I perfected No Yeast Dinner Rolls that come together in 20 minutes using pantry staples and one surprising ingredient.

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I never believed you could get pillowy dinner rolls without waiting for yeast until I messed around and found Grandma’s Easy Super Soft No Yeast Bread. These No Yeast Dinner Rolls bake up fast with just simple pantry staples like all purpose flour and whole milk, and they turn out better than you’d expect.

People call them a bit of a hack, they even pop up under Homemade Bread Recipes Easy when I search late at night. They work for last minute guests or lazy Sundays, and honestly I still cant explain why theyre so soft but they vanish fast.

Ingredients

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Grandma’s Easy Super Soft No Yeast Bread Recipe

All-purpose flour gives structure and carbs, makes crumb soft but not very nutritous
Baking powder lifts the dough fast, adds no flavor but lightness and air
A touch of sugar feeds browning and sweetness, not overly sweet, kinda nice
Salt amps flavor, balances sweetness and helps gluten relax, tiny amount goes far
Whole milk add fat, protein and soft crumb, makes loaf richer and tender
Egg bind, gives structure, a little protein and color, keeps slice from crumbling
Melted butter add richness and moisture, makes bread soft and slightly buttery

Ingredient Quantities

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 teaspoon fine salt

1 1/4 cups whole milk room temp

1 large egg beaten

1/4 cup unsalted butter melted

extra melted butter for brushing (optional)

How to Make this

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1. Preheat oven to 400 F (200 C) and line or lightly grease a baking sheet.

2. In a large bowl whisk together 3 cups all purpose flour, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon fine salt. Spoon and level the flour when measuring so you dont end up with too much.

3. In another bowl whisk 1 1/4 cups whole milk (room temp), 1 large egg (beaten) and 1/4 cup melted unsalted butter that’s cooled a bit so it wont cook the egg.

4. Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour in the wet. Stir with a wooden spoon until just combined. The dough should be soft and a little sticky. Dont overmix or the rolls will get tough.

5. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead 4 or 5 times until it holds together. If it’s super sticky, sprinkle on up to 1 tablespoon more flour at a time, but dont add too much.

6. Divide the dough into 8 to 12 pieces depending on how big you want them. For dinner rolls I do 1
2. Shape each piece into a ball by tucking the edges under and place them about 1 inch apart on the prepared sheet.

7. Let the shaped rolls rest 5 minutes while the oven finishes heating. They dont need a long rise because there is no yeast.

8. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until the tops are golden and a toothpick comes out clean. Rotate the pan halfway if your oven is uneven.

9. As soon as they come out of the oven brush the tops with extra melted butter if you like them soft and shiny. Let cool a few minutes before serving.

10. Serve warm. These are best the same day but you can reheat them wrapped in foil at 300 F for 5 to 8 minutes to refresh.

Equipment Needed

1. Rimmed baking sheet, lined with parchment or lightly greased
2. Large mixing bowl for the dry ingredients
3. Small mixing bowl for the wet ingredients
4. Measuring cups and spoons (spoon and level the flour, ok?)
5. Whisk (or fork) to beat the egg and mix the wet stuff
6. Wooden spoon to stir the dough until just combined
7. Lightly floured surface and a bench scraper or sharp knife to divide the dough
8. Pastry brush for brushing on extra melted butter (optional)
9. Oven mitts and a wire cooling rack to rest the rolls after baking

FAQ

Question: Can I swap the all purpose flour for whole wheat or bread flour?

Answer: Yes, but expect changes. Up to half whole wheat works fine but the loaf will be denser and may need a splash more milk. Bread flour makes it chewier. For the softest crumb stick with all purpose.

Question: Can I use skim milk or a plant milk instead of whole milk?

Answer: You can. Skim gives a slightly less rich loaf and some plant milks work great, almond or oat for example. Keep the milk at room temp so the batter mixes evenly.

Question: Why did my bread come out dense or crumbly?

Answer: Common causes are too much flour from packing the cup, overmixing the batter, or old baking powder. Measure flour by spooning into the cup and leveling, mix just until combined, and use fresh baking powder.

Question: How should I store and reheat leftovers?

Answer: Wrap cool loaf in plastic or beeswax and keep at room temp up to two days or in the fridge up to three days. Freeze wrapped up to three months. To revive, warm in a 300 F oven for 5 to 10 minutes or microwave a slice with a damp paper towel for 10 to 15 seconds.

Question: Can I make this gluten free?

Answer: Use a 1 to 1 gluten free flour blend that includes xanthan gum or add about a half teaspoon per cup of flour. Texture will be different and a bit more crumbly but it still makes a tasty bread.

Question: Can I shape it into rolls or bake it in a loaf pan?

Answer: Absolutely. For rolls, divide into even pieces and bake a little less time. In a loaf pan bake until a toothpick comes out clean and the top is golden. Brush with extra melted butter right after baking for a softer crust.

Grandma’s Easy Super Soft No Yeast Bread Recipe Substitutions and Variations

Grandma’s Easy Super Soft No Yeast Bread Recipe

This is my go-to when I want warm soft bread fast, no waiting for yeast, just mix and bake. It comes out fluffy every time, and honestly it’s kinda addictive. You’ll wanna eat it straight from the pan, trust me.

Ingredients

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon fine salt
1 1/4 cups whole milk room temp
1 large egg beaten
1/4 cup unsalted butter melted
extra melted butter for brushing (optional)

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 8×4 or 9×5 loaf pan or line with parchment.
2. In a big bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, sugar and salt.
3. In another bowl whisk milk, beaten egg and melted butter until combined.
4. Pour wet into dry and stir just until a shaggy dough forms. Don’t overmix or it’ll get tough. A few small lumps are ok.
5. Scrape dough into the prepared pan, smooth the top gently with a spatula or wet hands.
6. Bake 30 to 40 minutes until top is golden and a toothpick comes out clean. If it browns too fast cover loosely with foil for the last 10 minutes.
7. Let cool 10 minutes in the pan, then turn out onto a rack. Brush with extra melted butter if you want that soft shiny crust. Slice and enjoy while warm.

Quick tips
– Use room temp milk and egg for best rise.
– If the edges are done but center is undercooked, tent with foil and keep baking.
– This bread is best the same day, but stores wrapped at room temp for 2 days or in the fridge up to 4.

Substitutions

All-purpose flour: swap with bread flour 1:1 for a slightly chewier crumb, or use a 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose blend that contains xanthan gum for a gluten-free loaf.
Whole milk: use buttermilk 1:1 for extra tenderness and a tiny tang, or unsweetened almond/oat milk 1:1 for dairy-free. If using buttermilk, adding 1/4 tsp baking soda helps with lift.
Unsalted butter (melted): replace with neutral oil like vegetable or light olive oil 1:1, or use salted butter 1:1 and cut the recipe salt by about 1/4 tsp.
Large egg: use a flax “egg” (1 tbsp ground flax seeds + 3 tbsp water, let sit 5 minutes) or 1/4 cup applesauce for an egg-free option, note the crumb will be slightly denser.

Enjoy baking it, it’s simple and kinda magical how soft it turns out.

Pro Tips

1. Shape with wet hands or a lightly oiled spoon instead of adding more flour, that way the rolls stay soft and you wont accidentally make them dense by overflouring. If the dough is really sticky, chill it 5 to 10 minutes, it firms up and is way easier to handle.

2. For a nicer bottom crust, slide the pan into the oven while it preheats so it gets hot, then quickly arrange the rolls on the hot sheet and bake. It gives better oven spring and browning, just work fast so they dont start cooking before the oven gets to temp.

3. Brush the tops right when they come out of the oven with extra melted butter for shine and softness, or use a quick egg wash before baking if you want a deeper brown and slightly crisper top. Sprinkle a tiny bit of flaky salt on some for contrast, dont overdo it.

4. To freeze for later, shape the rolls, freeze them on a tray until firm, then bag them. Bake from frozen adding about 4 to 6 extra minutes, or thaw in the fridge overnight and bake as written. For reheating, wrap in foil and warm at low temp so they steam back soft instead of drying out.

Grandma's Easy Super Soft No Yeast Bread Recipe

Recipe by Kate Sinclair

0.0 from 0 votes

I perfected No Yeast Dinner Rolls that come together in 20 minutes using pantry staples and one surprising ingredient.

Servings

servings

Calories

259

kcal

Equipment: 1. Rimmed baking sheet, lined with parchment or lightly greased
2. Large mixing bowl for the dry ingredients
3. Small mixing bowl for the wet ingredients
4. Measuring cups and spoons (spoon and level the flour, ok?)
5. Whisk (or fork) to beat the egg and mix the wet stuff
6. Wooden spoon to stir the dough until just combined
7. Lightly floured surface and a bench scraper or sharp knife to divide the dough
8. Pastry brush for brushing on extra melted butter (optional)
9. Oven mitts and a wire cooling rack to rest the rolls after baking

Ingredients

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon fine salt
1 1/4 cups whole milk room temp
1 large egg beaten
1/4 cup unsalted butter melted
extra melted butter for brushing (optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 F (200 C) and line or lightly grease a baking sheet.
In a large bowl whisk together 3 cups all purpose flour, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon fine salt. Spoon and level the flour when measuring so you dont end up with too much.
In another bowl whisk 1 1/4 cups whole milk (room temp), 1 large egg (beaten) and 1/4 cup melted unsalted butter that’s cooled a bit so it wont cook the egg.
Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour in the wet. Stir with a wooden spoon until just combined. The dough should be soft and a little sticky. Dont overmix or the rolls will get tough.
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead 4 or 5 times until it holds together. If it’s super sticky, sprinkle on up to 1 tablespoon more flour at a time, but dont add too much.
Divide the dough into 8 to 12 pieces depending on how big you want them. For dinner rolls I do 1
Shape each piece into a ball by tucking the edges under and place them about 1 inch apart on the prepared sheet.
Let the shaped rolls rest 5 minutes while the oven finishes heating. They dont need a long rise because there is no yeast.
Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until the tops are golden and a toothpick comes out clean. Rotate the pan halfway if your oven is uneven.
As soon as they come out of the oven brush the tops with extra melted butter if you like them soft and shiny. Let cool a few minutes before serving.
Serve warm. These are best the same day but you can reheat them wrapped in foil at 300 F for 5 to 8 minutes to refresh.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.