Soft Dinner Rolls with Sea Salt: Step-by-Step Recipe

These dinner rolls start with a simple yeast dough enriched with whole milk, melted butter, and eggs. The recipe makes 16 servings, with about 2 hours of prep time (mostly rising) and 30 minutes in the oven. The finished rolls have a golden crust, a soft interior, and a light sprinkle of sea salt on top.

What you need

The dough comes together from basic baking ingredients. Here is the full list from the recipe.

• 1 cup whole milk
• ½ cup warm water
• ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
• ¼ cup sugar
• 2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast (1 packet)
• 4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
• 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• Neutral oil, for greasing
• Sea salt, for sprinkling

Step-by-step instructions

The original recipe provides the first few steps in detail. Follow them as written, then continue with the remaining steps below to shape and bake the rolls.

1. In a liquid measuring cup or small bowl, combine the warm milk, warm water, melted butter, and sugar.
2. Sprinkle the yeast evenly over the wet ingredients, stir to combine, and let stand for 5 minutes, until foamy.
3. In a large bowl, combine the flour and salt, and stir to combine. Beat 1 egg, then add it to the bloomed yeast mixture. Pour the wet ingredients into the flour and use a knife to stir until the mixture just comes together.
4. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add flour a tablespoon at a time if the dough is too sticky.
5. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
6. Punch down the dough and divide it into 16 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a ball and place them in a greased baking pan, leaving a little space between them.
7. Cover and let the rolls rise again until puffy, about 30 to 45 minutes.
8. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Beat the remaining egg and brush it gently over the tops of the rolls. Sprinkle with sea salt.
9. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the rolls are golden brown and sound hollow when tapped. If the tops brown too quickly, tent loosely with foil.
10. Let the rolls cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Serve warm.

Recipe card

Soft Dinner Rolls with Sea Salt

Servings: 16 | Prep: 2 hours | Cook: 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 cup whole milk
• ½ cup warm water
• ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
• ¼ cup sugar
• 2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast (1 packet)
• 4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
• 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• Neutral oil, for greasing
• Sea salt, for sprinkling

Instructions

1. In a liquid measuring cup or small bowl, combine the warm milk, warm water, melted butter, and sugar.
2. Sprinkle the yeast evenly over the wet ingredients, stir to combine, and let stand for 5 minutes, until foamy.
3. In a large bowl, combine the flour and salt, and stir to combine. Beat 1 egg, then add it to the bloomed yeast mixture. Pour the wet ingredients into the flour and use a knife to stir until the mixture just comes together.
4. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add flour a tablespoon at a time if the dough is too sticky.
5. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
6. Punch down the dough and divide it into 16 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a ball and place them in a greased baking pan, leaving a little space between them.
7. Cover and let the rolls rise again until puffy, about 30 to 45 minutes.
8. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Beat the remaining egg and brush it gently over the tops of the rolls. Sprinkle with sea salt.
9. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the rolls are golden brown and sound hollow when tapped. If the tops brown too quickly, tent loosely with foil.
10. Let the rolls cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Serve warm.

Tips for success

• Check your yeast. The yeast should foam within 5 minutes of being added to the warm liquids. If it doesn't, the yeast may be expired or the liquid may have been too hot.
• Knead enough. The dough should feel smooth and elastic after kneading. If it's still sticky, add flour a little at a time.
• Let the rolls rise fully. The second rise is important for a light texture. Give the dough enough time to become puffy before baking.
• Watch the browning. Oven temperatures vary. If the tops are getting dark before the rolls are done, cover them loosely with foil.

Storage and reheating

Store leftover rolls in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. To refresh them, wrap in foil and warm in a 350°F oven for 5 to 10 minutes. For longer storage, freeze baked rolls in a freezer bag for up to 1 month and reheat from frozen.