Nitrate & Nitrite Free Classic Dinner Rolls
Soft, pillowy dinner rolls are one of those things that feel almost magical to pull from the oven, and this from-scratch version delivers exactly that golden, buttery payoff. For anyone avoiding nitrates and nitrites, store-bought bread products can be a minefield — preservatives and curing agents sneak into packaged rolls more often than you'd expect. This recipe keeps things beautifully clean: whole milk, active dry yeast, flour, sugar, salt, egg, and real unsalted butter are all you need. There are no cured meats, no processed additives, and no ingredient on this list that should raise a flag. The method itself — a slow warm rise, careful butter incorporation, and a second proof until the rolls are puffed and just touching — is what gives them that irresistible pull-apart texture. A final brush of melted butter straight out of the oven makes them glossy and rich in a way that no packaged roll can compete with. These are the kind of rolls that disappear from the pan before dinner is even on the table.
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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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