Same Day Sourdough Dinner Rolls Recipe
These same day sourdough dinner rolls are soft, fluffy, and full of tangy flavor—ready to bake in just a few hours with active sourdough starter. Perfect for weeknights, holidays, or last-minute meals!
There’s something deeply satisfying about baking with sourdough—the slow rhythm, the incredible flavor, the sense of tradition mixed with the joy of nourishing your home with real, honest food. But not every sourdough recipe needs days of planning or endless patience.
That’s where these Same Day Sourdough Dinner Rolls shine. With just a little prep the night before, a few easy steps throughout the day, a few hours to let your dough rise, and before you know it you’ll have warm, soft sourdough dinner rolls on your dinner table by dinnertime.
Whether you’re prepping for a busy weeknight, a spontaneous dinner party, or just craving something cozy, these rolls are your go-to, and I promise they are even better than your traditional dinner rolls. They’re soft, golden, slightly tangy, and they make enough to feed a crowd—or fill your freezer for another day, which alone could be a reason to make these sourdough bread rolls!
You can never go wrong with a side of homemade rolls. I also enjoy giving these to new neighbors or new mamas. Nothing says cozy like homemade bread of any kind!
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Quick(er) Sourdough – No multi-day fermentation needed. These are ready in just one day with a few quick rises! If you start first thing in the morning, you’ll have them on the table by dinner, no problem!
- Big Batch – This recipe makes about 48 rolls–I know, a good amount of rolls, which I love! I love freezing extras so we always have a quick side dish ready–perfect sourdough dinner rolls any day of the week! These rolls are also great for making for holiday meals like Thanksgiving and Christmas!
- Flavor + Texture – Thanks to bread flour, these rolls are fluffy and light with the perfect chewy bite and signature sourdough tang.
- Freezer Friendly – You can freeze before or after baking (I’ll walk you through both options below).
The Process: How to Make Same Day Sourdough Dinner Rolls
The secret to same-day sourdough baking is a strong, active starter and a warm, cozy kitchen to encourage quick fermentation. Here’s a quick overview of what your day will look like:
The Night Before: Feed Your Starter–Around 9 PM, feed your own sourdough starter by mixing 2 tablespoons of starter with 1 cup of water and 1 cup of flour. Cover and let it rest at room temperature overnight. By morning, it should be bubbly and doubled in size—ready to work its magic.
Morning: Mix the Dough (Around 8 AM)–The next day, using your active leaven, you’ll mix together warm milk, water, honey, melted butter, salt, and bread flour in a stand mixer. Let the dough rest briefly (this helps the flour hydrate) before giving it a good knead. Once soft and elastic, the dough goes into a bowl for its first rise—also known as bulk fermentation time. The rising time is about 4-6 hours depending on the temperature of your kitchen.
Afternoon: Shape and Second Rise (Around 2 PM)–After the first rise, turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and divide it into three equal parts. From each part, shape about 12-16 rolls (golf ball-sized pieces work great). Place them in greased baking dishes and let them have a final rise again, covered, for another 2-3 hours. They’ll puff up beautifully and fill the pans.
Evening: Bake and Enjoy (Around 5 PM)–Heat oven to 375°F. Brush the tops of the rolls with melted butter (this gives them that irresistible golden crust). The amount of time for baking is 25-30 minutes or until they’re deep golden brown. Serve these hot rolls right out of the oven or warm, either way be sure to bask in the joy of homemade bread—same day!
How to Freeze for Later
Whether you’re planning ahead or managing leftovers, these soft sourdough rolls freeze beautifully–another plus to this recipe!
- To freeze before baking–Shape the rolls and place them in a freezer-safe baking dish. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and foil. When ready to bake, thaw overnight in the fridge, then let them rise at room temperature for 4 hours before baking as usual.
- To freeze after baking–Let the rolls cool completely, then separate and place them in a freezer bag (double bagging helps avoid freezer burn). To enjoy later, thaw at room temperature and warm in the oven for a few minutes before serving.
Baking Timeline at a Glance
Here’s a quick overview of what you are looking at time wise. I feel like it is often helpful to see an overview map of timing, so that you can work the process into your busy day. It’s really not an overwhelming amount of time. It just takes remembering to check in on your dough here and there throughout the day. Remember, times can vary due to the temperature of your kitchen. You can always move your dough or starter to a warmer part of your house if you aren’t seeing it rise as quickly.
- 9 PM (night before) – Feed sourdough starter
- 8 AM (the next morning) – Mix dough
- 8:30 AM to 2 PM – First rise (bulk fermentation)
- 2 PM – Shape rolls
- 2 PM to 5 PM – Second rise of rolls
- 5 PM – Bake rolls
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Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can use freshly milled flour, but there are a few things to keep in mind. Freshly milled flour tends to absorb more liquid, so you may need to slightly increase the hydration (add more water a tablespoon at a time if the dough feels too dry). The texture may also be a bit more rustic and hearty compared to rolls made with refined bread flour. If you’re new to baking with fresh-milled flour, consider using a 50/50 blend of fresh-milled and store-bought bread flour for a balance of flavor, structure, and softness
A stand mixer is helpful for kneading, especially with such a large batch, but it’s not required. You can knead the dough by hand until it becomes soft, stretchy, and pulls away from your work surface cleanly—just be prepared for a good arm workout!
This is usually due to an inactive starter or a cool kitchen. Make sure your starter is bubbly and passes the “float test” before using. If your dough is slow to rise, give it more time or place it in a warmer spot, like a turned-off oven with the light on.
They should be a rich golden brown on top. You can also tap the bottom of a roll—it should sound hollow. For precision, check that the internal temperature has reached about 190–200°F.
Yes! This recipe halves beautifully if you don’t need a full batch of 48 rolls. Be sure to use smaller pans and adjust baking time slightly, keeping an eye on doneness.
Store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. To freshen them up, reheat in a 300°F oven for 5–10 minutes. For longer storage, freeze the rolls as outlined above.
This recipe is designed for same-day baking, but you can refrigerate the shaped rolls before the second rise. Place them covered in the fridge overnight, then allow them to come to room temperature and finish rising (about 4 hours) before baking.
Whether you’re serving them alongside a holiday feast, a cozy Sunday dinner, or simply enjoying one with a pat of butter straight from the oven, these same day sourdough dinner rolls are a reminder that homemade doesn’t have to mean complicated. With just a little planning, you can enjoy the rich flavor of sourdough and the soft, fluffy texture of freshly baked rolls—all in a single day. I hope this recipe brings as much comfort and joy to your table as it has to mine.
More Sourdough Recipes to Try
New to Sourdough? Checkout my free guide HERE! I know it can be overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be! In my guide I help walk you through each step and answer many common questions. I also have an easy post HERE about using freshly milled flour in your sourdough starter. I’m just incorporating freshly milled flour to my bakes, and it has taken my baking (yes, even sourdough) to the next level! I am always here to help troubleshoot with you! Feel free to email me or leave a comment, and I’ll do my best to help you along your sourdough journey.
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