Sourdough Dinner Rolls Master Recipe—Ready Same Day!

Sourdough Dinner Rolls Same Day

This sourdough dinner rolls recipe offers three fantastic options to fit your schedule:

The first option will have your rolls ready in just 4 hours—perfect for a spontaneous dinner gathering! The second option takes about eight hours, giving you a bit more time to let those flavors develop. For those who like to plan ahead, the third option allows you to start the dough the night before. Let it ferment overnight in the fridge, and then bake the next day for a beautifully rich taste.

The recipe card clearly outlines each method’s directions, making it easy to customize your baking experience. These rolls are perfect for any holiday lunch or dinner and versatile enough to accompany any meal.

Sourdough Dinner Rolls— two ways to make this recipe with sourdough starter

• Active, bubbly, peaking sourdough starter: The first option is to make this recipe with an active, bubbly, peaking sourdough starter. This is the best option for making these dinner rolls without packaged yeast. I do this all the time, and it works great; I double (sometimes triple, if it’s cold) the proofing times in the recipe card when using only an active starter.
• Sourdough Starter (discard or active) + Instant Yeast: This is the method the recipe is written with. It’s the easiest and quickest. Adding instant yeast with the sourdough starter gives you all the great flavors of classic sourdough but with the reliable results of packaged yeast. You can still get long-fermentation benefits by proofing the dough overnight in the fridge before shaping and baking.

My best advice for getting the best results from this recipe is to use an active peaking starter or a combination of starter discard and instant yeast.

Sourdough Discard Dinner Rolls

This method is the one the recipe is designed around, making it both the easiest and quickest way to achieve delightful sourdough dinner rolls.

By incorporating instant yeast alongside your sourdough starter, you get the best of both worlds: the complex, tangy flavors that classic sourdough is known for, combined with the reliable rise and consistent results of using packaged yeast. This blend enhances the flavor profile and ensures that you won’t be left guessing whether your dough will rise as expected.

Additionally, you can still reap the benefits of long fermentation by proofing the shaped rolls overnight in the fridge before baking. This overnight fermentation allows the flavors to develop further, resulting in more flavorful rolls while also giving you the flexibility to prepare the dough ahead of time.

Sourdough Dinner Rolls—No Yeast

One option for making these delightful sourdough dinner rolls is to use only an active, bubbly, and peaking sourdough starter. This method is the best choice if you want to create these rolls without relying on any packaged yeast.

I can assure you that it yields fantastic results every time! When I use just an active starter, I find that the natural fermentation process infuses the rolls with that distinctive tangy flavor and beautiful texture that only sourdough can provide. However, it’s important to note that the proofing times in the recipe card will need to be adjusted. In cooler temperatures, I typically double or even triple the proofing times to ensure the dough has enough time to rise.

How to Long Ferment Dinner Rolls Overnight

To long-ferment these dinner rolls overnight, place them in the fridge during the bulk fermentation (aka while the dough is still in the bowl). Once in the fridge, you can leave the dough to ferment for up to 72 hours. Then, continue with the recipe as written, shaping and then baking.

You’ll want to cover the dinner roll dough while in the fridge. I usually cover the bowl with a plate.

How to Store Sourdough Dinner Rolls

• Cooling: Allow your homemade dinner rolls to cool completely on a wire rack before storing them. This prevents condensation from forming, which can make them soggy.
• Short-Term Storage:
  • Room Temperature: Store dinner rolls at room temperature in an airtight container or resealable plastic bag for up to 4 days.
• Long-Term Storage:
  • Freezing: Place sourdough dinner rolls in a freezer-safe plastic bag or airtight container to freeze them. This prevents freezer burn and helps maintain their quality. You can freeze dinner rolls for up to 3 months.
  • Thawing: When you’re ready to eat them, you can thaw the rolls at room temperature, then reheat in the oven at 350° F for 10 minutes.

Things You May Need:

Square Baking Pan

Teakwood Stirring Spatula for Sourdough

Kitchenaid Dual Platform Scale

French Sourdough Starter

Handmade Mixing Bowls

Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro

Active Dry Yeast

Sourdough

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Sourdough Dinner Rolls Master Recipe—Ready Same Day!

Get ready to impress your family and friends with these delicious sourdough dinner rolls that can be ready the same day! It’s as simple as starting by 9 AM, and you’ll have fresh, fluffy rolls right out of the oven by dinner time.

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• Prep: 10 minutes
• Cook: 30 minutes
• Total Time: 4 hours 40 minutes

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Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons melted butter
• 20 grams organic cane sugar
• 280 grams warm milk
• 150 grams sourdough starter, active bubbly
• 12 grams sea salt
• 500 grams bread flour
• 2–4 tablespoons add-ins*
• 1/2 teaspoon active instant yeast*
• 2 tablespoons egg white egg wash

Instructions

1. In a medium bowl, combine the melted butter, and organic cane sugar. Whisk until evenly combined.
2. Stir in the warm milk, sourdough starter, and instant yeast (instant yeast is optional; see notes).
3. In a separate large bowl, combine the dry ingredients, the salt, flour, and any add-ins (see notes for ideas).
4. Slowly fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and knead until a smooth dough ball forms.
5. Cover the bowl with a plate or reusable beeswax wrap and rest the dough for 30 minutes.
6. Stretch and fold the dough in the bowl. Stretch the top of the dough over the bottom, side over side, and bottom over top. Place the dough back in the bowl with the seam side down, cover, and let the dough rise for 1 hour.
7. Stretch and fold the dough in the bowl again. Stretch the top of the dough over the bottom, side over side, and bottom over top. Place the dough back in the bowl with the seam side down, cover the bowl and let the dough rest for 1 hour.
8. Optional Step: At this point you can long ferment the dough overnight in the fridge before moving on to the next step. Be sure to keep the dough in the bowl covered so it does not dry out.
9. Next, sprinkle some flour on the surface of your counter. Remove the dough from the bowl and place it on the floured surface.
10. Stretch the dough into a rectangle that’s a little bigger than a sheet of paper. Be gentle with the dough!! You don’t want to flatten it. Just lightly pull the sides until it’s a rectangle about the size of a sheet of paper.
11. Using a knife or a pizza cutter, cut the dough into 12 even squares. The pieces should weigh about 95 grams each.
12. Line a 9×9 baking pan with parchment paper and sprinkle flour on top of the parchment paper.
13. Grab a single square, and using your hands fold in the corners and shape it into a ball. Place it on the parchment paper. You should be able to evenly space 3 balls across and 4 down for 12 rolls total. (A tighter fit in the pan will result in taller rolls)
14. Cover the pan so the dough doesn’t dry out and let them rise at room temperature for about an hour or two until they double in size. (rising time will vary depending on the temperature).
15. Preheat your oven to 400° F.
16. Brush the tops of the rolls with and egg white and water egg wash.
17. Bake for 15 minutes. Rotate the pan and bake for another 15 minutes until they are golden brown. Optional— brush the tops of the freshly baked rolls with melted butter.
18. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes before pulling them apart.

Notes

• It’s best to start any type of sourdough in the morning before 9 am. This ensures you’ll be done by dinner.
• Instant yeast is optional. If you want to make this recipe without any packaged yeast, you can! Double the proofing times in the recipe directions and use bubbly, peaking, active starter.
• if your house is very warm, the bread may rise faster and you will need to adjust the final rise time. If your house is colder, it may take longer.
• Add-Ins are optional! Here are some ideas:
  • Plain or brown butter (no add-ins, just brown the butter first)
  • basil, oregano, thyme
  • garlic and onion
  • jalapeno cheddar
  • walnut and cranberry
  • green onion sesame
  • black pepper and Parmesan

Kaitlynn Fenley Author, Educator, Food Microbiologist

Kaitlynn is a food microbiologist and fermentation expert teaching people how to ferment foods and drinks at home.

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