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Soft Sourdough Dinner Rolls Recipe

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★★★★★

4.6 from 105 reviews

These Soft Sourdough Dinner Rolls are wonderfully fluffy and flavorful, featuring the gentle tang of sourdough starter balanced with a rich buttery sweetness. Perfect for serving alongside dinner or as a snack, these rolls require an extended fermentation process yielding a tender crumb and golden crust.

Ingredients

Scale

Starter Feed

  • 1 tablespoon sourdough starter
  • 1/3 cup + 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
  • 3 1/2 tablespoons water

Dough

  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 cup milk
  • 3 tablespoons sugar (or 2 tablespoons honey)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup active sourdough starter
  • 3 cups + 2 tablespoons bread flour

For Brushing

  • 1 tablespoon melted butter (for brushing the top of the rolls after baking)

Instructions

  1. Feed Your Starter: About 12 hours before mixing the dough, combine 1 tablespoon sourdough starter, 1/3 cup + 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, and 3 1/2 tablespoons water in a clean jar. Stir well, loosely cover, and let it rise at room temperature until it doubles in size with plenty of bubbles visible on the surface and sides.
  2. Prepare Butter Mixture: At 7:30 AM, gently melt 2 tablespoons butter with 1 cup milk, 3 tablespoons sugar (or 2 tablespoons honey), and 1 teaspoon salt over low heat. Once combined, pour into a mixing bowl and let it cool to room temperature.
  3. Mix the Dough: At 8 AM, add the 3 cups + 2 tablespoons bread flour and 1/2 cup active sourdough starter to the cooled butter mixture. Stir thoroughly with a spatula until fully combined and no dry flour remains. Cover the bowl and rest the dough at room temperature for 1 hour.
  4. First Rise with Stretch and Folds: Between 9 AM and 11 AM, perform three sets of stretch and folds spaced 30 minutes apart. To do this, pick up the dough from one side, stretch it up and fold it over itself, turning the bowl a quarter turn each time until one full rotation is complete. Keep the bowl covered when not folding. After the last fold, cover and allow dough to rise until increased by 50%, approximately 2 hours.
  5. Shape and Second Rise: At 12 PM, turn dough onto a floured surface and divide into 12 equal pieces (~65 grams each). Shape each into a smooth ball by gathering the edges and pinching the seam side down. Place the balls in a lightly greased glass baking dish, cover with a tea towel, and let rise at room temperature for 3 to 4 hours.
  6. Bake the Rolls: Approximately 20 minutes before baking, preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Bake rolls for 25–30 minutes until golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 190°F. Remove from the oven and immediately brush tops with 1 tablespoon melted butter. Serve warm.

Notes

  • Ensure the sourdough starter is active and bubbly before using to get the best rise.
  • The long proofing times at room temperature develop flavor and texture—don’t rush the fermentation process.
  • You can substitute honey for sugar if you prefer a more natural sweetener.
  • For a quicker method, a stand mixer can be used to knead the dough if preferred.
  • Rolls can be made ahead and frozen after the shaping stage; thaw and allow to rise before baking.
  • Check the internal temperature with a food thermometer to guarantee perfect doneness.

Keywords: sourdough, dinner rolls, soft rolls, bread, homemade rolls, sourdough bread, baking

Find it online: https://zestywithzane.com/soft-sourdough-dinner-rolls-recipe/