Easy Sourdough Discard Dinner Rolls

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You know that feeling when you forgot to feed your starter but you still want homemade dinner rolls? I’ve been there one too many times, and this recipe is the perfect solution. These Easy Sourdough Discard Dinner Rolls have soft, fluffy centers, golden buttery tops, and the classic pull apart texture. They’re ready in just a few hours, and you can even make them ahead and freeze them to bake later!

If you’d like a fully sourdough dinner roll, check out my Easy Sourdough Dinner Rolls (same-day option)!

Tools You’ll Need:

1. Stand mixer with dough hook (or strong hands!) – for mixing the dough. You can also mix this dough by hand!
2. Bowl or straight edge container- for proofing dough.
3. Microwave safe bowl- for melting the butter.
4. Whisk– for mixing the wet ingredients.
5. 9×13-inch baking pan- for baking rolls. I love this 9×13 baking pan from USA Bakeware.
6. Parchment paper (optional)- keeps the rolls from sticking and makes them easy to remove.
7. Digital scale– recommended for accurate measurements and weighing your rolls. I love this digital kitchens scale.
8. Bench scraper or knife- for cutting dough for rolls. I like this bench knife for shaping.
9. Pastry brush (optional)- for the butter topping.
10. Digital food thermometer (optional)- helpful for checking internal temperatures. This is my go-to kitchen thermometer.

Gather Your Ingredients:

1. Sourdough discard or starter- you can use any starter recently doubled or or straight form the refrigerator.
2. Instant dry yeast- This is the leavening agent for the dough, and speeds up the process! I love this Scratch Gold Yeast and always have it on hand. Please note instant dry yeast isn’t the same as active dry yeast which you have to bloom to activate. I’ll include an active dry yeast swap under FAQ’s.
3. Unsalted butter – melted butter is added to the dough for a rich flavor and texture, and then brushed on top of the rolls for moisture and a golden brown finish.
4. All-purpose flour– I recommend AP flour over bread flour to create a more tender crumb, but you can substitute for bread flour if needed.
5. Water- used to hydrate the dough.
6. Whole milk – milk enriches this dough making it soft and tender.
7. Avocado Oil- helps retain moisture for a longer time period in the rolls. You can use any neutral cooking oil, but I prefer avocado oil for it’s neutral taste. Don’t use olive oil, it will overpower the flavors of the roll.
8. Eggs– adds tenderness and structure to the dough working as a binder.
9. White Sugar – sweetens the dough and helps with that golden crust.
10. Sea salt – balances the flavors. I love using Redmond Real Salt, it’s quality and adds so much flavor.

Instructions

Step 1: Mix the Dough

In a microwave safe bowl, melt your butter for the dough. Whisk until it’s smooth.

Add the whole milk, water, sourdough discard, instant yeast, egg, sugar, oil, and melted butter to the mixing bowl of your stand mixer (or a large mixing bowl if mixing by hand), and whisk until it’s smooth.

Add the flour and salt to the wet ingredients.

If mixing with a stand mixer: Knead the dough on low for ten minutes at Speed 1-2 until the dough becomes smooth and elastic.

If mixing by hand: knead for 2-3 minutes and the dough comes together into a smooth ball.

Scrape the bowl down with a dough spatula to make sure all of the ingredients are mixed in.

Spray a straight edge container or bowl with cooking oil, and transfer the dough to the prepared bowl.

Cover the dough with plastic or a lint free cloth and allow it to rest for 30 minutes at room temperature.

Step 2: Bulk Fermentation

Stand mixer directions: Perform one set of stretch and folds after 20 minutes of the dough resting.

Hand mixing directions: You’ll need to work the gluten a bit more of you’re mixing by hand. Perform two sets of stretch and folds at 20 minute intervals at the beginning of bulk fermentation to do this.

To perform a set of stretch and folds: Simply grab the dough at the edge of the bowl and pull it up, then fold it down into the center of the bowl. Repeat this step until you’ve worked around the entire edge of the bowl, and the dough forms a ball.

After you’ve completed your stretch and folds, cover dough and allow the dough to double in size (proofing 100% in volume).

Make sure you watch that this dough doesn’t overproof, it can with the added yeast. I allowed my dough to proof roughly 2 hours and it had doubled at that point.

Step 3: Shaping the Rolls

Spray a 9×13 baking pan with non stick cooking spray. I like to line my pans with parchment for a cleaner release, but this is optional. Set the pan aside for later.

Spray your work surface with cooking spray, and gently turn the dough out onto the work surface. I find cooking spray works better than flour with this process.

Cut the dough into 12 even pieces. If you’re weighing the rolls for precision, they should each weigh roughly 95g each.

Shape each piece of dough by tucking the dough under itself to form a ball, then gently roll it in your hand to shape a tight ball.

Repeat this step to shape all of the rolls, then transfer the shaped rolls to the prepared baking pan. Line the rolls in three rows of four. Cover the pan with plastic or a lint free cloth for the second proof.

Overnight Refrigeration: If you want to shape and wait to bake your rolls till the next day, you can cover your pan and transfer the rolls to the refrigerator overnight at this point. Proof rolls the next day until almost doubled and bake as directed.

Allow the rolls to proof until about doubled in size, about another 40 minutes. Don’t skip letting these proof until they’re very puffy, or you will end up with a more dense roll.

Step 4: Bake the Rolls

Preheat your oven to 375 F.

Uncover your proofed rolls and transfer to the hot oven.

Bake the rolls for 35-40 minutes and tops are golden brown. Internal temperature should be between 195-200 F. Remove the rolls from the oven when done and transfer to a cooling rack to avoid soggy bottoms from sitting in the pan.

BAKING NOTE: these rolls can brown quickly, cover with foil if tops are getting too done and continue baking time.

Gently reheat your reserved butter in the microwave or on the stove until just melted. Brush tops of warm rolls with the butter, coating liberally.

Allow rolls to cool slightly, then serve with more butter.

Yields 12 dinner rolls

Make-Ahead, Freezing + Storage Tips:

Room Temperature: store rolls in airtight container up to 3 days.

Freezing and Re-heating (Baked Rolls): Bake rolls for 30 minutes at 375°F, cool fully, then freeze. To reheat, thaw 6 hours at room temp, bake at 350 F covered with foil for 15-20 minutes. Check internal temperature to make sure center has been heated to 195 F.

Freezing and Baking (Unbaked Rolls): shape rolls into your pan, and cover with plastic and foil. Transfer to the freezer. When you’re ready to bake the rolls, transfer to the refrigerator to thaw overnight. Replace the plastic on top of the pan to avoid condensation build up. Allow the rolls to proof at room temperature after thawing, and bake as recipe directs.

FAQ’S

If you enjoyed this recipe don’t forget to leave a comment and star review, and try more of my delicious sourdough roll recipes!

Sourdough Dinner Roll Recipes:

• Sourdough Brown Butter Herb Dinner Rolls
• Sourdough Oatmeal Molasses Dinner Rolls
• Sourdough French Onion Pull-Apart Rolls