Citric Acid Free Soft and Buttery Dinner Rolls
Pillowy, golden, and brushed with melted butter straight out of the oven — these dinner rolls are the kind of thing that disappears from the table before anything else does. For anyone avoiding citric acid, store-bought rolls and packaged bread products can be a minefield, since citric acid often hides as a preservative in commercial baked goods. Making rolls from scratch sidesteps all of that entirely, and this recipe keeps the ingredient list beautifully clean: whole milk, flour, egg, sugar, salt, butter, and yeast — nothing more. The enriched dough gets its tender, soft crumb from real butter worked in gradually during kneading, which also gives each roll that slightly rich, almost brioche-like pull. A double rise builds flavor and ensures the rolls bake up light and airy with a deep golden crust. That final brush of melted butter while they're still hot is non-negotiable — it soaks right in and makes every bite taste like comfort food at its best.
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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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