Sourdough dinner rolls are soft, fluffy, and buttery with the signature sourdough tang. They are really easy to make and the perfect accompaniment to any meal.

sourdough dinner rolls pulled apart and stacked on each other in a navy baking dish. The soft and fluffy rolls have a deep golden color and a butter top

What is more from-scratch than soft, buttery, homemade sourdough rolls made without commercial yeast?

While sourdough seems more complicated, I assure you that it is simple. The only hard part is waiting patiently for the captured natural yeasts to do their work: fermenting the grains and naturally rising the bread.

Oh – and remembering to start them the day before. Now that I’m used to making recipes like this, it really has made my life simpler and less complicated.

I can whip up the dough after the kids go to bed, and we will have rolls ready to bake for dinner the next day.

These sourdough dinner rolls are out of this world. Super soft and fluffy, with the most delicious crust.

overhead photo of sourdough dinner rolls with a deep golden shiny top in a dark navy baking dish

Benefits Of Sourdough

As I previously mentioned, sourdough is the process of fermenting grains, allowing the natural yeasts to raise the bread and break down the naturally occurring phytic acid in the grains.

This phytic acid breakdown increases some nutrients, like folate, and also makes other nutrients more bio-available.

Fermenting grains also helps increase the digestibility and can even lower the amount of gluten present (source).

Some people that have gluten sensitivities (not celiac disease) may be able to tolerate long-fermented (24 hours) wheat products.

This post contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission at no extra cost to you. See my full disclosure here.

sourdough dinner roll with a golden crust sits on a vintage blue and white plate on a cream towel with a navy baking dish full of rolls in the background

Tips For Making Sourdough Dinner Rolls:

  • The starter must be fed, active, and nice and bubbly to use in this recipe.
  • Use melted, but slightly cooled butter. You don’t want to accidentally burn your starter. Same goes for the water: it should be warm, but not hot.
  • Organic cane sugar, honey, or coconut sugar will work. Honey will leave you with a stickier dough, though.
  • I like to grind my own grains using a Nutrimill. It is easy and much more cost-efficient doing it this way.
  • Don’t over-knead or under-knead your bread. Knead for 5 minutes in the stand mixer or 10 minutes by hand. You should be able to take a small piece of dough and pull it apart, creating a window that you can see through.
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Tools you will Need:

Grain mill – like this one (optional)

Stand Mixer (optional, but it does make the process much easier).

9×9 or 9×13 baking dish. Baking it in a 9×9 baking dish gives you more of pull apart sourdough rolls.

Measuring cups and spoons

Large bowl

Tea towel

overhead photo of sourdough dinner rolls baked in a navy baking dish with a dark golden color. A pastry brush with melted butter is on top

How To Make Sourdough Rolls:

In a stand mixer bowl, add ingredients.

dough in a greased bowl with a towel over half the bowl before allowing it to ferment.

Place the bread hook on the stand mixer and place mixing bowl in the correct position.

Knead on medium for 10-15 minutes until the dough becomes elastic and smooth. It should pass the windowpane test. Take a small amount of dough and stretch it between your fingers. If you can stretch it to the point where it’s thin enough to see through, then it is ready.

If you do not have a stand mixer, you can knead it by hand on a lightly floured surface for ten minutes.

Place in a greased bowl and cover with a towel.

risen sourdough dinner roll dough in a glass bowl.

Allow to rise overnight (8-24 hours). You want to be careful not to over-ferment. If they start to look like they are, you can place the in the fridge for a few hours.

women placing sourdough dinner roll dough onto a quartz countertop

The next day, divide the dough into eight equal parts and put in a greased 9×13 or 8×8 baking dish. Use a 8×8 if you want more pull apart type sourdough bread rolls.

overhead photo of 8 sourdough dinner rolls in a navy 8x8 baking dish with a pastry brush and a small bowl of melted butter to the right

Brush tops with an egg wash and allow them to rise until doubled, approximately one to two hours.

Preheat oven to 375.

Place the rolls into the oven for about 25-30 minutes, or until they start turning golden brown.

Allow to cool, and enjoy.

FAQ:

sourdough dinner rolls freshly baked out of the oven with a golden crust and fluffy interior stacked on top of each other in a navy baking dish on a white kitchen island

What makes sourdough bread taste sour?

The fermentation process will create the sour taste, but the intensity will be determined by the amount of time you allow your dough to ferment.

If you only allow the dough to ferment for 8 hours, you will have a much less sour result, compared to letting it ferment for 24 hours.

The maturity of your sourdough starter will also have an effect. New starters will not be quite as sour as older, more mature ones.

What is fresh sourdough starter?

Fresh sourdough starter is a starter that has been fed, allowed time to reach optimal activity, and is ready to use in a recipe. Usually, a sourdough starter that is already at room temperature is ready to use about 4 hours after it has been fed.

Is sourdough bread better for you?

Yes. Not only is it easier for your body to digest, but it also has more bio-available nutrients and lower glycemic index making it a healthier choice.

Is sourdough bread better than yeast bread?

This is totally based on opinion. Personally, I love sourdough bread much more than yeast bread because sourdough has a more complex flavor that just cannot be found in yeast bread.

How is sourdough bread different from other breads?

It uses wild yeast that have been captured in the surrounding environment. This wild yeast help break down the grains and give it amore tangy sour taste.

Find More From-Scratch Farmhouse Favorites:

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Sourdough Dinner Rolls

4.59 from 606 votes
Perfectly soft, fluffy, and buttery sourdough rolls.
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 25 minutes
Additional Time: 12 hours
Total: 12 hours 45 minutes
Servings: 8
sourdough dinner rolls pulled apart and stacked on each other in a navy baking dish. The soft and fluffy rolls have a deep golden color and a butter top
Save this recipe!
Just enter your email and get it sent to your inbox! Plus you’ll get new recipes from us every week!
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Ingredients 

  • 1/2 cup sourdough starter, active and bubbly (113 g)
  • 1/4 cup sugar, 50 g
  • 3/4 cup warm water, 177 g
  • 1/4 cup melted butter, 56 g
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, 2 g
  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 350 g
  • Egg, for egg wash

Instructions 

  • In a stand mixer bowl, add ingredients.ย 
  • Knead on speed 2 (for a Kitchen Aid) for 10-15 minutes using the dough hook, until the dough becomes smooth, stretchy, and can pass the windowpane test.
  • Place in a greased bowl and cover with a towel.
  • Allow to rise overnight (8-12 hours). This will depend on how warn or cool your house is. It can take much longer in a cooler house.
  • The next day, divide the dough into eight equal parts.
  • Roll the dough into balls and create tension. This can be done by rolling the balls against a countertop or by pressing your thumb into the center and then pinching the ends together. This can be repeated a few times.
  • Place the shaped rolls into a greased 9ร—13 or 8×8 dish. Cover with a damp towel. Allow it to rise until doubled, approximately one to two hours.
  • Preheat oven to 375
  • Brush top with egg wash (optional, but will give it that lovely golden color).
  • Place the rolls into the oven for about 25-30 minutes, or until they start turning golden brown.
  • Top with melted butter if desired.
  • Allow to cool, and enjoy.

Notes

  • If you do not have a stand mixer, you can make this recipe by hand. Make sure to knead by hand for 10 minutes.

Nutrition

Calories: 231kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 15mg | Sodium: 192mg | Potassium: 44mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 177IU | Calcium: 8mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Like this? Leave a comment below!

Sourdough Dinner Rolls

4.59 from 606 votes
Perfectly soft, fluffy, and buttery sourdough rolls.
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 25 minutes
Additional Time: 12 hours
Total: 12 hours 45 minutes
Servings: 8
sourdough dinner rolls pulled apart and stacked on each other in a navy baking dish. The soft and fluffy rolls have a deep golden color and a butter top
Save this recipe!
Just enter your email and get it sent to your inbox! Plus you'll get new recipes from us every week!
Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.

Ingredients 

  • 1/2 cup sourdough starter, active and bubbly (113 g)
  • 1/4 cup sugar, 50 g
  • 3/4 cup warm water, 177 g
  • 1/4 cup melted butter, 56 g
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, 2 g
  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 350 g
  • Egg, for egg wash

Instructions 

  • In a stand mixer bowl, add ingredients.ย 
  • Knead on speed 2 (for a Kitchen Aid) for 10-15 minutes using the dough hook, until the dough becomes smooth, stretchy, and can pass the windowpane test.
  • Place in a greased bowl and cover with a towel.
  • Allow to rise overnight (8-12 hours). This will depend on how warn or cool your house is. It can take much longer in a cooler house.
  • The next day, divide the dough into eight equal parts.
  • Roll the dough into balls and create tension. This can be done by rolling the balls against a countertop or by pressing your thumb into the center and then pinching the ends together. This can be repeated a few times.
  • Place the shaped rolls into a greased 9ร—13 or 8x8 dish. Cover with a damp towel. Allow it to rise until doubled, approximately one to two hours.
  • Preheat oven to 375
  • Brush top with egg wash (optional, but will give it that lovely golden color).
  • Place the rolls into the oven for about 25-30 minutes, or until they start turning golden brown.
  • Top with melted butter if desired.
  • Allow to cool, and enjoy.

Notes

  • If you do not have a stand mixer, you can make this recipe by hand. Make sure to knead by hand for 10 minutes.

Nutrition

Calories: 231kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 15mg | Sodium: 192mg | Potassium: 44mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 177IU | Calcium: 8mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Like this? Leave a comment below!

Post and recipe were updated October 2022.

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4.59 from 606 votes (556 ratings without comment)

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489 Comments

  1. Lauren says:

    These were delicious and so easy to make! I will definitely be making them again.

    1. Lisa says:

      So glad you enjoyed them!

  2. Kathy says:

    Melt in your mouth, fabulous dinner roll recipe ๐Ÿ™‚

  3. amy says:

    hey can i sub einkorn flour?

    1. Lisa says:

      I have not tried to use einkorn flour in this one yet. I’ll add it to my list to experiment with!

  4. Susan Mullanax says:

    These were so easy and sooo yummy! Looking at other people comments about the sweetness, I decreased the sugar to 40 grams. The dough still tasted a little sweet to me but they baked beautifully and we perfect. Thank you Lisa!

    1. Lisa says:

      So glad you enjoyed it!

  5. Marcela Charles says:

    I made these, however the dough was very runny after rising. I had to add more flour to be able to form them into balls. Should I have added more flour at the beginning?
    Once they were baked they were very good.

    1. Lisa says:

      Oh that is interesting. Did they over-ferment? Sometimes if they are allowed to rise too long it will get runny.

  6. Liz says:

    What type of wheat berries do you grind for this recipe as well as other sourdough bread recipes?

    1. Lisa says:

      Hard white wheat is usually my go to for breads. Soft white wheat is for cookies, muffins, etc.

  7. Kristin says:

    How do you tell if your dough is becoming over-fermented? What would that look like?

    1. Lisa says:

      If it more than doubles in size. Once it has over-fermented it tends to get kind of sloppy and not hold it’s shape well.

  8. Kerry K. says:

    Hi! Wondering if this is a recipe than can be doubled or tripled without it messing anything up? I can of course have three separate ones going but all the extra dishes wouldnโ€™t be fun. Iโ€™d hate to waste ingredients if I tripled and then didnโ€™t rise right.

    1. Lisa says:

      Doubling should be totally fine. If you are using a stand mixer you would want to make sure the stand mixer would be able to handle all of that dough (especially for tripling).

  9. Shannon Brock says:

    Hi there-
    Has anyone frozen them after baking and cooling, thawed, heated and served later successfully?
    Iโ€™d like to do some of my baking ahead of time to make life easier.

  10. Kayla says:

    I made these for Thanksgiving. Oh my goodness they were amazing! I trippled the recipe and there were only two left. Even my family who claim they don’t like sourdough had no idea they were sourdough LOVED them.

    1. Lisa says:

      Woo hoo that is great news!