If you’re looking for an easy dinner roll recipe that lives up to its name, these Never Fail Rolls are for you.
Fluffy dinner rolls that come together with little effort.
I don’t consider myself much of a baker, so I was immediately drawn to the name when I found this recipe in an old cookbook. My Dad can whip up dinner rolls with his eyes closed, and I always wanted to be able to do that. I just wasn’t blessed with the baking mindset, though I can make a few things without too much trouble. I always wanted a basic dinner roll recipe that I could easily throw together, and these Never Fail Rolls came at just the right time.
This recipe comes from an old cookbook, and if you look up “Never Fail Rolls” on Google, you’ll find plenty of variations. This version is based on the recipe I found in the cookbook with slight modifications based on my preferences.
How to make Never Fail Rolls
You don’t need many ingredients, and you don’t need much time, which is perfect for a busy Thanksgiving day or a dinner when you just want the comfort of freshly baked dinner rolls.
What you need
- Yeast: You’ll need 1 packet of active dry yeast. Don’t use rapid-rise yeast!
- Shortening: The original recipe calls for shortening or lard, though you can use cold butter for these rolls. You’ll also add granulated sugar and salt to the base of the dough.
- All-purpose flour: The original recipe calls for bread flour, but I usually only have all-purpose flour in my pantry. Bread flour has a higher protein content, resulting in airy, chewy rolls, while all-purpose flour gives soft, fluffy rolls. You can use either flour at a 1:1 ratio.
- Flaky sea salt: Before baking the rolls, I sprinkle them with flaky sea salt to give them extra flavor. You could also sprinkle with sesame seeds instead.
How to make it
- Step 1: Start by dissolving the yeast in lukewarm water. I recommend taking the temperature of your water to ensure it’s somewhere between 100ºF and 110ºF. If it’s not warm enough, it won’t activate the yeast. If it’s too hot, it’ll kill the yeast. If using a glass bowl, rinse it a few times with warm water to bring its temperature down, as the coldness of the bowl will immediately decrease the temperature of the water. Add warm water and check the temperature from there with an instant-read thermometer. If it isn’t at the right temperature, dump it out, adjust the tap, and try again. Add the yeast to the warm water and whisk to combine. Let stand as you prepare the dough.
- Step 2: In a mixing bowl, add the cold shortening, salt, and sugar.
- Step 3: Bring 1 cup of water to a boil. Pour it over the shortening and whisk until melted. Add an egg to the mixture and whisk until smooth.
- Step 4: Add the sifted flour and gently mix into the liquid until a soft dough forms.
- Step 5: Cover with plastic wrap and allow the dough to rise for 2 to 12 hours. You can allow the dough to rise in the refrigerator for the entire time, though I prefer to keep it at room temperature for 2 hours.
- Step 6: After the dough rises, remove the cover. Gently press the dough down and form it into a loose dough ball.
- Step 7: Lightly grease an 8×8 cake pan. Pinch a tablespoon-sized ball from the dough and roll it lightly in your hands. I recommend greasing your hands with shortening or butter as the dough is soft and sticky. Arrange the rolls in the baking dish. You should have 5 rows of 4 rolls.
- Step 8: Sprinkle the rolls with flaky sea salt.
- Step 9: Transfer the rolls to the preheated oven for 20 minutes.
Allow the rolls to cool for 5 to 10 minutes before turning them onto a serving platter or transferring them to a bread basket. They’ll usually come out in one block, and you can break them apart into individual rolls. I highly recommend enjoying them while they’re warm and fresh out of the oven!
How long do homemade dinner rolls keep?
Homemade dinner rolls can be kept at room temperature in an airtight container for 3 to 5 days. Alternatively, you can freeze homemade dinner rolls in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Allow them to cool completely before transferring to the freezer.
Never Fail Rolls
Ingredients
- 1 packet active dry yeast
- ¼ cup lukewarm water (between 100ºF and 110ºF)
- ¼ cup shortening (cold, or use cold lard or butter)
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 cup water
- 1¼ teaspoons salt
- 1 egg
- 2¾ cups all-purpose flour (sifted)
- Pinch of flaky sea salt (optional)
Instructions
Dissolve the yeast:
- Add the yeast to the lukewarm water. Let stand as you prepare the dough.
Prepare the dough:
- Place the cold shortening, granulated sugar, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Set aside.
Boil the water:
- Place 1 cup of water in a saucepan and bring it to a boil. Turn off the heat and pour the boiling water over the cold shortening. Whisk to dissolve the shortening, sugar, and salt into the water. Let stand until the temperature of the water drops to lukewarm, about 100ºF and 110ºF.
Finish the dough:
- Add the egg and dissolved yeast to the mixing bowl and whisk until combined.
- Add the sifted flour and stir with a rubber spatula to incorporate the flour until a soft dough forms.
Rise the dough:
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a plate. Let the dough rise for 2 hours on the counter or up to 12 hours in the refrigerator. See Note 1.
Make the rolls:
- Preheat oven to 425ºF. Lightly grease an 8×8 cake pan.
- Remove the cover from the mixing bowl and gently punch down the dough to form a loose dough ball. Grease your hands with butter or shortening and begin pinching off the dough into tablespoon-sized balls. Add them to the cake pan. You should have 4 rows of 5 rolls. It’s okay if the rolls touch.
- If desired, sprinkle flaky sea salt over the rolls.
Bake the rolls:
- Transfer the rolls to the preheated oven for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and let stand for 5 minutes.
To serve:
- Turn the rolls out of the cake pan and break them into individual rolls. Transfer them to a serving plate or a bread basket. Enjoy! You can store homemade rolls in an airtight container on the counter for 3 to 5 days. Alternatively, you can freeze these rolls in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
I made these rolls with the short ribs and mashed potatoes recipe (and some green beans) for a dinner party. Everyone raved about it. The only suggestion I would make is to make sure that the boiling water has cooled down enough before you add the eggs, so that the eggs don’t cook in the water.
Thank you for your comment; I’m so glad they were a hit! Ideally, the cold shortening or butter cool down the water to an appropriate temperature for the egg and the yeast, but letting it stand for a few minutes before adding the egg isn’t a bad idea either. I’ll add a note to the recipe; thank you again! I’m so happy they turned out for you!