Learn how to bake soft, pull-apart sourdough dinner rolls with starter at home by following this tried and tested homemade recipe! The dough for the rolls is spiked with whole wheat flour and a bit of oil to make them extra soft. You’ll use an active, doubled-in-size Sourdough Bread Starter for the fluffiest rolls!
Easy-to-follow photo and video guidance provided below, plus instructions for baking the rolls in either a 10 inch skillet or small sheet pan.
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Sourdough Rolls Recipe: Soft and So Fragrant
If you make Homemade Sourdough Recipes, you will enjoy these simple-to-make sourdough dinner rolls. These rolls are made with a touch of whole wheat flour for a bump of whole grains and nutty flavor, and olive oil to help create the softest, pull-apart rolls.
When I went to Pastry School, Chef always had us add a little something extra to dinner rolls. And so, for this recipe, I’m including optional add-ins to take these fluffy dinner rolls over the top, including your choice of roasted garlic (a must!), herbs like rosemary, thyme, sage, and chives, and last but not least, Parmesan!
Just like my Multigrain Sourdough Bread and Sourdough Pita Bread with a little planning, these hearty yet soft sourdough rolls are simple to make. Best of all, they can be pulled out of the oven just before sharing the main course. But just in case, baked rolls can be frozen, thawed, and rewarmed as needed.
About the Key Ingredients
- Ripe Sourdough Starter – use a 100% hydration, previously fed, bubbly and doubled in size sourdough bread starter. This is the natural, wild yeast, levener that will flavor and raise your bread.
- Unbleached Bread Flour – bread flour creates a lofty rise and sturdy structure. I use Organic King Authur Bread Flour.
- Whole Wheat Flour – offers earthy flavor and softens the texture of the bread. Use stone ground whole wheat for best flavor. If you can find whole wheat bread flour, use it. Otherwise, I use Organic Stone Ground Whole Wheat Flour.
Optional Inclusions
Add one or more inclusions to customize these delicious whole wheat sourdough rolls:
- Roasted Garlic: if there’s only one thing you add to these fluffy sourdough dinner rolls, let it be roasted garlic. It adds an earthy, mellow flavor and takes these buns to extraordinary!
- Fresh Herbs: add flavor and interest. You can customize with your favorite, or use multiple herbs for a personalized approach. Enjoy with chives, rosemary, thyme and/or sage.
- Grated Parmesan Cheese: alone, it’s fabulous. But pair it with herbs and/or roasted garlic and these homemade dinner rolls become gourmet!
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How to Make Homemade Sourdough Dinner Rolls
step by step
You’ll start with a fluffy, doubled-in-size sourdough starter. I have an Easy Sourdough Starter tutorial if needed. Feed your starter the day before you plan to make the rolls. You can store it at room temperature or in the refrigerator. In the refrigerator, the starter rises slowly. Refrigerator storage offers a longer window of peak time to mix the sourdough rolls.
While roasted garlic is optional in these sourdough rolls, I highly recommend it. Roasting garlic is simple to do, but takes about 40 minutes to roast, then, about 20 minutes to cool.
Sourdough Rolls on Your Schedule
Timing sourdough rolls just right so they’re coming out of the oven just before sharing dinner is easy; it just takes a bit of planning. Note that this timeline is in a 68F kitchen, so depending on ambient temperature, timing will vary. Here are two example schedules:
Refrigerator Proof
I prefer this method because it’s more flexible about when you can bake. Bulk ferment overnight at room temperature, shape the next morning, then proof in the refrigerator. The rolls can hang in the refrigerator 8-12 hours, until you’re ready to bake.
Room Temperature Proof
Because this dough tends to be slow, especially in winter, room temperature proof has proven more risky for me, especially when coordinating with dinner. But it is an option.
You’ll bulk ferment at room temperature, then move the dough to the refrigerator overnight. Pull from the fridge, then finish bulk at room temperature (about 8-10 hours), or until the dough doubles in size. Divide and shape the dough, then proof at room temperature for about an hour.
If you’s like to create an warmer environment to proof your rolls, the covered dough can be put inside a turned-off oven with the light turned on. The temperature should remain a mild 79-80F temperature. This will get the yeast moving!
What Pan to Use for Baking
This sourdough rolls recipe is flexible in that you can use a sheet pan or cast iron skillet for baking. I use a small sheet pan (9″x12.5″) or a 10″ skillet lined with parchment paper. The sheet pan offers a more uniform baked roll, while the skillet offers a rustic look and keeps the rolls warm for serving. Additionally, the skillet browns the bottoms of the rolls more effectively than a sheet pan.
Finishing Options: Notice in the pictures below the skillet rolls are brushed with butter right out of the oven while the sheet pan rolls are brushed with egg wash just before going into the oven. The egg wash offers a shiny and a bit more golden finish.
How to Know When the Proofed Dough is Ready to Bake
…do the poke test
Simply wet your fingertip and gently press the dough in. Watch the dough closely. If the dough is proofed and ready for the oven, the dough will spring back slowly and leave a small indent. If the dough springs back right away and returns to its pre-poke state, it needs more proofing. Give the dough another 10 minutes or so, and test again.
Traci’s Tips
- Be sure to start with a 100% hydration sourdough starter. To make a starter, see my Sourdough Bread Starter Recipe for a DIY guide.
- The herbs are optional, too, but the sky is the limit on combinations. During the holidays, I love a mix of sage, rosemary and thyme with roasted garlic. Play with the combinations to find what makes your toes curl!
- Kitchen Tools: I recommend a digital external oven thermometer and weighing your ingredients using a digital kitchen scale for the best outcome (affiliate link).
Soft Overnight Sourdough Dinner Rolls
Ingredients
For the Dough:
- 1/4 C (50g) Sourdough Starter, previously fed, doubled in size (100% hydration)
- 1 1/4 C (300g) Water, 80F
- 6 Tbs (60g) Olive Oil
- 3 C (425g) Bread Flour
- 1/2 C + 1 1/2 Tbs (100g) Whole Wheat Flour, or Whole Wheat Bread Flour
- 1 3/4 tsp (12g) Fine Sea Salt
- 1 Egg or Butter , (optional – for finishing)
Optional Inclusions:
- 1 Large Head of Garlic, + olive oil for sprinkling *see note for how to roast
- 1 1/2 – 2 Tbs Fresh Herbs, such as chives, rosemary, thyme and/or sage, chopped fine
- 6 Tbs Grated Parmesan Cheese, **see note for vegetarian friendly parm
Instructions
For the Dough:
- Mix the Dough: In the evening, whisk the starter, water, and olive oil together in a large bowl with a fork. Add the flours and salt. First, mix with a fork, the dough will be shaggy. Then mix by hand, mixing, folding and pushing the dough until the flour is fully incorporated and no dry bits are present. It will seem dry at first, but the more you work the dough, the more hydrated it will become. The dough will feel stiff and it will stick to your fingers as you go. Do this for about 3-4 minutes. Use the fork to scrape the dough off your fingers. Cover bowl with a damp tea towel. Set a timer for for 45 minutes and allow the dough to rest. Now is a good time to feed/refresh your starter.
- Incorporate the Inclusions (optional): After the dough has rested, work in the inclusions. This can be garlic only, a combination of garlic and herbs or garlic and Parmesian. To do this, add 1/3 of the inclusion(s) on top of the dough (or smear the garlic paste), take a portion of the dough and fold it over and on top of itself. Add another 1/3 of the inclusion(s) and make another fold. Add the last of the inclusion(s), fold again. It will seem like a lot of added bits, but as you work the dough and as the dough develops through fermentation, the inclusions will incorporate. The dough will be stiff.Cover bowl with a damp tea towel, set a timer for 30 minutes and allow the dough to rest for 30 minutes.
- Fold the Dough: After the dough has rested, fold the dough. To do this, grab a portion of the dough while it remains in the bowl, stretch it up and fold it over, pressing your fingertips into the center of the dough. You'll notice the dough is a little less stiff and more workable at this point. Repeat, until you've worked your way around the dough. This is the first fold (after incorporating the inclusions), and you can stop here and begin bulk fermentation, but If time permits, and optimally, you'll want to repeat this fold one more time as it improves the final dough's structure and crumb. Allow for about 30 minutes between folds.
- Bulk Fermentation (first rise): After the last fold, cover the bowl with two damp tea towels and allow to rise overnight at room temperature. This will take about 8-10 hours at 70F (21C), but in a cooler kitchen the dough can take up to 12-14 hours to rise – this is the norm in my chilly kitchen 66F (18C). Use the time as a guide and not a determining factor. (***see note about retarding the dough in the refrigerator overnight, and proofing at room temperature if desired). The dough is ready when it no longer looks dense, is jiggly when the bowl is shaken, and has about doubled in size.
- Line a small sheet pan (9" x 12.5" / 22cm x 32cm) OR 10" (25cm) cast iron skillet with parchment paper. Set aside. Shape the Dough: In the morning, and with damp fingertips, coax the dough into a floured work-surface. Divide the dough into 12 pieces. If you like, weigh the pieces to ensure uniformity (about 80g or 2.75oz each). Working quickly, with a piece of dough on the work surface, pull the edges of each piece to the center to shape the dough, and pinch making a rough dough ball. Place the dough on the work surface, pinched side down, sprits a touch of water on the work surface to increase friction if needed, and gently cup your hand behind the dough ball and pull it towards you to increase surface tension. Place the dough around the edges of the skillet first, then the remaining dough balls in the center. It's okay if the dough balls are touching each other. OR if using a sheet pan, place the dough balls 3 X 4 about 1/4" (6mm) apart.
- Proof the Rolls (second rise): There's two ways to approach proofing:A. Refrigerator (long proof): Cover the pan with two damp tea towels and place in the refrigerator (the tea towels should stay moist so the dough doesn't dry out). Allow the dough to rise in the fridge for 8-12 hours. They'll become puffy but not doubled in size. When ready to bake, pull the dough from the fridge and set at room temperature while you preheat the oven. B. Room Temperature (short proof): Cover the rolls with a moist tea towel and proof at room temperature, about 50-75 minutes or until the rolls pass the poke test and look puffy but not doubled in size.
- Set an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat your oven to 425F (218C). Bake the Sourdough Rolls: After the oven has preheated, do the poke test to see if the rolls are proofed (see blog post above for how to). Egg Wash or Butter (optional): Crack an egg into a bowl and add one Tbs of water. Mix thoroughly and brush each dough ball with the egg wash. OR leave the egg wash off and after the rolls are baked, brush the rolls with melted butter. Place the rolls into the oven and bake at 425F (218C) for 10 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 375F (190C) and bake for an additional 15-17 minutes. The rolls are ready when the internal temperature on a digital food thermometer reads of the rolls are between 205F – 210F (96C – 98C). When done, transfer to a wire rack and brush with melted butter if using. A sprinkle of flaky sea salt is quite nice too. Cool for 10 minutes before sharing. Keeping the rolls in the skillet, means they'll keep warm longer.
- Storage Notes: Sourdough is best consumed on the same day it's baked, but the rolls will last for 2-3 days stored at room temperature in a sealed plastic bag. The baked rolls freeze and rewarm beautifully. Pull the rolls apart and allow to cool completely. Wrap in foil, then in a freezer bag. Freeze for up to two weeks. Thaw at room temperature, and rewarm in a 350F oven, wrapped in foil (to keep their softness) for about 10 minutes.
Video
Notes
- After mixing the dough, incorporating the inclusions and performing the folds, place the dough in the refrigerator, in the same bowl, covered with a damp tea towel and another damp tea towel on top (this helps keep the dough moist). Bulk ferment overnight (about 8 -10 hours) in the refrigerator. Pull the dough from the refrigerator and continue bulk ferment at room temperature until the dough has doubled in size.
- Carry on with the recipe.
Nutrition
Nutrition is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate. If this information is important to you, please have it verified independently.
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Hi, Traci!
Is soft sourdough rolls recipe able to be made as gluten free? I have newly diagnosed allergies and haven’t found a GOOD roll or bread recipe that is GF, EG, and DF. I miss bread! Thank you for your time.
Hi Carrie… it would be a completely different recipe. You would first need a GF sourdough starter, which I have one on my site here. But then you’d need a GF sourdough roll recipe, of which I do not have. But I do have a GF SD bread recipe here, if you like to check it out. Otherwise, Bakerita.com has lots of GF SD bread recipes… maybe a roll recipe? I hope this helps!
I’ve been making your seeded multigrain sourdough recipe regularly (thanks!) and thought I’d try these rolls. The dough went well, but I had problems baking. They took an extra 10 min to reach temperature and didn’t brown on top. I did bake on Christmas Day, so the oven was full of other dishes, which may have affected baking temps. Do the rolls need the egg wash to brown on top? I instead added melted butter after removing from the oven. I wanted to make sure the rolls shouldn’t be covered for part of baking, like the boule is?
Hi Laura! Thank you for your note and giving the recipe a go. It sounds like oven temperature may have been an issue. You do not need the egg wash to brown on top. In the video, the rolls are without egg wash – simply brushed with butter after they come out of the oven. Egg wash is an option, however if you want a shinyish/golden (less brown) finish. The rolls are not covered during baking. I hope this helps!