Emulsifier Free Soft and Buttery Dinner Rolls
Pillowy, golden-topped, and brushed with melted butter straight out of the oven — these dinner rolls are the kind of thing that disappears from the table before anyone has a chance to sit down. Every ingredient here is straightforward and whole: milk, flour, egg, butter, yeast, sugar, and salt. There are no additives, no lecithins, no stabilizers, and no mystery emulsifiers hiding in a store-bought dough or packaged mix. That matters more than people realize, because commercial rolls almost always rely on dough conditioners and emulsifying agents to achieve that soft, pull-apart texture — this recipe gets there through proper kneading and a slow butter incorporation instead. The technique of adding softened butter piece by piece during mixing is what builds the tender, rich crumb without any shortcuts. A double rise gives the rolls their light, airy structure, and that final brush of melted butter adds a glossy, salty finish that makes them genuinely hard to resist. Serve them warm alongside a roast, a bowl of soup, or honestly just on their own.
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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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