If you are prepping for a holiday meal (maybe Thanksgiving or Christmas), and you want to make a few things ahead of time, dinner rolls are one thing you can take off the list! These steps for how to freeze dinner rolls before baking will allow you to make the rolls ahead of time (a few days, or even a few weeks). On the day you're ready to serve, thaw the rolls, let them rise, and bake. They'll be light and fluffy right out of the oven, just like fresh-baked rolls!
Full honesty here, the very best dinner roll is going to be a freshly baked dinner roll. But if that isn't an option and you need to prepare them in advance, these steps will get you the next best thing and free up some of your time.
This post is not a recipe, but a set of steps that you can use with almost any dinner roll recipe to freeze them ahead of time. Need a suggestion? Try these Sourdough Discard Rolls!
Why You Should Freeze Dinner Rolls
- You can make dinner rolls a few days, or up to a few weeks in advance!
- On the day you're ready to serve, thaw the rolls, let them rise, and bake. They'll be light and fluffy right out of the oven, just like fresh-baked rolls!
- Freezing dinner rolls in advance allows you to have more time to cook other things, spend time with your guests, or travel to wherever you need to go for your holiday meal!
- These freezer directions will work with almost any dinner roll. Try these Sourdough Discard Rolls, Sourdough Discard Potato Dinner Rolls, and these Sourdough Discard Hawaiian Rolls.
- Looking for other recipes you can make ahead of time? Make your pie crust and put it in the freezer, freeze scones in advance, and make an overnight breakfast with this Sourdough French Toast Casserole.
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How to Freeze Dinner Rolls (Before Baking)
Using almost any dinner roll recipe, follow the below steps to prepare and freeze your dinner rolls before baking.
- Step 1: Prepare your dough according to your recipe's directions, but use cold ingredients (even if the recipe calls for warm water, for example) and instant yeast (even if the recipe calls for active dry). We want to keep the yeast dormant as long as we can.
- Step 2: Immediately after mixing the dough, shape the rolls. You will not do a first rise, even if your recipe calls for it.
- Step 3: Place the rolls on a baking sheet or tray. Cover with plastic wrap, then freeze for at least 2 hours.
- Step 4: After 2 hours, transfer the frozen rolls to a freezer-safe container or bag (I like to use a gallon-size Ziploc bag). Freeze the rolls for a few days, or up to 2 weeks. If you intend to freeze the rolls for more than a week, increase the yeast in your recipe by 20%.
- Step 5: On the day you're ready to serve, remove the rolls from the freezer and place them in your baking pan (per your recipe's directions). Cover with plastic wrap.
- Step 6: Place the rolls in a warm place in your kitchen (on top of the stove while you're doing other baking is perfect). Let the rolls thaw completely and rise for 4-6 hours until they are puffy, touching, and filling the pan.
- Step 7: If your recipe calls for it, brush the rolls with melted butter (or egg wash) and sprinkle with flaky sea salt.
- Step 8: Bake per the recipe's directions.
Expert Baking Tips
- Use cold ingredients when making the dough. This helps to keep the yeast dormant as long as possible. We do not want the yeast to be active before it goes into the freezer.
- Use instant yeast even if your recipe calls for active dry yeast (you can make a 1:1 replacement). Since we're using cold ingredients, instant yeast will work better for the dough rising.
- If you intend to freeze the rolls for more than a week, increase the yeast in your recipe by 20%. I do not recommend freezing the rolls for more than 2 weeks.
- Freeze the rolls on a baking sheet or in a pan. It's not what they'll be baked on, so use whatever fits best in your freezer.
- Freeze the rolls for 2 hours, then transfer them to a freezer-safe container or bag (like a gallon-size Ziploc bag). We want to prevent the development of too many ice crystals and freezer burn, which can happen if you leave the rolls on a baking sheet covered in plastic wrap.
- On the day you plan to serve, pull the rolls out of the freezer in the morning to thaw. Set them in a warm area (like on top of the stove while you're doing other baking) to rise.
- Let the rolls rise until they are doubled, puffy, and filling the pan. This is all of the rise that these rolls will get so let them get as big as you want them to be!
Recipes to Pre-Make Dinner Rolls
You can follow the above steps to freeze dinner rolls beforew baking and use them with any of the below recipes.
Storage
Freezer Storage (Before Baking): Freeze the rolls in a freezer-safe container or bag for up to two weeks. More yeast dies the longer that it is frozen, so I do not recommend freezing for longer.
- If you intend to freeze the rolls for more than a week, increase the yeast in your recipe by 20%. This will help ensure that there will be enough healthy yeast left to make your dough rise properly.
Room Temperature Storage (After Baking): Store the rolls in a paper bag at room temperature. You can reheat them in the microwave for 30 seconds to make them warm and soft again.
I don't recommend using airtight container if the rolls are topped with flaky sea salt. An airtight container will trap moisture, which the salt will absorb, giving you a slightly damp crust.
FAQs
Most likely, yes! I tested this using my Sourdough Discard Rolls recipe, but the same principles should apply to any yeasted dinner roll.
Room temperature is going to play a big role in getting the rolls to rise properly. Make sure you're setting the rolls in a warm place (on top of the stovetop while the oven is on is a great spot). Dough rises quicker in a warmer place, and slower in a cooler place.
I recommend taking the rolls out of the freezer first thing in the morning to give them plenty of rise time (give yourself some cushion here!). Don't assume that the rolls will be done rising in 4 hours (it might take 6 hours), so give yourself a little bit of room.
If you notice after 2 hours that the rolls haven't risen at all, or very much, shift them to a warmer spot. There is always time to pivot!
Yes! With this method, the dough will not do a first rise. The only rise will be after the rolls are thawing from the freezer.
More Sourdough Discard Dinner Roll Recipes
If you tried these steps for How to Freeze Dinner Rolls (Before Baking) or any other recipe on my website, please leave a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. I'd love to hear from you! Happy Baking!
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