Artificial Food Coloring Free Classic Dinner Rolls
Soft, pillowy dinner rolls made from scratch are one of those kitchen projects that feel genuinely rewarding — and when you look at this ingredient list, you'll notice it's refreshingly clean. Whole milk, yeast, flour, butter, an egg, sugar, and salt: that's it. No dough conditioners, no shelf-stable additives, and absolutely nothing that could sneak artificial dyes into your bread basket. Store-bought rolls are a surprisingly common offender when it comes to unnecessary colorings and preservatives, so making your own is the most reliable way to know exactly what's going in. The method here is straightforward enough for a weekend bake but produces results that genuinely rival a bakery. Butter gets worked into the dough gradually, giving the rolls that tender, slightly rich crumb that makes them impossible to stop at just one. A double rise builds flavor and structure, and a final brush of melted butter straight out of the oven gives the tops that gorgeous, glossy golden finish — no food coloring required, just good browning from the oven. Serve them warm alongside a roast, a bowl of soup, or honestly just with more butter, and watch them disappear.
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Learn more →Ingredients
12 servings
For the dough
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2 ¼ tsp active dry yeast (1 standard packet)
- 3 tbsp granulated sugar, divided
- 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
- 1 tsp fine salt
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter, softened and cut into pieces
For brushing
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
Instructions
- 1
Warm the milk in a small saucepan over low heat until it reaches 105–110°F (40–43°C) on a kitchen thermometer — warm to the touch but not hot. Pour into the bowl of a stand mixer, sprinkle in the yeast and 1 tbsp of the sugar, and stir briefly. Let stand for 5–10 minutes, until the surface is foamy and the mixture smells yeasty.
- 2
Add the remaining 2 tbsp sugar, the salt, and the egg to the yeast mixture. Fit the stand mixer with the dough hook and mix on low speed until combined, about 1 minute. Add the flour all at once and mix on low until a shaggy dough forms and no dry flour remains, about 2 minutes.
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