Soft and Fluffy Sourdough Pull Apart Dinner Rolls are the perfect recipe to make with your sourdough discard – they’re so delicious!
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Your sourdough discard imparts a wonderfully tangy flavor that is perfect for these soft and fluffy pull-apart dinner rolls. The dough is easy to make, and the rolls are so good, especially fresh from the oven.
They’re perfect for sharing with family and friends; everyone will love the delicious sourdough flavor.
Sourdough Dinner Rolls
Nothing beats the smell of freshly-baked pull-apart dinner rolls. Not only is the aroma amazing, but they are so soft and light that you won’t be able to resist them!
This recipe is similar to our old-fashioned yeast rolls, except it uses sourdough (a wild yeast) instead of commercial yeast.
It makes soft, tender bread rolls with a hint of buttery sweetness balanced by a very mild sourdough taste. Together they make the perfect dinner roll that everyone will love for family dinners and holidays.
These rolls are also ideal for using your discard and reducing food waste while ensuring your sourdough starter stays active.
I prefer using King Arthur Flour’s bread flour for this recipe. King Arthur uses the same type of wheat with a reliable protein percentage so that I can count on the best texture and flavor for the rolls.
Love sourdough recipes? Try our Sourdough Sandwich Bread, Dutch Oven Sourdough Bread, Whole Wheat Sourdough Sandwich Bread, and Sourdough French Toast.
Ingredients for making Sourdough Bread Rolls
- Sourdough starter – bubbly and active (fed within 12-24 hours)
- Warm water – filtered (95º to 100º F)
- Granulated sugar
- Bread flour – I prefer King Arthur flour
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- Sea salt
- (Optional) Melted butter and flake salt for tops
Kitchen Tools Needed
- Large bowl – for mixing the dough
- Baking sheet
- Dough whisk
- Parchment paper (optional)
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How to Make Sourdough Rolls
Make the Dough
In a large bowl, add the starter. Mix in warm water and sugar then stir until dissolved. Add bread flour, oil, and salt. Stir until a thick, shaggy dough forms.
Flour your hands, and finish mixing dough by hand until all the flour has been absorbed.
Cover with a clean, damp kitchen towel and let the dough rest for 30 to 45 minutes.
Stretch the Dough
Take the dough out of the bowl and stretch and fold it by stretching 4 inches, pushing it down the middle, and turning it 1/4 turn. Repeat this process until you make a complete circle.
Put the dough back in the bowl, cover it with a damp towel, and let it rise at room temperature overnight until it doubles in size.
Shape the Rolls
In the morning, flour your countertop lightly. Remove the dough from the bowl and gently stretch it into a rectangle.
Roll the dough into a log shape. Cover it and let it rest for 10 minutes.
Cut dough into 16 pieces.
Roll each piece of dough into a ball. Then, pull the dough tight by pulling it towards you along the countertop for 5-8″.
Bake the Dinner Rolls
Put the dough on an oiled baking sheet. Leave about 2″ of space between each piece. Cover the baking sheet and let the dough rise for 2 hours until it has doubled in size.
Preheat your oven to 425ºF. Bake in the center of the oven for 8-10 minutes. The top of the rolls should be golden. Brush the tops with melted butter and sprinkle with flake salt, if desired.
Make Ahead Soft Sourdough Rolls
These bread rolls freeze well and are ideal for making ahead for the holidays. Freezing sourdough is the best way to make these rolls ahead so you will have freshly baked bread rolls to serve.
To freeze the sourdough dough rolls
After the (long) bulk fermentation, divide the dough into 16 pieces. Place them on a flat baking sheet and flash-freeze them in the freezer for about 2 hours.
Place them in an air-tight container, like a Ziploc freezer bag, and freeze for up to 3 months.
To bake the frozen sourdough rolls
Let them thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then let the sourdough rolls rise until about double in size. Bake as directed in the recipe.
Recipe Variations
- You can make sweet rolls by adding honey, cinnamon, or other spices to the dough.
- Add herbs and cheese to the dough for an herby, cheesy variation.
- Add some olives or sun-dried tomatoes for a Mediterranean twist.
- Top them with a butter and garlic mixture for garlicky, herby bread.
What to Serve with Sourdough Pull Apart Rolls
These sourdough discard rolls are perfect as a side to dinner or any meal, especially when served warm and slathered with butter. They can also be turned into mini sandwiches or burgers.
Enjoy with soups, stews, salads, roasts, or your favorite sides. The possibilities are endless!
Storing and Reheating
These rolls can be stored at room temperature, covered in a cloth or plastic wrap, for up to 5 days.
To reheat, place on a baking sheet and heat in the oven at 350ºF until warm and slightly crisp. Note that reheating in the microwave will make them soft, so this is not recommended.
Freezing Instruction
Let them cool completely. Place them in a Ziploc freezer bag and gently squeeze as much air from the bag as you can without flattening the rolls.
This will prevent them from getting freezer burn. Freeze for up to 3 months. Let thaw at room temperature before reheating.
FAQs
If your sourdough rolls are hard, it is likely because ther was too much flour in the dough or not given enough rise time. To prevent this from happening, stir your flour before measuring it with the scoop method. And stretch the dough as directed and rise properly before baking.
To make them airier, give the dough plenty of time to rise. Make sure you use bread flour instead of all-purpose flour for a light and airy texture.
And when rolling out the dough, try not to press too hard, as this can push out air bubbles and lead to dense rolls. Finally, bake them in a hot oven (425ºF) for the airiest rolls.
If your bread is not as crisp as you would like them, try brushing them with melted butter and baking them in a hot oven (425ºF) for an extra few minutes.
This will give the tops a nice golden color and crispy texture.
More Dinner Roll Recipes You’ll Love
Sourdough Dinner Rolls
Equipment
- Baking Sheet
- parchment psprt (optional)
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup (65 grams) sourdough starter, bubbly and active (fed within 12-24 hours)
- 1⅓ cups (300 grams) warm water, filtered (95º to 100º F)
- 1/4 cup (56 grams) granulated sugar
- 4 cups (480 grams) bread flour (I prefer King Arthur flour)
- 1½ tablespoons (20 grams) extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 teaspoons (9 grams) sea salt
optional
- melted butter and flake salt for tops
Instructions
- Add the starter to a large bowl. Mix in warm water and sugar, stirring until dissolved. Add bread flour, oil, and salt. Stir with a dough whisk or wooden spoon until a thick, shaggy dough forms. Flour your hands, and finish mixing dough by hand until all the flour has been absorbed. Cover with a clean, damp kitchen towel and let the dough rest for 30 to 45 minutes.
- Coax the dough from the bowl and stretch and fold it by stretching it straight up 4 inches, then pushing it down the middle and turning it 1/4 turn. Repeat this process until you make a complete circle.
- Return the dough to the bowl, cover it with a damp towel, and let it rise at room temperature overnight (at least 8-10 hours) until it is double in size.
- In the morning, lightly flour your countertop. Remove the dough from the bowl, gently stretching it into a rectangle about 10×15". Roll up the dough into a log shape. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes. Prepare the baking sheet by oiling it, lining it with parchment paper, or using a Silpat silicone sheet.
- Cut dough into 16 equal pieces (depending on the size of rolls you prefer). Roll the dough into a smooth ball, then tighten the dough log by gently pulling it towards you along the countertop for 5-8" or pinch the dough underneath until it is a smooth round ball.
- Place it on a prepared baking sheet leaving about 2" of space between the rolls. Cover and let rise for 2 hours or until the dough has doubled in size.
- Preheat your oven to 425º. Bake in the center of the oven for 8-10 minutes. The top of the burger buns should be golden. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with flake salt, if desired.