Easy Recipe for White Bread Rolls

Buns in oven
Claudiad / Getty Images
Prep: 80 mins
Cook: 35 mins
Total: 115 mins
Servings: 15 servings
Yield: 15 rolls

Rolls are one of the best types of bread to bake, and when they taste exactly like white bread, are quite versatile. You can serve them with dinner, use leftovers for sandwiches, and even slice them in half, toast, and top with butter, cheese, and garlic for delicious garlic bread. You can also bake these rolls into different shapes, making them fun for the holidays.

Feel free to make a big batch and freeze for later use; they will last up to 3 months and can be thawed when needed. The recipe makes about 15 medium-size rolls, but you can form them into smaller buns for sliders or small dinner rolls.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups water

  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

  • 1 tablespoon lard, or shortening

  • 1/4 cup dry milk powder, low fat

  • 2 tablespoons sugar

  • 2 1/2 teaspoons salt

  • 2 (1/4-ounce) packages active dry yeast

  • 1/4 cup warm water

  • 6 cups bread flour, as needed

  • Cornmeal, for dusting baking sheets, optional

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Boil the 2 cups water in a small saucepan. Put the butter and lard in a large bowl. Pour boiling water over the butter and lard and stir until melted.

  3. Stir in the dry milk, sugar, and salt until dissolved. Set bowl aside until the contents are lukewarm. If too hot, it will kill the yeast when you add it in.

  4. After the bowl contents have cooled, stir the yeast into the 1/4 cup lukewarm water. When dissolved, pour into a large bowl.

  5. Begin mixing in the bread flour, 1 cup at a time. When you can no longer mix with a wooden spoon, turn the dough out onto a floured board and knead in more flour until the dough is soft and elastic.

  6. Grease a large bowl with butter. Put the bread dough into the bowl and then turn the dough over so that the top of the dough is buttered. Cover the bowl with a clean cloth and let the dough rise in a warm place until double in size, about 45 minutes.

  7. Punch down the dough. Turn it out onto a floured board and knead out all the bubbles for about 5 minutes. Divide the dough into about 15 equal parts and shape into rolls. Smaller or larger rolls can be made by increasing or decreasing the number of parts you divide the dough into.

  8. Preheat the oven to 375 F. Butter two baking sheets. Spread a light layer of yellow cornmeal on the sheets, if desired. Set the rolls about 2 inches apart on the sheets, cover with a clean towel, and allow to rise until double in size, about 20 to 30 minutes.

  9. Bake the rolls for about 35 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and turn out onto a rack or a clean cloth. Allow to cool before eating.

Roll-Making Tips

  • Before you begin the recipe, check the expiration date on the packet of yeast. Old yeast will prevent the bread from rising properly. You can test the yeast's freshness by adding some to a combination of lukewarm water and sugar; if it foams, then it is still good to work with.
  • Be careful not to add too much flour when kneading the dough or else the rolls will turn out tough.
  • If you're having trouble making the rolls the same size, cut the dough into quarters and then divide each quarter into equal parts.
  • You can make these rolls ahead of time; complete the recipe and gently reheat before serving, or refrigerate the risen roll dough and then bake when ready.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
226 Calories
3g Fat
42g Carbs
7g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 15
Amount per serving
Calories 226
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 3g 3%
Saturated Fat 1g 5%
Cholesterol 3mg 1%
Sodium 368mg 16%
Total Carbohydrate 42g 15%
Dietary Fiber 2g 6%
Total Sugars 2g
Protein 7g
Vitamin C 0mg 0%
Calcium 24mg 2%
Iron 1mg 3%
Potassium 84mg 2%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)