Lazy Sourdough Dinner Rolls with Discard (2024)

About this Sourdough Rolls Recipe:

• Flavor: The sourdough dinner rolls with have a slightly tangy sourdough flavor, thanks to the 1 cup of sourdough discard mixed in the dough.
• Texture: Fluffy and tender, the rolls rise tall! Use bread flour for sturdier, more chewy roll and all-purpose flour for softer rolls.
• Method: Prepare the dough in a stand mixer, bread machine or by hand. We’ve done all 3 and they work perfectly. This recipe makes 12 dinner rolls to fill a 9×13″ baking dish. If you need more, roll them smaller (anywhere from 15-20) and bake in the same size pan.

What home bakers are saying:

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️Joan says,“Your search is over….this the THE recipe for buns! You make me look good Lizzy! I get so many compliments on these buns. Sometimes I add a little more sugar. Depends on what they’re getting used for. Have made them like a dinner roll (in a 9×13) or more separate like hamburger /sandwich buns. They ALWAYS get devoured or people ask to take them home. Thank you so much for this staple recipe in our house.”

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️Susan says,“Great easy recipe. I wanted small dinner rolls so I weighed the dough and got 26 rolls out of dough balls weighing 1.4-1.6 ounces. Baked the same time. They were a huge hit! Thanks!”

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️Nancy says,“I’ve been married for 32 years and this is the first time ever baking homemade dinner rolls. This was so easy for me being a beginner! They taste so good and look beautiful. Mine came out a little crumbly so I’ll research that, But for my first try….This was definitely the recipe for me!! Thanks!!”

This is one of our most popular Christmas and Thanksgiving recipes with readers!

What I’ve learned about sourdough:

I’ve been testing and working with sourdough for over 10 years, however in 2020, I finally had a healthy starter and continued success in making artisan sourdough breads.

When I was still learning, I ended up with a lot of sourdough discard. And if there’s one thing I learned, sourdough discard recipes are just as good as active sourdough recipes. You can that old-fashioned sourdough flavor in no time at all. Just like this whole wheat sourdough bread.

And that’s where this sourdough discard dinner rolls recipe comes in. They’ll be ready in about 2 hours, most of which is hands off rise time.

Need some starter? We’ve got a complete guide on how to make sourdough starter.

Ingredients

A few notes:

• Sourdough starter discard. This is a lazy sourdough which means you do not have to use bubbly, active sourdough in this recipe. Use the discard. The yeast will help it rise.
• Flour. I choose bread flour when making breads and dinner rolls so that they are sturdy and have a little bit of chewiness to them. Use all-purpose flour for softer texture.
• Yeast. An instant yeast is easy to use, but active dry yeast works well. Read our guide to yeast types, and how to make dough rise faster.
• We normally use granulated sugar in this recipe, but we’ve also used coconut sugar and honey. Choose whichever you’d like.

Before you begin: Tips for Making Sourdough Rolls

This is one of the easiest yeast bread recipes I make. Use a stand mixer to mix and knead yeast dough, but knead the dough by hand if you don’t have one. Or if you’re lucky and have a bread machine, knead the dough using the “dough” setting. That is the easiest yet.

Here are a few tips before you begin:

• Be sure that your water isn’t too hot when you add the yeast. It should be around 110-115 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Use eggs that are at room temperature so it doesn’t affect the yeast.
• Also make sure your sourdough starter is at room temperature. It does not have to be active.
• These rolls rise twice, but the second rise is only about 15 minutes while the oven is preheating for baking.
• Add the flour slowly! The exact amount you need will depend on everything from the sourdough starter to the temperature/humidity outside. If you add too much, your rolls will be dry.
• Brush the rolls with an egg wash for shiny golden brown domes. Read our complete guide to bread washes to choose your favorite look. If you don’t want a golden brown crust, leave this off.

How to Make Sourdough Rolls

• Proof the yeast. In the bowl of a stand mixer, pour in the warm water and sugar.Sprinkle the yeast over the water. Allow it to sit for 2-3 minutes.
• Mix the dough. Add the eggs, oil, starter and salt. Mix on low speed until combined. Add3 cups of flourand mix the dough using the beater blade until combined. At this point, add more flour, ¼ cup at a time until a dough forms. It should not feel dry, but yet shouldn’t stick all over your hands.
• Knead the dough. Knead the dough using the dough hook on the stand mixer for about 5-7 minutes or until the dough feels smooth, springs back if you touch it and doesn’t feel too sticky.
• First rise. Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover it with cheesecloth or loosely with plastic wrap and set it in a warm spot. Allow the dough to rise for 30-45 minutes or until nearly doubled.
• Shape the rolls. On a lightly floured surface, divide the dough into 12 balls. (Or if you want smaller rolls, make 15.) Roll the dough between your hands to make a smooth ball, then place the dough balls in a greased 9×13″ baking pan.
• Preheat the oven. Allow the dough to rise while the oven preheats to 375ºF.
• Bread wash for golden brown rolls. In a small bowl, whisk together one egg and one tablespoon of water. Brush this egg wash on the tops of the unbaked rolls. This gives them that shiny golden brown top.
• Bake. Bake the rolls for about 20-22 minutes. Allow the rolls to cool on a wire rack.

How do you reheat rolls without drying them out?

• Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
• Place the rolls on a baking sheet and brush them with butter (this prevents them from drying out). Warm them for 5-7 minutes (or for as long as it takes to heat them).
• You can also wrap the rolls in foil, then place them in the oven. This method works great for reheating and is so easy.

You can also make a loaf of sourdough bread with discard, sourdough pie crust, or sourdough pizza crust recipe.