These family-favorite sourdough dinner rolls contain half the amount of butter and one fifth the amount of sugar as many other sourdough dinner roll recipes. If you’re looking for light and fluffy sourdough dinner rolls that have a touch of sweetness without being heavy or dense, this is the recipe for you.
Why Another Sourdough Dinner Roll Recipe?
For years I have been making a variation of the same old sourdough dinner rolls every single year, and I’ve been quite fine with them. The recipe I’ve always used contains a good amount of butter and brown sugar in the dough. The old dinner rolls are great, but they’re always a little bit on the heavy/sweet side.
Since most people make dinner rolls to accompany a rich Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner, I decided it was time to make some lighter sourdough dinner rolls that would still be light and fluffy but not quite as heavy or sweet as my old recipe.
I think that these new and improved lightly enriched sourdough dinner rolls fit the bill perfectly! They are great slathered with butter and jam and they’re also a wonderful side to a rich holiday meal. My family loves them, and I hope you enjoy them too.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Main Dough Ingredients
- Bread Flour: I used King Arthur bread flour for this recipe. You can use any plain white bread flour that contains around 11-13% protein.
- Water: Plain, un-chlorinated tap water is best. Use filtered water or bottled spring water if your city’s tap water contains harsh ingredients or has a bad taste.
- Whole Milk: For richness and flavor, I prefer to use whole milk for this recipe, but any other milk or non-dairy milk should work fine.
- Sourdough Starter: You’ll need a 100% hydration sourdough starter for this recipe (fed with equal parts water and bread flour).
- Butter, Melted: You’ll need to use two tablespoons of melted butter for this dough. See optional substitutions below.
- White Sugar: This recipe calls for a small amount of white sugar to bring sweetness and softness to the dough.
- Salt: I used Kosher salt for this recipe, but sea salt or plain table salt will also work well.
Egg Wash Ingredients
- Egg: You will need one egg to make an egg wash for the top of the dough. This will give the dough a shiny top as it bakes in the oven. See substitutions below if you don’t want to use an egg.
- Whole Milk: Adding a small amount of milk to the egg wash gives the rolls a shiny finish.
Note: See recipe card below for full ingredient amounts and quantities.
Substitutions and Additions
- Milk: You can use any plain non-dairy milk instead of whole milk in this dough. Something with a neutral flavor is preferred, like soy-, rice-, almond-, or oat milk.
- Butter: You can use an equal amount of vegetable oil or olive oil in place of the melted butter in this recipe.
- Eggs: You can use milk or non-dairy milk instead of an egg to brush on top of the loaf before baking. Milk can replace the egg wash and still give you a great result.
Ingredient Amounts
Starter Feeding
- Sourdough Starter, leftover – 25 grams
- Water – 50 grams
- Bread Flour – 50 grams
Main Dough
- Bread Flour – 450 grams
- Water – 200 grams
- Whole Milk – 50 grams
- Sourdough Starter, active – 100 grams
- Butter, Melted – 2 Tbsp (26 grams)
- White Sugar – 10 grams
- Salt – 10 grams
Egg Wash Ingredients
- Egg – 1 egg (50 grams)
- Whole Milk – 1 Tbsp (15 grams)
Suggested Timeline
The following baking timeline allows you to start preparing your sourdough dinner rolls the day before a big holiday meal, and then bake the rolls on the same day as your holiday meal. These suggested times can be adjusted to meet the needs of your own schedule. Also note that the rise times during the first and second rise (bulk fermentation and final proof) are approximate and your dough may rise faster or slower depending on the temperature of your kitchen. Adjust accordingly.
| Time | Step |
|---|---|
| 3:00 PM (Day 1) | Feeding the Sourdough Starter |
| 9:00 PM | Mixing the Dough |
| 9:10 PM | Kneading |
| 9:30 PM | The First Rise (Bulk Fermentation) |
| 6:00 AM (Day 2) | Dividing and Shaping |
| 6:15 AM | The Second Rise (Final Proof) |
| 10:15 AM | Baking |
How to Make My Favorite Sourdough Dinner Rolls
Step-by-Step Instructions
Feeding the Sourdough Starter
Take 25 grams of leftover sourdough starter out of the fridge. Feed your starter 50 grams of water and 50 grams of bread flour. Mix the flour, water, and starter around in the jar until it has a pancake batter-like consistency. Mark the top of the starter with a rubber band and cover the top of the jar loosely with a lid. Let the starter rise at room temperature overnight, for around 6-8 hours, or until it doubles in size.
Mixing the Dough
To a mixing bowl, or the bowl of a stand mixer, add all of the water, whole milk, white sugar, salt, melted butter, and the active and risen sourdough starter. Stir together until thoroughly combined. Then, add all of the bread flour, and stir together until a rough dough forms.
Kneading
Turn the dough out onto an un-floured kitchen counter and knead the dough by hand for 8 minutes. You can also knead the dough in a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment on medium speed for about 8 minutes. After 8 minutes, when the dough is finally holding together well, form it into a ball.
The First Rise (Bulk Fermentation)
Move the kneaded ball of dough back into the mixing bowl and cover it with a lid, a damp kitchen towel, or a sheet of plastic wrap. Let the dough rise at room temperature for 4-6 hours, or until the dough is almost doubled in size. When the dough has doubled in size, you can move on to dividing and shaping the sourdough dinner rolls.
Dividing and Shaping
Take the risen dough out of the mixing bowl and place it on your un-floured kitchen countertop. Press the dough down into a flat disc with your fingertips. Divide the dough into 12 or 16 equally-sized pieces using a bench scraper or chef’s knife. (If using a scale to portion the dough, each piece should weigh roughly 70 grams for medium rolls or 52 grams for smaller rolls).
Stretch and fold each piece of dough to form it into a ball, and then roll each ball of dough on the counter to smooth out the edges. Once you’ve rolled your twelve balls of dough, line a round metal cake pan with a pre-cut sheet of parchment paper. Now arrange the rolls in the pan so that the rolls are just barely touching. (I recommend using a 9″ or 10″ round metal cake pan, but you can also use an 8×8″ square pan).
The Second Rise (Final Proof)
Once the rolls are arranged in the pan, melt one tablespoon of butter in the microwave and brush the tops of the rolls with the melted butter using a pastry brush. Cover the pan with a damp kitchen towel or with a sheet of plastic wrap. Let the rolls rise at room temperature for 4-8 hours, or until they are roughly doubled in size.
Baking the Sourdough Dinner Rolls
Preheat your oven to 400°F (204°C) at least 30 minutes before you’re ready to bake the dinner rolls. Once the rolls have doubled in size, prepare an egg wash by whisking together one egg with one tablespoon of whole milk. Using a pastry brush, brush the tops of the risen rolls with this egg wash mixture. This will give the sourdough dinner rolls a shiny, golden-brown appearance when they are finished baking. Then, sprinkle the tops of the rolls with a pinch of flaky sea salt, if desired.
Slide the rolls into the center rack of the oven and bake at 400°F (204°C) for 20 minutes. Then, give the baking pan a 180° turn to ensure the rolls brown evenly on all sides. Lower the heat in the oven to 350°F (180°C) and continue baking for 20-25 more minutes, or until the rolls are dark, golden-brown.
Serving
Remove the pan of baked rolls from the oven and immediately brush the rolls with one tablespoon of melted butter. This will give the rolls a glossy appearance. Let the rolls cool in the pan for 30 minutes before serving. Then, remove the rolls from the pan by lifting them up by the parchment paper on both ends. Pull the rolls apart from each other and arrange them in a serving bowl or a basket lined with a decorative fall linen.
These sourdough dinner rolls are fluffy, light, and have just a hint of sweetness without being dense. Enjoy them with butter, jam, or apple butter.
My Favorite Sourdough Dinner Rolls
Light and fluffy sourdough dinner rolls that have a touch of sweetness without being heavy or dense. These are perfect for Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner.
Ingredients
Sourdough Starter Feeding
- Sourdough Starter, leftover – 25 grams
- Water – 50 grams
- Bread Flour – 50 grams
Main Dough
- Bread Flour – 450 grams
- Water – 200 grams
- Whole Milk – 50 grams
- Sourdough Starter, active – 100 grams
- Butter, Melted – 2 Tbsp (26 grams)
- White Sugar – 10 grams
- Salt – 10 grams
Egg Wash Ingredients
- Egg – 1 egg (50 grams)
- Whole Milk – 1 Tbsp (15 grams)
Instructions
Feeding the Sourdough Starter
Take 25 grams of leftover sourdough starter out of the fridge. Feed your starter 50 grams of water and 50 grams of bread flour. Mix the flour, water, and starter around in the jar until it has a pancake batter-like consistency. Mark the top of the starter with a rubber band and cover the top of the jar loosely with a lid. Let the starter rise at room temperature overnight, for around 6-8 hours, or until it doubles in size.
Mixing the Dough
To a mixing bowl, or the bowl of a stand mixer, add all of the water, whole milk, white sugar, salt, melted butter, and the active and risen sourdough starter. Stir together until thoroughly combined. Then, add all of the bread flour, and stir together until a rough dough forms.
Kneading
Turn the dough out onto an un-floured kitchen counter and knead the dough by hand for 8 minutes. You can also knead the dough in a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment on medium speed for about 8 minutes. After 8 minutes, when the dough is finally holding together well, form it into a ball.
The First Rise (Bulk Fermentation)
Move the kneaded ball of dough back into the mixing bowl and cover it with a lid, a damp kitchen towel, or a sheet of plastic wrap. Let the dough rise at room temperature for 4-6 hours, or until the dough is almost doubled in size. When the dough has doubled in size, you can move on to dividing and shaping the sourdough dinner rolls.
Dividing and Shaping
Take the risen dough out of the mixing bowl and place it on your un-floured kitchen countertop. Press the dough down into a flat disc with your fingertips. Divide the dough into 12 equally-sized pieces using a bench scraper or chef’s knife. (If using a scale to portion the dough, each piece should weigh roughly 68 grams).
Stretch and fold each piece of dough to form it into a ball, and then roll each ball of dough on the counter to smooth out the edges. Once you’ve rolled your twelve balls of dough, line a round metal cake pan with a pre-cut sheet of parchment paper. Now arrange the rolls in the pan so that the rolls are just barely touching. (I recommend using a 9″ or 10″ round metal cake pan, but you can also use an 8×8″ square pan).
The Second Rise (Final Proof)
Once the rolls are arranged in the pan, melt one tablespoon of butter in the microwave and brush the tops of the rolls with the melted butter using a pastry brush. Cover the pan with a damp kitchen towel or with a sheet of plastic wrap. Let the rolls rise at room temperature for 4-8 hours, or until they are roughly doubled in size.
Baking the Sourdough Dinner Rolls
Preheat your oven to 400°F (204°C) at least 30 minutes before you’re ready to bake the dinner rolls. Once the rolls have doubled in size, prepare an egg wash by whisking together one egg with one tablespoon of whole milk. Using a pastry brush, brush the tops of the risen rolls with this egg wash mixture. This will give the sourdough dinner rolls a shiny, golden-brown appearance when they are finished baking. Then, sprinkle the tops of the rolls with a pinch of flaky sea salt, if desired.
Slide the rolls into the center rack of the oven and bake at 400°F (204°C) for 20 minutes. Then, give the baking pan a 180° turn to ensure the rolls brown evenly on all sides. Lower the heat in the oven to 350°F (180°C) and continue baking for 20-25 more minutes, or until the rolls are dark, golden-brown.
Serving
Remove the pan of baked rolls from the oven and immediately brush the rolls with one tablespoon of melted butter. This will give the rolls a glossy appearance. Let the rolls cool in the pan for 30 minutes before serving. Then, remove the rolls from the pan by lifting them up by the parchment paper on both ends. Pull the rolls apart from each other and arrange them in a serving bowl or a basket lined with a decorative fall linen.