These soft sourdough dinner rolls with fresh-milled flour are light, fluffy, and incredibly comforting. They have just enough richness to feel special, but they are still simple enough for everyday baking. If you love the flavor of fresh-milled wheat and want rolls that stay soft without commercial yeast, this recipe delivers every time.
Because the dough can be mixed ahead and chilled, these rolls work well for busy schedules and make-ahead baking.
If you are looking for a less enriched option, my fresh-milled sourdough bread rolls are another great choice. They have a simpler ingredient list and pair beautifully as a side dish when you want something lighter, while these rolls are perfect when you want extra softness and richness on the table.
Quick Look
- Prep time: 15 minutes
- Rest time: ~8 hours for first rise + 4 hours chilling + 2–4 hours second rise
- Bake time: 20–25 minutes
- Servings: 12 rolls
- Main ingredients: Fresh-milled wheat flour, sourdough starter, milk, butter
- Cooking method: Oven baking 🡢 Panproof & bake
- Difficulty: Medium
- Serving ideas: Serve warm with butter, honey, or jam
Jump to:
- Quick Look
- Important Ingredients
- Substitutions & Variations
- How to Make Soft Sourdough Dinner Rolls
- Baking Schedule
- 💭Crucial Success Tips
- Recipe FAQs
- How To Store Soft Sourdough Dinner Rolls
- Other Delicious Recipes
- Soft Sourdough Dinner Rolls with Fresh-Milled Flour
- Need Help Tweaking This Recipe?
- Other Fresh Milled Sourdough Recipes You'll Love
Important Ingredients
- Fresh-milled hard white wheat flour gives a nutty, fresh flavor and soft texture
- Active sourdough starter provides all the leavening and adds a deeper flavor
- Milk & butter enrich the dough for soft, tender rolls
See recipe card for quantities.
Substitutions & Variations
- Mini rolls: Divide the dough into more pieces for smaller rolls, perfect for sliders if you want to make them from this same dough.
- Herby: Add fresh herbs like rosemary or thyme to the dough for savory rolls.
How to Make Soft Sourdough Dinner Rolls
Step 1: Combine the milk, starter, egg (if using), sugar, flour, salt, and butter in the bowl of your mixer (Image 1). Mix on low speed until everything comes together, then knead for 3–5 minutes until the dough is smooth and cohesive.
Step 2: Transfer the dough to a clean bowl (Image 2), cover it, and rest for 30 minutes.
Step 3: Perform a set of stretch-and-folds. Repeat after another 30 minutes. Then let the dough rise until it’s noticeably airier and has increased in volume by roughly 40% (Image 3). This usually takes around 8 hours, depending on temperature and starter activity.
After the dough has risen, cover and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight if you want easier shaping and better structure.
Step 4: Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide it into 12 equal pieces (or more for smaller rolls) (Image 4) and shape each into a ball.
Step 5: Arrange the rolls in a lightly greased 9x13-inch baking dish or on a lined tray (Image 5).
Step 6: Cover the rolls and let them rise until puffy (Image 6), about 2–4 hours. Preheat your oven to 180°C (356°F). Brush the tops with milk or an egg wash for a golden finish.
Bake for 20–25 minutes.
Tip: If the rolls brown too quickly because of the whole wheat flour:
- Lower the oven to 175°C (347°F), or
- Tent loosely with foil during the last 5–7 minutes of baking.
Step 7: Rolls are done when golden on top (Image 7) and internal temperature reaches about 93°C (200°F).
Brush with melted butter while warm and serve immediately.
Hint: If your kitchen runs cool or it's the middle of winter, give the dough extra time to bulk ferment. As a bonus, slow fermentation improves both texture and flavor, especially with fresh-milled flour!
Baking Schedule
This dough is designed to be flexible. Mixing and kneading take about 15 minutes, followed by a short rest, two stretch-and-folds, a long first rise, chilling, shaping, a second rise, and a quick bake. You can comfortably spread the process over one or two days.
💭Crucial Success Tips
When you're shaping the rolls, really try to slowly scoot the balls of dough towards yourself, this will create surface tension. It's worth it to make a few extra scoots, because the rise will be better and the end result softer!
Recipe FAQs
Yes, but chilling improves structure and makes shaping easier. If skipping the chill, expect a slightly softer dough.
Dense rolls usually mean either under-fermentation or too much flour. Make sure the dough becomes visibly airy before shaping, and don't be tempted to add extra flour - the dough will get manageable during bulk fermentation.
Yes, but the rolls will have a stronger wheat flavor and a slightly firmer texture.
How To Store Soft Sourdough Dinner Rolls
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 2–3 days. Refrigeration is not recommended as it can dry the bread. Freeze for up to 1 month.
Other Delicious Recipes
- What Is Fresh-Milled Flour and Why It Makes Better Bread
- Apple Strudel with Fresh-Milled Flour
- Soft Sourdough Dinner Rolls with Fresh-Milled Flour (Easy & Fluffy)
- Sourdough Star Bread | 100% Whole Grain (Fresh-Milled Flour)
If you tried these soft sourdough dinner rolls with fresh-milled flour or any other recipe on my blog please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below! Happy Baking!
Soft Sourdough Dinner Rolls with Fresh-Milled Flour
Ingredients
- 400 g fresh-milled hard white wheat flour
- 80 g active sourdough starter
- 230 g milk room temperature
- 20 g sugar
- 30 g butter softened
- 1 egg optional
- 6 g fine sea salt
Method
- Combine the milk, starter, egg (if using), sugar, flour, salt, and butter in the bowl of your mixer. Mix on low speed until everything comes together, then knead for 3–5 minutes until the dough is smooth and cohesive.
- Transfer the dough to a clean bowl, cover it, and rest for 30 minutes.
- Perform a set of stretch-and-folds. Repeat after another 30 minutes. Then let the dough rise until it’s noticeably airier and has increased in volume by roughly 40%. This usually takes around 8 hours, depending on temperature and starter activity.After the dough has risen, cover and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight if you want easier shaping and better structure.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide it into 12 equal pieces (or more for smaller rolls) and shape each into a ball.
- Arrange the rolls in a lightly greased 9x13-inch baking dish or on a lined tray.
- Cover the rolls and let them rise until puffy, about 2–4 hours. Preheat your oven to 180°C (356°F). Brush the tops with milk or an egg wash for a golden finish. Bake for 20–25 minutes.Tip: If the rolls brown too quickly because of the whole wheat flour:- Lower the oven to 175°C (347°F), or- Tent loosely with foil during the last 5–7 minutes of baking.
- Rolls are done when golden on top and internal temperature reaches about 93°C (200°F). Brush with melted butter while warm and serve immediately.
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