These 90-Minute Dinner Rolls are soft, fluffy, buttery, and so easy to make, you don’t even need to bring out the mixer. And they’re completely irresistible when served still warm from the oven!

90-minute dinner rolls in a metal pan with a napkin on the side

If you need a quick, last-minute batch of amazing homemade rolls for dinner – Thanksgiving, a holiday dinner, Sunday dinner, or even a weeknight dinner – this is the recipe you want!

And, quite honestly, they may just be some of the best homemade dinner rolls you’ve ever had!

We love them so much that we’ve declared this our favorite go-to dinner roll recipe. The soft, fluffy texture and the delicious, ever-so-slightly-sweet flavor are absolute perfection.

I didn’t create this recipe (and I have no idea who originally came up with it), but if you’ve ever heard of 60-minute dinner rolls or one-hour dinner rolls, this is my version of those. It’s a mish-mash of what I liked best from all the recipes I’ve tried.

The only thing is that it always took me longer than 60 minutes to make the rolls no matter how fast I worked (even when I used an electric mixer), about 30 minutes longer every time.

So instead of continuously trying to beat the clock, I decided that I was just going to give myself those extra 30 minutes, use my hands to make the dough, and start calling them 90-minute rolls instead…because, in my kitchen, that’s what they are!

90-minute dinner rolls piled in a basket lined with a white napkin

Ingredients you need:

Cooking spray
All-purpose flour
Sugar
Rapid rise/instant yeast (not active dry yeast; *see Note below)
Butter
Milk (I use whole milk)
Water
Salt

Note: Although they look similar, rapid rise/instant yeast and active dry yeast are not exactly the same and have to be treated a little differently in recipes (for example, proofing the yeast, liquid temperature, etc.). For this recipe to be successful as written, you need to use rapid rise/instant yeast.

Here’s a look at how to make 90-Minute Dinner Rolls:

Note: This is just a quick overview of the steps. Scroll down to the recipe card for the full recipe with detailed instructions.

2 images; one of a flour mixture in a bowl with a wooden spoon with text that says in a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, and yeast; the other of melted butter in a pot on the stove with text that says in a small pot, melt the butter over low heat

2 images; one of a pot of milk and melted butter on a stove with text that says add the milk, water, and salt, heat to 120 degrees Fahrenheit; the other of the milk mixture and flour mixture together in a bowl with text that says add the milk mixture to the flour mixture

2 images; one of dough in a bowl with a wooden spoon with text that says stir until a slightly loose and sticky dough forms; the other of the dough on a floured surface with text that says place the dough on a floured surface, sprinkle with flour

2 images; one of a hand kneading dough with text that says knead dough for 5 minutes or until smooth, adding flour as needed until no longer sticky; the other of the dough in a bowl covered with plastic wrap with text that says shape dough into a ball and transfer to a greased bowl, cover and let rise for 15 minutes

2 images; one a graphic of an oven with text that says meanwhile, start preheating the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit; the other of a hand punching down dough in a bowl with text that says gently punch down the dough

2 images; one of a hand shaping a ball of dough with text that says divide the dough into 15 equal-sized pieces, roll each piece into a smooth ball; the other of a hand holding a ball of dough that has had the seams pinched together on the bottom with text that says pinch together any seams on the bottom of the balls

2 images; one of the dough balls in a baking pan covered with plastic wrap with text that says place dough balls in a sprayed 9 by 13 inch pan, cover and let rise for 20 minutes; the other a graphic of an oven with text that says uncover, bake 18 to 20 minutes until cooked through and tops are lightly golden brown

2 images; one of the finished rolls being brushed with butter with text that says remove from oven, brush tops of rolls with melted butter; the other of the finished rolls out of the pan and on a wire rack with text that says remove rolls from pan to a wire rack to cool slightly, serve warm

Tips & Tidbits:

Always check the date on your yeast before you start to make sure it is not expired.
If using yeast from packets instead of a jar, each packet is about 2¼ teaspoons, so you will need one whole packet and a portion of a second packet to get 1 tablespoon.
I think kneading the dough by hand is key to keeping these rolls soft and fluffy, but you can use an electric mixer fitted with the dough hook if you prefer. Add flour as needed, a little bit at a time, just until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl and it is no longer sticky, then knead on low speed for 4 to 5 minutes or until it is smooth and elastic.
Leftover dinner rolls will last for 2 to 3 days when properly stored in a sealed bag or airtight container at room temperature.
These rolls freeze really well for longer storage, which also means you can make them ahead of time. Freezing is also the best way to maintain that fresh-baked flavor and texture, so I recommend freezing any rolls that you don’t plan to eat immediately rather than storing them at room temperature.
- Once the baked rolls have cooled completely, wrap them individually in aluminum foil and then place them in a freezer bag and freeze. For best results, use within one month. Thaw and enjoy.
- If you want to reheat the rolls after they have thawed, wrap them loosely in foil and place them in a 300°F oven for about 10 minutes or until warm.

two 90-minute dinner rolls on a plate with a knife with butter on it with one roll cut open and spread with butter and a small container of butter in the background

I hope you try this 90-Minute Dinner Rolls recipe and love it as much as I do!

I’ll be taking the rest of this week off to spend Thanksgiving with my family (I’m super excited to have my little brother and his fiancée coming for dinner this year!), but I’ll be right back here next week bringing you lots more recipes.

At this time of the year (and all year long), I am so thankful and grateful for all of my subscribers and readers, and I wish you all a very Happy Thanksgiving that is filled with love, happiness, and great food!

graphic that says if you make this recipe, I'd love to know how you liked it, please leave a start rating and comment below, thank you

90-Minute Dinner Rolls

These 90-Minute Dinner Rolls are soft, fluffy, buttery, and so easy to make, you don't even need to bring out the mixer. And they're completely irresistible when served still warm from the oven!

5 from 1 vote

Print Recipe Rate/Comment Pin Recipe

Prep Time: 1 5

Cook Time: 25

Total Time: 1 30

Servings:

Calories: 147

Author: Michelle / Now Cook This!

Ingredients

cooking spray
4 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for kneading
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon rapid rise/instant yeast, not active dry yeast
2 tablespoons butter
¾ cup milk, I use whole milk
¾ cup water
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons melted butter, for brushing the tops of the finished rolls

Instructions

Spray a 9x13x2-inch baking pan with cooking spray.
In a large bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, and yeast; set aside.
In a small pot (I use a 1-quart pot), melt 2 tablespoons of the butter over low heat.
When the butter has melted, add the milk, water and salt to the pot. Continue heating over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the mixture reaches a temperature between 120°F and 130°F (I aim for 120°F; this will happen rather quickly, so don't walk away).
Note: If your milk mixture gets too hot, just allow it to cool back down to the proper temperature and then proceed with the recipe (pouring it out of the pot into a measuring cup or bowl can help cool it down faster).
Add the milk mixture to the flour mixture; mix until a slightly loose and sticky dough forms.
Remove the dough from the bowl to a floured surface. Sprinkle the top of the dough with flour (about 2 tablespoons).
Knead the dough by hand for 5 minutes or until it it smooth and elastic. As you go, add flour, a little bit at a time as needed, just until the dough is no longer sticky.
To knead dough: Push the dough down and away from you with the heel of your hand. Grab the edge of the dough that's farthest away from you and fold it over in half towards you. Push the dough down and away and fold in half. Keep repeating this process, occasionally turning the dough 45 degrees.
Lightly spray the bowl you mixed the dough in with cooking spray (I don't find it necessary to clean out the bowl first). Form the dough into a ball and place it in the bowl.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and let it rise for 15 minutes in a warm place that is free from drafts.
While the dough is rising, turn the oven on and start it preheating to 400°F.
Gently punch down the dough and divide it into 15 equally-sized pieces
Note: You can eyeball it, but the easiest way to do this is to weigh the whole ball of dough on a kitchen scale (I use grams) and then divide it by 15 to determine how much each ball should weigh. I have made these rolls many times, and it always works out that each ball should weigh somewhere between 65 and 70 grams.
Roll each piece of dough into a smooth ball, then pinch together any open seams on the bottom of the ball.
Note: Don't use any additional flour at this point. Form the balls right on your clean work surface; the dough shouldn't stick. Adding more flour can cause your rolls to be tough and dense.
To form the balls, loosely cup your hand over the dough and roll it around in a circular motion until it forms a smooth ball.
Place the balls in the prepared pan, seam side down, in 5 rows of 3.
Cover the pan with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and let rise for 20 minutes in a warm place that is free from drafts. Remove the plastic wrap or towel from the pan.
Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 18 to 20 minutes or until cooked through and the tops are lightly golden brown.
Remove the pan from the oven and immediately brush the tops of the rolls with the melted butter.
Remove the rolls from the pan to a wire rack and allow to cool slightly.
Best when served still slightly warm from the oven!

Notes

Leftover dinner rolls will last for 2 to 3 days when properly stored in a sealed bag or airtight container at room temperature.
These rolls freeze really well for longer storage, which also means you can make them ahead of time. Freezing is also the best way to maintain that fresh-baked flavor and texture, so I recommend freezing any rolls that you don’t plan to eat immediately rather than storing them at room temperature.
- Once the baked rolls have cooled completely, wrap them individually in aluminum foil and then place them in a freezer bag and freeze. For best results, use within one month. Thaw and enjoy.
- If you want to reheat the rolls after they have thawed, wrap them loosely in foil and place them in a 300°F oven for about 10 minutes or until warm.

Did you try this recipe? I’d love to see it!Mention @nowcookthis or tag #nowcookthisrecipes!

Comments

Michelle James

November 22, 2021 at 12:07 pm

Those look so great and are perfect for Thanksgiving! Love your step by step photos, they are a big help!

- Michelle
  
  November 22, 2021 at 4:39 pm
  
  Thanks very much, Michelle! I hope you give the rolls a try, and I’m really happy that you like the step-by-step photos! Have a great Thanksgiving!
  
Alice Koppmann

November 22, 2021 at 7:21 pm

I would never make these buns because of the unnecessary sugar,bread and buns should never have sugar in it,I can’t eat it with meat ,terrible

- Michelle
  
  November 22, 2021 at 7:38 pm
  
  Sorry this recipe isn’t for you, Alice. We all have different tastes. Actually, many recipes for bread and buns contain sugar, as it feeds the yeast and also contributes to the flavor and texture of the bread.