Cinnamon Free Classic Dinner Rolls
Soft, pillowy, and golden-brown on top, these classic dinner rolls are the kind of bread that disappears from the table before anything else does. The dough comes together with whole milk, butter, and a single egg, giving each roll a rich, tender crumb that pulls apart beautifully. For anyone navigating a sensitivity to cinnamon, rolls and sweet breads can be a minefield — many bakery versions sneak in warming spices or are made alongside spiced products on shared equipment. This recipe keeps things completely straightforward, relying on nothing more than yeast, flour, sugar, salt, and dairy for flavor, so there's no guesswork about what's in them. The double butter treatment — brushed on before and right after baking — gives the tops that irresistible glossy finish and a subtle richness that makes them taste like they came from a serious bakery. They bake up in a 9x13 pan so the rolls press together as they rise, creating those soft, pull-apart sides that are honestly the best part. Make a batch for a weeknight dinner or a holiday spread and watch them vanish.
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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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