No-Knead Rolls with Honey Butter — These soft, light, fluffy yeast dinner rolls are so easy to make! They’re practically work-free because there’s no-kneading involved.
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Easiest No-Knead Bread Rolls Recipe
There’s nothing better than warm, fresh, buttery homemade dinner rolls. The only thing better than the rolls is that the dough is a make-ahead and no-knead dough.
This quick dinner roll recipe is perfect for anyone who’s never worked with yeast because it’s almost impossible to screw up. If you can dump ingredients in a bowl and stir, you can make these.
I like to brush the tops with honey butter before baking and it makes them even more irresistible. Schmear the extra honey butter on after they’ve baked as you’re devouring them. So good.
The rolls are light, soft, and fluffy. I just want to rip them apart and drench them in honey butter.
Ingredients in No-Knead Dinner Rolls
These are such easy homemade dinner rolls to make, and they call for minimal ingredients. To make these no-knead dinner rolls, gather the following:
- Water
- Instant yeast
- Eggs
- Oil (canola or vegetable work well)
- Honey
- Salt
- All-purpose flour
- Butter (for the honey butter)
Note: Scroll down to the recipe card section of the post for the ingredients with amounts included and for more complete directions.
How to Make No-Knead Rolls
These no-knead bread rolls are practically work-free because there’s no-kneading involved. Since there’s no kneading, I don’t even use my stand mixer and stir everything together with a wooden spoon in a bowl.
Here’s an overview of how the rolls come together:
- Simply combine warm water, yeast, two eggs, honey, oil and flour.
- Stir the dough together, then cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside for about two hours to rise.
- Gently punch down the dough. Knead it only so much as necessary to shape it into balls for dinner rolls.
- Place balls of dough in a baking dish sprayed with non-stick spray. Let rise for 1 more hour.
- Bake the rolls for about 15 to 18 minutes, or until lightly golden and puffed.
Baking Tip: Use the Dough for Other Kinds of Bread!
The recipe will yield about 14 to 16 dinner rolls, but I don’t only make rolls with this dough. Sometimes I make mini challah loaves, or I make mini loaves of bread in mini loaf pans.
You can see how much mileage I got from one batch of dough. And it’s not even that much dough, just a 3 1/2 cups flour recipe, but I love the flexibility of it!
Make-Ahead Instructions
These no-knead dinner rolls can easily be prepared in advance and baked off just before you plan on serving them.
To make the rolls in advance:
- Let the dough rise once, then place it in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- When ready to use, punch down the dough and form the rolls.
- Let the rolls rise a second time (about 1 hour) before baking them as instructed in the recipe card below.
Recipe FAQs
I’ve made this no-knead roll recipe using a blend of all-purpose and bread flour, but I prefer using just all-purpose flour because it creates softer, squishier bread and it’s not quite as high-rising. If you want to use bread flour as well, I’ve also tested this recipe with a blend of 2 1/2 cups bread flour and 1 cup all-purpose.
You can’t simply substitute all-purpose flour for whole wheat flour in baked goods, as they have different protein contents, etc. However, if you’re looking for a whole wheat dinner roll recipe I recommend making these Whole Wheat No-Knead Rolls. I’ve tested this recipe many times and know it works!
In my experience, no. I recommend baking the yeast dinner rolls as written and then freezing them. Frozen dinner rolls thaw beautifully — just set them on your counter and let them come to room temperature!
You want to use an active dry yeast or an instant yeast. I use Red Star Platinum Yeast and it never lets me down!
Proofing the yeast is when you sprinkle it over warm water and let it foam up for 5 to 10 minutes. Technically you don’t have to proof instant yeast (which is what this recipe calls for) but because this is a no-knead rolls recipe I prefer proofing the yeast anyways just to make sure it’s “alive.”
Tips for Making No-Knead Dinner Rolls
Using oil vs butter: You can use oil or melted butter in the no-knead yeast rolls. Oil creates a softer loaf, and butter creates a crustier crust. Also, butter-based dough is firmer and slightly easier to work with, but I have no trouble with oil-based dough and prefer it.
First rise: For the first rise, you need to put the dough somewhere warm and draft-free. Create a warm environment by preheating your oven for 1 to 2 minutes to 400F, then shutting it off. This creates a 90F-ish warm spot. Slide the bowl in and wait while the yeast works. Just make sure your oven is off!
Second rise: For the second rise, make sure to cover the dish with plastic wrap. The plastic wrap is very important and shouldn’t be overlooked! If you leave off the plastic wrap, you’ll wind up with dense dough balls.
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No-Knead Make-Ahead Dinner Rolls with Honey Butter
Ingredients
Rolls
- ⅞ cup water, scant 1 cup, warmed to about 125F for Platinum yeast, about 105 to 115F for most other yeast
- 2 ¼ teaspoons instant or active dry yeast (one 1/4-ounce packet, I use Red Star Platinum
- 2 large eggs
- ¼ cup canola or vegetable oil, or 1/4 cup butter (oil creates a softer loaf, butter creates a crustier crust; butter-based dough is firmer and slightly easier to work with, but I have no trouble with oil-based dough and prefer the bread)
- ¼ cup honey
- ½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour, I have also used 2 1/2 cups bread flour and 1 cup all-purpose; bread flour creates chewier, firmer bread; AP creates softer, squisher bread and it’s not quite as high-rising
Honey Butter
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, very soft
- 2 to 3 tablespoons honey
Instructions
Make the dough:
- Pour water into a microwave-safe measuring cup or bowl and warm it to manufacturer’s directions on yeast packet, about 45 seconds on high power. Take the temperature with a thermometer. If you don’t have one, water should be warm to the touch, but not hot. Err on the side of too cool rather than too hot because you don’t want to kill the yeast.
- Pour water into a large mixing bowl and sprinkle the yeast over the top; wait 5 to 10 minutes, or until yeast is foamy. This means it’s alive and will work. (This is proofing and technically with instant dry yeast you don’t have to proof it, but for this recipe, I do)
- Add the eggs, oil, 1/4 cup honey, optional salt, and whisk to combine, about 30 seconds.
- Add the flour and stir with a wooden spoon to incorporate the flour. Stir for about 1 minute more. This is as much ‘kneading’ as the recipe requires. Dough will be thick, lumpy, bumpy, and not smooth. This is okay.
- Make a ball with the dough in the center of the bowl. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and place in a warm, draft-free place to rise until doubled in bulk, about 2 hours. * (see note below)
- At this point, you have two choices: bake the rolls now or bake them later.
If baking immediately:
- If you plan to bake now, punch dough down, remove it from bowl, and turn it out onto a well-floured surface.
- Knead it only so much as necessary to shape it into balls for rolls (I divide the dough in half, and if I’m making rolls, I make 8 rolls from each half, for 16 rolls total, they’re just a bit bigger than golf balls). Or form desired shapes such as mini loaves, challah, breadsticks, pretzels, etc. Use only what you need and save the rest for later in the refrigerator.
- Place balls of dough in a cooking sprayed round baking dish or pie plate, or in an 8×8 or 9×9 pan; size depends on how many you’re making. They can be close to each other, but if they’re overly squished they’ll bake into each other.
- Cover baking dish with plastic wrap, and allow rolls to rise in a warm, draft-free environment for about 1 hour, until almost doubled in size. I use the preheated oven trick again.
- In the final minutes of rising, preheat oven to 350F.
- Bake rolls for about 15 to 18 minutes, or until lightly golden and puffed. Baking time will vary greatly based on how many rolls you’re baking, or if it’s another shape such as a mini loaf, the size of the pan, and personal preference. Watch your bread, not the clock.
- Serve as soon as bread is cool enough to handle.
If baking later:
- If you plan to bake later, take dough that’s risen for about 2 hours from step 5, keep it covered, and refrigerate it. Dough may be kept refrigerated for up to 5 days before baking.
- When you plan to bake, pick up at step 5 and follow through the section labeled "if baking immediately."
Make the honey butter:
- Stir to combine the butter and honey. Generously brush or spread the mixture over the top of the dough before baking.
- Reserve remainder to serve with rolls after baking.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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More Easy Dinner Roll Recipes:
Texas Roadhouse Rolls — Soft, buttery, fluffy, and light this easy COPYCAT recipe for Texas Roadhouse rolls with cinnamon honey butter is INCREDIBLE!
Parker House Rolls — The BEST homemade dinner rolls because they’re so light, airy, fluffy and practically melt in your mouth!
Honey Dinner Rolls — Lightly sweetened from honey in the dough and are then brushed with honey-butter prior to baking, which lends both a golden color to the rolls and infuses them with a subtle sweetness.
Pumpkin Dinner Rolls — These rolls are soft, slightly chewy, and the pumpkin puree keeps them moist and adds just enough tooth-sinking density.
Whole Wheat No-Knead Dinner Rolls — These 100% whole wheat dinner rolls are soft, light, fluffy, and so easy. They’re practically work-free because there’s no kneading!
I love dinner rolls, these look fabulous! Love the honey butter!
Oh my gosh! That easy!?! I have to make these!! I’m not a bread person, but dinner rolls are mah thing! ;-)
Super easy, yes!
I need to conquer my fear of bread making – these rolls look too scrumptious to miss out on! The recipe seems relatively, even for me! :)
I can’t believe you don’t make bread??!! You would looooooooove it. It’s therapeutic, relaxing, easy, you can be super creative; it will be like a whole new cooking WORLD that opens for you, trust me. You cannot go wrong with this recipe as a first timer, either!
These. Are. Perfect.
Mmmm…I love fresh dinner rolls out of the oven. Delicious! And the honey butter…I think I could just eat that on anything! It sounds amazing!
Holy cow do these look good. Going to make these RIGHT NOW!!!
Really??! Ok well I want a field report my dear! And I saw some pics of you at BlogHer on various blogs and I was so happy that you made it, given all the drama leading up!
It is in the fridge aging for a couple days. I always like to leave my bread in the fridge for a day or two for the flavors to develop. I’m planning to bake tomorrow! I’m excited!
And thank you re: BlogHer! I was majorly drugged up on painkillers but I’m so glad I went. Please tell me you’re coming next year =)
Wow, I really love this recipe. I have seriously never thought of making ahead bread. I don’t eat too much bread so when I make it I usually just make a large batch and throw everything in the freezer, but fresh tastes SO much better. I wonder how this recipe would work with spelt flour.
Sit tight. I have a whole wheat version coming, likely next week I will post it. Best wheat bread I have EVER made. Ever. Til then, make the white and enjoy :)
There is nothing like a good dinner roll – that is certainly true. It’s like having a warm chocolate chip cookie or fudgy homemade brownie or creamy cheesecake. You just don’t mess with a classic like it! Last night Kevin and I went out to a fancy seafood dinner and they serve warm skillet cornbread with honey butter. The cornbread was SO moist, yet semi-crumbly (perfection) and the honey butter was like the cherry on top. I vow to make cornbread like it one day! Anyway, so wonderful you posted something with honey butter today because I want to spread it on any carby bread out there.
And what a versatile dough, Averie. So many wonderful options. Your clear instructions and directions are so helpful!
I am normally not a big cornbread eater b/c it tends to be so dry, crumbly, and either super salty or super bland and boring. And then in a skillet, it can get even more overbaked b/c the carryover cooking takes hold. So yeah, if you had good cornbread, that’s awesome. I can honestly say I don’t think I’ve ever had really memorable cornbread. Honey butter makes everything that much better!
Thanks for saying that my clear instructions and directions are helpful.You know how it is with yeast bread. If you dont spell it out, the questions and issues will start rolling into the ole inbox.
A good dinner roll, if home-baked esp, is always something to look forward to in the dinner table. And that honey butter is just the thing I need with these perfect dinner rolls!!
I love honey butter! I am a huge fan of sweet marrying savory. :)
I’m a huge fan of sweet marrying sweet :)
I love no-knead doughs – I use the KAF dough recipe for artisan breads all the time. Really need to try this one though!
I don’t know which KAF recipe that is. I ONLY bake with their flours but don’t know if I’ve followed any of their dough recipes to the letter.
Oh my word. I totally could go carb mania with these rolls Averie! I love that honey butter too, yum!
And I did go carb mania :)
Who doesn’t love a good dinner roll? These are so fluffy looking. The baking method is so unique and perfect. Hot out of the oven rolls, like cookies, are so superior to ones that have been baked earlier.
Even 2 hours later, the rolls are cold and just aren’t the same! For daytime photo shoots, by dinnertime 4-6 hrs later, it’s a TOTALLY different roll. Not horrible, but piping hot and fresh is best.
These look so good and I love work free rolls! Plus, bread is a must around here! Breakfast is all about toast, rolls, pancakes or waffles. Obviously, my family likes carbs!
So these are looking petty good!
These are so versatile! And hooray for the fact that the dough can be stored in the fridge so you bake only what you need. Sounds like a winning recipe to me!
Yes, so versatile!
I think I’ve tried all of these bread recipes except the challah and pretzels. All sooo good and easy too! These dinner rolls look incredibly soft and fluffy–and it’s gray and rainy this am which always puts me in the mood to bake. Salad is on the menu for lunch…these would go perfectly… I have everything I need…and I think I just decided I have to try these today! Hope all of you have an enjoyable Father’s Day!
Oh, enjoy! LMK what you made with the dough – rolls, loaf, braided/challah, and how it goes! You’re going to love how versatile this dough is. And you can keep little hunks/balls in the fridge and dole them out throughout the week. I know it’s just you and your hubs so you don’t need a huge ton of bread at once, so this is perfect for you I would think! Keep me posted!
All of your bread recipes are wonderful, and this is certainly no exception! It does come together fast and rises like a dream…and they are very soft and puffy after baking. I let mine rise in the dehydrator and it didn’t take quite as long. I ended up making half into rolls and the other half mini loaves. My husband just ran out the door and took one with him for the road–he loves them too!
Leave it to you to make and come back on comment on a yeast bread recipe I posted less than 18 hours ago. You are amazing! :) Thank you for trying the recipe, and so soon!
I am so glad you tried it made a combo of rolls and mini loaves. They are probably so cute and glad your hubs was able to take a snack-pack for the road! That always feels good when I can hook my husband up with something like that.
I need to use my dehyd like you do (rather than just letting it continue to collect dust!) :)