Easy Overnight Sourdough Dinner Rolls

These easy overnight sourdough dinner rolls are soft inside with a slightly crunchy crust on the outside.  

These sourdough rolls are perfect for Thanksgiving dinner but are just as good topped with sliced ham and cheese or shredded beef!  

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My kids like to slather them with butter and jam and eat them alongside their breakfast eggs. 

These easy sourdough rolls are quick to make, combining just a few simple ingredients. You do not need to stretch and fold the dough.  

Just a quick shape of the dough, leave it overnight, and in the morning, shape and bake!

Find my sourdough recipe gallery here and learn how to make fluffy tear apart rolls here.

Why You’ll Love Them

• These soft dinner rolls are simple and easy to make.  There are no unique ingredients or stressful timelines to follow. 
• These rolls are versatile and can be used as sandwiches, sliders, or sides.
• This recipe uses minimal ingredients, and the dough is easy to make.  It’s the perfect recipe for new sourdough bread bakers. 
• You do not need a bread machine, dough hook attachment, or any fancy tools to get these delicious rolls on the dinner table!
• This recipe makes one dozen rolls… plenty for dinner and a snack the next day.

Ingredients

• 100 grams active sourdough starter (1/2 cup)
• 235  grams warm water (1 cup)
• 75  grams warm milk: whole milk or 2% will work (1/3 cup)
• 12 grams sugar (1 Tbs) 
• 360 grams of bread flour (3 cups) 
• 140 grams flour (1 cup plus two tbsp)
• 6 gram salt (1 tsp)
• Cornmeal for dusting rolls (optional)

*This recipe has also been tested using only all-purpose flour and works great.  If you need to sub out flours, go for it. 

Tools

Kitchen scale

Large mixing bowl

Baking sheet

Parchment paper

For more easy sourdough recipes check out my olive oil herb loaf and sourdough sandwich bread.

How To Make Overnight Sourdough Dinner Rolls

Homemade sourdough rolls are quick and easy to make.  (I enjoy the process and think it’s a lot of fun, too!).  Here are step-by-step instructions for these delightful rolls: 

Step 1:  Make Dough

In a large bowl, whisk the starter and warm water together.  Add the milk and sugar, then mix well with a fork or whisk.  Add the flour and salt, and mix with slightly damp hands or a spatula until well combined.  

Cover with a damp tea towel or saran wrap and let rest for 30 minutes. 

Next, shape the dough into a smooth ball (I do this by performing a few sets of stretch and folds, or you can just work the dough into a ball). 

Timeline: 9 pm

Step 2:  Bulk Rise

Cover the bread dough with plastic wrap or a damp tea towel and let the dough rise for 8-10 hours at room temperature for the bulk fermentation.  Set the dough in a warm place where it can actively rise.  The dough is ready when it has doubled in size and has a few air bubbles within. 

Timeline: 9:30 pm

Step 3: Divide + Shape

(If you are not ready to bake quite yet, but your dough has doubled, simply stick it into the fridge until you are ready to bake!). 

After the dough has doubled, line a pan with parchment paper.  Sprinkle cornmeal along the parchment paper (optional).  Lightly flour your work surface and place your dough on the flour.  Gently massage the dough to remove any air bubbles. 

Using a bench scraper or butter knife, divide the dough into 12 equal pieces, about 70-75 grams each.  Shape each piece of dough by flipping it over, folding the four corners into the middle of the dough ball, then rolling it into a ball. 

Place the rolls on the parchment paper, spaced a few inches apart.

Timeline: 7 am (next day)

Step 4: Second Rise

Cover the dough with plastic wrap or a damp tea towel and let rise for 45-60 minutes.  The dough should be visibly puffy and have increased in size (it does not have to double in size). 

Step 5: Score + Bake

Optional: Sprinkle cornmeal along the top of each bread roll.

Set the oven to 400 F (200 C), and place the oven rack in the center of the oven. Using a sharp razor, score 1-1.5 inches down the length of each sourdough roll.   

Bake for 30 minutes or until the rolls are lightly golden brown.  Remove from the oven and cool.  

These rolls are delicious out of the oven, but you can save them for sides, sandwiches, and sliders!  They are best eaten within a day, or you can wrap them in an airtight container and freeze them. 

Baker’s Tips

• The rolls will take longer to bulk ferment in a cold kitchen.  This recipe is based off of the temperature of my home, which is usually 70-72 degrees.  The temperature of your kitchen will affect the rise time, so adjust accordingly for cooler kitchens.
• Cornmeal is optional, but adds a nice texture, crunch and a little sweetness
• If you are not ready to bake after the first rise, simply stick the dough into the fridge.  Let the dough warm up on the counter prior to baking. 
• Make sure you use an active bubbly sourdough starter for these rolls. Get beginner sourdough baking tips here.

I hope you enjoyed these soft sourdough dinner rolls!  My kids love to eat them with jam and butter, sliced turkey, and pulled pork.

I can never keep a dozen rolls around, it seems, they are gobbled up so quickly!  Let me know in the comments how the recipe turned out for you.