Italian Parmesan Homemade Dinner Rolls, quick and easy roll recipe. Learn how to make dinner rolls from scratch in just one hour. These delicious dinner rolls come out soft and fluffy for the best homemade dinner rolls ever! Be sure to watch the video to see how quick these rolls are to make!
These Italian Parmesan Homemade Dinner Rolls are an old family favorite. We used to make them when I was a kid and now I’m making them with my own kids. We would usually make them for the holidays but sometimes would make them during the year because you can’t beat homemade rolls in just one hour. Yep, that’s right from scratch one-hour dinner rolls! They are just about fool proof!
Nothing beats classic homemade warm out of the oven bread, right? These Italian bread rolls are so simple to make that I have my kids make them.
What if I told you that you really could have homemade light and fluffy rolls in just one hour? Crazy, right? But it’s true.
I love making these rolls for the holidays such as Thanksgiving and Christmas because they’re simple and quick to make. And of course, because there’s always so much other food going on so who has time to make bread all day?!
The Italian seasoning and Parmesan cheese is a nice subtle touch in these from scratch yeast rolls and gives them a lot of flavor. So tasty I have to say!
Equipment You May Need
You probably have all the equipment you need for these already in your kitchen, but here are a few suggestions…
- 13×9 Baking Pan – A good 13×9-inch baking pan is important. Glass or a light metal would work well for these rolls.
- Large Mixing Bowl – You’ll need a large mixing bowl to not only mix the dough in, but so the dough has a lot of room to rise.
- Thermometer – You’ll want your water to be warm but not too hot. An inexpensive thermometer is good to have on hand so you don’t kill the yeast.
- Pastry Brush – Some kind of pastry brush for brushing the melted butter on top is a plus.
(Full printable recipe card is at bottom of post.)
Italian Parmesan Dinner Rolls Ingredients
- Water – Warm water about 110-115 degrees F to help get the yeast going.
- Sugar – Just a little granulated sugar for the yeast.
- Yeast – You’ll need TWO packages of active dry yeast.
- Flour – Just regular all-purpose flour.
- Milk – I would recommend 2% or whole milk, although we generally have skim in the house and it works fine.
- Egg – One large beaten egg. I’d suggest beating it in a separate bowl before adding to other ingredients.
- Butter – Unsalted. Although if you want to use salted, you might want to adust the salt in the recipe. Plus a little more for the topping.
- Italian Seasoning – You can use your favorite dry Italian seasoning or another spice or herb mix.
- Garlic Powder – If you like garlic, you might want to add a little more.
- Salt – Just a little.
- Parmesan Cheese – You can use good quality grated Parmesan cheese or the stuff in the green tube works just fine too. Plus a little more for the topping.
- Oil – Just a little olive oil or vegetable oil for your mixing bowl when your rolls are rising.
How to Make Italian Parmesan Dinner Rolls
- YEAST. Mix together water and sugar, then whisk in yeast. Let stand few minutes.
- COMBINE. Add in flour, milk, egg, butter, Italian seasoning, garlic, and salt. Stir.
- CHEESE. Stir in Parmesan and more flour.
- KNEAD. Knead the dough a few minutes until smooth.
- OIL. Oil a mixing bowl and add the dough.
- RISE. Let dough rise.
- ROLLS. Divide dough into 15 rolls and roll. Place in pan.
- TOPPING. Brush butter on top and sprinkle Parmesan on top. Let rise again.
- PREHEAT. Preheat oven.
- BAKE. Bake until golden brown.
(Full printable recipe card with full details is at bottom of post.)
One Hour Dinner Rolls Serving Suggestions
- Serve these warm out of the oven or at room temperature with butter or olive oil for dipping (like this Olive Oil Dip).
- These homemade dinner rolls are great with a salad or soup (like this Chicken Alfredo Soup).
- Or serve with your favorite dinner (like this Fettuccine Alfredo or Chicken Parmesan Baked Pasta).
- These little rolls are also great the next day toasted for little sliders.
Quick Tips for Best Results
- Use warm water to get the yeast going. But be careful your water is not too hot so you don’t kill the yeast.
- These simple rolls are ready in an hour BUT you can also let them rise longer if you have things to do or want to start them earlier in the day.
- I divide the dough into 15 rolls, but you can make them into smaller or larger rolls. You might need to adjust the baking time though. You could easily make smaller rolls to make about 30-32 little rolls. Or make the rolls bigger to get about 10-12.
- If everything turns out ok, the rolls will be all touching when you pull them out of the oven. You can brush the top with a little more melted butter if you’d like. If the cheese gets a little too brown to your liking while baking, loosely put some aluminum foil on top of the rolls while baking.
One Hour Homemade Dinner Rolls FAQ
How should I store the homemade dinner rolls?
I would store any leftover Italian dinner rolls in an airtight container or sealable bag on your counter at room temperature. Or you can put them in your fridge to last a little longer.
Can I freeze the dinner rolls?
Yes! You can freeze the rolls but just be sure to wrap well.
How long will dinner rolls last?
The rolls should last at least a few days on your counter, about a week in the refrigerator, or a few months in the freezer if well wrapped.
Substitutions?
Instead of Italian seasoning, you can use your favorite dry herb or spice mix.
Can I use low-fat ingredients?
You can use low-fat milk. I haven’t tried a lower fat butter substitute but might be ok.
What else can I add to this recipe?
You can add your favorite dry spices and herbs or even some black pepper would be delicious.
Can I make this vegan/vegetarian/low carb/gluten-free?
Here are some suggestions, but I can’t guarantee results. Be sure as always to check particular brands and ingredients if you’re following a specific diet or have diet restrictions or allergies.
Vegan – You’d have to use a milk and butter substitute. You can omit the Parmesan or use a cheese substitute.
Vegetarian – The rolls are vegetarian.
Low-Carb – These rolls are not low carb and because of the flour would be difficult to make lower-carb.
Gluten-Free – You can try a gluten-free baking flour that has a 1:1 ratio substitute with all-purpose flour.
Other Bread Recipes You May Enjoy
- Cannoli Bread – A fun dessert “quick” bread with no yeast inspired by the popular Italian dessert.
- Mini Cheddar Biscuit Muffins – Part biscuit, and part muffin. A quick little bread for weeknight meals.
- Garlic Red Mashed Potato Focaccia – Perfect if you have leftover mashed potatoes around!
- Garlic Cheddar Drop Biscuits – Another family favorite. A from-scratch copycat version of the famous Red Lobster biscuits.
- Fluffy Buttermilk Chive Biscuits – Homemade biscuits full of flavor.
- Italian Beer Bread – Another fun “quick” bread with no added yeast.
Italian Parmesan Dinner Rolls Video
Here’s a quick video showing you how easy these Homemade Dinner Rolls come together…
Homemade Dinner Rolls - Quick & Easy Italian Parmesan
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup water warm, (about 110 - 115 degrees F)
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 (.25 ounce) packages Active Dry Yeast
- 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour to about 4 1/2 cups of flour, divided
- 1 cup milk
- 1 large egg beaten
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- 2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- olive oil or vegetable oil for greasing bowl
Topping:
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl whisk together the water and granulated sugar. Whisk in the yeast and let stand a few minutes.
- Add 1 1/2 cups of flour, milk, egg, 2 tablespoons melted butter, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and salt to the bowl and stir to combine (or use an electric mixer on medium speed).
- Next stir in 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese and another 2 cups of flour until a soft dough forms.
- Lightly flour a work surface, and knead the dough for a few minutes until the dough is smooth. Add a little flour as needed while you're kneading so the dough doesn't stick to your work surface.
- Add a little oil (such as olive oil or vegetable oil) to a large clean mixing bowl. Swirl the bowl around to coat the whole bowl lightly with the oil. Add the dough to the bowl, and turn the dough over to coat all sides of the dough.
- Cover the bowl, and place in a warm draft free place. Let the dough rise about 15 minutes.
- Punch the dough down. Divide the dough into about 15 pieces. Roll each into a ball and place on a well greased 13x9-inch baking pan.
- Gently brush the remaining 2 tablespoons of melted butter on top of the rolls. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese on top. Cover, and let the dough rise again for about 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 375 degrees F.
- Remove the cover from the rolls. Bake the rolls at 375 degrees F for about 20-25 minutes or until the rolls are golden brown.
Notes
Nutrition:
(Nutrition data is provided when available for informational purposes only and calculated using an online nutritional calculator. For the most accurate information please calculate based on specific ingredients and brands you use as well as any changes you made to the recipe. I am not a certified nutritionist or registered dietician and any nutritional information provided should only be used as a general guideline and estimate.)
This post was originally published in May 2018, but updated in December 2020 with additional information.
Dianne says
They look like they turned out very well thank you for the recipe
Linda says
I make different types of breads frequently. So much better homemade. Question. Can I use the rapid rise yeast instead of regular. This I use all the time but wondering what your thoughts are.. recipes all look so good. Your site is my new go to.
Lisa Huff says
Hi Linda! yes, that should be fine. You might just need to read on the back of your yeast and see if there any specific directions as far as when that brand suggests adding the yeast to the recipe (as far as with a warm liquid or right with the other ingredients), but it should be ok.
Nicole Wilker says
What a treat! I needed bread in under an hour and boy did this deliver! I halved the recipe, as there are just 2 of us, and used “fake egg” to do the half an egg! hahah! Seriously this was easy came out perfect! Thank you so very much for sharing!
Lisa Huff says
Thanks Nicole! Happy to hear you both enjoyed the rolls. :)
debra houle says
These rolls I baked up yesterday were so delicious. So easy and quick, while the rolls were baking , my kitchen smelled divine with herbs, garlic and cheese. Iam making another batch after I send this message. I will be bringing these rolls to a Xmas party tomorrow along with Italian cocktail meatballs in marinara sauce. Thank you Lisa for an awesome roll recipe!!! Iam always looking out for a stellar bread recipe and this one surely is!
Lisa Huff says
Awww thank you so much!! Hope they’re a hit at the party too!
Rosamonde Simone says
Your recipe of ‘homemade-dinner-rolls’ looks very healthy and tasty, I will try it soon. Thank you for sharing it.
Maxine says
I made these rolls for a get together last night. They turned out great! Hubby is snacking on one now and he loves them. The texture was soft with lots of flavor and they were unbelievably quick and easy to make. I will be using this recipe again and again and agin. Thank you!
Lisa Huff says
So happy to hear you enjoyed them! They are a family favorite here. :)
Wilhelmina Wessel says
These rolls are all kinds of delicious!
Liz Della Croce says
You can’t go wrong with homemade rolls!
Kelli Kerkman says
Parmesan + bread = best combo. Such a good twist on a classic roll.
shelby says
I’m all for brushing the top with a little butter! My mom always did that with her bread and rolls too. So good!
Sarah says
Loved that this is a from scratch recipe as well as your use of italian season and parmesan! pinning it for later!
camila says
Wow with parmesan?! How super delicious!!! Great idea!
Sunrita says
I am yet to try my hands on making breads with yeast. This one sounds bad just so delicious. Tempted to give it a shot!