Sourdough rolls bring a satisfying bite and subtle tang that’s just right for any table. Made with discard and a handful of simple ingredients, they’re an easy way to put your starter to work. Bake a batch for a hearty meal, a weekend gathering, or when you’re just in the mood for fresh, homemade bread.
These sourdough dinner rolls are soft and fluffy inside with a lightly crisp exterior, thanks to a long, slow rise that brings out the natural flavor of the dough. They’re made with discard, so you don’t need a freshly fed starter—making them a smart choice for everyday baking. If you’ve been wondering what to do with extra starter, sourdough discard rolls are a great way to reduce waste while still baking something delicious. Serve them warm from the oven with butter or use them to round out a hearty meal.
If you love baking with your starter but don’t want to waste any, sourdough discard recipes like sourdough cinnamon rolls are a delicious way to put it to good use. They’re soft, tangy, and full of cinnamon-sugar flavor—perfect for breakfast or a cozy treat.
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Why We Love These Sourdough Dinner Rolls
- The texture is unbeatable—soft, tender, and light with just a touch of buttery sweetness and a mild sourdough flavor that pairs beautifully with any meal.
- It’s a smart way to use discard, which means less food waste and a more sourdough bread starter ready for your next sourdough bake. This recipe is similar to our potato dinner roll recipe, but this one uses commercial yeast.
- The aroma alone is reason enough to make them—there’s nothing quite like the smell of homemade pull-apart dinner rolls baking in the oven!
Love sourdough recipes? Try our sourdough bread loaf, Dutch oven sourdough bread recipes, whole wheat sandwich bread recipe, and French toast with sourdough.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Active Sourdough starter: fed 12-24 hours before starting the recipe.
When we say active, we mean a mature starter that is at least a week old and always doubles in size within 4-6 hours of feeding. It doesn’t mean you need to use it at the peak activity after a feeding. - Filtered warm water:for the best results, use filtered or bottled water that’s 95º to 100º F.
- Granulated sugar: I recommend using pure cane sugar. You can substitute the sugar for an equal weight of honey.
- Bread flour: use a quality bread flour like King Arthur, or an organic bread flour.
- Extra-virgin olive oil: use any
- Sea salt: if using Kosher salt, increase the salt by 25%.
- (Optional) Melted butter and flake salt for tops
🎯 TFN Pro Tip
For the most consistent sourdough baking results, stick with the same brand of flour. Find a brand you like and use it for all your baking needs.
Recipe Variations
- Sweet roll twist: Add honey, cinnamon, and a touch of nutmeg to the dough. Brush with unsalted butter after baking for a sweet and tender finish.
- Savory herb and cheese: Mix in chopped herbs like rosemary or thyme with shredded cheese for a flavorful spin. Use an egg wash before baking for a golden top.
- Mediterranean style: Stir in sliced olives or sun-dried tomatoes and brush the tops with vegan butter for a dairy-free variation full of bold flavor.
- Garlic herb topping: Melt unsalted butter with minced garlic and parsley, then brush it over warm rolls. For extra shine, use eggs to create a glossy finish before baking.
Equipment Used in this Recipe
- Baking sheet or baking dish
- Parchemnet paper
- Bench scraper
How to Make Sourdough Discard 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 rolls
Put the dough on an oiled baking sheet or baking pan. 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. This process is called proofing, where the dough undergoes its final rise before baking.
- Preheat your oven to 425ºF. Bake in the center of the oven for 8-10 minutes. The top of the sourdough dinner rolls should be golden brown and you may also check the internal temperature to ensure it is baked well. Brush the tops with melted butter and sprinkle with flake salt, if desired.
Serving Suggestions
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.
You can serve this on Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner.
Enjoy with soups, green salads, pulled beef recipe, or your favorite sides. The possibilities are endless!
Recipe FAQs
If your sourdough rolls are hard, it is likely because too much flour was added to the dough or the rise time was not long enough. To prevent this from happening, stir your flour before measuring it with the scoop and swipe method. Stretch the dough as directed and allow it to rise properly before baking.
To make them airy, give the dough plenty of time to rise. Use bread flour instead of all-purpose flour for a light and airy texture. Finally, bake them in a preheated oven (425ºF) for the airiest rolls.
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.
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.
These rolls freeze beautifully and are great for prepping ahead. After bulk fermentation, divide the dough into 16 pieces and flash-freeze on a baking sheet for 2 hours. Then transfer to a ziploc bag or airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. To bake, thaw in the fridge overnight, let rise until doubled, and bake as usual.
More Bread Recipes To Love…
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Sourdough Rolls
Equipment
- rimmed baking sheet
- parchment paper - (optional)
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup (65 grams) sourdough starter discard or fed 12-24 hours prior *see notes below
- 1⅓ cups (300 grams) warm water, filtered 95º to 100º F
- ¼ 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.
- Add a light dusting of flour on your counter, then place the dough on top Use the stretch and fold method (instead of kneading) by stretching it straight up about 4 inches, then press it down the middle and rotate 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 rolls should be golden. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with flake salt, if desired.
Notes
- For the most consistent sourdough baking results, stick with the same brand of flour. Find a brand you like and use it for all your baking needs.
- You can make sweet rolls by adding honey, cinnamon, or other spices to the dough.
- Add herbs and cheese to the dough for a 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.
- 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: 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.
- These bread rolls freeze well and are ideal for making ahead of the holidays. Freezing sourdough is the best way to make these rolls ahead so you will have freshly baked bread rolls to serve.
Nutrition
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Previous
Simone says
My family loved these for Thanksgiving and I’m making again for Christmas. Mine bake up nicely, but never get golden brown… I baked this batch an extra 5 minutes and still pale. Even the bottoms are just lightly golden after 15 min. They taste good, so it’s not really an issue, but wondering if I’m doing something wrong or taking them out too soon?
Gianne - TFN Team Member says
Hi there! I’m so glad to hear your family loved the rolls!
You’re not doing anything wrong! Some recipes, including ours, naturally bake up a bit paler due to the ingredients and the lack of added sugar or dairy, which usually help with browning. If you take a look at the images on our site, you’ll notice they tend to be lightly golden, too.
If you’d like them a bit more golden brown, here are a few tips to try:
Egg Wash: Brush the tops of the rolls with a beaten egg (or just the yolk mixed with a little water) before baking.
Milk or Cream: Brush them with a bit of milk or cream for a softer golden finish.
Butter Finish: Brush melted butter over the tops right after baking for a bit of added sheen and richness.
Remember, though, the pale tops don’t affect the flavor, and it sounds like they’re already a hit with your family! 😊
Happy New Year, and enjoy baking your rolls!
Nikki says
My dough always falls flat. What am I doing wrong
Gianne - TFN Team Member says
One possible reason for your sourdough bread being flat could be that the dough was not allowed to double in size during the rise. It is recommended to give the dough ample time to rise in order to achieve a better result.