No stand mixer, no knead, no special equipment required. These No Knead Dinner Rolls are perfectly soft and fluffy and are astonishingly effortless to make. Just combine the ingredients in a bowl and mix with a wooden spoon – that’s it! It’s the easiest recipe for bread rolls in the whole world!
This recipe for bread rolls will blow your mind!
These dinner rolls are:
made without kneading;
without a stand mixer or any other electric appliance;
take 2 minutes of active effort to mix the dough;
have golden tops and are soft and fluffy on the inside.
Every single time I make these, I am in utter awe of how effortless they are, and how amazing they taste. They are in every way just as good as classic dinner rolls, made by kneading the dough by hand (tired arms, tired arms!) or using a stand mixer.
I truly believe to my very core that only those with a refined palette and/or baking experts can tell the difference between these No Knead Dinner Rolls and traditional kneaded-tired-arms dinner rolls!
See how soft and fluffy they are??
Kneaded vs No Knead Dinner Rolls
In the interest of being completely open and honest, here are the differences that I notice between kneaded dinner rolls and these No Knead Dinner Rolls:
The kneaded rolls stay a wee bit more moist for longer. ie. they are slightly better the next day compared to the No Knead ones. But actually, homemade bread, muffins etc, being preservative free that they are, are always best consumed fresh so I don’t see this as a major disadvantage. Neither the kneaded nor No Knead rolls are great the next day. They lose their moisture and both need to be warmed up before serving to make them moist again. It is just that with the kneaded ones you could possibly get away with not warming up (but they aren’t great), whereas the No Knead ones definitely need warming up;
Kneaded rolls rise a wee bit more. Not noticeable for normal people, and you’d never say the No Knead ones aren’t soft and fluffy. They are, they really are. It’s just that the kneaded ones rise a touch more with the same amount of yeast.
I’m so convinced of the merits of no-knead breads however, that I have since posted No-knead Artisan Bread and Focaccia – both spectacular loaves in their own right that don’t require single minute of kneading!
Dump-and-mix NO KNEAD Dough
In terms of the prep, the batter is literally a dump-and-mix job. There is a major difference in rise time compared to kneaded dough which can rise in 30 – 45 minutes for the 1st rise, then around the same for the 2nd rise after forming the rolls. For these No Knead Dinner Rolls, the dough is much wetter than kneaded dough, so it takes longer to rise. 1.5 – 2 hours, depending on how warm it is where you are. If you use my ridiculous-but-effective tip of rising the dough in your (empty! warm!) dryer, it takes 1.5 hours. 🙂 (See recipes notes for details)
You can see in these photos how different the dough is compared to traditional bread dough. It’s not knead-able, it’s way too sticky. It’s almost more like a muffin batter!
Quick little tip: To get a beautiful golden surface, the dough needs to be rolled tightly and smoothly into balls. With sticky dough, this is tough to do. So here’s my work around: Press the dough down lightly, then bundle it up like a money-bag (mmm…Thai Money Bags…). Flip it over and you have a nice smooth surface with the dough stretched tightly = smooth golden surface. I demo this in the recipe video too (below recipe).
Make-ahead and bake on demand
Another big bonus for these rolls: you can roll the dough into rolls then refrigerate overnight (uncooked) and bake them fresh when you’re ready to serve! It’s quite amazing actually, I wasn’t sure it would work but it does.
Easter is coming up! That’s why I decided to squeeze these in so soon after sharing Hot Cross Buns (which you can make using this No Knead technique, the recipe is in that post). I know some people think baking with yeast is daunting. But I swear to you, watch the video. See how soft and irresistible these rolls come out. And be prepared to be blown away by how easy these are to make!
Carb Monsters unite! – Nagi xx
More No Knead Breads & Flavour variation options!
Cheese and Bacon Rolls (use this no knead dough for that recipe)
WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
No Knead Dinner Rolls recipe video! No laughing at the Baby Hands – you’ll cop a serious eyeful in this video!
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SOFT NO KNEAD Dinner Rolls
Ingredients
Buns:
- 1 tbsp dry yeast (Note 1)
- 1/4 cup caster/superfine sugar , or sub with normal white sugar
- 1/2 cup warm water (Note 2)
- 4 cups bread flour + extra for dusting (Note 3)
- 1 1/2 tsp salt , cooking/kosher salt
- 1 cup milk, lukewarm, whole or low fat, (Note 2)
- 50g / 3 1/2 tbsp unsalted butter , melted and cooled
- 2 eggs , at room temperature, beaten with fork
Brushing:
- 1 tbsp butter , melted
Instructions
- Place the yeast and 2 teaspoons of the sugar in a medium bowl, then pour in water. Leave for 5 minutes until it froths.
- Place flour, remaining sugar and salt in a bowl. Mix to combine.
- Make a well in the centre. Add milk, butter, eggs and pour in the yeast liquid, including all froth.
- Mix until combined with wooden spoon – it will be like a thick muffin batter. Not pourable, but thick and sticky.
Rise #1:
- Leave dough in the bowl, cover with a wet (clean) tea towel and place in a warm place (25C/77F+) to rise for around 1 1/2 – 2 hours or until almost tripled in volume. See Note 4 for how I do this (you will laugh – but it works every time!). Dough surface should be bubbly (see video or photos in post).
Forming Balls (watch video, it’s helpful):
- Line a 31.5 x 23.5 cm / 9 x 13″ tray with baking paper with overhang.
- Remove tea towel and punch dough to deflate, then mix briefly in the bowl to get rid of the bubbles in the dough.
- Dust work surface with flour, scrape dough on work surface. Dust top of dough then shape into a log. Cut log into 4 pieces, then cut each piece into 3 pieces (12 in total).
- Take one piece and press down with palm, then use your fingers to gather into a ball, flip (so smooth side is up) then roll the dough briefly to form a ball. This stretches the dough on one side and that’s how I get a nice smooth surface on my roll. (For this step, use as much flour as needed to handle dough and avoid piercing inside into the wet dough)
- Place the ball with the smooth side up on the tray. Repeat with remaining dough. Line them up 3 x 4.
Rise # 2:
- Spray surface of rolls (or cling wrap) with oil (any), then place cling wrap over the tray.
- Return tray to warm place and leave for 30 – 45 min, until the dough has risen by about 75% (less than double in size).
- Partway through Rise #2, preheat oven to 200C/390F (standard) or 180C/350F (fan/convection).
- Bake for 15 – 18 minutes, or until the surface is a golden brown and the roll in the centre sounds hollow when tapped. The surface colour is the best test for this recipe.
- Remove rolls from oven. Brush with melted butter.
- Use overhang to lift rolls onto a cooling rack. Allow to cool to warm before serving.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
LIFE OF DOZER
When he got sent to the naughty corner and he was wondering whether he was allowed back in….
My family and friends really loves these rolls. I’m officially a hero now!
Thank you!
Can this recipe be doubled? I need 24 rolls and really don’t want to have two bowls going at once. Thanks!
Thanks for sharing this recipe! I’ve made this twice now and they are so delicious 🙂
Love this new website, easy & very informative.
Thanks so much Peggy!
Look all recepì are easy to make. I will try to bake some this week.
These were absolutely delicious!! Making them again tonight.
Wahoo!!!
I made these awesome rolls and the cinnamon rolls.. They turned out amazing!!! I live at a elevation of 7333 feet. Absolutely wonderful!
Wahooo Rebel! So glad you love them!
I have made these several times and even small children can never get enough. I wonder, though, what you think about adding ingredients to this dough? I want to add jalapenos and cheddar. I know to dry the cheese out a bit before adding, but do you think it would dry the roll out? Thanks.
Hi Angie, this is a great idea! I have made these in the same fashion as the cinnamon rolls and used savoury ingredients with cheese – they are AH-MAZ-ING! I hope you give it a go!
First – I hope your Man Flu is gone. Your “nurse” is amazing. Dozer is thousands of miles away from me, but I have fallen in love with him – what a special dog. Now, my question. Your recipe says 4 1/2 cups of flour (600 grams). As I am gluten free, I use a scale to bake. But, a cup is always 120 grams, which would have made this recipe use 540 grams of flour. I did use the 600 grams, but the dough seemed a bit stiff. They still tasted fine (but didn’t look so great). Also, when you say gluten free flour do you mean the product that says gluten free flour, or can I use a product like the ” one for one” gluten free flours? I have never used the plain gluten free flour product. Thanks. I love your recipes and all the ones I have tried have been delicious.
Nurse Dozer is no help at all! 😂
1 cup of flour weighs 150g here – so it’s best to go off weight if you are unsure. Sometimes there are some discrepancies as all flours have different hydration points. If the batter is stiff, I tend to add a little extra milk/water to get it moving. Unfortunately gluten free flour doesn’t act the same way as regular flour so these are slightly more dense than what you see in my pictures, but I hope you loved them anyway! x
I made the cinnamon rolls today… OH MY!!! they are delicious!! I’ll make the dinner rolls tomorrow!! Great recipe!
I hope you love the dinner rolls just as much! Enjoy!
I live at high alt – 6,500 ft. the yeast froths, first rise is perfect then little to no second rise. House is nice and warm ( hubby is roasting lol) any ideas??
Thank you!
My first (and only?) deserted-island food is a BLT sandwich . . . counted as one item, of course. I can NEVER get enough of the thick-sliced bacon, fresh tomates, and garden lettuce in the summer. BLTs on my deserted island—so good!!!
Can’t wait to try this recipe. I’m sad that I didn’t know about it before Thanksgiving. That’s okay; I did made your Yummy, Moist Turkey though. It was wonderful, and simple!
I’m so glad you loved the turkey! And there’s always Christmas to give the rolls a go! ☺️
I made these rolls for Thsnksgiving and the dough was not as wet as your picture. They were delicious, but dense. I did not pack them tightly on the pan, which may have contributed to the density. I am in the process of making them again for Thanksgiving dinner #2. Again the dough was not wet, and I measured every ingredient exactly. I did use bread flour. I will pack them tighter. I am hoping they will fluffier, we will see. Any suggestions for the pre rise consistency?
Hi Sandi! So the dough wasn’t as loose as mine?? Any chance there was mis-measurement somewhere along the line?? 🙂 N xx
Hi Nagi,
I live on the North Shore, and have never been able to find bread flour. In fact I have never been able to find it anywhere in Australia, except in huge bags destined for bakeries. I would much prefer to use bread flour and not cake flour if possible. Do you know a local source?
Just love ALL your wonderful recipes and appreciate the time it must take you to research them and develop the `how to` tips.
Angela
Hi Angela! It’s sold at Woolworths and Coles! In the baking aisle where all the flours are. There’s a brand called lighthouse that comes in a box 🙂 Glad you are enjoying my recipes! N x
Prosciutto, grapes and arugula. May I join?
Will pair beautifully with all the cheese we’re bringing… YES YES!!! 😂
Hi Nagi! Perfect recipe.. Great output.. We enjoyed the bread with Shakshouka Arabic (Tunisian) Egg recipe.. I have a photo would have liked to share..
Regards,
Ameet
I love hearing that!!! I’m so glad you enjoyed this, thanks for letting me know Ameet! I would love to see the photo, are you on Instagram? If so, please tag it #recipetineats or @recipe_tin as I check these regularly to see what people are making! 🙂 N x
Very nice, yummy rolls. We all enjoyed them at dinner. Thank you for publishing the recipe!
Can I make these and shape into balls and put in the fridge to bake in the am? Or can I pre bake… Which means bake until just set then finish in the am?
Hi what if do not have cling wrap what can I used Thanks
Cover with a damp tea towel!
Hi Melissa! Balls the fridge overnight then bake! See recipe notes for directions 🙂 N x
I’m planning on having these for our Friendsgiving dinner that is Saturday , but I am working on Friday so no time to prepare except on Thursday. I was thinking I could prepare the dough on Thursday and leave in fridge until Saturday? Or would that be too long and should I freeze the dough instead? If so when would I take it out to thaw. Thanks for any help!!
Hi Megan! I think your best option is to make the dough and form balls on Thursday, freeze, then take them out on Friday night and thaw overnight in the fridge. Then once thawed, pop into the oven! 🙂 N x
Thank you so much, I’ll let you know how they turn out!
Me encantan todas tus recetas, Saludos desde México ❤️