Easy Dinner Rolls (30 Minutes)

Note from Crystal: I asked my sister, Gretchen, to share this recipe as she often posts it in her weekly menu plans and many of you have requested the recipe. It’s a favorite at our house, too!

Why you’ll love these Quick Yeast Rolls

This recipe has been a favorite in our family for many years. We’ve made so many batches of these rolls that I have the recipe memorized. They are so yummy and a hit with everyone who eats them.

My friends are shocked when they learn how easy and FAST they are to whip up. You can use them as dinner rolls or buns depending on the size you shape them.

30-Minute Rolls Ingredients

This recipe makes enough dough for 40-50 dinner rolls. While the dough does freeze well (see instructions below) feel free to make half a batch if you don’t need quite that many!

• 3 1/2 cups warm water (110-115 degrees)
• 1 cup oil
• 1/2 cup honey
• 4 Tbsp instant (or rapid-rise) yeast
• 3 eggs
• 1 Tbsp salt
• 10 1/2 cups flour

How to make Quick Dinner Rolls

1. Preheat oven to 425ºF.

2. In a large bowl, mix warm water, oil, honey, and yeast.

3. Cover with a towel and let rest for 15 minutes.

4. Stir in the eggs and salt.

5. Finally, mix in the flour, a few cups at a time, and knead the full mixture for 5 minutes.

6. Shape into rolls (large egg size).

7. Place shaped rolls on a greased baking sheet.

8. Cover with a towel and let rise for another 10 minutes.

9. Bake in preheated oven for 8-10 minutes, or until slightly browned.

Freezer instructions: 

My very favorite thing about these rolls (other than the fabulous taste!) is that you can freeze them before cooking and then thaw them out to cook on the day you need them.

I almost always have a bag of these frozen dough rolls in my freezer because we love them that much.

In fact, Crystal asked me to post this recipe because they are so often on my weekly menu posts.

To freeze the dough, simply follow the instructions above, through step 7 (putting the dough balls on a cookie sheet). Then, instead of letting them rest for 10 minutes, immediately put the cookie sheet in the freezer.

When the dough balls are completely frozen, take them off the baking sheet and place them into a freezer bag.

To bake frozen rolls, place frozen dough on a greased baking sheet and let thaw/rise for about 2 hours.

Bake at 425º for 8-10 minutes, or until slightly browned.

Tips for the Best 30-Minute Dinner Rolls

These dinner rolls are extremely fast and easy to whip up, but here are a few tips that will make the process even more foolproof!

Make sure you use INSTANT YEAST (sometimes called “rapid-rise yeast”). If you use “active dry yeast” the rolls will take much longer than 30 minutes to prepare.

Try to keep your dough balls uniform in size so they are all done at the same time. A kitchen scale can be helpful for this.

Start with less flour than you think you’ll need — you can always add more later if the dough is still sticky, but if you put too much flour in at the beginning, your rolls could be very dense and tough.

If you prefer softer rolls, place 15 rolls in a 9″ x 13″ baking dish and they will bake up touching the sides of the other rolls, which will reduce the amount of “crust”.

Variations of Quick Yeast Rolls

This dough recipe is very versatile and can be tweaked or altered for so many different needs.

Add in some garlic powder and/or fresh herbs for a more savory roll.

You could also roll the dough balls in butter, then cinnamon sugar for a sweet treat.

Considering mixing your favorite shredded cheese in with the dough, or stuffing a chunk of mozzarella inside each dough ball for a deliciously cheese surprise.

Personally, we love them best when they are still fresh out of the oven, topped with butter, and drizzled with honey… or with this whipped honey butter! Yum!

If you are frequently finding yourself short on time when making meals, this recipe is for you.