Homemade Pull-Apart Rolls
Skip those store-bought rolls and try your hand at Homemade Pull-Apart Rolls made from scratch. With my recipe, you’ll be baking buttery fan rolls in no time!
One of the simplest pleasures in life, in my opinion, is bread with butter. Even better if that bread is just warm and the butter is slightly soft. Yum. I could probably live on bread and butter alone if I absolutely had to.
When I was growing up, bread on the table at mealtime was non-negotiable. The type of bread depended on the menu, of course. Sometimes it was cornbread, sometimes buttermilk biscuits, and once in a while it was incredible, fluffy, soft, pillowy Homemade Pull-Apart Rolls. With butter. <sigh>
There’s something really special about making bread from scratch. From the moment you mix together the few simple ingredients to the heavenly aroma that fills your kitchen as it bakes, every step is so satisfying. And when you finally take that golden brown loaf or pan of rolls from the oven, it’s absolute magic.
Now don’t let the thought of homemade bread intimidate you. Yes, there are quite a few steps, but with my easy-to-follow recipe and tips, you’ll be baking buttery dinner rolls in no time!
❤️ Why I Like This Recipe
- Irresistibly fluffy, soft texture that almost melts in your mouth.
- The unmistakable rich, buttery flavor and wonderful aroma.
- The steps are easy to follow, and the recipe uses simple ingredients.
🛒 Ingredient Notes
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- Active Dry Yeast – I mostly use “active dry yeast” for bread making. If you’re curious about the different types of yeast, jump over to my Easy Homemade Bread recipe post to get the scoop.
- Granulated Sugar – You’ll need sugar in this recipe for two purposes. First, yeast needs a little sugar to help it activate, and second, it adds a little sweetness to the roll dough.
- Milk – Milk makes a tender, rich dough which is what you want for dinner rolls. I recommend whole milk for the higher fat content.
- All-Purpose Flour – Well, yeah. Gotta have some flour to make bread, right? It’s what gives the entire structure to the rolls
- Melted Butter – You’ll use butter to brush on both before and after baking. I always prefer salted to unsalted butter, but you can use either.
You’ll find detailed measurements for all ingredients in the printable version of the recipe at the bottom of this post.
🥄 How to Make Homemade Pull-Apart Rolls
- In a small bowl or measuring cup, stir together the yeast and 1 teaspoon of the sugar with warm (95-105 degrees F) water. Let it sit for 4 to 5 minutes or until the yeast has activated (yeast should look foamy).
👉 PRO TIP: This step is called “proofing” the yeast. When yeast foams, that proves it’s active (alive), and you can proceed to the next step. If the yeast doesn’t foam, restart this step with new yeast. Check the expiration date on the yeast packet to make sure it’s fresh and ensure that the water is between 95 and 105 degrees F.
- Pour the yeast mixture into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Add the remaining sugar and the salt. Mix briefly on low speed.
- With the mixer running at low speed, start adding the flour, about 1/2 cup at a time. With each addition, mix until the flour is almost fully incorporated before adding more.
- When all the flour has been added, turn the mixer up to medium speed. Mix until the dough forms a tacky ball that detaches from the sides of the bowl.
👉 PRO TIPS: Dough is tacky when you push on it with your finger, and no dough sticks to your finger. If the dough is sticky (when pressing it, some dough sticks to your finger), add more flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, until it becomes tacky. Also, dough can vary from season to season. For example, here in Georgia, during the summer, my dough is usually sticky, and I almost always need to add some extra flour compared to when I make the same dough in the winter.
- Transfer the dough to a working surface lightly sprinkled with flour, and knead until smooth (about 5 minutes).
- Lightly oil a bowl; Place the kneaded dough into the bowl and turn it over (there should be a very light amount of oil on the top of the turned dough).
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it rise for 45 to 60 minutes (or until it doubles in size) in a warm, draft-free place.
- While the dough is rising, oil (or spray) two 12-cup muffin or cupcake pans and set them aside.
- When the dough has doubled in size, remove it from the bowl to a lightly floured surface. Gently punch down and deflate the dough.
- Roll the dough into a 12 x 12 square.
- Brush half the melted butter on the dough.
👉 PRO TIP: This is a great place to add extra flavorings such as herbs, spices, and cheese (see suggestions below in the Recipe Variations section.
- Cut the dough into twelve 1-inch wide strips.
- Cut the strips in half crosswise. (You should have 24 strips of 1 inch by 6 inches.)
👉 PRO TIP: Using a pizza cutter is a really easy way to cut the strips of dough!
- Stack 6 strips on top of each other and cut them into 6 equal pieces. Place each cut piece into one well of a muffin or cupcake pan.
- Cover with a towel and let the rolls rise in a warm, draft-free place for 20-30 minutes.
- Near the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- Bake the rolls in the preheated oven for 17 to 19 minutes or until golden brown. (Internal temperature should be 190 degrees F.)
- Remove from the oven and brush the tops of the rolls with the remaining two tablespoons of melted butter.
- Cool in the pan for 3 to 4 minutes; transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.
⚠️ Troubleshooting Tips
- If the dough is too sticky, add a little more flour until it reaches a tacky consistency.
- Check the date on the yeast package to make sure it’s fresh.
- Use an instant-read thermometer to make sure the water temperature is between 95 and 105. The yeast will not activate if the water is too cold and will be killed if the water is too hot.
- Let the dough rise in a warm, draft-free environment.
🔀 Recipe Variations
To create interesting variations on the basic recipe, add your favorite seasonings or cheese before cutting the dough strips. Here are a few ideas:
- Cheesy Garlic Pull-Apart Rolls – Add finely grated Parmesan cheese and garlic powder to the dough before cutting and brush the tops with garlic butter after baking.
- Herb and Cheddar Rolls – Sprinkle shredded sharp cheddar cheese and Italian seasoning onto the dough.
- Cinnamon Pull-Apart Rolls – For a sweet variation, sprinkle cinnamon and add a touch of brown sugar over the dough before cutting it into strips. Drizzle with a confectioner’s sugar icing after baking.
🍽️ How I Serve These Buttery Fan Rolls
These soft rolls can be served in countless ways with a wide range of menu options. They’re great alongside a hearty beef stew or creamy chicken pot pie. Finish off the meal with baked apple hand pies and a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Or make them part of a Southern comfort food menu with country fried steak, my bacon tomato mashed potatoes, and green beans. A serving of blackberry cobbler with whipped cream would be the perfect ending!
🍚 How I Store Leftover Rolls
To keep leftovers fresh, store the rolls in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. For longer storage, keep in a freezer-safe bag for up to 1 month. Simply reheat in the oven (wrap in foil and heat at 350 for about 5 minutes) or in the air fryer for 2 minutes before serving.
❓ Questions About Buttery Pull-Apart Rolls
If you want to incorporate whole wheat flour, I’d suggest trying half whole wheat and half all-purpose as whole wheat alone makes a much heavier, more dense dough.
Yes, you can substitute instant yeast for active dry yeast. However, you may need to adjust the rising time accordingly.
Absolutely! These rolls can be baked ahead of time and reheated in the oven or microwave before serving. Just be sure to store them properly to maintain their freshness.
Yes, you can knead the dough by hand if you don’t have a stand mixer. It may require a bit more effort, but the results will be equally delicious.
Questions? I’m happy to help!
If you have more questions about the recipe, or if you’ve made it and would like to leave a comment, scroll down to leave your thoughts, questions, and/or rating!
Thanks so much for stopping by!
📖 Recipe
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Homemade Pull-Apart Rolls
Ingredients
- 1 ½ tablespoons active dry yeast 2 packets (.75 ounce total)
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar divided
- ½ cup warm water between 95 to 105 degrees F
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup milk
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 4 tablespoons melted butter divided
Instructions
- In a small bowl or measuring cup, stir together the yeast and 1 teaspoon of the sugar with warm (95-105 degrees F) water. Let it sit for 4 to 5 minutes or until the yeast has activated (yeast should look foamy).
- Pour the yeast mixture into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Add the remaining sugar and the salt. Mix briefly on low speed.
- With the mixer running at low speed, start adding the flour, about 1/2 cup at a time. With each addition, mix until the flour is almost fully incorporated before adding more.
- When all the flour has been added, turn the mixer up to medium speed. Mix until the dough forms a tacky ball that detaches from the sides of the bowl.
- Transfer the dough to a working surface lightly sprinkled with flour, and knead until smooth (about 5 minutes).
- Lightly oil a bowl; Place the kneaded dough into the bowl and turn it over (there should be a very light amount of oil on the top of the turned dough).
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it rise for 45 to 60 minutes (or until it doubles in size) in a warm, draft-free place.
- While the dough is rising, oil (or spray) two 12-cup muffin or cupcake pans and set them aside.
- When the dough has doubled in size, remove it from the bowl to a lightly floured surface. Gently punch down and deflate the dough.
- Roll the dough into a 12 x 12 square.
- Brush half the melted butter on the dough.
- Cut the dough into 12 1-inch wide strips.
- Cut the strips in half crosswise. (You should have 24 strips of 1 inch by 6 inches.)
- Stack 6 strips on top of each other and cut them into 6 equal pieces. Place each cut piece into one well of a muffin or cupcake pan.
- Cover with a towel and let the rolls rise in a warm, draft-free place for 20-30 minutes.
- Near the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- Bake the rolls in the preheated oven for 17 to 19 minutes or until golden brown. (Internal temperature should be 190 degrees F.)
- Remove from the oven and brush the tops of the rolls with the remaining two tablespoons of melted butter.
- Cool in the pan for 3 to 4 minutes; transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Notes
- There are many helpful tips throughout the post. Please refer to those for more detailed information.
- To keep leftovers fresh, store the rolls in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
- For longer storage, keep in a freezer-safe bag for up to 1 month. Simply reheat in the oven (wrap in foil and heat at 350 for about 5 minutes) or in the air fryer for 2 minutes before serving.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information is calculated by software based on the ingredients in each recipe. It is an estimate only and is provided for informational purposes. You should consult your healthcare provider or a registered dietitian if precise nutrition calculations are needed for health reasons.
