Barley Free Soft and Buttery Dinner Rolls
Pillowy, golden, and brushed with melted butter straight from the oven — these dinner rolls are the kind of thing that disappears from the table before anything else does. The dough comes together with whole milk, a single egg, and softened butter worked in gradually, which is exactly what gives each roll that tender, almost brioche-like crumb. For anyone navigating a barley intolerance or sensitivity, the ingredient list here is refreshingly clean — all-purpose flour, standard pantry staples, and nothing that sneaks barley in through malt, flavorings, or thickeners the way some packaged breads do. The two-rise method takes a little patience, but it's mostly hands-off time, and the payoff is rolls that are soft all the way through with just enough golden crust on top. A sprinkle of flaky sea salt over that final butter brush takes them from simple to genuinely impressive. Serve them warm alongside a roast, a bowl of soup, or honestly just on their own — no one will complain.
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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
- flaky sea salt, for sprinkling (optional)
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. Add the flour all at once. Fit the stand mixer with the dough hook and mix on low speed until a shaggy dough forms and no dry flour remains, about 2 minutes.
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