Learn how to make the best vegan dinner rolls! These soft, fluffy, buttery rolls are easy to make and completely irresistible.

close up of a roll on top of other rolls

Dinner rolls are the perfect side to any meal, but I especially love them with Crispy Tofu Nuggets, Vegan Turkey Roast with Easy Gravy, Vegan Chicken or The Best Vegan Meatloaf.

You won’t believe how easy they are to make, and I’ll teach you a simple trick for making smooth, rounded rolls every time.

Most dinner roll recipes call for eggs, but I’m here to tell you that eggs are totally unnecessary in a dinner roll. Of course, they usually have plenty of dairy butter as well, but that is easy to replace with your favorite vegan butter.

No one will ever guess these fluffy, soft, delicious rolls are vegan. There is nothing better than the smell of fresh rolls out of the oven, and it’s hard to have a holiday meal without them! I love sopping up any leftover gravy on my plate with a roll.

Looking for a biscuit recipe instead? Check out my flaky Southern Style Vegan Buttermilk Biscuits.

looking down on a pan of many rolls

Ingredients needed (with substitutions)

  • Unsweetened soy milk – While I used soy, other plant milks work just as well. Go for a creamy milk if possible, as it will add richness to the dough. Almond, cashew, coconut or even oat milk is a fine choice. I would avoid rice milk as it’s a bit too watery. Make sure whatever milk you use is unsweetened and unflavored.
  • Instant, rapid rise yeast – This helps speed up the process as it works more quickly than regular yeast. I almost always use it when baking bread or cinnamon rolls. But feel free to use regular yeast, they will just need a longer rise time.
  • Granulated sugar – I always use organic granulated sugar, as I can be sure it’s vegan friendly. I’m sure coconut sugar would work, but the rolls will come out a bit darker.
  • Vegan butter – I used Country Crock sticks here, and I have been loving them lately. Use your favorite vegan butter, such as Miyoko’s, Earth Balance or Melt. Necessary for that buttery flavor.
  • Flour – I haven’t tried them using anything but all purpose white flour. They would probably work with whole wheat but they would be very dense. A gluten free mix might work, but I haven’t tested it.
  • Salt

How to make vegan dinner rolls

(This is simply an overview with photos, see recipe card below for the complete, printable recipe.)

  1. Warm your soy milk, then place in a bowl with the yeast and sugar. Let sit for a few minutes until it’s foamy. If it doesn’t get foamy, start again with new yeast.
  2. Add the softened vegan butter, 4 cups of flour and the salt.
  3. Mix, either by hand or in a stand mixer, until the flour is all incorporated. Add more flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until a ball of dough is formed that is slightly sticky and soft.
  4. Transfer to a lightly greased bowl, cover with a towel and place in a warm place to rise for 30 minutes. It should about double in size.

collage showing how to make dinner roll dough

Gently punch down the dough, then pat it down into a rectangle on a lightly floured surface. Cut the dough into 4 long strips, then cut each strip into 6 pieces. You should end up with 24 rolls.

To make them smooth on top, pull the seams downward and place the less-smooth side down.

Cover again with the towel and let rise another 30 minutes. Towards the end of the 30 minutes, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

pan full of dinner roll dough in balls

Remove the towel and bake for 12-15 minutes, until golden brown on top and done in the middle. If the top gets too brown, cover lightly with a piece of foil. Remove from oven and immediately brush on vegan butter. Serve and enjoy!

Can I freeze the dough?

Yes, you can freeze the dough. I recommend cutting the dough and freezing as balls of dough, perhaps in a tray or freezer bag. Make sure the dough is thawed before baking. You can also freeze leftover cooked rolls.

Can I prepare rolls ahead of time?

You can! Prepare the rolls as instructed up until baking, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 2 days before baking. Let them sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before baking.

pan full of cooked vegan dinner rolls, blue towel background

More vegan recipes to serve with rolls

square image of a roll
4.97 stars (62 ratings)

Vegan Dinner Rolls

Learn how to make the best vegan dinner rolls! These soft, fluffy, buttery rolls are easy to make and completely irresistible.
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 15 minutes
Rising time: 1 hour
Total: 1 hour 35 minutes
Servings: 24 rolls

Ingredients 
 

Instructions 

  • Warm the soy milk in the microwave for a minute or two until warm, but not too hot or it will kill the yeast. Think bath water temperature.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large bowl), add the warm milk, yeast and sugar. Give it a little stir with a spoon, and let sit for 3 minutes. The mixture should become foamy. If it doesn't, start again with fresh yeast.
  • Now add the softened vegan butter, 4 cups of flour and the salt. Use the dough hook and turn the mixer on low, mixing until all the flour is incorporated (Or mix with a spoon and knead by hand, see Notes). Add 1/2 cup of flour at a time, until a ball of dough is formed and the dough is pulling away from the sides of the bowl. It should be slightly sticky and soft, not too dry. Knead with the dough hook for about 5 minutes.
  • Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl and cover with a towel. Let it rise for about 30 minutes in a warm place until it's about doubled in size.
  • After 30 minutes, punch down the dough gently. To make rounded rolls, pat the dough into a large rectangle on a lightly floured surface and cut into 4 long strips. Next, cut those strips into 6 squares to make them even. To make them as smooth as possible, pull the seams downward so the top is smooth and place the less smooth side down. Then you will end up with very pretty rolls! You can also simply pinch off pieces of the dough and try to make them as round as possible.
  • Place the rolls on a quarter baking sheet or 9x13 inch baking dish, touching each other. Cover with the towel again and let rise for another 30 minutes.
  • Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Remove the towel and bake for 12-15 minutes until golden brown and cooked in the middle. If the tops get too brown, use a piece of foil to cover until they are done.
  • Remove from the oven and immediately brush with melted vegan butter. Serve and enjoy! Keep leftovers in a covered container or ziplock bag for about 3 days. They can also be frozen.

Notes

  1. I love using my stand mixer to make homemade breads, but you don't have to have one to make delicious rolls. Mix with a strong spoon, then knead by hand for about 10 minutes until the dough is soft, sticky and smooth.
  2. Milk - You may use any unsweetened plant milk, such as almond, cashew or even oat milk. Just make sure it is unsweetened and unflavored.
  3. Yeast - You can use regular yeast instead of rapid rise if you'd like, but the dough will need to rise longer, probably 1 1/2-2 hours on the first rise, then 30 minutes to an hour for the second rise.
  4. Butter - I used Country Crock vegan butter sticks, which I am loving lately. Earth balance, Miyoko's or Melt all work as well. Use the one you like best.
  5. Gluten free - I haven't tested them with gluten free flour, but a mix might work. If you try it, let me know!

Nutrition

Serving: 1of 24 rolls | Calories: 153kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 240mg | Potassium: 55mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 265IU | Calcium: 29mg | Iron: 1mg
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Author: Nora Taylor
Did you make this recipe?Mention @nora_cooks_vegan_ or tag #noracooks!

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Comments

  1. Hi Nora, my dough is currently rising and so far so good. I made a full batch and I’m wondering is this dough could be halved and put into loaf pans? I have yet to find a nice fluffy loaf recipe that I like!

  2. I made these for Thanksgiving dinner but we had to try some before I put them in the freezer for the big day. I can honestly say that these are the best dinner rolls I have ever had. I am sure everyone will enjoy them. I will continue to use this recipe again and again. I have used many of your recipes in the past and they have all been delicious. Thank you so much.

    1. Hi Nicole. I have never used bread flour, so cannot say for sure. I have received comments from bakers that bread flour worked for them. If you use it, let me know how it works for you. Happy cooking!

  3. These dinner rolls–like all of Nora’s recipes–are phenomenal! They were EXACTLY what I was looking for when trying to find something comparable to the dinner rolls I’d have at holidays in my pre-vegan days, except these exceeded those in taste by far. They have become a holiday staple for me, and have become requested favorites by even my family members who scoff at all things vegan. Simple to follow and worth every second, these are THE rolls you’re looking for.

    1. I am just thrilled that my dinner rolls are a hit and a holiday staple! Thanks for your terrific review and feedback!

  4. Wow! What wonderful rolls! My wife and I are senior citizens but our children and grandchildren come over for dinner quite frequently on the weekends. I generally ask them what they would like to dinner. Well, these rolls top the list. In fact this past weekend at dinner one of our daughters told me that I’m in trouble because every roll she tries now she compares to these rolls and none of them have met the mark! The other daughter said the rolls look like they’re on steroids (I make them 3 oz. each). I doubled your recipe and made 24 rolls–enough for the 8 of us at dinner and some of them to take home. I’ve several other vegan rolls recipe, but this one is the only one I’m allowed to use (per the family). I am now searching some of you other recipes. My family is vegan. Thanks a million!

    1. Hi Pearson. I feel very honored that my roll recipe is so loved by your family! I hope you enjoy your journey through my recipes, and that you’ll find lots more you love! Thank you for sharing your amazing and fun feedback! Wishing you lots of happy cooking!

  5. Just began my vegan journey and am so excited that I found your website
    Thanks for making this ✨

    1. You bet! Thank you for sharing! Welcome to my site, and I hope you enjoy your journey through my recipes! Please reach out with any recipe questions!

  6. Hi Nora,
    Love the recipe, we just made these rolls for the first time yesterday, but I had a question. We used new unsweetened almond milk and all the other ingredients you suggested, but the rolls have a weird smell to them. Any idea why? The yeast was fresh, nothing was expired, it foamed up nicely on the first try, and I can’t figure this out.

    1. Hi Alina. Do they smell sour or like yeast? A strong yeast smell can occur when too much yeast is used and when the dough is over-proofed.

  7. WOW!!!! These are the most pillowy and perfect rolls I could ever dream of. I couldn’t stop eating these, even without any butter. I made these for Christmas Eve dinner and everybody gobbled them up. So tasty!!

  8. Hey, Nora. I’m using unsweetened almond milk, sugar, and rapid yeast, but I’m not getting any foam. I’m on my third try! I keep dumping out and trying again with different (less warm temps) on the milk, but so far, I’m not having much success. Is the foam necessary? Please help! I’ve never baked bread before. Thanks a million.

    1. Hmm I’m not sure why it’s not foaming up, but the I would just continue with the recipe. Hopefully it will work out! Is it possible the yeast you are using is old?

      1. Hey, Nora! It was brand new yeast from the grocery, not close to expiration date at all. I continued with the recipe as you suggested and the rolls came out AMAZING! I cannot thank you enough. As a complete newbie who had never baked bread before, I was worried, but they were amazing. Everybody loved them. My husband said it was the best bread he’d ever eaten.

        My son has severe food allergies and I’ve come to rely on your recipes to manage. Everything we had at Christmas dinner was safe for my son, thanks to your help!

        Thank you again for sharing your recipes with us! You’re a God-send!

        Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

        1. Hi Sarah. I am absolutely thrilled that the rolls turned out wonderful for you and that they were a hit! It makes my heart happy to know that your son was able to enjoy lots of good food at Christmas, and every day! Thank you for your inspiring feedback, and for using my recipes! Wishing you lots of happy cooking in the new year!

  9. Hi Nora, this recipe really is incredible but I’m still lacking clarity on some things – would you recommend baking on bottom rack or the middle-placed rack? Also, although I’m getting tasty rolls, my bottoms are still getting too dark, dare I say on the cusp of burning where I feel it overcooks, yet the rolls’ middles are kinda doughie. Any recs for how to troubleshoot/fix? YOU ROCK – thanks for being you! 🙂

    1. I almost always bake everything in the center rack only. Unless we’re talking about a casserole or something. But for rolls, cookies, cakes, center rack is best. If you have been placing the pan low in the oven, try putting it in the center. You can also place the rolls on a sheet of parchment paper (lined on the pan). That will help as well! Thank you for your kind words and I hope this helps!

  10. Salute to Nora, somehow this page showed up in my Mozilla recommendation and this was the first recipe suggested. This was my first time making rolls and they were the bomb!! Bomb, bomb, bomb!!! I’ve made them three times within the past two weeks. Perfect recipe!

  11. I made these for my family yesterday and they are perfect!! So soft, and nice and yeasty. And easy too! I don’t have a mixer, so I kneaded by hand and they were a hit. (Also, they tasted like non-vegan rolls. I don’t think anyone would’ve noticed that they were vegan if I didn’t say anything.)

      1. Made these exactly per recipe. Good but question is it really supposed to be 2 Tbsp (tablespoons?) of yeast?
        Thanks!

  12. Former bread bakery worker here! These rolls are so good. I halved the recipe and was shocked by how much I was still able to get out of this. Just rolled 2 oz pieces of dough but even 1-1.5 oz would have been a great size roll. I got a baker’s dozen from the halved recipe but I couldn’t stop myself from testing just one. So delicious this is going to be my go-to roll from now on.
    So delicious!

    1. Hi Rachel. I’m thrilled to hear you loved the rolls, and that they are your new go-to rolls! That is an honor from a bread baker! Thank you for sharing how 1/2 recipe worked for you, and for your fantastic feedback! Happy cooking!

      1. Hi Nora,

        I love these rolls! I just made them for the second time and they turned out even better than my first attempt. I’m just curious though, my tops don’t get nice and brown but the rolls always end up perfectly cooked through. I’d love for my rolls to have more color to them. Any tips?

        1. Hi Victoria. I am glad you’re loving the rolls! You could try bumping up the temp to 400ºF. Brushing a little soy milk or melted vegan butter on the tops could help them brown as well. Hope this helps! Thank you for your terrific feedback!

      2. Hi
        Would this recipe work with whole wheat flour? I have a get together coming up and would like yo use this recipe but I normally don’t use white flour.

        Thank you,
        Serina

        1. Hi Serina. I haven’t tried them using anything but all purpose white flour. They would probably work with whole wheat but they would be very dense. Hope this helps!

  13. Super! I cut the recipe in half for our small gathering, and baked in a 7″ x 11″ pan. I used primarily white flour but added some whole wheat flour. The texture was perfect. Great accompaniment for our holiday dinner

    1. Hi Fay. How wonderful the rolls turned out wonderful for you! Thanks for sharing your feedback and tips! It’s great to know the rolls turn out great when the recipe is halved.

    1. This information is included in the ‘notes’ section at the end of the recipe: Yeast – You can use regular yeast instead of rapid rise if you’d like, but the dough will need to rise longer, probably 1 1/2-2 hours on the first rise, then 30 minutes to an hour for the second rise. Hope this helps!

  14. I just made these for Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow and they’re perfect! — only twist… gluten free! I used King Arthur’s 1:1 mix even though it says right on the bag “not recommended for yeast breads.” I figured, What do I have to lose? Absolutely nothing! The only thing is they didn’t brown, but they pull apart like regular gluten rolls and sop up butter and gravy just like regular rolls. I call it a win. I sure hope my daughter-in-love likes them as much as I do.

  15. I just want to make sure… it’s 2 tablespoons of yeast and not teaspoons right? I’ve never used that much yeast in a recipe before!

  16. Do you grease the baking sheet or 9×13 dish? Parchment paper? I don’t want to burn the bottoms. We love all of your recipes. My son has major food allergies and all your recipes help us make him great treats and be able to share meals that are safe and delicious for him. Thank you!

    1. I do not grease the bottom, but you could I’m sure. I’m so glad my recipes are helping your family, thank you so much!

  17. Hi Nora-
    I made the dough in advance and let it do its second rise in roll form before putting in fridge as directed. I’m wondering if I should keep them covered while I bring them to room temp before baking? And with what? Plastic wrap, a damp towel, or other? Thanks!

    1. Yes, keep them covered while bringing to room temp before baking. It will be fine if you don’t, but I always do. Just the same plastic wrap you had on them before is fine, or a towel, whatever you prefer is fine. Hope that helps and enjoy!

    2. Hi, i wondered if these could be made the day b4 and shaped and then put in the refrigerator unbaked. Take out next day , let rise and then back?
      Thanks

  18. Hi, Nora!
    I tried these rolls today as a test run before Thanksgiving. I used bread flour because I happened to have some. They are light and delicious! We were hoping they would have more of a yeasty flavor but, no complaints. They were delicious. Quite a few years ago I had a roll recipe that called for fresh cake yeast and they had a wonderful yeasty flavor. I haven’t been able to find cake yeast in years. Do you know if it is still available? Anyway, every recipe of yours I have tried has been delicious. I’m going to try your pecan pie for this upcoming holiday. Happy Thanksgiving, Nora!

    1. I’m so glad you enjoyed the dinner rolls, thank you! I have never heard of cake yeast actually, sounds interesting though. Hope you enjoy the pecan pie as well, and happy Thanksgiving to you!

      1. To Barbara – Yes, fresh or “cake” yeast is still out there. I my area, Red Star brand is available in some stores, but you could probably get it via mail order if you can’t find it locally.
        Nora I will try the rolls for Thanksgiving.

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