Easy Crusty Sourdough Rolls
I have made these rolls every week of my life for fifteen years. We use them for everything. They are not authentic, artisan style sourdough. But they are delicious, beautiful and foolproof. Yes, when I make these, I use a pinch of instant yeast. You can leave it out and just extend the rising times.
There is a time and a place for recipes involving many tools with French names. This is not it. This recipe is for when you just want some really good rolls. They have a crisp crust, soft interior, and good flavor. There is a slight sourdough tang, but it is totally undetectable by my kids. More of just a depth of flavor. They’re the perfect sandwich roll! It only took me a million different tries to get this recipe right. I really hope you like them.
Table of Contents
What You’ll Need
I’ve made these every which way…with the yeast, without it, with all-purpose flour, etc. I recommend that you make them exactly as written, but I’ve included notes about what substitutions you can make.
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Main Ingredients:
- 7 ounces active sourdough starter (1 ¼ cups / 200 grams) should be bubbly and pancake batter consistency
- 13 ounces bread flour (2 ½ to 3 cups / 370 grams) bread flour is important to get the a crusty, chewy texture. If you are using all purpose flour, the texture won’t be quite the same, and you’ll need to use a little more flour.
- 6.5 oz water (¾ cup plus 1 tablespoon / 185 grams)
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- ½ teaspoon yeast – yes, even though it’s sourdough! This helps with consistent rise and texture
For Assembly:
- Cornmeal for dusting
- Extra flour for dusting tops of rolls
As written, this recipe makes 8 large sandwich rolls or 12 smaller dinner rolls.
It doubles quite well, but you’ll likely need to bake in batches because you need one rack for the steam and one for the rolls.
If you’d like to double (or triple!) the amounts, use the 2x or 3x button on the recipe card at the very bottom of this post.
Instructions
Let’s do this! It’s easy!
Mixing the dough
Weigh out your ingredients with a digital scale and add everything except the yeast and salt to a bowl.
Stir with a spoon to form a rough, slightly dry looking dough. If you are used to baking artisan sourdough, the dough will probably seem very dry to you. Since we are forming it into rolls, it needs to keep its shape. So the texture is more like a traditional bread dough.
Allow it to rest, covered, at room temperature, for 20-40 minutes, then come back and knead in the salt and yeast.
Kneading Options
Knead the dough by hand, bread machine, or stand mixer with dough hook until smooth and slightly sticky. The dough is done kneading when it passes the windowpane test. All you need to do is take a golf ball-sized piece of dough and stretch it out. Look for translucent “windows” in the dough. If the dough tears instead of stretching thin, it’s not ready yet.
By hand: fold the dough in half, then punch it down. Stretch it out again, fold, and punch. Repeat this process for at least five minutes, until the dough is stretchy and smooth. You should be able to pull it flat without tearing it.
With a mixer: Place the dough in your mixer bowl with the dough hook and let it run on low for five to ten minutes.
Bread machine: Simply add everything to the bucket and select the dough cycle. When the machine beeps, you’ll have a risen dough that’s ready to shape. I use this method the most.
After a few minutes of kneading, the dough may be a little sticky, but it should not be wet or impossible to handle. Add more flour, a tablespoon or two at a time, until it forms a workable dough.
The first rise
Place the dough in a clean, lightly oiled bowl and cover. Allow to rise for 1 hour in a warm place, such as a slightly warmed but turned-off oven, until doubled in size.
Shaping and rising again
Then divide and shape into 8 rolls, placing them on a parchment- lined baking sheet sprinkled with cornmeal.
Cover with greased plastic wrap and allow to rise for 45- 60 minutes at room temperature. Halfway through the rising time, preheat your oven to 450 degrees. Put an empty, rimmed baking sheet on a lower rack.
When the rising time is up, the rolls should be puffy.
Baking With Steam
Pour 1 cup of water on the empty baking sheet to create steam.
Bake for 17-21 minutes until browned. The baking time varies widely with this recipe because of the steam. The steam lowers the oven temperature and depending on how quickly your oven gets back up to temperature, some ovens will bake much faster than other.
Cool on a wire rack.
Storage Instructions
These freeze very well. After cooled to room temperature, pack them up in a freezer bag and they will keep fine for at least a month.
To reheat rolls without drying them out, defrost for a minute or so in the microwave at the defrost setting. Then wrap them in foil and place them in a warm (not hot!) oven for 5-10 minutes.
Customizing this recipe
This is a reader favorite and you all have made it many different ways!
Garlic-herb version: add a full tablespoon of dried herbs (any blend equaling one tablespoon), then half a teaspoon of garlic powder to the dough and knead it all together.
Seeded sourdough rolls: add seeds the dough and press some on top.
Italian sourdough rolls: slightly less water for even more chew and sesame seeds on top!
Questions and Troubleshooting
Yes! Cover the dough or the shaped, unbaked rolls very tightly with greased plastic wrap and pop it in the fridge. Then pick up the process when you’e ready.
Yes, divide the dough into 6 portions for big sandwiches or 12 for smaller dinner rolls. Adjust the baking time ups or down a few minutes.
It’s okay :). Just use the cup measurements, but start with less flour and add more if the dough feels too wet. The dough should clear the bowl sides but still feel slightly tacky.
They should sound hollow when you tap the bottom and be golden brown all over. If they’re pale, give them another few minutes.
You probably used all-purpose flour or measured it differently. Add some more flour. You’ll be okay.
Printable Recipe
Crusty Sourdough Rolls
Ingredients
- 1¼ cups active sourdough starter 7 ounces
- 2½-3 cups bread flour 13 ounces
- ¾ cup plus 1 tablespoon water 6½ ounces
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- ½ teaspoon yeast
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Instructions
- Mix all ingredients except salt and yeast. Combine the starter, flour, water, and sugar in a large bowl. Stir well, using your hands if needed to incorporate all ingredients. The mixture may look dry but will feel slightly sticky to the touch. Cover and allow to rest at room temperature for thirty minutes.
- Knead in the salt and yeast. Add the salt and yeast on top of the dough, and knead until smooth, stretchy, and elastic. (If using a bread machine, set it on the dough cycle. For a stand mixer, set it on low about 5 minutes. If kneading by hand, knead for about 10 minutes.) Check the consistency of the dough after a few minutes of kneading. It may seem sticky, but should clear the sides of the bowl and should not be too difficult to work with. If it seems very wet, add more flour a few tablespoons at a time.
- The first rise. When the dough is kneaded, cover it and put in in a warm place to rise between 60-90 minutes, until nearly doubled in size.
- Shape the rolls. Turn the dough out onto a clean counter or a cutting board. Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper or oil and flour. Dust the top of the parchment with cornmeal. Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces, either by dividing into half, then quarters, then eighths, or by. using a kitchen scale. Shape the pieces into rolls by pinching the bottoms. Place on the cornmeal dusted parchment. Rub the tops with flour. Slash, if desired, using a lame or sharp knife.
- The second rise. Cover the rolls with heavily greased plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for 45-60 minutes, until puffy. Towards the end of the rising time, preheat your oven to 450 degrees. Place one rack in the center, and one in the lower middle area. Place an empty baking sheet on the lower rack to get hot while the oven preheats.
- Bake with steam. When the oven has heated and the rolls have risen, pour one cup of water on the hot baking sheet to create steam. (It may buckle, this is ok.). Place the rolls inside and bake for 17-21 minutes, until browned outside. Cool rolls on wire rack for at least 30 minutes before serving.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Love,
Very good! My husband’s favorite. Nice & crusty on the outside and chewy on the inside. The only thing I did differently was to cut the dough into 10 pieces to make smaller rolls. This will be my rolls recipe from now own. Thanks for sharing, Katie!
so glad you liked them debbie! I like them a bit smaller too. 🙂
What temperature is warm is that like 200 degrees? If i wanted to freeze them then reheat.
for reheating yes 200 is great!
Hi Katie, So you think I could shape the rolls and then refrigerate them overnight, remove from the refrigerator, let warm-up and rise, and then bake them?
Hi Katie,
I only have Active Dry yeast on hand, which needs to be dissolved in water first. Should I use an additional amount of water to dissolve or use some of the 185g of water. I don’t want to affect the autolyze. Will dissolving in, say, 20g of water affect the dough or should I just add a bit more flour if too wet?
Thanks!
hey carol, use some of the 185g of water. the autolyse will still be fine 🙂
Thanks! Still trying to understand hydration and ratio thing. My starter is about 80% hydration. Do you use a 100% hydration starter? How will my 80% affect my rolls?
Thanks for your help!
Thank you for this stellar recipe! It’s a keeper. The rolls look professional. Next time, I will add a pinch more salt. I use kosher salt and wasn’t sure if the recipe was for table salt or kosher. 😋
So happy you enjoyed it Allison! :). (I use table salt, I’ll update the recipe!)
Hi Katie,
My husband likes a larger roll to make sammies. It’s hard to tell how large these rolls get. Can I portion the dough into 6 pieces? What would the baking time be? Thanks! The recipe looks amazing!
Hi carol, I actually eat these with sandwiches but they’re a little small. I think 6 would be good! I think at least 20 minutes 🙂
Thank you for responding so quickly! Just out of the oven, looking and smelling fantastic! Pulled them out at 17 minutes. Can’t wait to try one! Thanks again!
I did everything according to the directions except I proofed it overnight in the fridge on the first proof. Then on the second proof I left it out at room temp, covered, for 2ish hours. They came out perfect! Super yummy.
Best roll recipe ever!!! I have tried countless recipes and this one hits it out of the ballpark. Doubled the recipe with no problems. Although kneading in the yeast and salt seems weird after letting the dough sit, just do it! Amazing texture – just the right amount of chewy and tender
aw thank you SO very much! we love them too! so thankful you let me know you enjoy them 🙂
I followed your recipe to the letter, and these rolls are perfection! Seriously bakery quality. The texture and flavor are spot on! We had them for dinner with cauliflower and potato leek soup. So good. Will be making on a regular basis.
I meant to post 5 stars. Not sure why it jumped to 4.
thank you amanda! so happy you liked them!
Hi, what sort of yeast should you use for the recipe? Can I use quick easy bake yeast?
I am not a baker but have packed into the high country with Sailor most of my life. I usually just add my starter to whatever I am making be it pancakes, biscuits, dumplings. I pretty much put all your listed ingredients in a can with Sailor, took off on horseback to a trout stream, fondled everything before bedding down for the night. In the early morning waiting for my cowboy coffee I did some more touchy stuff with the dough, grained the critters and buried the Dutch ovens in the smoldering coals of the campfire. Might have been gone a couple of hours. Came back to camp with a mess of Goldens that were rolled in polenta and fried in bacon fat. Popped the lids of them ol’ cast iron pots to the best rolls I ever made. Don’t know who to blame for the results. Me, you, or Sailor! Two horses, one yeller pup, and an this ol’ boy ate Em gone-gone before noon! Thank you young lady. Gonna have to do the dance again!!!~kw
Since 1 teaspoon salt = 2,300 mg. sodium, the whole recipe contains at least 3450 mg sodium and the 8 rolls contain at least 430 mg each. Your nutrition information is drastically incorrect. If I cut the salt to 1/2 tsp, will the flavor still be any good?
hi marsha- i’ve updated the nutrition info, it wasn’t pulling in the salt for some reason. i would personally find them bland with only 1/2 teaspoon of salt but if you are accustomed to lower sodium foods you might find it acceptable.
Best sourdough dinner rolls! They where great with lasagna night and for our Easter dinner. I have an addiction with sourdough recipes. I name my starter – Henrietta 🙂 So far the recipes I have tried on this website have been winners. Keep them coming.
Hello
I’ve not made this yet, firstly I wondered if you can make without adding ANY yeast? I’ve got a great starter (very proud) and my body isn’t a fan of yeast. Please can you advise?
Thanks
Vicki (UK)
yes, you can absolutely make them without yeast. they aren’t quite as fluffy inside, but still delicious. MUCH longer rise times, obviously 🙂
Can I get your starter recipe for these sourdough rolls.
hi cecile! if you search my site for homemade sourdough startr you’ll see my process! if you don’t want to wait, i recommend buying some from king arthur flour, it’s around 6 dollars last time i checked and gets you off to a good start right away!
I’ve been wanting to try sourdough rolls and your recipe was the first I made. They are so good! Easy to make, puffed up nicely, and taste delicious. I’ve been making various sourdough things since last summer, and my husband declared that these rolls are his favorite. Thank you.
These have been my go to for using up discard. I also usual use all purpose flour and flour the tops and score immediately before baking. Turns out great every time, and they freeze well! Just heat frozen rolls in a 350° oven for about 15 minutes and you get a nice crunchy crust and soft, fluffy interior. Thanks for the great recipe!
suzanne thank YOU for the tip about reheating in the oven straight from frozen. i will be doing that with my sourdough rolls from now on! 🙂
These are really yummy! Comes together quickly and the dough is so easy to work with when forming the rolls. I ended up baking mine for about 25 minutes to get that golden crusty top. They disappeared quickly so I’m making more today. I’m thinking of making them a little bit bigger and making them into mini soup bread bowls. 🙂
This is my go to recipe and quite often I double it to be sure we are well stocked since these tend to disappear!
I was wondering, how do they fair if I were to place them in the fridge overnight instead of the 60-90 portion?
These look delicious! Should the starter be active or could you use discard? Thanks!
you’ll want active starter! 🙂
Oops. I had it in my head to use discard. I made these for dinner tonight. They were a bit dense, but we loved them. Do you think that was because I used discard? I will definitely make them again. This is my second recipe of yours that is a keeper!
hi yvonne! yes you’ll definitely want an active starter next time! (or use 3x the yeast). 🙂