredients Needed

  • Milk. Use what you have on hand. Can also substitute water if needed.
  • Olive Oil
  • Honey. Can use sugar if you prefer
  • Dry Active Yeast. Be sure it’s not expired.
  • Salt
  • Flour. I prefer unbleached all purpose flour
  • Egg. For an egg wash, optional.
Small Batch Dinner Roll Recipe - only makes 4 rolls! (3)

Top Tips for working with yeast

  1. Always check the expiration date on your yeast package. Store your yeast in the fridge or freezer to help it stay fresh longer.
  2. Use a thermometer to check the temperature of your warm liquid if you aren’t sure. It should be between 105-115 degrees F.

How to Make Small Batch Yeast Rolls

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
  • Add oil, honey, and yeast into warm milk. Stir and let rest for 15 minutes until it begins to bubble and get foamy. If you have questions about working with yeast be sure and check out my post with all my best tips and tricks.
Small Batch Dinner Roll Recipe - only makes 4 rolls! (4)
  • Add in salt and flour to yeast mixture and put in a stand mixer. Using the dough hook, mix until the dough comes together and is slightly sticky but not sticking to the sides of the bowl. If the dough is too sticky add some additional flour a tablespoon at a time.
  • Knead for 5 minutes until soft and smooth
  • Cover and let rise for 20 minutes.
Small Batch Dinner Roll Recipe - only makes 4 rolls! (5)
  • Divide dough into four pieces and form into balls. Place into a greased pan (I use a 6 inch cake pan) and cover.
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  • Let rise for 15 minutes and preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Small Batch Dinner Roll Recipe - only makes 4 rolls! (7)
  • Brush rolls with beaten egg for an egg wash. This is purely aesthetic so you can skip this step if you like.
Small Batch Dinner Roll Recipe - only makes 4 rolls! (8)
  • Bake for 12-14 minutes or until rolls are golden brown and baked through. Allow to cool in the pan for a few minutes and then remove.

I’m a firm believer that these small batch dinner rolls should be eaten warm out of the oven and slathered in butter!

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use rapid rise yeast instead?

You can. Just skip the step where you proof the yeast in the liquid and just add the yeast in with the dry ingredients and then add in liquid.

Can I double this recipe?

This recipe will easily double if you need more rolls.

Small Batch Dinner Roll Recipe - only makes 4 rolls! (10)

Pair This With

  • Spaghetti with Meat Sauce
  • Pasta e fa*gioli Soup
  • Fresh Tomato Soup
  • Sunday Pot Roast
  • Lasagna for Two
  • Chili for Two

For more bread recipes try these:

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

Be sure and follow me over onYou Tubefor weekly cooking demos.

4.97 from 64 votes

Small Batch Dinner Roll Recipe - only makes 4 rolls! (11)

Small Batch Dinner Rolls

Recipe From: Leigh Anne Wilkes

These light and fluffy small batch dinner rolls are the perfect addition to any meal and you only need to make four rolls instead of two dozen!

serves: 4 rolls

Prep:45 minutes minutes

Cook:12 minutes minutes

0 minutes minutes

Total:57 minutes minutes

Rate Recipe

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup warm milk 105-115 degrees f
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 Tbsp honey
  • 1/2 Tbsp active dry yeast
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 egg beaten, for egg wash

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

  • Add oil, honey, and yeast into warm milk. Stir and let rest for 15 minutes until it begins to bubble and get foamy.

  • Add in salt and flour to yeast mixture and put in a stand mixer. Using the dough hook, mix until the dough comes together and is slightly sticky but not sticking to the sides of the bowl.

    If the dough is too sticky add some additional flour a Tablespoon at a time. Knead for 5 minutes until soft and smooth

  • Cover and let rise for 20 minutes

  • Divide dough into four pieces and form into balls. Place into a greased pan (I use a 6 inch cake pan) and cover. Let rise for 15 minutes.

  • Brush rolls with beaten egg for an egg wash.

  • Bake for 12-14 minutes or until rolls are golden brown and baked through.

Tips & Notes:

  • Always check the expiration date on your yeast package. Store your yeast in the fridge or freezer to help it stay fresh longer.
  • Use a thermometer to check the temperature of your warm liquid if you aren’t sure. It should be between 105-115 degrees F.

Nutrition Facts:

Calories: 269kcal (13%) Carbohydrates: 41g (14%) Protein: 7g (14%) Fat: 9g (14%) Saturated Fat: 1g (6%) Cholesterol: 41mg (14%) Sodium: 308mg (13%) Potassium: 80mg (2%) Fiber: 2g (8%) Sugar: 4g (4%) Vitamin A: 59IU (1%) Calcium: 13mg (1%) Iron: 2mg (11%)

* Disclaimer: All nutrition information are estimates only. Read full disclosure here.

Course:Bread

Cuisine:American

Small Batch Dinner Roll Recipe - only makes 4 rolls! (12)

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Leave a Review

  1. Maisie says

    Easy and delicious! I let my bread machine do the work on the dough cycle then form them and bake in the oven. Thanks for the recipe!

    Reply

  2. Stacey B says

    I’m just getting back into yeasted baking (and baking with gluten for my partner). These were easy, and my partner said they were delicious (and he’s particular). I did bake these in a large toaster oven/ air fryer, and I’ve learned you must adjust the temp down. I baked these at 385 and they came out great. Also, things in a smaller oven tend to brown more quickly, so sometimes I cover things with parchment toward the end of baking.
    Great recipe!

    Reply

  3. Rhonda Evans says

    Can u freeze these?

    Reply

    • Leigh Anne Wilkes says

      I have personally not done it but you should be able to freeze them.

      Reply

  4. Nidia Segarra says

    Excellent dinner rolls recipe. My husband loves them. Tx!

    Reply

  5. Nidia Segarra says

    Excellent recipe, thank you!

    Reply

Older Comments

Small Batch Dinner Roll Recipe - only makes 4 rolls! (2024)

FAQs

How do you divide dinner rolls? ›

Divide dough in half. On a lightly floured surface, roll one half into a 10-inch circle. Cut into 8 wedges. Starting at the widest end, roll up each piece, taking care to tuck the “tail” under when placing it on a baking sheet lightly oiled or covered with parchment paper.

Why did my dinner rolls come out heavy? ›

Too much flour makes yeast dough too stiff to rise correctly. Be careful measuring flour. When flour is "scooped" into the measuring cup directly from the container, it compresses or becomes packed. This means you will be adding more flour than called for in the recipe.

How do you make bread lighter and fluffier? ›

All it takes is a small amount of dough enhancer per loaf to create a much lighter and fluffier result. Using a dough enhancer like Vital Wheat Gluten works to improve the texture and elasticity of the dough and elongate the strands of gluten. Doing so allows more room for the gas in the dough to develop and rise.

What happens if you add too much flour to dinner rolls? ›

Too much flour results in a dry, crumbly dough that's unpleasant and difficult to work with. It doesn't stick to itself and tends to fall apart when kneaded.

How many dinner rolls per person for dinner? ›

When it comes to dinner rolls in catering, plan for 1-2 per person depending on the event type and menu. For a formal event, stick to 1 roll; for a casual one, offer 2. Don't forget to consider plate size and side dishes. It's better to have extra rolls than run out mid-event.

Does adding more yeast make bread fluffier? ›

The more the yeast grows, the more gas forms in the dough. The more gas in the dough the fluffier the finished product will be. Now that you know the yeast is the rising (leavening) agent in the bread dough.

Does letting bread rise longer make it fluffier? ›

Does Rising Bread Affect Its Texture? For a fluffy bread texture, the key is to let the bread rise long enough.

Why are my bread rolls not light and fluffy? ›

Rolls that are not light and fluffy can be the result of using too much flour (not measuring the flour correctly, as we mention above), or not using the type of flour your recipe calls for. Another reason for dense tough rolls is overmixing, which will produce too much gluten.

What temperature should I bake my rolls? ›

Preheat oven to 375°F. Bake until golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes.

Does over kneading make bread dense? ›

If your dough feels dense and tough to handle when you stop the mixer, it is a sign that it is becoming over-kneaded. Over-kneaded dough can become very hard to work with and produce a more flat and chewy bread.

Why do my dinner rolls taste bland? ›

Salt adds flavor to bread. If none or too little is used in a recipe, the bread will lack the right flavor and taste "bland." If you reduce the amount of salt, try adding some dried herbs to increase the flavor. Too much yeast in bread will give bread an off-taste.

How do bakeries get their bread so soft? ›

There's something magical about the bread you get at your local bakeries - they're always sooo soft and fluffy. Many of these breads, especially packaged ones, are made with a ton of chemical additives such as calcium propionate, amylase, and chlorine dioxide which help keep them soft, light, and fluffy for days.

Does kneading bread dough make it lighter? ›

To get a lighter bread, strengthening of the dough is. highly important and it is done through kneading.

Does sugar feed yeast in bread? ›

The effect of adding sugar to your bread dough

Adding up to 5% of sugar will speed up fermentation as it will feed the yeast in the initial stages before enzymes begin to break down the complex sugar molecules in the starches into simple sugars that the yeast can eat.

How do you split bread dough? ›

Dividing the dough marks the end of bulk fermentation.

First of all, you would not divide the dough if you were only making one loaf of bread. The dough can be divided by just eyeballing it. This works best at home and if you are only making two breads. Otherwise, scales should be used to achieve an even batch.

How do you cut bread rolls in half? ›

Using your sharp serrated knife, slowly and carefully slice through the center of the roll horizontally. Apply gentle pressure to avoid crushing the roll. Once you've made your initial cut, continue sliding the knife through the roll, maintaining a steady hand and even pressure.

How do you divide dough into 24 pieces? ›

Divide the dough in half, then in half again, and in half once more so you have eight pieces. Divide each of those eight pieces in thirds. Voilà — 24 rolls. Round each piece of dough into a smooth ball.

How do you cut bread rolls? ›

Turn the bread roll on its side, and use your bread knife to slice the top part off. Set the top part you just cut off to the side. This will become the lid for your bread bowl later on. Cut a circle inside the bread bowl, about ¼ to ½ inch (0.64 to 1.27 centimeters) away from the edge.

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