Soft & Buttery Yeast Dinner Rolls Recipe

Nothing signals the start of a celebratory meal quite like a basket of warm, freshly baked dinner rolls. And while store-bought is fine, there’s no comparison to the smell of homemade bread wafting through your kitchen. This yeast dinner rolls recipe Thanksgiving make ahead style is designed to deliver that glorious, pull-apart softness with minimal kneading and maximum flavor, making it the must-have item on your holiday table.

This recipe is simple enough for beginner bakers but uses a key ingredient—bread flour—to ensure a superior texture. Best of all, it’s completely make-ahead friendly. You can prep the dough the day before, letting it rest overnight in the refrigerator, which is the ultimate holiday hack for keeping your Thanksgiving morning stress-free and your oven available for the turkey and sides!

Why These Dinner Rolls are Essential for Thanksgiving

This specific yeast dinner rolls recipe is the ideal choice for holiday gatherings due to its texture, rich flavor, and flexibility.

• Soft and Pillowy Texture: The secret to the delicate, pull-apart softness is the double-rise process and the use of bread flour. Bread flour has a higher protein content than all-purpose flour, which develops stronger gluten threads. This structure traps air better during the long rise, leading to rolls that are light, airy, and delightfully chewy.
• Make-Ahead Magic: The dough can be prepared, shaped, and placed in the pan the night before, then refrigerated. This breaks up the long rising process, allowing you to simply pull the pan out of the fridge and bake closer to mealtime. This frees up crucial kitchen space for other Thanksgiving recipes.
• Beginner-Friendly Dough: The recipe relies heavily on a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, requiring only 5-7 minutes of kneading time. This minimal kneading makes the process approachable for even first-time bread bakers.
• Buttery Richness: The generous addition of softened butter ensures a rich flavor that really shines when the rolls are served warm, fresh from the oven.

The Anatomy of a Perfect Pull-Apart Roll

To achieve that classic soft texture and professional golden shine, focus on temperature, time, and the finishing touch.

Yeast Activation and Flour Choice

• Water Temperature: The water used to activate the yeast must be between 110°F and 120°F (43°C and 49°C). Too cold, and the yeast won’t wake up; too hot, and you’ll kill it instantly. The resulting foam confirms your yeast is alive.
• Bread Flour: While you can use all-purpose flour, bread flour is strongly recommended. Its higher protein level gives the rolls the structure needed to rise tall and stay soft without collapsing, achieving the perfect bakery-style chew.
• The Second Rise: The 45-minute second rise (proofing) is essential. This is when the individual dough balls puff up and touch each other, ensuring they bake into one seamless, pull-apart unit.

The Golden Finish

• Egg Wash is Mandatory: Brushing the tops of the rolls with a simple egg wash (one egg whisked with 1 tablespoon of water) before baking is essential. This thin layer of protein bakes into a beautiful, glossy, deep golden-brown crust, giving them that irresistible, professional appearance.
• Bake Temperature: The rolls are baked quickly at 400°F (200°C). This high heat ensures they achieve a golden exterior rapidly while the interior stays moist and soft.

Step-by-Step: The Two-Rise Method

This method is designed to manage the rising time efficiently, especially with the make-ahead option.

Part 1: Mixing and First Rise

1. Activate Yeast: In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine 1 1/2 cups of warm water (approx. 120°F or 49°C) and 2 1/4 teaspoons (one packet) of instant yeast. Let it stand for 5 minutes until foamy.
2. Mix Dough: Whisk together the bread flour, salt, and baking powder in a separate bowl. Add the granulated sugar and the flour mixture to the mixer bowl. Mix on low speed.
3. Add Butter: Gradually add 6 tablespoons of softened butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing until fully incorporated.
4. Knead: Continue mixing with the dough hook for 5 to 7 minutes until the dough forms a smooth, elastic ball that pulls away from the sides of the bowl but remains slightly tacky.
5. First Rise: Gather the dough into a ball, place it back in the bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.

Part 2: Shaping, Second Rise, and Baking

1. Shape: Gently punch down the dough to release air. Divide it into 12 equal portions (use a kitchen scale for uniformity, about 3 ounces each). Roll each piece into a smooth, tight ball.
2. Second Rise: Arrange the 12 dough balls evenly in a greased 9-inch by 13-inch baking dish. Cover loosely and let rise for 45 minutes, or until they are puffy and nearly doubled in size.
3. Bake: Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Whisk together 1 egg and 1 tablespoon of water for the egg wash. Brush the tops and sides of the rolls generously.
4. Bake: Bake for 15 to 17 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown. Serve warm!

Pro-Tips and Make-Ahead Excellence

Use these simple hacks to ensure your yeast dinner rolls recipe Thanksgiving make ahead approach is entirely stress-free.

The Essential Overnight Chill (Make-Ahead)

This trick is perfect for holiday morning prep:

1. Complete the dough up through Part 2, Step 1 (shaping the rolls and placing them in the baking dish).
2. Refrigerate: Cover the pan tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight (up to 16 hours). The cold temperature halts the yeast activity.
3. Morning Prep: On Thanksgiving morning, remove the pan from the fridge. Let the rolls sit on the counter for 1 to 2 hours until they puff up again (the second rise). Proceed with the egg wash and baking as directed.

Serving Suggestions

• Compound Butter: Serve the warm rolls with a homemade herb butter (mix softened butter with fresh rosemary, thyme, and salt) or a cinnamon-honey butter for a sweet twist.
• Leftover Sliders: Transform leftovers into delicious brioche-style slider buns for turkey or ham sandwiches. Simply slice them horizontally and toast lightly in a skillet.

Conclusion: Homemade Bread, Zero Stress

This Yeast Dinner Rolls Recipe is the perfect blend of tradition and convenience. By utilizing a simple bread flour dough and the essential make-ahead chilling technique, you can guarantee a basket of warm, pillowy-soft, pull-apart rolls for your holiday table without adding any stress to your Thanksgiving recipes lineup. Enjoy the aroma of fresh bread and the applause from your guests!

Soft & Buttery Yeast Dinner Rolls Recipe

These soft, pillowy Yeast Dinner Rolls are the ultimate Thanksgiving make-ahead bread. Made with bread flour for superior texture, these buttery homemade rolls rise beautifully and bake into a golden, pull-apart batch that puts store-bought to shame. Prepare the dough the night before and simply bake fresh before mealtime—your kitchen will smell like a bakery, and your holiday will be stress-free!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 17 minutes mins

Total Time 2 hours hrs 22 minutes mins

Servings 12 rolls

Calories 165 kcal

Equipment

• Stand mixer with dough hook
• Kitchen scale
• 9×13 inch baking dish
• pastry brush

Ingredients

  

• 1.5 cups Warm water (110°F–120°F)
• 2.25 tsp Instant yeast (1 packet)
• 4 cups Bread flour
• 2 tbsp Granulated sugar
• 1.5 tsp Salt
• 0.5 tsp Baking powder
• 6 tbsp Unsalted butter, softened
• 1 Egg (for egg wash)
• 1 tbsp Water (for egg wash)

Instructions

 

• In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine warm water (about 120°F) with instant yeast. Let stand 5 minutes, until foamy.
• In a separate bowl, whisk bread flour, salt, baking powder, and sugar. Add to the mixer and blend on low speed until combined.
• Add the softened butter 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing until fully incorporated.
• Knead with the dough hook for 5–7 minutes, until smooth, elastic, and slightly tacky.
• Form the dough into a ball, return to the bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour, or until doubled.
• Punch down the dough. Divide into 12 equal portions (about 3 oz each). Roll each into a tight ball.
• Arrange dough balls in a greased 9×13-inch baking dish. Cover loosely and let rise for 45 minutes until puffy.
• Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Whisk the egg with 1 tablespoon water and brush the tops and sides generously.
• Bake 15–17 minutes, until golden brown. Serve warm.

Notes

Make-Ahead Overnight Method:
Shape the rolls and place them in the baking dish. Cover tightly and refrigerate up to 16 hours. On baking day, set out at room temperature for 1–2 hours until puffy. Brush with egg wash and bake as directed.

Serving Ideas: Serve with herb butter or cinnamon honey butter. Rolls also make excellent sliders with leftover turkey or ham.

Tip: For the fluffiest texture, always use bread flour—its higher protein content traps air and creates that signature pillowy pull-apart center.