These fan favorite sourdough dinner rolls are perfectly crusty with a soft and fluffy crumb. They are made with a no-knead dough so they're super easy, and they need just two ingredients: flour and sourdough starter.
The perfect crusty sourdough dinner rolls
These really are the perfect sourdough dinner rolls. They have a delicious crackly crust and a soft and pillowy crumb that's perfect to soak up stews and curries with! An active, bubbling sourdough starter and an overnight first rise gives these rolls amazing flavor and texture. If you don't love sourdough but want to eat it for its immense health benefits, you might like the fact that the flavor is obvious but not overwhelming.
As the baker, my favorite part of this sourdough dinner rolls recipe is that I need just two ingredients - flour and sourdough starter - and I don't need to do any kneading. At all. Just put the ingredients in a bowl, mix them up into a dough, proof overnight, shape the rolls, let them stand again for a couple of hours, and bake! Breadmaking doesn't get any easier than that.
If you have a very robust starter and you fed it a about a week ago you can use it to make these sourdough dinner rolls (I have, with good results). But using a recently fed, active sourdough starter will give you the best rolls. I fed my starter, George, who has been lounging in the refrigerator most of this summer, about eight hours before I made the dough and he bubbled up nicely in that time.
P.S. If you are looking for sourdough dinner rolls with a softer crust try this recipe.
Have been trying different sourdough recipes and this one is probably one of the easiest! No drawn-out kneading or meticulous measuring. Followed the instructions exactly, got good dough rise. Recipe makes 12 medium-large rolls that look professionally made (especially if you score them as instructed). I baked for 25 min and they were perfect. -Stephanie
Recipe card
Crusty Sourdough Dinner Rolls
Ingredients
- 3 ½ cups bread flour
- 1 ¼ cups warm filtered or distilled water
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup active sourdough starter (made using my recipe linked here. If using sourdough with a different hydration, you will need to adjust the amount of water)*
Instructions
Make the sourdough dinner rolls dough
- Place all the ingredients in a large bowl or in the bowl of a stand mixer. Mix in the stand mixer or with your hand until a consistent dough forms. The dough can be slightly tacky but it shouldn't be wet.
- Cover the bowl with cling wrap or a tight lid and let the dough stand overnight or for 8-10 hours on the countertop, if warm, or in a cold oven with the light on.
Shape the rolls
- Punch down the risen dough and shape the dough into 12 equal-sized balls. Place the rolls 2 inches apart on a generously floured or parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Dust the tops of the rolls with more flour, cover with a kitchen towel, and set aside to rise for 2 hours.
Score and bake the rolls
- Fifteen minutes before the rise is done, preheat the oven to 425℉/220℃.
- Just before putting the rolls in the oven, score the top of each roll using a sharp knife. Make the cut fast, to prevent the roll from deflating. Scoring gives the gases that form in the bread escape while baking and helps the rolls rise.
- Place the rolls in the hot oven and bake 25-28 minutes or until the rolls are a light golden-brown and sound hollow when tapped. Remove the rolls from the oven and continue cooling on a rack.
Notes
Nutrition Information
To print recipe card without images, uncheck "instruction images" after clicking the "print recipe" button.
How to make sourdough dinner rolls
- Place all the ingredients in a large bowl or in the bowl of a stand mixer.
- Mix in the stand mixer with the dough hook attachment or with your hands or a ladle until a consistent dough forms. It can be slightly sticky but it shouldn't be wet.
- Cover the dough with cling wrap or a tight lid and let it stand overnight or for 8-10 hours on the countertop, if warm, or in a cold oven with the light on.
- Punch down the risen dough and shape it into 12 equal-sized balls. Use flour on your palms to roll, if the dough feels sticky.
- Place the shaped rolls two inches apart on a generously floured or parchment paper lined baking sheet.
- When the rolls have risen, score the top of each roll using a sharp knife or a bread lame (an implement designed to score bread). Make the cut fast, to prevent the roll from deflating. Place the rolls in a 425 degrees Fahrenheit/220 degrees Celsius oven and bake 25-28 minutes or until the rolls are a light golden brown color. Remove from the oven and continue cooling the rolls on a wire rack.
Top tip
Score the rolls before baking! Scoring allows the gases that form in the sourdough to escape in the oven and helps the rolls rise. If you don't score the rolls the gases will find an outlet at a weak spot in the dough and cause a split there, which might not look great. Scoring ensures your sourdough dinner rolls look artisanal. For the best look, score from end to end - the rolls will puff up like little balls!
Sourdough rolls FAQ
Yes, click on the "metric" tab in the recipe box for precise weight measurements.
Yes. Bread flour will result in a fluffier crumb and a crustier crust, but if all-purpose is what you have, you can use it.
You can, but make sure it was recently fed and is strong.
Use a recently fed, bubbly sourdough starter for best results. I have sometimes had good results with using discard from a healthy starter fed no more than a week before I make the rolls. But if you want foolproof rolls I recommend using recently fed starter.
That could be due to one or all of three things: you let the first rise go on for too long, the strength of your sourdough starter and the weather conditions in your area. Make sure your starter is robust and also don't let the first rise go on and on - no longer than 10 hours. The rolls won't rise a lot after shaping, during the final rise, but they will "spring" in the oven (see my photos in the step-by-step instructions - the rolls haven't quite doubled). Finally, make sure the rolls are sitting in a warm spot. If you take care of all these elements, follow rise times, and score the rolls, rest assured the rolls will rise in the oven.
My sourdough starter uses a 1:¾ ratio of flour to water. If you use a greater proportion of water in your starter, use just 1 cup of water in the sourdough rolls recipe below and slowly trickle in more water into the dough if needed. If your starter has a lower proportion of water than mine, start with the same amount of water as the recipe but trickle in more water into the dough, a tablespoon at a time, if needed. The final dough should be slightly tacky but not wet.
This dough is slightly tacky - it will stick a bit to your fingers and the countertop - but it should not be wet. If the dough turned out very sticky, you likely used a starter with a different water-to-flour ratio. See the question above for how to tweak the dough to your specific starter.
There are two possible reasons: your sourdough starter has a different water to flour proportion, or you are working in a drier climate or at a higher altitude than I am. If your dough is not coming together, add more water a little at a time. The dough should be shaggy and very slightly tacky but not overly sticky.
I always make these rolls with bread flour so I can't say for sure, but one reader commented he has tried these rolls with ½ cup rye, ½ cup whole wheat flour and rest all-purpose flour, and they turned out nicely.
Yes, place them side-by-side in a 9 X 13 inch baking dish or a cast-iron skillet (which will give you a crustier roll). The rolls will join together as they rise and bake.
More sourdough bread recipes
Ben Gilchrist says
Honestly I do t leave reviews often but I just got starting using a starter and these were my first shot at Rolls. I am on batch 3 and they are fantastic. I make a few modifications
First I tried the two temp recommendation and found the regular 425 for 25-30 min to be spot on with a pan of water underneath
This is what I changed
For me the rolls were way too sticky and hard to handle so I add 520 G of flour. I use 3% (15.6 g) salt as I felt like they were missing some flavor.
I also make these at night. Prove in the fridge and then before I go to work I get the dough out of the fridge so they are ready to rise and bake when I get home. Find the schedule that’s right for you. 8hrs on the counter is great and 2-3 on the baking sheet is perfect. I also found a razor blade the way to go on scoring them.
Thank you very much for this recipe it truly is awesome
Leah says
can i put the daugh over night in fridge?
Vaishali says
Yes!
Jessica says
I just baked these this morning after proofing overnight and I am sooooooo pleased with how they came out! I made 8 rolls rather than the 12 because I'm using some for meatball sandwiches tonight. I took another commenter's suggestion to turn the oven temp down to 375° halfway through baking. 10 mins at 425° then another ~11 mins at 375°. I could have probably baked for another 1-2 minutes but I was afraid of the crust getting too hard. I also had a pan of water in the oven on the lower rack. I got a tiny bit of splitting on the bottoms of my rolls but I think this was due to my scoring not being deep enough on top. 10/10 will bake these again!
Jessica says
Also, for reference I used AP flour and a 100% hydration starter and didn't need to adjust the original recipe. Only added a very small dusting of flour when shaping the rolls.
Katie says
I also made 8, using the same method, but found they weren't big enough to make full-sized sandwiches. Still tasty, though!
Lacey says
I bake alot and also can't find bread flour anymore, but I did find a huge bag of vital gluten at a reasonable price on Amazon. You can add a tbs of that for every 2-3 cups of AP flour and make your own bread flour. If you end up with a 4lb bag like me, you can also try your hand at making seitan from the gluten.
Melody Meinhardt says
Started these last night and baked this morning. When I 'formed' the rolls this morning and I was really worried because the dough was very sticky - I had to really flour my hands well to make the rolls. Followed comments about placing pan in oven and adding water for steam, lowered the oven temperature to 375 after 15 minutes because I thought they were browning to quickly.
They are beautiful and delicious! Thank you for this recipe! I wanted to add a photo but don't see how 🙂
Laurie says
I use a 100% hydration starter and can see from your page link that you do not. I am new enough to bread baking that the idea of adjusting how much water or flour to your recipe in order to achieve the same result is daunting, Plus, I suck at math. I’d really appreciate your helping me with the adjustments. I did see on a bread forum that someone with a 100% hydration starter consistently uses your exact recipe, but I’d like to give myself the best chance at success and ask for help directly. We use my starter discard often, the starter itself less often in an effort to bake a variety of breads, so a roll recipe that isn’t a yeasted, enriched dough would be great. Thank you. Stay safe.
Esther says
I am wondering. Is there any sweetener in this recipe? Or did you forget to add it? Thanks
Vaishali says
No.
Kim says
Can you use all purpose flour instead of bread flour?
Raani says
what is the purpse of sugar in your reciepes ? And what would happen if you left it our or used less.
I am enjoying you web-site and all the sourdough receipes.. .
Thanks
Jak says
Hi there, can I use wholemeal flour? And my starter was with different recipe, how do I workout what sort of adjustments to make? My starter is 50gm rye 50gm wholemeal wheat flour and 50gm steerer with 100gm of water.. I'm turning to figure out what adjustments should I make to enjoy these yummy buns.. Thx ?
Tara Prescott says
Can they be frozen? If so, from freezer to oven for hot rolls to serve.
Keith says
After mixing the ingredients, how long can the first rise last. Is 8 hours best or can it go for 12? Just trying to find the best option. My starter has been cooking a few weeks and I want to give this a try!
Vaishali says
Eight is best. For longer rises refrigerate.
Danny T says
These looks great! How large are they? Are they big enough to slice in half and use for a hamburger bun?
Vaishali says
They aren't as big as hamburger buns. You can try this soft sourdough rolls recipe for that: https://holycowvegan.net/soft-sourdough-rolls/
LEAH says
Hi its not my first time doing it and it is delicious we all love it!!!! Can I freeze it after baked??
Wendy says
Hi! I’ve made your no knead sourdough bread and it is so yummy! I want to make these rolls and wondered if I could freeze the dough after the overnight rise and do the 2 hour rise when thawed and ready to bake at a later date?
Thank you!
Vaishali says
Yes, that's fine!
Sylvia says
Thanks Lorrie I will try these buns
Mina says
Hi! I'm a newbie to bake with starter. Thanks for sharing your recipes, my question is if I can use all purpose flour instead of bread flour (since I can't find at stores yet) thanks!
Vaishali says
Yes!
Mina says
Thank you so much for replying!! I'll go ahead and give it a try.?
Anonymous says
I bake alot and also can't find bread flour anymore, but I did find a huge bag of vital gluten at a reasonable price on Amazon. You can add a tbs of that for every 2-3 cups of AP flour and make your own bread flour. If you end up with a 4lb bag like me, you can also try your hand at making seitan from the gluten.
Karla says
Hi! I'm a newbie to bake with starter. Thanks for sharing your recipes, my question is if I can use all purpose flour instead of bread flour (since I can't find at stores yet) thanks!
Vaishali says
Yes, absolutely.
Camille Shelton says
My rolls are a little dense. Wondering if the starter should have been used right after feeding, or if it should have been the discarded portion? I did the discard, assuming that was standard, and it’s still dense.
Vaishali says
You need a well fed starter for this one--discard won't have the strength needed to give the rolls a good rise.
Kacey says
Hello! I was hoping to do a cold proof for the 2nd rising (you offer 2 hours as sufficient). How long would a cold proof need to be for that rising?
Vaishali says
About eight hours.
Becky Paris says
Greetings from NZ. I made these yesterday and although the centers are perfectly acceptable, my ‘crusty’ crust was hard. Someone mentioned in an earlier comment (that I now can’t find ?) about their crust being hard and the bottoms split. Bingo, that’s my experience. I didn’t knead the dough much at the beginning (maybe not enough but I am new to sourdough and I have read a lot about ‘light’ handling). Thank you.
Vaishali says
Did you slash the rolls on top. That should prevent the bottoms from splitting. The gases in the sourdough need an outlet when they are in the oven.
Anonymous says
Do they freeze well?
Vaishali says
Yes!
Norm says
Thanks for this recipe. They turn out great. For those that may feel that they burn the bread easily I put another pan underneath with water to allow for steam and keep moisture. Worked great. FYI I did leave that water pan as I heated the oven to give an initial steam.
Vaishali says
Great feedback, thanks!
Stefany Mohebban says
My starter is consistent of half a cup of water, and a little over 3/4 cup of flour... how do I adjust the recipe (amount of water) to match my starter?
Robbert says
Great recipe! Made a few minor adjustments. Added more flour until the dough wasn't sticky anymore. Made 8 buns and baked in 2 batches for 20 minutes each. Thanks!
Vaishali says
Great to hear it worked for you! Do keep in mind that if you add too much flour your rolls could turn out dense--you need more hydration for an airier roll.
Anonymous says
Can this be done in a cooker. I don't have an oven. Can we add little sugar to thus. Thank you.
Ashley Vaksdal says
So delicious, no problem with them rising nor being too gooey HOWEVER... Both batches I have made burn on the bottom... I moved the oven rack up to see if that helped but it didn't... Any tips or thoughts?
Thanks for the wonderful recipe!!.
Vaishali says
Hi Ashley, ovens are temperamental and it's possible yours is heating too much. Always bake the bread in the middle rack. You could try reducing the oven temp to 375 for the last 10 minutes.
Darlene says
What do you consider a hot oven. I did not see a bake at temperature
Vaishali says
It's in step 5--425 degrees F
Jimmy says
A few other tips you could try:
1) place an additional oven rack in the slot directly underneath the rack you are cooking your rolls on; then place a baking pan (or two together) on that rack to deflect some of that heat from underneath you baking pan.
2) use multiple layers of parchment paper and/or coat that bottom of the pan with coarse cornmeal — if you don’t want that rolls to have the cornmeal baked in (put it under a layer of parchment)
Joan says
Try putting corn meal on the bottom of pan then a piece of parchment paper put your rolls on that and give it a try. Get a thermometer for your oven to make sure it’s heating to the right temperature. If not and depends on your oven you might need to calibrate it to the right temp .
Tami says
I made these for Easter dinner. I think my starter hydration is higher, as the dough was very wet and needed more structure. Although they came out a little flat, I will make again and adjust the flour, as they were delicious!!
INGRID VAN DER HEIJDEN says
Mine came out amazingly with my starter, but as above were a bit flat. The crust and texture is astounding, thanks!
Tammy says
I love finding no knead recipes!
I proofed mine in the IP, which is 4 hours on the yogurt setting. So I started around 8:30 am, and they were ready for 3 pm Easter dinner. Followed the rest as stated, and delicious! Loved the crust.
eof says
What proofing temperatures would you advise?
Dominique says
my overnight dough resembles slime- what went wrong?!!
Vaishali says
Your starter could have had too much hydration or you didn't knead long enough.
Lia says
I had a similar problem, it was probably a combination of higher hydration and not enough mixing/kneading. If you could edit the recipe to have a little more detail on what a "consistent dough" looks and feels like that would be super helpful to know whether flour amount needs to be adjusted. Thanks!
eclecticdeb says
Most likely it's over-proofed. Depending on the temperature in your house, overnight may be too long if it sits out on the counter.
Abra says
I did these in the evening about 6pm. By 9 the dough had over doubled so I punched it down again. By 12 it had done so again, so I did again, but it didnt fully puff up after that. I got up early to make the rolls (sticky) but am afraid the dough over proofed. Is there something I can do to avoid in the future?
Vaishali says
Sounds like you punched it down twice and let it rise three times. This bread needs two rises. Please follow instructions closely or you won't get the correct results.
Shobana Segran says
I'm so excited to stumble upon your page and cant wait to try this out. Question, do u reckon this will work in an airfryer? No Oven during quarantine. If airfryer friendly, Reckon what temp and duration for airfryer pls?