This recipe makes a dozen bakery-quality vegan dinner rolls with a golden crust and a fluffy, buttery crumb. They are perfect for holiday gatherings and weeknight dinners.
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The best homemade vegan dinner rolls
I love soft dinner rolls, but store-bought versions are typically made with white flour and can have eggs in them. That's why I created this recipe for soft, fluffy vegan dinner rolls. They are not just as good as rolls you might buy at the finest bakery - they are better. And I make them part whole wheat to keep them indulgent but healthy.
Milk, butter and eggs add that prized soft, fluffy texture and buttery flavor to bakery dinner rolls. To add authentic flavor and that lovely texture to my homemade vegan dinner rolls, I use vegan butter and oat milk, which is creamy and neutral. Adding oat milk also keeps the recipe soy-free and nut-free (you can use almond milk or soy milk if you wish).
This is an easy recipe, beginner-friendly, and you can have the rolls on the dinner table in under three hours. That includes just 10-15 minutes of hands-on time.
You can serve these rolls for dinner and you can also use them for sliders and sandwiches. They are soy-free, nut-free and extremely kid-friendly. Here are a few simple tips to make these dinner rolls foolproof:
- Measure ingredients correctly: Weighing ingredients is great, but not everyone has a weighing scale. You can make great bread using cup measures, but make sure you measure the flour the right way: don't dig the cup measure into the flour bin and scoop it out. Instead, use a scoop to dig out the flour and then drop it into the cup measure. Level off with a knife. If you use the first method of digging the flour out with a cup measure, you will certainly end up with more flour than if you use the second method.
- Knead the dough: Kneading improves the texture of the dough and it helps build gluten in the dough. A stand mixer makes easy work of kneading, but kneading by hand can be very therapeutic too and it's something I really enjoy doing when I have the time.
- Proof the dough: This recipe includes two one-hour rises, one before and one after shaping the rolls. Don't go over the recommended rise times because over-proofing dough can weaken the gluten structure you worked so hard to build with all that kneading, and the rolls could deflate when baked.
If you are looking for rolls with a crustier crust and even richer flavor, try these crusty vegan sourdough rolls. Vegan brioche buns, made with a rich, buttery dough, are also fantastic for suppertime, especially during the holidays.
Recipe card
Vegan dinner rolls recipe
Ingredients
- 2¼ teaspoons active dry yeast (one standard size packet. You can also use instant yeast)
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1¼ cup oat milk (or any non-dairy milk, heated until lukewarm, not hot)
- 1 teaspoon salt (tweak to your preference)
- 4 tablespoons vegan butter (at room temperature, cut into pieces)
- 1½ cups whole wheat flour
- 1½ cups bread flour
For optional glaze
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon oat milk
Instructions
- Place lukewarm milk, sugar and yeast in bowl. If using active dry yeast, wait 3-5 minutes until it begins to froth or bubble.
- Add the vegan butter, all of the flour and salt to the bowl.
- Using a stand mixer, or by hand, mix the ingredients until a dough forms. Then continue to knead for five minutes in the stand mixer set to medium speed, or by hand, until the dough is smooth and supple with no stickiness.
- Remove the dough to a work surface and form into a smooth ball. Oil the bowl and place the ball of dough in it. Oil the top of the dough as well. Cover tightly with a lid or cling wrap and set the dough aside for an hour in a warm spot.
- After an hour the dough will have risen and more than doubled. Remove the dough from the bowl and, using a bench scraper or a knife, cut into 12 even pieces.
- Shape each piece into a ball. Do this by tucking the edges of each portion of dough under, then use your palm to roll the ball of dough on your work surface until you have a smooth ball. Place the balls of dough in a baking dish lightly coated with oil.
- Cover the bread rolls loosely with a kitchen towel and set them aside for an hour in a warm spot in your kitchen. The bread rolls will more than double and join together at the seams. They will continue to rise a bit more in the oven.
- Just before the bread rolls have finished rising, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, 180 degrees Celsius. Bake the bread rolls for 25 minutes until the tops are a rich golden-brown. As soon as the rolls come out of the oven, brush the tops with the optional oat milk and maple syrup glaze. Cool the rolls in the pan, on a wire rack.
Nutrition Information
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Variations
- Whole wheat rolls: Skip the bread flour and use 3 cups of whole wheat flour. Add a teaspoon of vital wheat gluten for light, fluffy rolls.
- Herb rolls: Add two teaspoons of any herb of your choice - rosemary, sage, thyme or oregano (rosemary is my favorite). You can also add a teaspoon of garlic powder for garlic herb rolls.
- Cloverleaf rolls: Divide each roll into three smaller balls and place the three balls side by side in each cup of a muffin pan. Bake.
- Soft sourdough rolls: Love sourdough? I have the perfect soft sourdough rolls recipe for you.
Frequently asked questions about vegan dinner rolls
The 3 cups flour to 1 ¼ cup milk should work perfectly for most but if it is more humid where you are, or if you are at a higher altitude, you might need to add more flour. Just add more flour while kneading, a tablespoon at a time, until you get the right consistency to the dough.
These rolls are simply perfect for scooping up vegan gravy or a stew like vegan chicken and dumplings. You can also use them for sliders and sandwiches. Or just spread a bit of vegan butter on a warm roll and eat!
You can make these vegan dinner rolls several days ahead and refrigerate them for up to a week, or freeze them for up to four months. You can also make the dough a day ahead and refrigerate the dough or the shaped rolls before they have risen, not after. That's because the dough will proof, albeit more slowly, in the fridge.
Amber Yuen says
Hi, I intend to try this but how do I make this ahead of time? Do I bake it first, let it cool, freeze, and then defrost at room temperature or in the fridge overnight? And how do I warm it straight from freezer?
Vaishali says
Yes freeze the baked rolls after cooling. Use a freezer-safe container or bag. You don't need to defrost, just pop them frozen in a preheated oven and heat until they are warmed through.
Amber Yuen says
Thank you. I would do 350F for how long? Like 10-15 minutes?
Vaishali says
In a preheated oven reheat no more than 2 to 4 minutes.
Cathy says
I made these for Christmas and boy, everyone loved them! So fluffy, soft and yummy. I didn't have homemade butter and used Miyoko's. Just perfect.
Vaishali says
Awesome!! So happy your family enjoyed the rolls.
Gina says
These are a work of art, and the most beautiful rolls I've ever seen. Love that they are vegan, love that you use some whole wheat flour along with the bread flour. Am going to make these, but will cheat and use my bread machine. Hope they turn out as nice as yours. Thanks for the recipe.
Vaishali says
Thanks, Gina! ❤️ Do let me know how they turn out in the bread machine. I'd love to hear!