So Soft & Buttery Homemade Rolls
These are soft, fluffy, lightly sweet dinner rolls with a golden, buttery top and a tender pull-apart center, matching the style in your photo.
The ingredient list visible in your image gives the basic recipe. I’ve expanded it below with precise measurements, detailed instructions, nut options, substitutions, troubleshooting, storage, and Q&A.
Ingredients
Makes approximately 12–16 rolls, depending on size.
Main dough
4 cups (500 g) all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
2 tsp instant or active-dry yeast — about 6–7 g
3 tbsp granulated sugar — about 38 g
1¼ cups (300 ml) warm water or milk
¼ cup (60 ml) neutral oil — vegetable, canola, or sunflower
2 large eggs, room temperature
½ tsp salt — about 3 g
For the top
2–3 tbsp melted butter
Optional for a shiny golden top:
1 egg
1 tbsp milk or water
Whisk together and brush over the rolls before baking.
Step-by-Step Recipe
1. Warm the liquid
Warm the water or milk to approximately 38–43°C / 100–110°F.
It should feel comfortably warm, not hot.
If it’s too hot, it can damage the yeast.
2. Prepare the yeast
If using active-dry yeast:
Combine:
Warm water/milk
Sugar
Yeast
Stir gently and leave for 5–10 minutes.
The surface should become somewhat foamy.
If using instant yeast:
You can simply mix it directly with the flour and other dry ingredients.
3. Mix the wet ingredients
In a large bowl, whisk together:
2 eggs
Oil
Warm milk/water
Remaining sugar, if not already added to the yeast
Mix until combined.
4. Add the flour
Add approximately 3½ cups of flour initially.
Add the salt.
Mix with a wooden spoon or spatula.
Gradually add the remaining flour until a soft, slightly sticky dough forms.
Important:
Don’t automatically add all 4 cups.
Flour absorbs different amounts of liquid depending on the brand, humidity, and how it is measured.
The finished dough should be:
Soft + elastic + slightly tacky
It should not be stiff and dry.
5. Knead the dough
Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface.
Knead for approximately 8–10 minutes by hand.
Or use a stand mixer with a dough hook for about 5–7 minutes on low/medium-low speed.
The dough should become:
Smooth
Elastic
Soft
Slightly tacky
Able to stretch without immediately tearing
If extremely sticky, add flour 1 tablespoon at a time.
Don’t add a large amount of flour at once.
6. First rise
Lightly oil a clean bowl.
Place the dough inside and turn it once so the surface is lightly coated.
Cover with plastic wrap, a lid, or a clean kitchen towel.
Place somewhere warm.
Let rise for approximately:
1–1½ hours
or until the dough has approximately doubled in size.
The exact time depends on your room temperature.
7. Deflate and divide
Gently press the dough down to remove excess gas.
Transfer it to your work surface.
Divide into:
12 large rolls, or
16 medium rolls
For very uniform rolls, weighing the pieces is helpful.
For 16 rolls, each dough piece will be roughly 55–60 g, depending on your final dough weight.
8. Shape the rolls
Take one piece of dough.
Pull the edges toward the underside and pinch them together.
Turn it over and gently roll it between your palms or against the work surface until you have a smooth ball.
Repeat with all pieces.
9. Arrange in the pan
Grease a 9 × 13-inch (23 × 33 cm) baking pan.
Place the dough balls inside with a small gap between them.
For the fluffy appearance shown in your photograph, arrange them so they are close enough to touch after the second rise.
10. Second rise
Cover the pan loosely.
Let the rolls rise for approximately 30–60 minutes.
They should become noticeably puffy and soft.
When they’re ready, the rolls should almost fill the pan and begin touching each other.
11. Optional egg wash
For the beautiful shiny golden surface in your photograph, whisk:
1 egg
1 tbsp milk or water
Brush a thin layer over the tops.
For a softer, more buttery finish
You can skip the egg wash and brush the rolls with melted butter before or after baking.
12. Bake
Preheat your oven to:
180°C / 350°F
Bake for approximately:
18–24 minutes
The tops should become golden brown.
Don’t overbake them—the center should remain soft and fluffy.
13. Add butter
As soon as the rolls come out of the oven, brush the tops generously with melted butter.
This gives them the soft, glossy, buttery finish visible in the picture.
For an especially soft crust, cover the hot rolls loosely with a clean kitchen towel for about 10 minutes.
14. Cool
Let them cool for approximately 10–15 minutes before serving.
They’re particularly good while still slightly warm.
NUT & SEED OPTIONS
The original photo doesn’t appear to contain nuts, but you can easily turn these into nutty rolls.
Walnut rolls
Add:
½ cup finely chopped walnuts
Walnuts give a rich, buttery flavor.
Almond rolls
Add:
½ cup chopped almonds
For extra flavor, lightly toast the almonds first.
Pecan rolls
Add:
½ cup chopped pecans
Pecans are particularly good with the slightly sweet dough.
Pistachio rolls
Add:
½ cup chopped pistachios
These give the rolls a mild sweet/nutty flavor.
Mixed-nut rolls
Use:
2 tbsp walnuts
2 tbsp almonds
2 tbsp pecans
2 tbsp pistachios
Keep the total around ½ cup so the dough remains light.
Nut-Free Options
If you want crunch without nuts, use:
¼ cup pumpkin seeds
¼ cup sunflower seeds
Or:
2 tbsp sesame seeds
2 tbsp pumpkin seeds
2 tbsp sunflower seeds
You can also simply leave out all nuts and seeds.
Sweet Variations
For slightly sweeter breakfast rolls, increase the sugar from 3 tbsp to ¼ cup.
You can also add:
1 tsp vanilla
½ tsp cinnamon
¼ cup raisins
¼ cup chopped dates
For a dessert-style version, add 2–3 tbsp chocolate chips.
Savory Version
Reduce sugar to 1 tbsp and add:
½ cup shredded cheddar
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp dried parsley
You can also add:
Black pepper
Dried oregano
Parmesan
Chopped green onions
These make excellent sandwich or dinner rolls.
Tips for Extra-Soft Rolls
1. Don’t add too much flour
This is probably the most important tip.
A stiff dough produces heavy, dry rolls.
2. Don’t skip the second rise
The second rise is what helps create the fluffy interior.
3. Don’t overbake
Take them out when they’re golden brown.
4. Use room-temperature eggs
They incorporate more easily and help maintain a consistent dough temperature.
5. Brush with butter immediately
The melted butter helps keep the crust soft.
6. Milk gives a richer result
Water works perfectly, but milk generally produces a softer, richer roll.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use milk instead of water?
Yes. In fact, milk gives a richer and softer roll.
You can use the full 1¼ cups milk.
For an even softer result, use whole milk.
Can I use butter instead of oil?
Yes.
Replace the ¼ cup oil with ¼ cup melted butter.
Allow the butter to cool slightly before mixing it with the eggs.
This gives the rolls a stronger buttery flavor.
Can I use only one egg?
Yes, but two eggs give the dough more richness and tenderness.
If using one egg, add approximately 2 tbsp additional milk/water if the dough seems dry.
Can I make these without eggs?
Yes.
Replace each egg with a suitable egg substitute. A simple homemade option is a flax egg, although the rolls may be slightly less rich and fluffy.
Can I use whole-wheat flour?
Yes, but don’t replace all the white flour initially.
Try:
3 cups all-purpose + 1 cup whole-wheat flour.
You may need an additional 1–3 tbsp liquid because whole-wheat flour absorbs more water.
Can I use bread flour?
Yes.
Bread flour can produce a slightly chewier, more elastic roll.
Why are my rolls dense?
Common reasons:
Too much flour
Yeast was inactive
Dough didn’t rise sufficiently
Kitchen was too cold
Rolls were under-proofed
Dough wasn’t kneaded sufficiently
Give the dough enough time to become visibly puffy.
Why did my rolls become dry?
Usually:
Too much flour + overbaking.
Try measuring flour by weight if possible and remove the rolls as soon as they’re nicely golden.
Why didn’t my dough rise?
Check your yeast.
If using active-dry yeast, it should become somewhat foamy after sitting in warm liquid.
Also make sure your liquid wasn’t too hot.
A cold kitchen can also make the first rise considerably longer.
Can I prepare the dough the night before?
Yes.
After kneading, cover the dough and refrigerate it for 8–18 hours.
The next day:
Bring it out.
Let it sit for about 20–30 minutes.
Divide and shape.
Allow the rolls to complete their second rise.
Bake.
The longer fermentation can also add more flavor.
Can I freeze the rolls?
Yes.
Before baking:
Shape the rolls and freeze them on a tray. Once solid, transfer them to a freezer-safe container.
Thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then allow them to rise before baking.
After baking:
Cool completely, wrap individually or place in a freezer bag, and freeze for approximately 2–3 months.
How do I reheat frozen rolls?
Thaw at room temperature and warm at:
160°C / 320°F for about 5–8 minutes.
Brush with a little butter afterward.
How do I keep them soft overnight?
Once completely cooled, place them in an airtight container or sealed food bag.
Don’t leave them uncovered overnight.
Approximate Nutrition
For 16 plain rolls, using the ingredients shown in the image, the approximate nutrition per roll is around:
Calories: 180–200 kcal
Protein: 5–6 g
Carbohydrates: 27–30 g
Fat: 6–7 g
Fiber: about 1 g
Actual values vary considerably depending on flour, milk/water, oil, egg size, and final roll size.
Adding nuts, butter, cheese, or sugar will change the nutritional values.
Best Version for the Texture in Your Photo
For very soft, fluffy, buttery rolls, I’d make the recipe this way:
500 g all-purpose flour + 2 tsp yeast + 3 tbsp sugar + 300 ml whole milk + 60 ml oil + 2 eggs + ½ tsp salt.
With years of experience in restaurant research and local SEO, Sara creates accurate, user-friendly guides that work for both people and search engines. Her goal is to help users go from search results to their nearest restaurant or menu choice with as few clicks as possible.
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