Erin’s Recipe Rundown
Texture: Soft and pillowy with golden brown tops.
Taste: Rich, buttery and such great flavor.
Ease: The easiest gluten-free rolls you’ll ever make! They only require 1 rise and come together in less than 90 minutes.
Top Tips: I bake the gluten-free rolls in a muffin pan because the sticky dough is hard to shape, but that extra moisture is essential for soft, tender rolls. I also like to add whole milk powder for flavor and browning.
Recommended GF Flour: This recipe works best with King Arthur Gluten-Free Bread Flour. You can also use King Arthur Gluten-Free Measure-for-Measure Flour, if you prefer.
Would I make these again? 100% yes! These rolls are so delicious that everyone will love them—not just those who eat gluten-free! They’re a great way to simplify prep for big holiday meals.
xoxo erin
This post is sponsored by King Arthur Baking Company.
These easy, soft gluten-free dinner rolls are just what your next gathering needs. Whether for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or a simple family dinner, these dinner rolls are so easy to make and absolutely worth the effort!
Thanks to gluten-free bread flour, they are decadently light and fluffy, never dense, and achieve that perfect golden brown crust that makes every bite satisfying. Gluten-free doesn’t have to mean missing out!
Featured Comment
From Kate: “These rolls were amazing! I can’t believe how simple and delicious they were. My son has had celiac for 3 years, and he said these were the best ones I’ve made. Soft, and fluffy, I couldn’t believe it. Easy to make, too!”
Table of Contents
- Erin’s Recipe Rundown
- Ingredients You’ll Need
- How to Make Easy, Soft Gluten-Free Dinner Rolls
- Make-Ahead/Storage/Freezing Instructions
- Can these gluten-free dinner rolls be made dairy-free?
- King Arthur Gluten-Free Bread Flour contains wheat starch. Is it safe for celiacs?
- Is the dough supposed to be sticky?
- More Recipes Using Gluten-Free Bread Flour
- Easy, Soft Gluten-Free Dinner Rolls Recipe
Ingredients You’ll Need
Here are a few notes on some of the key ingredients to make these gluten-free dinner rolls. See the recipe card below for exact measurements.
- Gluten-free flour: I highly recommend King Arthur Gluten-Free Bread Flour. It’s the only way to get the perfect rise and texture!
- Whole milk powder: The milk powder adds richness and helps them bake up soft and golden brown. Use whole milk powder, rather than nonfat. The extra milk fat keeps them from drying out and becoming crumbly. For dairy-free, use coconut or soy milk powder.
- Instant yeast: The rolls need the instant yeast to rise properly so that they turn out fluffy and light. Using instant yeast means it can go straight into the dry mix, making this recipe as easy as ever!
- Warm water: Using warm water specifically helps the yeast to activate and allows the dough to become workable so that it has the right structure when baked.
- Eggs: Not all yeast breads use egg, but when baking gluten-free, the eggs are necessary to bind the dough so that the rolls have the right texture and moisture. Without the eggs, they can easily become dense.
- Butter: The melted butter adds rich, buttery flavor to the rolls for a greater depth of flavor while also adding moisture and fat so that the rolls become soft and tender. For dairy-free, use your favorite vegan butter.
How to Make Easy, Soft Gluten-Free Dinner Rolls
Here’s an overview of how to make this recipe. You can jump to the recipe for the full instructions!
- In a stand mixer bowl: Use the paddle attachment and mix together the flour, milk powder, sugar, yeast, salt, and baking powder.
- With the mixer on low: Slowly add the water, eggs, and melted butter to the dry mix. Bump up the speed to medium and mix the dough for 3 minutes. You want it to look like thick cookie dough. Use an oiled rubber spatula to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl. Mix for another 30 seconds.
- Scoop into pan: I like to use an oiled kitchen scoop or large spoon to portion the dough into the prepped muffin pan. Wet your fingers before smoothing the tops of the rolls.
- Cover and rise: Cover the muffin pan with oiled plastic wrap. Let the dough rise in a warm place for 45-60 minutes.
- Bake: Remove the plastic wrap, then bake the rolls on 350°F for 22-26 minutes. You want the rolls to turn golden brown.
- Enjoy: Brush the rolls with melted butter right after removing them from the oven. You can add flaky salt too for a little something extra. They’re best served warm right away.
Make-Ahead/Storage/Freezing Instructions
To Make-Ahead: The dough can be made up to 16 hours ahead, but don’t let them rise until right before baking. Portion the dough into the prepared muffin pan, wrap with oiled plastic wrap, and then refrigerate. When ready to bake, let the dough rise at room temperature for 30 minutes then pop them in the oven.
To Store: The baked dinner rolls are best served warm right after baking. Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. I like to reheat them in the microwave for 10-15 seconds before serving.
To Freeze: Let them cool completely, then store in an airtight container or freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Warm in the oven at 350°F for 10-15 minutes, or until heated through.
Can these gluten-free dinner rolls be made dairy-free?
Yes! No need to miss out on these amazing rolls because of dairy. Use coconut or soy milk powder in place of the whole milk powder. And swap out the butter for your favorite vegan butter.
King Arthur Gluten-Free Bread Flour contains wheat starch. Is it safe for celiacs?
King Arthur Gluten-Free Bread Flour is safe for people with celiac disease because the wheat starch it contains has been specially processed to remove gluten, the protein that triggers celiac reactions. This flour is tested to meet strict gluten-free standards, ensuring it has less than 20 parts per million (ppm) of gluten, which is considered safe for most people with celiac disease. It not, however, safe for people with a wheat allergy (which is different than celiac disease). I have celiac and eat this flour with no problems!
Is the dough supposed to be sticky?
It’s perfectly normal for gluten-free roll dough to feel sticky—that extra moisture is key to achieving soft, fluffy rolls. Because the dough is difficult to shape by hand, I recommend using a muffin pan to keep the rolls contained as they bake. This way, you’ll get the perfect texture without the hassle of trying to form the dough!
More Recipes Using Gluten-Free Bread Flour
Easy, Soft Gluten-Free Dinner Rolls
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 3 cups (450g) King Arthur Gluten-Free Bread Flour
- ¼ cup (32g) dried whole milk powder
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2¼ teaspoons instant yeast
- 1½ teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
Wet Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups (360ml) water warm
- 2 large eggs
- ¼ cup (56g) butter melted
Topping
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
- Flaky salt for sprinkling
Instructions
- Spray a standard 12-count muffin pan with cooking spray.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the gluten-free bread flour, milk powder, granulated sugar, instant yeast, salt and baking powder. Mix to combine.
- With the mixer running on low, slowly add the water, eggs and melted butter. Increase the speed to medium and mix for 3 minutes. The dough will resemble thick cookie dough, this is normal.
- Using an oiled rubber spatula, scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl. Mix for another 30 seconds.
- Using an oiled kitchen scoop or large spoon, portion the batter evenly into the prepared muffin pan. Use wet fingers to smooth the tops of the rolls if desired.
- Cover with oiled plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for 45-60 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Remove the plastic wrap. Bake for 22-26 minutes, until the rolls begin to turn golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and immediately brush the rolls with melted butter. These rolls are best served warm right after baking.
Delicious! I only had active yeast, so I proofed it in warm water before adding to the mix. Followed the rest of the recipe as is.
My daughter used these for school sandwiches as well. Big hit in our house!
Yay! We’re so glad you and your daughter loved the rolls, Bonnie! Thanks for sharing!
Just pulled outta oven and couldn’t wait for them to cool down even a bit. These are absolutely delicious!!!
Thank you for your positive feedback, Karen! We’re so happy to hear you loved them!
I accidentally bought nonfat dry milk powder as I looking for the whole milk powder is that okay? Or do I need to do the correct power or substitutes you suggested?
Hi Gianna, the nonfat dry milk may impact taste/texture. The fat content in the whole milk powder helps create a softer crumb. With the nonfat milk powder, the rolls could be a little less tender and then dry out faster. You can give it a try, as the changes may be minimal, we just haven’t tested it ourselves to say for sure. We hope this helps!
Thank you so much! I’m a little on fence about trying the nonfat since I wanted to make the rolls for my family for thanksgiving. I will find the whole milk and follow the directions. After wards though I will try the nonfat and see if it works!
Your recipes never disappoint. For 13 Thanksgivings, I have been on the hunt for a dinner roll recipe that tasted like my mom’s homemade rolls. I’ve made some that were ok for being gluten free and some that resembled purple hockey pucks. And then I found this recipe! These were so easy to make. I used non-fat milk powder and added about a 1/2- 1 tablespoon of additional butter since I didn’t have the full fat milk. I made them the night before and let them rise 30 minutes before baking. They turned out amazing. I almost had tears. Even my mom said, “Look at your rolls! I’m so excited for you. They’re like real rolls!” She’s watched the struggle. They really are like real rolls. Thank you for bringing some extra joy to my Thanksgiving! They are absolutely delicious.
I used nonfat milk powder and they were delish.
That’s great to know! Thanks for sharing, Karen. We’re so happy you enjoyed the recipe!
I just made them. They are so good. Now to find a bread recipe that’s similar and just as good. Will be making these again.
Hi Mari, we’re so happy to hear you loved the dinner rolls! We have this sandwich bread recipe that is easy and delicious. We hope you enjoy!
Can these be made without a stand mixer?
Hi Monica, yes you can make it without a stand mixer, it just makes the job easier. We hope you enjoy the recipe!
I’m tired of buying little, tiny loaves of GF bread for an outlandish price at the store. Can this recipe be doubled and done in a regular sized loaf pan ?
Totally understand, Vicki! We think you’ll like Erin’s recipe for gluten-free sandwich bread. Happy baking!
I made these for the first time yesterday and they are amazing!!!! Soooo easy! It was lovely to have warm, buttered rolls! I have made several of your recipes and all have been delicious! Thanks so much for developing so many yummy GF recipes!
Yay! We’re so glad you loved them Lee Ann! Thank you for taking the time to share your positive experience with us. Happy baking!
Would it be ok to substitute buttermilk powder for the whole milk powder? I don’t use whole milk powder for anything but I do use buttermilk powder so I’d rather buy that if possible. Thank you!
Hi Chris, good question! It’s worth a try, but keep in mind that the buttermilk powder’s acidity may cause the dough to rise faster and it could add a slightly tangy flavor. It also come with its own directions on the powder-to-water ratio which could mean using more of the buttermilk powder than the whole milk powder measurement — it could be a little trial and error to find the best results using that substitute. We’d love to hear how it goes!
Can you replace a cup of the water with whole milk instead of using powdered milk?
Hi Cathy, we haven’t tested it ourselves to say for sure. If you give it a try, make sure the milk is warm like the water would be. We’d love to hear how it goes!
Mine turned out pretty dense and dry . I followed the recipe exactly. I had them rise for an hour. Did I rise them too long or perhaps bake too long? What would cause this ?
Hi Cindy, that’s a bummer! Did you use the King Arthur gf bread flour? Other contributors could be letting them rise or bake too long like you suggested, too warm water that killed the yeast, environment that didn’t promote proper rising (needs to be warm/humid, not cold/dry), etc. We hope these ideas help and the next batch goes much better!
I replaced 1 cup of the water with whole milk but did not omit the dried milk powder. They turned out quite well.
Instead of milk powder and instant yeast, could you use liquid milk and active fry yeast? Would I just substitute the water quantity?
Hi Jami, those substitutions would require a few changes. The liquid milk would replace the water and the active dry yeast would need time to activate before being added to the mixture. The dough may take longer to rise in general too. If you decide to give it a try, we’d love to hear how it goes!
Absolutely delicious and easy to make. I made your other rolls a few weeks ago but these are definitely the winner. Just in time for the holidays!
These are freaking amazing!
Thank you so much for this recipe!
We’re so happy to hear how much you loved the rolls, Marlene! Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback with us!
Where can I buy King Arthur’s Gluten free bread flour? It is not available on Amazon. I live in Canada.
Hi Ruth Anne, we’ve heard from others in Canada that it can be hard to find there. We’re based in the U.S. and are less familiar with options in Canada, but we hope some of our readers may be able to share where they found it. The recipe may actually work with King Arthur gluten-free measure-for-measure flour, if that’s easier to get. We hope you enjoy the recipe!
Just stumbling on your page! Looks interesting as I discovered about my gluten intolerance only a few years ago. Will try out these recipes as soon as possible.
Would Caputo’s Fioreglut flour work in place of the KA Gluten Free Bread flour? It’s de-glutenized as well.
Hi Sherrie, unfortunately this recipe was specifically developed using King Arthur Gluten-Free Bread Flour and we haven’t tested it with other brands. It may work with King Arthur gluten-free measure-for-measure flour too, though we think the bread flour provides the best results. We hope you enjoy the recipe!
I’m not seeing the carb count for these rolls when using this King Arthur flour. Can you provide this info, please? Thanks
Hi Casey, each serving has 29 grams of carbs, based on the recipe making 12 rolls. Under the recipe card, there is a button that says “show nutrition info” to see the whole breakdown of nutritional information. We hope this helps!
Dried whole milk powder is very hard to find, and super expensive when it is. Can you recommend a substitution?
Hi Ash, milk powder of some sort is best for these rolls. Besides the dried whole milk powder, coconut or soy milk powder can also be used. We hope you enjoy the recipe!