Whip up some delicious homemade dinner rolls quickly and easily in your air fryer. These dinner rolls are so light and fluffy, and take less time to bake compared to the oven. The perfect bread side for any meal, and a must have for Thanksgiving!
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The full recipe with ingredients/instructions is available on the recipe card at the bottom of the post. Important tips/tricks are also included in the blog post.
No Thanksgiving or holiday meal is complete without some light and fluffy dinner rolls, and they are a breeze to make in the air fryer!
Made from scratch, these bread rolls are a wonderful addition to any dinner and because they are baked in the air fryer they are ready in a fraction of the time and it frees up your oven. You'll notice that this recipe for dinner rolls uses less flour than most. That way your air fryer can hold all the dough.
You'll also notice that this recipe uses no egg. After testing multiple roll recipes and batches, we found that these dinner rolls just didn't need it. They're perfectly delicious, fluffy, and buttery.
Make them ahead of time and be sure to make a double batch to freeze, they really are delicious!
Be sure to try my Honey Whole Wheat Dinner Rolls and Vegan Dinner Rolls too!
How to make air fryer dinner rolls
- Gather your ingredients.
- Add water, yeast, and 1 teaspoon of granulated white sugar to a small measuring cup. Stir and set aside for 10 minutes, until the yeast has bloomed.
- Add bread flour, remaining granulated sugar, and salt to a large bowl. Mix until combined. Add yeast mixture, milk, and 3 Tablespoons of softened butter and mix until combined. Use your hands to clump the dough together and place on a lightly floured surface. Knead the dough for 8-10 minutes until smooth. You could also use a stand mixer for these steps.
- Place dough in a greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and allow it to proof in a warm area until it’s almost double in size, about 1 - 1 ½ hours.
- Meanwhile, line the bottom of the air fryer basket with parchment paper. DO NOT turn on the air fryer at this time. Place proofed dough on a lightly floured surface and cut dough into 12 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a roll and place them in the lined air fryer basket next to each other, with the sides touching. Close the air fryer. DO NOT start the air fryer at this time. Allow the rolls to rise again for 45 minutes to 1 hour in the closed air fryer that is off.
- When ready to air fry, turn on the air fryer and set the temperature to 300 degrees Fahrenheit and bake for 15-18 minutes until the rolls are done, and golden on top.
- Brush the rolls with the remaining butter and sprinkle with coarse kosher salt or sea salt if desired. Enjoy.
How long do dinner rolls stay fresh?
You can of course enjoy these dinner rolls straight away, but they are a great option to make ahead of time so they're ideal for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Let the rolls cool fully before transferring them to an airtight container. They will keep well at room temperature for 4 to 5 days, I don't recommend storing them in the fridge as this can dry them out. You can serve them at room temperature or warm them through in the air fryer at 360F for a minute or two.
Can you freeze them?
Yes! These freeze really well and will keep for up to 6 months. Be sure to wrap them well in plastic wrap and then place them in a freezer bag to protect them from freezer burn. You can thaw them at room temperature for a couple of hours before serving. Thaw them on a rack so that they don't get soggy when they defrost.
What do you serve them with?
These air fryer dinner rolls are the perfect bread side dish to serve up with your Thanksgiving or holiday dinner, they are also great for everyday use served with soups and chilis. Try them alongside my other favorite Thanksgiving recipes:
- Homemade Honey Butter
- Roasted Air Fryer Turkey Breast
- Cranberry Sauce
- Garlic Mashed Potatoes
- Giblet Gravy
Recipe Notes and Tips
- This dough can be made in a stand mixer. Follow the directions and knead dough in the stand mixer with a dough hook for 7-8 minutes.
- It’s best to use a scale to weigh the flour in this recipe. However, if you don’t have a scale, cups will work fine. Just make sure to spoon the flour into the cup and level it before placing it in the bowl.
- All-purpose flour can be used instead of bread flour if needed.
- Don't skip the rising times, this is what results in light and fluffy dinner rolls.
- You do not need to preheat the air fryer for this recipe.
- Different air fryer models can run slightly differently, so cooking times may vary slightly. Check them at around 15 minutes.
More Bread Recipes
Soft Air Fryer Dinner Rolls
Ingredients
- ¼ cup water warmed (100F - 110F)
- 2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast 1 packet
- 3 Tablespoons granulated white sugar divided
- 2 ¼ cup Bread flour spooned and leveled (281g)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ cup milk
- 4 Tablespoons softened unsalted butter divided
- Coarse salt for sprinkling on top optional
Instructions
- Add water, yeast, and 1 teaspoon of granulated white sugar to a small measuring cup. Stir and set aside for 10 minutes, until the yeast has bloomed.
- Add bread flour, remaining granulated sugar, and salt to a large bowl. Mix until combined. Add yeast mixture, milk, and 3 Tablespoons of softened butter and mix until combined. Use your hands to clump the dough together and place on a lightly floured surface. Knead the dough for 8-10 minutes until smooth. You could also use a stand mixer for this step.
- Place dough in a greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and allow it to proof in a warm area until it’s almost double in size, about 1 - 1 ½ hours.
- Meanwhile, line the bottom of the air fryer basket with parchment paper. DO NOT turn on the air fryer at this time. Place dough on lightly floured surface and cut dough into 12 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a roll and place them in the lined air fryer basket next to each other, with the sides touching. Close the air fryer. DO NOT start the air fryer at this time. Allow the rolls to rise again for 45 minutes to 1 hour in the closed air fryer that is off.
- When ready to air fry, turn on the air fryer and set the temperature to 300 degrees Fahrenheit and bake for 15-18 minutes until the rolls are done, and golden on top.
- Brush the rolls with the remaining butter and sprinkle with coarse kosher salt or sea salt if desired. Enjoy.
Video
Notes
- This dough can be made in a stand mixer. Follow the directions and knead dough in the stand mixer with a dough hook for 7-8 minutes.
- It’s best to use a scale to weigh the flour in this recipe. However, if you don’t have a scale, cups will work fine. Just make sure to spoon the flour into the cup and level it before placing it in the bowl.
- All-purpose flour can be used instead of bread flour if needed.
- Don't skip the rising times, this is what results in light and fluffy dinner rolls.
- You do not need to preheat the air fryer for this recipe.
- Different air fryer models can run slightly differently, so cooking times may vary slightly. Check them at around 15 minutes.
Allison says
Have attempted making these before using another recipe, but this time came out perfect. Husband said they were tasty.
mark nickel says
worst recipe ever. i tried it 3 times. followed the instructions to the letter. dough did not warm up and rise but actually got colder. how that happens i do not know. the last attempt i made i made a batch using a different recipe and it worked perfectly. i do not know if it is the milk( room temp ) or the butter. which are the only 2 ingredients that are different. but this recipe failed every time.
Tanya says
Hi Mark, it sounds like you had issues with the rise. There are a few steps I do to avoid this in any bread recipe. I always bloom the yeast first before adding it to any flour. This allows me to ensure my yeast is working properly. Sometimes yeast can expire and not work. I also check the temperature of the water with a quick read thermometer before adding it to the yeast. Water that is too hot, and your yeast will not bloom. Cold or cool water will still allow your bread to rise, but it will take a long time. I also knead the dough for the amount of time listed in the recipe to ensure it rises. I allow it to rise twice, once after kneading in a bowl that is covered in plastic wrap. The dough should double in size at that point. I also allow them to rise in an air fryer, that is off, after shaping the rolls. If your dough is not rising in the allocated time and everything else was done right, it may just need longer to rise. I've had dough that took 2+ hours to rise because my house was simply cold. Dough rises best at room temperature or slightly warmer than that. Too cold, and your dough will just take a little longer to rise. I hope that helps and you give these rolls a try again. They are the best and we make them for every family gathering. There are step by step photos and a video to help along the way.
Nina says
Absolutely delicious. I added a few sprinkles of Everything Bagel, and some fresh rosemary leaves. Bread was addictive, soft with a perfect crust.
But I did find that I needed to flip it in the middle because the bottom was raw, while the top was perfectly baked already.
Teresa says
These were easy to make but the bottom didn't get done. I flipped them over and ate fried another 10 minutes. Thank you for this recipe!
Tanya says
Hi Teresa, Thanks for the feedback. I'd try the parchment paper with the holes next time if you're having trouble with the bottoms.
William says
Tried this out. Worked well but my rolls were raw on the bottom. I ended up just frying them a bit to get that bit cooked.
Emma says
These are the most INCREDIBLE rolls. And honestly, pretty easy to make! We have made them half a dozen times now, they are our go to! Amazing!!!
Tanya says
Thanks Emma! So happy you like them 🙂
SARA says
These rolls are wonderful. Believe me I have tried at least a dozen dinner rolls that proclaimed to be "the best". These are just unbelievable. Your directions are perfect because any breads can be tricky and everyone wants to add to much blah, blah, blah
to their directions.
I've never had a success for a small roll like your recipe. I did freeze a few to see how they held up. I put them in foil packs of two and then in a freezer zip bag. (I froze them after baking in the air fryer.)
Just thaw them for a bit and reheat in your air fryer at 400 until they are the warmth/crunch you want.
Not only a good holiday recipe (you can make ahead) but with a
soup or stew mid week just heat and enjoy a wonderful addition to dinner.
Thanks for this recipe; purely the best.
Sara
Suzy says
can you make this in the bread maker - thanks
Tanya says
Hi Suzy, yes, the dough can be prepped in a bread maker and then be baked in the air fryer following the instructions in the recipe.
Elinor says
Made this today and they turned out great.Thanks
Bill in StL says
After contemplating (for probably too long), I'm about to bite the bullet and buy my first air fryer so I have been stocking up on recipes here and there. I keep coming back to your site Tanya because your recipes look great and you explain / show the "how-to's" in both print and video as well as anyone I have found.
This dinner roll recipe looks great and will be something I definitely try. One question for you (or anyone else who has some experience with this) ... I will probably buy some pre-cut parchment paper to fit in the air fryer (likely a Cosori 5.8 quart). I see where they make both perforated and non-perforated types. Trying to decide whether to buy one or the other (or both) ... and specifically does it matter for this recipe. Any guidance would be appreciated.
Tanya says
Thanks Bill! Both kinds work well, but the perforated will serve more uses as it provides airflow and can be used when making other air fryer recipes, like breaded chicken and seafood. For this recipe, I like having the smooth bottom the non-perforated sheets provide but I just cut some parchment paper the size of my basket for that.
Rowan says
Simplest recipe I've found to make bread in the foodi! Can't wait to try your other recipes!
judi says
Excellent video....thank you!!! Will be trying at TDAY!!!
Angel J Butler says
Hi Tanya,
Omg!!!! This morning I made these rolls and they are outstanding!! I made them slightly bigger and to make 9 rolls instead of 12. Sooo delicious. Very easy to make and I used the stand mixer to kneed the dough. I don't know which ones I love the most, your rolls or biscuits. Both are amazing. I absolutely
love your recipes. I rarely use the oven or stove now. Most of my cooking is done in the ninja foodie and I look to you and the Salted Pepper to make the magic happen. Love how I can now cook the things I love using the ninja and cut back on the stove, oven and microwave. Also save on the electric and gas bills.
Thank you so much and Blessing!
Angel Butler
Tanya says
Thank you so much for the feedback! So glad you like both recipes 🙂
Gayle says
@Angel J Butler,
How long did you go for 9 rolls?
HARRY says
Just made these rolls brilliant u deserve 5 stars
Tanya says
Thanks so much Harry! So glad you liked them 🙂
Tanya says
Thank you so much 🙂
Jane Rihlf says
Why does the picture show 12 rolls when the recipe says it makes 9
Tanya says
That was an error on my part. You could cut them into 9 pieces (I've done that before) but I did cut them into 12. I've updated the post. Thanks so much for letting me know.