These Gluten Free Dinner Rolls are soft, fluffy and wonderfully tender, proving you don't need gluten for bakery quality bread at home. Perfect for weeknight dinners, holiday meals or any occasion, they're easy to make and pull apart beautifully.
Made with simple ingredients and a quick-rise method, these rolls are perfect for beginners and experienced bakers. They have a light, airy texture and a pillowy softness that rivals traditional wheat rolls.
Versatile and customizable, you can keep them classic, brush them with honey for a sweet twist, or add herbs and garlic for a savory touch. Ideal for family dinners, holiday feasts or casual snacks, you're going to love these rolls!
If you love baking, try this Gluten Free Dairy Free Banana Bread, my Gluten Free White Bread and this Gluten Free Zucchini Bread.
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Ingredients
- Gluten-free bread flour: This provides structure and texture for the rolls.
- Sugar: To feed the yeast and adds slight sweetness.
- Baking powder: It helps with lightness and lift.
- Rapid rise instant yeast: Will make the dough rise quickly.
- Warm milk: To activate the yeast and add moisture.
- Melted butter: Will enrich the dough and add tenderness; extra for brushing.
- Apple cider vinegar: To improve the dough's texture and rise.
- Sea salt: To season as a sprinkling on top.
- Fresh herbs: For added aroma and flavor.
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Follow these easy steps to make your own fluffy gluten free dinner rolls:
- Step 1: In a stand mixer, combine the flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder.
- Step 2: Add the yeast last to prevent direct contact with the salt.
- Step 3: Mix until fully incorporated. With the mixer running, add the warm milk, egg, melted butter, and apple cider vinegar one at a time. Mix until the dough is thick and sticky.
- Step 4: Grease or line a square baking dish. Scoop the dough into 9 equal portions in a 3x3 formation.
- Step 5: Add a little more dough on top of each ball and shape into spheres using water-dipped fingers. Tap tops slightly flat.
- Step 6: Cover with a kitchen towel or greased plastic wrap and let rise in a warm spot for 45-60 minutes, until doubled in size.
- Step 7: Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake rolls on the center rack for 20-24 minutes, until golden and 200-205°F in the center. Brush tops with melted butter and optionally sprinkle with sea salt or herbs. Serve warm.
Hint: Use a warm oven or microwave to create a warm rising spot.
Substitutions
- Baking powder: Use gluten free baking powder or make your own with baking soda and cream of tartar.
- Yeast: Replace rapid rise yeast with active dry yeast; just bloom it in the warm milk first.
- Milk: Use any warm, unsweetened non dairy milk: almond, oat, soy or coconut milk.
- Butter: Substitute with vegan butter, margarine or neutral oil (slightly less richness).
Variations
- Soft dairy-free rolls: Use plant based milk and vegan butter; add a touch of extra oil for tenderness.
- Seeded rolls: Mix in or top with sesame, poppy or sunflower seeds for crunch.
- Sweet breakfast rolls: Add a little cinnamon and a spoonful of sugar to the dough; glaze warm rolls with a light vanilla icing.
- Rustic whole-grain style rolls: Add a tablespoon of ground flaxseed or buckwheat flour for a heartier flavor and texture.
Equipment
You'll need a Stand Mixer with a paddle attachment to blend the sticky gluten free dough, plus a rubber spatula for scraping the bowl. A square baking dish works best for shaping the 3x3 pull-apart rolls, and measuring cups or a large scoop help evenly portion the dough.
Storage
Store the cooled rolls in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 to 3 days, or refrigerate for up to 5 days.
Warm them in the microwave or oven to refresh their softness before serving. For longer storage, freeze the baked rolls for up to 2 months; thaw at room temperature and reheat until warm and fluffy.
Top tip
You can add almost any mix-ins or seasonings to the dough. Keep in mind that altering any ingredient can affect the final result of the rolls.
FAQ
No, you do not need to knead the dough. Kneading develops the gluten that is needed to hold its structure and make the dough airy. Since we are making gluten free rolls, kneading is not necessary. All it needs is some quick mixing.
Related
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Gluten Free Dinner Rolls
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups gluten free bread flour I used King Arthur
- 1 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 ¼ teaspoons or one packet of Rapid Rise Instant Yeast I used Fleischmann's
Wet Ingredients
- 1 ½ cup warm milk warm the milk to about 110℉
- 3 tablespoons of melted butter + 1 tablespoon melted butter for brushing at the end
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup water used for shaping
- Optional
- Sea salt
- Freshly chopped herbs
Instructions
- Using a stand mixer, combine the flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder. Once they are all combined, add the yeast and mix until it has been fully incorporated. Salt can kill the yeast if they are directly touching each other. That is why we add the yeast after everything has been combined.
- Next, while the mixer is on, add the wet ingredients one at a time. Add the warm milk, egg, 3 tablespoons of melted butter, and apple cider vinegar. Mix until everything has been completely incorporated. The dough should look like a thick, sticky cake batter.
- Grease or line a squared baking dish. I used an 8.5in by 8.5in glass dish.
- Using a large scoop, a ¼ measuring cup, or a large spoon, scoop 9 equal portions of sticky dough and place them in the baking dish creating a 3x3 formation. After all 9 dough balls are in place, continue to scoop dough from the bowl and gently add a second layer of dough on top of each dough ball. Dip your fingertips in the water and gently shape each dough ball into the shape of a sphere. Then, gently tap the tops so they aren't fully curved on top.
- Using a clean kitchen linen, or a greased plastic wrap, cover the rolls and allow them to sit in a warm spot for about 45 to 60 minutes, or until they have doubled in size. Note: if you don't have a warm spot, microwave a cup of water for 3-5 minutes, remove the cup and use the warm microwave to allow your rolls to rise. Also, some ovens have a "warm" option. This makes for a perfect warm spot for any dough to rise.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Once the oven has been fully preheated, remove the plastic wrap or linen and bake on the center rack for about 20-24 minutes or until the tops have become a golden brown. Then center temp should be about 200°F to 205°F.
- Once the rolls are done baking, remove them from the oven and brush the tops with melted butter. This will help add moisture to the tops of your rolls to give them that pillowy feel and an extra boost of flavor. If you choose, sprinkle the buttered tops with sea salt or your favorite herbs.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer
All nutritional information provided is an estimate. For specific dietary needs or concerns, we recommend consulting a nutrition calculator or a qualified expert.
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