How to Make Perfect No-Knead Dinner Rolls with Minimal Effort (2024)

Bread Baking

These no-knead dinner rolls are so easy to make that you’ll wonder why you ever bothered with the store-bought kind. With a perfectly crisp crust and a soft, fluffy interior, they will surely be a favorite at any meal.

They’re also fantastic for dinner as well as for making delicious sandwiches. The best part? You’ll only need a few minutes of prep and a long, hands-off rise to enjoy these goodies.

How to Make Perfect No-Knead Dinner Rolls with Minimal Effort (1)

No-Knead Dinner Rolls

Just a few minutes of hands-on time and a long rise is all you need for these easy, crusty dinner rolls.

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 18 minutes minutes

Rising Time 12 hours hours

Total Time 12 hours hours 38 minutes minutes

Serving Size 10 rolls

Equipment

  • Large mixing bowl

  • Plastic Wrap

  • Baking Sheet

Ingredients

  • 3 ¼ cups all-purpose flour (390 grams)
  • 1⅓ cups water (281 grams)
  • 1 tablespoon sugar (12 grams)
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt (9 grams)
  • 1 teaspoon yeast instant or active dry (3 grams)

Instructions

  • Mix the ingredients. Combine the flour, sugar, salt, and yeast in a large mixing bowl. Then, add 1 cup of water and use a rubber spatula to mix well. The dough should form a shaggy and wet ball. If it appears dry, add more water, a bit at a time, until it looks as pictured.

    How to Make Perfect No-Knead Dinner Rolls with Minimal Effort (2)

  • Cover and allow to rise. Tightly cover the bowl of dough with plastic wrap. Place the covered bowl on the counter at room temperature and let it rise for 10 hours or overnight. This long rise is necessary since the recipe is no-knead. Ensure that you leave it for the full 10 hours. By the end of the rise, the dough should be very puffy and have doubled in size. When you poke it with your finger, the indentation should fill slowly. Give it more time if the dough is still firm or hasn’t expanded much.

    How to Make Perfect No-Knead Dinner Rolls with Minimal Effort (3)

  • Shape into rolls. Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper or generously spraying it with non-stick cooking spray. Gently turn the dough onto a floured surface, careful not to deflate it. Shape the dough into a smooth ball. Using a sharp knife, divide the dough into 10 equal pieces. Shape each piece by pulling the edges under to form a smooth top. Place the rolls on the prepared baking sheet, spaced evenly apart. Lightly grease a piece of plastic wrap and cover the rolls to prevent sticking.

    How to Make Perfect No-Knead Dinner Rolls with Minimal Effort (4)

  • Second rise. Prepare a warm place for the second rise by briefly turning on your oven or placing a bowl of hot water inside it. Let the rolls rise for 45 minutes while you preheat the oven for baking.

    How to Make Perfect No-Knead Dinner Rolls with Minimal Effort (5)

  • Prepare the oven. Place a rimmed, metal baking sheet on a lower rack of the oven and preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). This sheet will be used to create steam during the baking process.

  • Bake. Once the oven is preheated, carefully pour 1 cup of water onto the hot, empty baking sheet to create steam. Immediately place the rolls on the middle rack and shut the oven door quickly to keep the steam inside. Bake for 17-20 minutes until the rolls are golden brown. Transfer the rolls to a wire rack to cool. Serve warm or at room temperature.

    How to Make Perfect No-Knead Dinner Rolls with Minimal Effort (6)

Notes

Don’t skip the steam step—it’s necessary for the rolls to rise properly. They will puff up a lot in the oven.

Make sure your yeast is fresh and active. If you’re not sure, you can test it by dissolving a small amount in warm water with a pinch of sugar. If it bubbles and froths after a few minutes, it’s good to go.

You can use bread flour for a crusty, chewy roll. You might need to add a bit more water in step one.

Let the dough sit for the full ten hours. When you poke it, your finger should leave an indentation that fills slowly.

After the first rise, the dough will be delicate and full of air. Handle it as gently as possible to avoid deflating it too much, which helps keep the rolls light and fluffy.

If your dough is too sticky to shape, spray your hands with nonstick spray.

Feel free to add some flavor to your dough. A sprinkle of dried herbs, grated cheese, or a bit of garlic powder can take these rolls to the next level without much extra effort.

More Tips:

The dough needs to sit at room temperature for a while to rise. If your kitchen is very cold, you can put the dough in a warmer place on top of the fridge or inside a turned-off oven with the light on to help it rise properly.

When adding hot water to the baking sheet in the oven for steam, be cautious—use an oven mitt and pour slowly. And avoid using glass, as it might break!

Cover the rolls with heavily greased plastic wrap during the second rise to prevent the rolls from sticking.

Keep an eye on your rolls during the last few minutes of baking, as every oven bakes differently. If they’re browning too quickly, you can loosely cover them with a piece of foil.

This is a beginner-friendly recipe, but if shaping rolls seems too hard, try making my no-knead without a Dutch oven. It’s even easier.

If you are baking at a high altitude, read this article for more help.

How to Make Perfect No-Knead Dinner Rolls with Minimal Effort (7)

Serving Suggestions

These dinner rolls pair perfectly with roast chicken, beef stew, creamy tomato soup, garlic butter shrimp, or a redskin potato salad.

Key Ingredients and Tools

Here’s what you’ll need for these dinner rolls:

How to Make Perfect No-Knead Dinner Rolls with Minimal Effort (8)
  • Instant or active dry yeast: This is the essential ingredient for making the dough rise, so make sure it’s fresh. You can find it in the baking aisle of any grocery store.
  • Plastic wrap: It’s important to cover the dough tightly with plastic wrap during the rise to trap moisture and create the right environment for the dough to expand.
  • Parchment paper: Lining your baking sheet with parchment paper helps prevent the rolls from sticking and makes cleanup easier. You can find it near the aluminum foil and plastic wrap.

Having these items on hand will help make sure your rolls turn out perfectly.

Here are some ingredient alternatives you can test out:

  • Bread or wheat flour: Use bread flour instead of all-purpose flour for chewier rolls. You might need to add a little more water. Or you can substitute half of the all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour for a heartier texture and flavor. You can also try mixing in some wheat flour with other recipes, like no-knead sandwich bread.
  • Honey: Swap honey for sugar in the same amount for a different kind of sweet taste.

These changes will alter the recipe slightly, so feel free to try them out and see what you like best!

Storage Instructions

To store these No-Knead Dinner Rolls, let them cool completely on a wire rack. Once cooled, you can store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.

If you want to freeze the rolls, wrap them individually in plastic wrap, then place them in a freezer-safe bag or container. They can be frozen for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to eat them, let the rolls thaw at room temperature, then warm them in the oven at 350°F for about 10 minutes to refresh the crust.

Keep in mind that freezing may slightly change the texture, but they will still be delicious.

These No-Knead Dinner Rolls are an easy way to bring homemade comfort to your table with minimal effort. Whether you’re serving them with a cozy soup or a hearty roast, they’re sure to be a hit with everyone.

Give them a try, and enjoy the simple pleasure of warm, freshly baked rolls any time. Don’t forget to experiment with the variations and make them your own!

How to Make Perfect No-Knead Dinner Rolls with Minimal Effort (9)
How to Make Perfect No-Knead Dinner Rolls with Minimal Effort (10)

By Katie Shaw

Katie lives in Virginia with her husband, three daughters, a chocolate lab, and over thirty chickens. She loves creating simple tutorials for sourdough, bread, and soap. Her recipes, articles, and YouTube videos reach millions of people per year.

Learn More

How to Make Perfect No-Knead Dinner Rolls with Minimal Effort (2024)
Top Articles
Latest Posts
Recommended Articles
Article information

Author: Maia Crooks Jr

Last Updated:

Views: 6125

Rating: 4.2 / 5 (43 voted)

Reviews: 82% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Maia Crooks Jr

Birthday: 1997-09-21

Address: 93119 Joseph Street, Peggyfurt, NC 11582

Phone: +2983088926881

Job: Principal Design Liaison

Hobby: Web surfing, Skiing, role-playing games, Sketching, Polo, Sewing, Genealogy

Introduction: My name is Maia Crooks Jr, I am a homely, joyous, shiny, successful, hilarious, thoughtful, joyous person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.