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    Milk and Pop » Recipes » Sourdough Discard

    Sourdough Discard Pull-Apart Dinner Rolls

    Published: Mar 24, 2021 · Modified: Jul 31, 2023 by Tatiana Kamakura · 157 Comments · This post may contain affiliate links

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    Light and fluffy Sourdough Discard Dinner Rolls that don’t taste too sour and make your kitchen smells amazing! With one little trick, learn how to get them ready in 2 hours.

    Sourdough dinner roll with more rolls on the back.

    Still don’t have a sourdough starter? I can teach you how to make a sourdough starter in a foolproof way.

    Ingredients

    These sourdough rolls are softer than any dinner roll I ever had and are super quick to make. That’s because we’re using both a sourdough starter and commercial yeast for this recipe.

    Sourdough discard. You can use an active sourdough starter for this recipe, but I always use my sourdough discard when making these rolls. Both ways work and make delicious soft bread.

    Instant yeast. While the sourdough discard will give your rolls an amazing taste, instant yeast will be the main responsible for fermentation.

    Butter. I usually use unsalted butter, but it's ok to use salted if that's what you have. For a dairy-free option, you can substitute butter with margarine or a vegan butter option.

    Milk. I usually use whole milk, but partially skimmed and skimmed milk also work. For a dairy-free option, you can use unflavored and unsweetened almond, cashew, soy or oat milk.

    Flour. Use all-purpose flour for this recipe. You can replace 1 cup of all-purpose flour with 1 cup of whole wheat flour. I don’t recommend using only whole wheat flour, as the rolls might turn out too dense.

    If using whole wheat flour, for every 1 cup of whole wheat flour, you need to add 1 tablespoon more than what the recipe calls for.

    How to make them

    Dough formed in a metal bowl.

    Step 01. In a large bowl, or the bowl of a stand mixer if using one, mix all ingredients.

    Kneaded dough in a metal bowl.

    Step 02. Knead the dough for 6 minutes if using a stand mixer, 8 to 10 minutes if kneading by hand. The dough should be smooth and tacky, with a good windowpane.

    This is not a dry dough: measure all dry ingredients carefully before starting, specially if you’re using cups to measure flour.

    Dough after first rise.

    Step 03. Cover the dough, and let it rise for about 1 hour and 20 minutes, or until it doubles.

    Hand shaping dough.

    Step 04. Divide dough into 9 equal pieces and shape each into a tight ball.

    To shape the rolls, fold each piece over itself until tight (about 6 to 8 folds). Pinch all ends together in the center, and place the shaped roll into a lined baking pan, pinched side facing down.

    For a better visual information, check the video on the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

    Rolls rising in a baking pan covered with plastic film.

    Step 05. Let them rise for the second time until light and puffy. It should take about 40 minutes.

    Brush brushing the doughs with egg wash.

    Step 06. Before baking, brush each roll with an egg wash, or a milk and honey wash if preferred.

    While the rolls rise, preheat the oven to 350°F, rack into the middle shelf. Preheat it for at least 15 minutes, to be sure it’s at the right temperature before placing the rolls to bake.

    Baked golden sourdough dinner rolls.

    Step 07. Bake dinner rolls for 20 to 25 minutes, until they’re golden brown at the top. Let them cool for 10 minutes before serving.

    Can I make this recipe dairy-free?

    You can substitute milk for any plant-based milk, and butter for the same amount of oil. It will change flavor a bit, but the rolls will be as fluffy as the dairy ones.

    I don’t have a substitute for the egg that works well for this recipe.

    Can I make this with sourdough starter only?

    Sure! If doing with sourdough start only:

    1. Use an active starter;
    2. Remember that fermentation time will increase in some hours.

    If making these dinner rolls with commercial yeast only, I would let the dough rise for 2 hours before refrigerating it overnight.

    The next day, I would shape the rolls and wait until they’re puffy and light to bake. Follow the same temperature and baking time in the recipe card. Don’t forget to preheat the oven!

    Can I make dinner rolls using whole wheat?

    You can use whole wheat for making these and still get amazingly soft dinner roll. For that, substitute 1 cup of all-purpose flour for whole wheat flour plus 1 tablespoon of milk. I don’t recommend using only whole wheat flour, as the rolls might turn out too dense.

    Soft crust of sourdough baked rolls.

    How do you make sourdough rolls soft and fluffy?

    These are my 5 tips to get dinner rolls soft and fluffy every time!

    #1 Knead the dough properly.

    #2 Use all-purpose flour.

    #3 Moisturize the top before baking. You can choose to make an egg wash, or a simple milk and honey wash like I did. That gave me a sweet and super soft crust.

    #4 Don’t rush fermentation. Wait for the dough to double and then wait for the shaped rolls to get light and puffy before baking.

    #5 Preheat the oven. If these rolls reach the oven while it still cold, the rise will be compromised and you risk getting denser dinner rolls.

    Bonus tip: brush the top of the rolls with butter as soon as they're out of the oven to keep the exterior extra-soft!

    Tips for getting pull-apart perfection

    Remember to never add hot ingredients to your dough: milk should be lukewarm, and melted butter, slightly cooled. Ingredients that are hot or even too warm can kill all yeast before fermentation even starts.

    Never place the dough into a cool place during fermentation. That’s even more important if you’re baking in the middle of winter. Place the bowl with the dough in a warm spot, like next to the stove if you’re cooking, or near the heater if it’s on. If your oven has a proofing function, use it.

    If you’re a beginner bread baker, you need to check my 10 tips to get perfect bread every time!

    Hand holding dinner roll, showing its crumb.

    How to keep dinner rolls warm

    For keeping dinner rolls, or any bread product warm, try this hack:

    • Grab a clean cloth sack (you can use a pillowcase or kitchen towel) and add 2 cups of uncooked rice.
    • Microwave for 2 minutes, until it gets warm when touching. Do it for a minute more, if still not warm enough.
    • Place the rolls/bread on top of the cloth sack. The rice keeps warm for about 20 minutes, as do the rolls.

    Storing and freezing

    After cooled, store sourdough dinner rolls into an airtight container or bread keeper, away from sunlight. Keeping them covered make these rolls soft for about 3 to 4 days. Do not store these rolls in the fridge.

    You can freeze these dinner rolls. For freezing, wait for them to cool completely, then place rolls into a freezer safe bag, push most of the air out and seal the bag. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months.

    To thaw, place rolls in the fridge overnight. You can reheat them without thawing first, but rolls might get a crispy exterior.

    To reheat and prevent rolls from drying out, brush their tops with butter. Place them into preheated oven (350°F) for 6 to 8 minutes.

    More sourdough discard recipes

    • close up of sourdough pie crust
      Sourdough Discard Pie Crust Recipe
    • Sourdough Naan, after cooked, on a wooden board.
      Sourdough Naan (Sourdough Discard Flatbread)
    • Sourdough discard bread inside a Dutch Oven, on top of parchment paper.
      Easy Sourdough Discard Bread Recipe
    • a stack of sourdough tortillas
      The Best Sourdough Tortillas (with sourdough discard)
    Baked sourdough dinner rolls.

    If you tried this Sourdough Dinner Roll Recipe, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes in the comments below!

    📖 Recipe

    Close up on sourdough dinner roll, showing its soft crumb.

    Sourdough Discard Pull-Apart Dinner Rolls

    Tatiana Kamakura
    Light and fluffy, these sourdough discard pull-apart dinner rolls don’t taste sour and will make your kitchen smells amazing! With one little trick, learn how to get them ready in 2 hours.
    4.99 from 88 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Saved!
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time 20 minutes mins
    Additional Time 2 hours hrs
    Total Time 2 hours hrs 30 minutes mins
    Course Bread
    Cuisine American
    Servings 9 dinner rolls
    Calories 245 kcal
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients
     
     

    • 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
    • 2 tablespoon sugar
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • 1 ½ teaspoon instant yeast
    • 1 cup sourdough discard
    • ½ cup milk lukewarm
    • 1 large egg
    • ⅓ cup butter unsalted and melted
    • 1 egg yolk plus 1 teaspoon water for egg wash or 1 tablespoon milk + 1 teaspoon honey for milk and honey wash

    Instructions
     

    • In a large bowl, or the bowl of a stand mixer if using one, mix all dry ingredients: all-purpose flour, salt, sugar and yeast. Stir to combine.
    • Add lukewarm milk, melted butter, egg and sourdough discard, and mix until the dough forms. You can do it using the dough hook of a stand mixer for about 2 minutes, or you can do it with a spoon if you’re doing everything by hand.
    • Knead the dough for 6 minutes if using a stand mixer, 8 to 10 minutes if doing it by hand. The dough should be smooth and tacky and have a good windowpane.
    • Cover the dough, and let it rise for about 1 hour and 20 minutes, or until it doubles.
    • Deflate the dough, punching it with your hand. In a clean surface, divide in 9 pieces, and shape each piece into a tight ball.
    • To shape the rolls, fold each piece over itself until tight (about 6 to 8 folds). Pinch all ends together in the center, and place the shaped roll into a lined baking pan, pinched side facing down.
      For more visual information, check the video.
    • Let them rise again until light and puffy. It should take about 40 minutes.
    • While the shaped rolls rise, preheat the oven to 350°F, placing the rack into the middle shelf.
    • Brush each roll with egg yolk wash, or milk and honey wash if preferred (the rolls at the photos were baked with milk and honey wash).
    • Bake dinner rolls for 20 to 25 minutes, until they’re golden brown at the top.
    • Let them cool for 10 minutes before serving.

    Video

    Notes

    This is not a dry dough: measure all dry ingredients carefully before starting, specially if you’re using cups.
    Preheat it for at least 15 minutes, to be sure oven is at the exact temperature before placing the rolls to bake.
    Ingredients Substitutions
    You can substitute dairy milk with a plant-based milk, and butter with the same amount of margarine or oil. Flavor might change a bit, but the rolls will be as fluffy as the dairy ones.
    You can substitute 1 cup of all-purpose flour for 1 cup of whole wheat flour plus 1 tablespoon of milk. I don’t recommend using only whole wheat flour, as the rolls might turn out too dense.
    Tips
    Never add hot ingredients to the dough: milk should be lukewarm, and melted butter, slightly cooled.
    Never place the dough into a cool place during fermentation. Place the bowl with the dough in a warm spot, like next to the stove if you’re cooking, or near the heater if it’s on. If your oven has a proofing function, use it.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1rollCalories: 245kcalCarbohydrates: 33gProtein: 8gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 40mgSodium: 328mgPotassium: 86mgFiber: 2gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 429IUVitamin C: 0.01mgCalcium: 28mgIron: 2mg
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    More The Best Sourdough Discard Recipes

    • Sourdough brown butter chocolate chip cookies.
      Brown Butter Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies
    • Sourdough chocolate cookies.
      Easy Sourdough Chocolate Cookies
    • Chocolate sourdough muffin showing its crumb.
      Chocolate Sourdough Muffins
    • Sourdough gingerbread christmas cookies with icing, over a wire rack.
      Sourdough Gingerbread Cookies

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Connie Nonneman

      May 11, 2025 at 1:32 pm

      5 stars
      OMG!! The Best dinner rolls I have ever had or made!! They just melt in your mouth and easy to make!! This will definitely be my recipe from now on!!

      Reply
      • Tatiana Kamakura

        May 12, 2025 at 10:20 am

        Hi Connie,
        That makes me so happy to hear! Cheers!

        Reply
    2. Janet Davis

      April 28, 2025 at 6:39 pm

      5 stars
      Absolutely the BEST rolls EVER! Thank you for the detail and a prize of a recipe I will forever use!

      Reply
      • Tatiana Kamakura

        April 29, 2025 at 2:14 pm

        That means so much, thank you! I’m thrilled you loved the rolls and that the recipe details helped. So happy it’s a keeper for you!

        Reply
    3. Marsha

      March 15, 2025 at 6:27 pm

      5 stars
      Great recipe !! First time roll maker. They turned out great. Next time I will make them smaller

      Reply
      • Tatiana Kamakura

        March 17, 2025 at 11:53 am

        So glad you like them, Marsha! Happy baking!

        Reply
      • Lindsay

        April 01, 2025 at 5:09 am

        Hi there, about to try these but wanted to ask if I can freeze them?

        Reply
        • Tatiana Kamakura

          April 01, 2025 at 9:46 am

          Hi Lindsay, you can freeze them!

          Reply
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    4.99 from 88 votes (45 ratings without comment)

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    Hi, I'm Tati! Here at Milk and Pop, I’m all about making sourdough simple, doable, and fun. Whether you’re just getting started or trying to bake more consistently, I’ll help you fit sourdough into your real life, one loaf at a time.

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