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Easy Sourdough Discard Dinner Rolls

These Easy Sourdough Discard Dinner Rolls have soft, fluffy centers, golden buttery tops, and the classic pull apart texture. They're perfect for when you need dinner rolls fast without compromising the flavor!
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Servings 12

Equipment

  • Stand mixer with dough hook (or strong hands!) - for mixing the dough. You can also mix this dough by hand!
  • Bowl or straight edge container - for proofing dough.
  • Microwave-safe bowl - for melting the butter.
  • Whisk - for mixing the wet ingredients.
  • 9x13-inch baking pan - for baking rolls. I love this 9x13 baking pan from USA Bakeware.
  • Parchment paper (optional) - keeps the rolls from sticking and makes them easy to remove.
  • Digital scale - recommended for accurate measurements and weighing your rolls. I love this digital kitchens scale.
  • Bench scraper or knife - for cutting dough for rolls. I like this bench knife for shaping.
  • Pastry brush (optional) - for the butter topping.
  • Digital food thermometer (optional) - helpful for checking internal temperatures. This is my go-to kitchen thermometer.

Ingredients
  

Wet Ingredients:

  • 1 (200g) cup sourdough discard 100% hydration
  • ¾ (175g) cup whole milk
  • ½ (125g) cup water slightly warmed
  • 1 egg
  • 2½ (30g) tablespoons granulated white sugar
  • 2 (30g) tablespoons avocado oil
  • 4 (57g) tablespoons unsalted butter melted
  • 2¼ (7g) teaspoons instant yeast

Dry Ingredients:

  • 4½ (550g) cups all-purpose flour or bread flour
  • 2 (10g) teaspoons fine sea salt

For Brushing:

  • 2 (30g) tablespoons salted butter melted

Instructions
 

Step 1: Mix the Dough

  • In a microwave safe bowl, melt your butter for the dough. Whisk until it's smooth.
    4 (57g) tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 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.
    ¾ (175g) cup whole milk, ½ (125g) cup water, 1 egg, 2½ (30g) tablespoons granulated white sugar, 2 (30g) tablespoons avocado oil, 2¼ (7g) teaspoons instant yeast, 1 (200g) cup sourdough discard
  • Add the flour and salt to the wet ingredients.
    4½ (550g) cups all-purpose flour, 2 (10g) teaspoons fine sea salt
  • 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 9x13 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.
  • Tip for using glass baking dishes: Glass baking dishes can take a longer time for the rolls to bake, so add 10-15 minutes to the bake time if needed and make sure the rolls internal temperature 195-200 F.
  • 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.
    2 (30g) tablespoons salted butter
  • Allow rolls to cool slightly, then serve with more butter.
  • Yields 12 dinner rolls

Notes

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.

Nutrition

Serving: 1rollCalories: 297kcalCarbohydrates: 45gProtein: 7gFat: 10g
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