Easy Crusty Sourdough Rolls
Learn how to make these reader-favorite chewy and crusty sourdough rolls using a small amount of yeast and a special steam technique in your oven. Easy to make, with a great crust and soft interior.
This is the most popular of all my sourdough bread recipes. You’ll love how flexible this recipe is: make them for dinner tonight, sandwiches for lunch, or freeze them for later.
Crusty Sourdough Rolls
Ingredients
- 7 ounces active sourdough starter 1 ¼ cups / 200 grams
- 13 ounces bread flour 2 ½ cups to 3 cups / 370 grams
- 6.5 oz water ¾ cup plus 1 tablespoon / 185 grams
- 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
It only took me a million different tries to get this recipe right. I really hope you like them.
Adding steam is the secret method that gives them the artisan look and nice high rise. We’re doing it the cheap way without a profession steam oven. Just pour some water onto a hot pan as your putting the rolls in to bake. Now they’ll have a steamy environment that lets them rise higher and faster.
Getting the dough right is super important too. You want it slightly sticky but not so sticky that it’s hard to handle.
Tips for Success
Let them cool for at least 30 minutes; they’ll finish baking as they cool
You need to eyeball your dough. If it’s super wet, add flour. If it’s dry and crumbly add water. Just a little of each will make a difference.
The dough should clear the sides of the bowl but still feel slightly tacky.
Pinch the bottom of each roll to shape them, don’t squish down from the top.
This is one of the keys to a great oven spring. Don’t be afraid of this process.
Set up your oven like this, with a metal-rimmed baking sheet on a lower rack. (Do not use glass, or it will shatter!)
Ingredients and Equipment
Sourdough Starter: Should be active and bubbly, about the consistency of pancake batter
Bread Flour: Gives you chewier rolls with better structure
Digital Scale: Not required but really helps with consistency
Baking Sheet: You’ll need two – one for the rolls and one for creating steam
Parchment Paper: Prevents sticking and makes cleanup easier
Most sourdough starter is a thick, pourable liquid with the consistency of pancake batter. If yours is thicker or thinner, you will need to adjust the amount of water, so start with a lesser amount and add more slowly if needed.
Make It Your Own
- Try substituting up to 25% whole wheat flour
- Add a tablespoon of olive oil for softer rolls
- Divide into 12 pieces instead of 8 for dinner roll size
- No bread flour? All-purpose works too – just use a bit less water
Kneading Options
To knead 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.
Kneading with a stand 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 method
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.
Common Questions
You can reduce the water a bit and use all-purpose. They won’t be as chewy though. I really recommend bread flour!
You probably used all-purpose flour or measured it differently. Add some more flour. You’ll be okay.
Yes, an overnight rise in the refrigerator will work. Just shape them the next day, let them rise again, and bake.
I hope you come over to the sourdough dark side where everything is easy and works with your everyday life. This is a recipe you’ll make over and over.
By Katie Shaw
Katie shares simple, reliable recipes from her home in Virginia, where she lives with her husband, three daughters, a chocolate lab, and over thirty chickens.
If using active dry yeast, when would I add it since I need to use water with it? I’m confused!
hey candice, just throw it in there. promise!!! https://heartscontentfarmhouse.com/activating-yeast/
Great recipe. My 1st good sourdough recipe that came out as a new baker to sourdough.
Hi Katie! Still making this recipe and loving it! Has it ever been tried to make this recipe into a loaf? I wonder if it would work out?
hey kat! I think it would work! it will be a crusty top. I have a recipe for white bread with a similar crusty top, try following the shaping/ baling instructions here: https://heartscontentfarmhouse.com/farmhouse-white-bread/ let me know!
This is a terrific recipe for sourdough rolls. If you are a bit uncertain about the liveliness of your starter, that little bit of yeast helps to achieve a good rise. Although I am very confident of my vigorous starter, this recipe is my go-to for everyday rolls that are great for lunches or snacks, and come together very quickly. I use the dough cycle of the bread maker, and do a few stretch and folds before shaping. These rolls keep well for up to 5 days, and have a good sour tang and robust flavour. I score my risen rolls just before putting them in the oven for a bit of a pronounced ear. The steam step is so easy and ensures a blistered and crispy crust every time.
Is it possible to double this recipe?
yes! use the slider on the recipe card to double the number of servings and it will adjust the ingredients.
These were so yummy!! Thank you! Has it been tried to double or triple the recipe?
I made these rolls and they came out exactly how they said they would come out. soft in the inside and crusty on the outside. Perfect!!!!
Thank you for the recipe! May I use a Dutch oven instead steaming the oven? I never do it the right way.
Thank you!
yes, if the rolls will fit, that will work! 🙂
Easy, as advertised, and delicious!
happy thanksgiving kathy! thanks for the comment 🙂
I was looking for a crusty roll recipe for Thanksgiving and kept seeing a lot of soft rolls and finally stumbled upon this one. I made it for the first time yesterday and they were perfect! Family approved. Thank you for the very easy to follow instructions.
hi sarah! So happy to hear this! happy thanksgiving 🙂
Would I be able to make the dough the day/ night before and refrigerate to bake in the morning? Thanks!
Yep! Just cover it tightly with plastic wrap. Super tightly! :). Happy Thanksgiving!
Hi! I would love to print this recipe out and use it but the print button does not work! Can you add a printable recipe?
hi lynn it is working on my end. try refreshing and giving it a second to load. it opens in another window so if your browser blocks pop ups sometimes that will cause trouble.
I used these to make sourdough pizza dough and it worked like a charm! It was a little more dense than standard pizza dough but my family loved it!
great idea samantha! 🙂
Nice recipe.
I can not find Active Sourdough Starter – Can you recommend a brand of Active Sourdough Starter to use in your recipe?
hey tom, look on etsy for a san francisco starter. king arthur flour has a nice one as well. you’ll need to feed it 1-2 times and you’ll be up and running 🙂
So easy, and amazingly delicious. Perfect balance of sourdough and yeast roll! New go to!
thanks so much for letting me know dawn! glad you enjoyed it.
Great flavor and perfect crumb every time!
Made these tonight and they turned out fabulous! What a quick easy way to get that sourdough flavor without all the fuss and time! Great directions, easy to follow, thank you!
hi carol! thank you so much for letting me know! enjoy your rolls 🙂
Do you bake these on a preheated pizza stone or on a cookie sheet?
Thank you in advance.
A cookie sheet
I can’t stand your site because of the intrusive google ads! And I don’t even use google as my search engine. I give up.
welcome to the internet. the only way to avoid that is to use cookbooks or paid resources for your recipes.
Love this recipe! I make them weekly. 😉 My dad is the baker of the fam and he is so picky. I had him try these. He ate half the batch in less then 24 hours. His approval is tough to get. He told me he won’t be able to button his pants if I keep baking them for him.
lol andrea that’s so cute! glad he approves! 😊