A tangzhong makes these pillowy soft gluten free dinner rolls the best ever! Soft, fluffy, buttery--what more could we ask for?
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This recipe has been on the blog for three years (under a different name) and since that time, I've learned so much more about baking gluten free. I had worked on this bread dough for years when I finally posted it for the first time. It's a dough that's not too sweet, but something that creates soft, fluffy rolls that will serve as simple dinner rolls, buns for hamburgers, hot dogs, or sandwiches.
I wanted to update this recipe with the addition of psyllium husks for better stretch and workability, and also to give it a refresh with fresh new pics and a video!
The Ingredients You'll Need to Make These Rolls
- Milk
- Kim's gluten free bread flour blend
- Granulated sugar
- Instant yeast
- Dry milk powder
- Psyllium husks -- whole or powder
- Salt
- Egg
- Butter
WHAT'S THE MAGIC THAT MAKES THESE ROLLS SO SOFT?
If you've made my gf white sandwich bread or Olive Garden style breadsticks, then you already know about a tangzhong and the magic that it works in bread baking. This, combined with some dry milk powder and a few enrichments, is what makes these rolls so darn soft.
To recap what a tangzhong is, it's when a small amount of the flour from the bread is cooked with a small amount of liquid (milk or water, or both) and it creates a thick paste. This paste pre-gelatinizes the starches in the flour, which means they can absorb more liquid. It's able to hold onto that extra liquid throughout the entire bread making process, which helps these rolls in a couple of ways:
- The dough is less sticky and easier to knead and work with.
- The rolls may rise higher due to the increased liquid causing more steam.
- Because the bread retains more liquid while baking, it's able to stay soft and fresh longer.
How to Make the Rolls
- Make the tangzhong by whisking the tangzhong ingredients in a small saucepan until they come together into a thick paste. Set aside to cool slightly.
- Whisk together the dry ingredients for the rest of the dough in the bowl of a stand mixer.
- Using the dough hook, begin mixing and add the milk, egg, and butter until a dough forms.
- Add the tangzhong and turn up the speed to medium high. Knead for 5 minutes.
- Cover dough and proof until doubled in size. Refrigerate overnight.
- Dump dough onto a well-floured surface and knead until smooth. Separate into small portions for rolls and shape as desired.
- Place on parchment-lined baking sheet and cover loosely with plastic wrap.
- Proof until nearly doubled in size.
- Brush rolls with melted butter and bake until golden brown.
- Brush again with melted butter as soon as they come out of the oven.
What I love so much about these rolls is that they're not "bready." I'm not quite sure how to explain what I mean other than if you've ever had a Walmart brand (Sam's) gluten free hot dog bun, you know what I'm talking about. It's pretty soft, but there is just SO MUCH BREAD!!! You almost have to take half the bread off the bun in order to eat a regular hot dog. These are light, not too "bready" and soft as can be!!
Soft Dinner Rolls FAQs
Absolutely! For hamburger buns, divide dough into 3-ounce portions and space about 2 inches apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Proof and bake as directed in recipe. For hot dog buns, roll 3-ounce pieces into ropes and place about 1 inch apart on parchment-lined baking sheet. Proof and bake as directed in recipe.
Because of the tangzhong, these rolls will last much longer at room temperature, up to five days! Keep them in a sealed ziptop bag and they will remain soft for that time, without the need for reheating (unless you want to serve them warm).
Add chopped fresh herbs (rosemary, parsley, thyme, basil, etc) to the dough, or after baking brush the rolls with a mixture of melted butter and chopped fresh herbs. Mix honey and cinnamon into softened butter and serve with warm rolls.
To freeze unbaked rolls, shape and place in baking pan. Wrap baking pan with plastic wrap and foil. Freeze for 2 months. Thaw in fridge overnight and then remove from fridge and allow to rise until doubled in size before baking. To freeze baked rolls, wrap individually in plastic wrap and store in a gallon ziptop bag for 2 months. Wrap rolls in foil and reheat at 300 degrees F for 15 minutes.
For gluten free soft dinner rolls that will stay soft for days, you've come to the right place!
Pillowy Soft Gluten Free Dinner Rolls
Ingredients
TANGZHONG
- ½ cup (120 ml) whole milk
- ¼ cup (60 ml) water
- ¼ cup (35 g) Kim's gluten free bread flour blend
DOUGH
- tangzhong (cooled slightly)
- 2½ cups (350 g) Kim's gluten free bread flour blend
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon whole psyllium husks, or 1½ teaspoon psyllium husk powder
- 1 tablespoon instant or fast acting yeast
- 2 tablespoon nonfat dry milk powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (240 ml) whole milk
- 1 egg beaten
- ¼ cup (57 g) butter, very soft
FOR BRUSHING ONTO ROLLS
- 2 tablespoon butter, melted
Instructions
FOR THE TANGZHONG
- In small saucepan, add milk, water, and flour and whisk to combine. Continue whisking over medium low heat until mixture starts to get very thick and paste-like. Remove from heat and set aside to cool slightly.
FOR THE DOUGH
- In the bowl of stand mixer, add flour, sugar, yeast, psyllium husks, dry milk, and salt. Whisk to combine. With mixer running on low speed with the dough hook attached, add the butter and then slowly add milk. Add egg and mix briefly. Stop mixer and add tangzhong. Increase the speed to medium high and knead for 5 minutes.
- Scrape dough together and cover bowl (or transfer to another bowl). Place in a warm, draft-free area and allow to proof until doubled, 1-2 hours. Refrigerate dough overnight (at least 8 hours).
- When ready to make rolls, remove dough from refrigerator and dump onto a well-floured surface. Knead until smooth, adding additional flour as needed to create a smooth, less sticky dough.
SHAPING ROLLS
- Divide dough into portions. For dinner rolls, I divide into 2-ounce pieces. If making hamburger or hot dog buns, 3-4 ounces is standard. Flatten each piece slightly and pull in the dough from the sides to create a taut dough. Pinch the dough together and turn over to where the pinched dough (the seam) is on the bottom. Put ball of dough on a smooth surface that isn't floured (the flour will cause the dough to slide around and you want friction). Put your hand over the dough with the outer edge of your palm where your pinky finger is creating a "cage" over the roll (the side of your hand should always touch the surface of the counter). Move your hand in a counter clockwise direction, pushing the dough around inside the "cage" until the roll is nice and round. If it sticks a little, that's okay. Just use your bench scraper to lift it up and place it into a prepared pan*.
- Cover rolls with plastic wrap and place in warm, draft-free area to rise until not quite doubled in size, 30 minutes to an hour. Before baking, brush rolls with melted butter. Bake in a preheated 350° oven for about 20 minutes, or until golden brown and they bounce back when lightly touched. Brush with remaining melted butter and, if desired, cover with a towel to further soften the crust.
James Tamulen says
Was excited for the Dinner rolls but not yet. Using your flour blend I haven't reached success yet. After mixing while still in the bowl for 2 hours the dough slightly rises. I had in a warm oven. After refrightating over night the dough has shrunk and when going thru the baking steps they come out heavy at about 2 oz each. Suggestions?? Thank you!
Kim says
It's very normal for the dough to shrink during the refrigeration process. If they're heavy, chances are you either under or over proofed them. Have you watched my video? You'll see how they should be noticeably larger, but not necessarily doubled in size when ready to bake.
Lisa Bielss says
These rolls are unbelievable. They are so easy and delicious. And they really ARE pillowy soft! Your recipes give me hope for a future of more delicious food that I otherwise have not been able to enjoy. I can't wait to make some breads and cinnamon rolls. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Kim says
Awe, it's my pleasure! So glad you liked them 🥰
Sunny Green says
Just wondering if there is a replacement for the psyllium husks. I can't find that near me, and was just wondering. (I know I can order online, but I was just wondering in the mean time if there was an alternative)
Kim says
You can actually leave them out. They do help make the dough easier to work with, but they are not a crucial ingredient. If leaving them out, reduce the liquid by 1/4 cup (60ml).
Mike says
Third time I've made these rolls they're delicious. However I'm having issues with getting a good rise after the rolls are formed after sitting in the fridge overnight. Any tips? Different yeast perhaps? (I use your flour blend)
Denise says
I actually used unflavored gelatine. I looked up substitutions and this worked great.
Hazel S says
Hands down the best gf bun recipe ever! I baked half yesterday to test them out, and just finished baking the other half this morning. I followed the recipe exactly...no changes whatsoever. (I have been mixing up Kim's gf AP and Bread flour recipes and using them for about a year...there is no comparison. These flour recipes make all the difference in baking.) Thanks, Kim for all the time and effort you take to experiment for us. These buns are so much like my "old" homemade buns before going gf. Thank you!!
Question: have you used this recipe for cinnamon buns? The texture makes me think they would be perfect. I can't wait to try it this weekend!
Oh, and so many recipes say they are fresh the next day but are really not. This one is truly as good today as they were fresh yesterday! I am looking forward to sharing these buns with my gf granddaughter.
Kim says
Awe, that's wonderful!!! I'm so glad you liked them.
You know, I honestly hadn't thought about using this recipe for cinnamon rolls, but I bet it would work great!
Colleen Robinson says
I am wondering what the purpose of doing two rises is since we are not developing gluten..?
As well, is the 8-hour wait time necessary?
Thanks!
Kim says
A few reasons for two rises. The first rise is for bulk fermentation and it's mainly for flavor. This can be done in the fridge, although I've found with these gluten free doughs, they don't do well with cold fermentation. However, the refrigeration time is absolutely necessary for being able to work with the dough. It will be very sticky otherwise. Knocking the dough back by kneading it on a well-floured surface and then shaping and rising again allows for a finer crumb and a lighter roll. Without it, the rolls would be rather dense.
Suske de Kloe says
Hi Kim,
I used this dough to make a dutch sausage roll called "Brabants worstenbrood". The recepy looks complicated, but wasn't complicated at all. And this dough is not sticky, so easy to fold around the raw ground meat. And the bread was the same quality as the expensive commercial GF rolls.
Sarah Jamieson says
Hi Kim, thank you for this recipe. I made it as a loaf with your multigrain flour blend - baked at 350 in a 9x4 Pullman pan without the lid. The flavor was wonderful so I will definitely make again. However, all my breads have been too wet for some reason, and this one fell in the center. Would appreciate your suggestions for how much to reduce the liquid (I've heard 10% before)? And is 350 the temp you would use for a loaf? Thank you!
elizabeth a fraccaro says
I am in process with this recipe and the potato brioche. They are both doing the overnight rise and I'm sure they will be wonderful. Made your cinnamon rolls and my mother almost cried when she ate them. She was an excellent baker, but since having to go gluten free she has tried so many cinnamon roll recipes and they are always lacking. She was thrilled with these. I'm sure these will turn out well too. I thank you that you don't charge for your recipes and have shared your blend recipes. Many of us have trouble just affording all the flours. Would love to see you put out a cookbook, so we could have all the info and recipes in one place. I would to support you by buying a cookbook!!
Margaret Krug says
Kim, new to your website and I have a problem you might be able to help with since you are in the US. I make kolaches from my husband's grandmother's recipe and want to do GF. Just tried it with GF flours with suggestions from a group I am with on FB. Did not work--the dough was like a batter and the kolaches turned out like a flat cookie that had a filling. I was wondering if one of your recipes either the dinner roll or cinnamon roll would work for what I am trying to do? I am not sure which recipe to try. I have several people that are gluten intolerant but love kolaches so trying to figure out how to make them edible. Any help you could give me would be GREATLY APPRECIATED! I hate to waste expensive ingredients if they are not going to be edible. Anxious to hear your thoughts..
Kim says
Margaret, you are in LUCK because I happen to have a kolache recipe right here on the blog!! I made them a long time ago and was actually planning on updating the post with new pics and maybe updating the recipe a bit. I don't know whether the ones I made are anything like what you're used to because I know they can be different in different parts of the country (in Texas they're big and fat, at least the ones I saw in the grocery stores there). Of note, my recipe uses the very same dough as the cinnamon rolls. Here's the link directly to that recipe: https://www.letthemeatgfcake.com/gluten-free-kolaches/ Please let me know what you think if you decide to make them 🥰
Christy says
Made these for Thanksgiving last night and my whole family was so impressed. My mom has been celiac since 1993 and it was so much fun to see her so excited about a bread product. My only question is: is it possible to freeze these after they are shaped? Or even after they are baked? The recipe note seems to imply you can freeze the dough after the refrigerator time but before shaping. It would be great to be able to have some to just thaw and pop in the oven spontaneously instead of planning them in advance!
Kim says
Awe, I'm thrilled for your mom! I know how it is not being able to have good bread for so long!!
Yes, you can freeze them before or after baking. Shape them and put them on a baking sheet a few inches apart and freeze them for about an hour, or until they're solid. Then place the frozen rolls in an airtight container (or ziptop freezer bag). I like to individually wrap mine as well so they have extra protection from freezer burn. You can thaw them directly on the counter (loosely covered with plastic wrap) and let them rise before baking 🥰
Craig says
Kim, can I leave out the sugar in the recipe.
Robyn Law says
Hi there Kim, first of all thank you very much for taking the time to test, fail and finally create something we all need 🙂
Ok so I am Aussie but have spent time in the US and I do find by nature, US breads are way more sweet than what we're accustomed to here, therefore making it a bit cakey for us. Any ideas if I really need to have the sugar in it? I made them today and the family do like them but commented on them being a bit like cake due to the sweetness
Thanks and if you don't know then I will test it myself (man the whey protein isolate does bump up the cost per roll tho!)
Kim says
Hi, Robyn! Thank you so much for your kind words!
If you're looking for something a little less enriched, I would suggest my artisan bread, crusty rolls, or my Italian bread. These are barely enriched with any added sugars, fats, or eggs and might be more of what you're looking for.
Ruthie says
I finally made this recipe after thinking about it for a very long time. Wow!! Game changer. Almost a week later, the last two rolls that accidentally got shoved out of sight and forgotten are still soft, and delicious. No exaggeration.
I have a question: if I want to add sorghum flour (I really like it's flavor profile in bread recipes), how should I go about experimenting with that? Any suggestions?
I'm definitely going to be making the other recipes on your site. Thank you, thank you, thank you for a gluten free roll recipe that is easy and delicious.
I used to make homemade gluten breads and rolls before finding out I had to be gluten free. I have tried many different blends, recipes, you name it over the years, to the point of giving up, honestly.
This recipe has made me very happy and given me a desire to try again. Just in time for Thanksgiving. ❤
Kim says
Awe, that is so awesome, Ruthie! I'm thrilled you're enjoying these rolls!!
I haven't tried sorghum flour, but you could possibly attempt to replace half the white rice flour in the flour blend with sorghum. Let me know if you do 🥰
Dori says
Hi, Thank you so much for all the research you do. I have a question regarding the TANGZHONG. In all the years I’ve been baking and cooking I’ve never heard of this. I’m surprised nobody else had a question about this either. What are the exact measurements for the ingredients to make this? Looking forward to making these dinner rolls to have with soup and for Thanksgiving!
Dori says
My apologies Kim. I just saw the ingredient measurements for the TANGZHONG. since I have been gluten intolerant on my life but didn’t realize it until 12 years ago, I so miss regular tasting breads, pizzas, rolls, etc. so when I come across a recipe that works, I keep it. Thanks for your recipes, videos, research. Can’t wait to try these!
Pam Herbert says
Hi Kim, I made your bun recipe but cooked it as a loaf...
I also added currants and spices to make it a fruit loaf. Very happy to have have found your recipe.... simply the best and softest gf bread I have made and you are right it doesn't look our taste line your typical gf bread does.
I made your flour blend and its great.
I have a thermomix ( I Tweaked the method!)so after I made the tangzong I added the butter to it and set aside while I measured my other ingredients . mixed the dry ingredients in machine then just added all the wet to dry and processed speed 5 for about 40 seconds.Proved it in bread tin once only and baked 10 minutes 200 degC then turned heat down to 180 deg C for remainder of cooking time. All up about 55 mins)
BTW...I cooked this in my toaster oven... covered with foil part way through cooking once at desired Browness.
Thankyou for a such a great recipe Pam from NZ
Kim says
That is awesome, Pam!!! Thank you so much for your kind words and sharing your successes with everyone 🥰
Bonnie says
I can't say enough good things about this recipe. They turned out awesome! Your bread flour is absolutely amazing. Thanks again!
Sarah says
Would this be a suitable dough to make deep fried Piroshkis? Or do you have a better suggestion? I want a less sweet dough as I will be using a meat filling. I will need to roll the dough into 6-8 inch circle, fill, fold, rise and fry. Thanks
Sarah says
I will answer my own question. Yes this made excellent dough for deep fried Piroshki's. The dough was a little too soft and took some extra effort but I was able to roll the dough a little less than 1/4 inch thick and fill them with meat and cheese and close them up. They fried amazing! They were crispy on the outside and soft dough on the inside.