The Best-Ever Crusty Sourdough Rolls (Easy Recipe!) (2024)

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Learn how to make these reader-favorite crusty and chewy sourdough rolls using a small amount of yeast and a special steam technique in your oven. Easy to make, with a great crust and soft interior. Double the recipe if you want; they freeze beautifully.

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Crusty Sourdough Rolls

These simple sourdough rolls are perfect for dinner or making sandwiches. If you are not ready for artisan loaves, give these a try! They freeze well too.

Prep Time 40 minutes minutes

Cook Time 18 minutes minutes

rising time 2 hours hours

Total Time 2 hours hours 58 minutes minutes

Serving Size 8 rolls

Ingredients

  • 7 ounces active sourdough starter 1 1/4 cups/ 200 grams
  • 13 ounces bread flour 2 1/2 cups to 3 cups/ 370 grams
  • 6.5 oz water 3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon/ 185 grams
  • ½ teaspoon sugar
  • teaspoons salt
  • ½ teaspoon yeast

Instructions

  • Mix all ingredients except salt and yeast. Combine the starter, flour, water, and sugar in a large bowl. Stir well, using your hands if needed to incorporate all ingredients. The mixture may look dry but will feel slightly sticky to the touch. Cover and allow to rest at room temperature for thirty minutes.

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  • Knead in the salt and yeast. Add the salt and yeast on top of the dough, and knead until smooth, stretchy, and elastic. (If using a bread machine, set it on the dough cycle. For a stand mixer, set it on low about 5 minutes. If kneading by hand, knead for about 10 minutes.) Check the consistency of the dough after afew minutes of kneading. It may seem sticky, but should clear the sides of the bowl and should not be too difficult to work with. If it seems very wet, add more flour a few tablespoons at a time.

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  • The first rise. When the dough is kneaded, cover it and put in in a warm place to rise between 60-90 minutes, until nearly doubled in size.

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  • Shape the rolls. Turn the dough out onto a clean counter or a cutting board. Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper or oil and flour. Dust the top of the parchment with cornmeal. Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces, either by dividing into half, then quarters, then eighths, or by. using a kitchen scale. Shape the pieces into rolls by pinching the bottoms. Place on the cornmeal dusted parchment. Rub the tops with flour. Slash, if desired, using a lame or sharp knife.

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  • The second rise. Cover the rolls with heavily greased plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for 45-60 minuts, until puffy. Towards the end of the rising time, preheat your oven to 450 degrees. Place one rack in the center, and one in the lower middle area. Place an empty baking sheet on the lower rack to get hot while the oven preheats.

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  • Bake with steam. When the oven has heated and the rolls have risen, pour one cup of water on the hot baking sheet to create steam. (It may buckle, this is ok.). Place the rolls inside and bake for 17-21 minutes, until browned outside. Cool rolls on wire rack for at least 30 minutes before serving.

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Notes

Start with the lesser amount of flour and increase it if the dough is too wet. (If you are using all purpose flour, you will need the greater amount of flour, or even a little more.)

Divide into 12 pieces for smaller dinner roll sized servings. Bake 17-19 minutes.

It only took me a million different tries to get this recipe right. 😉 I really hope you like them.

🧂 Ingredients

This is an overview of the ingredients. You’ll find the full measurements and instructions in the printable recipe at the bottom of the page.

You’ll need the following for these crusty, chewy rolls:

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  • active sourdough starter
  • bread flour
  • water
  • sugar
  • salt
  • yeast

🥣 Equipment

  • A kitchen scale: I highly recommend weighing the ingredients if you have a digital scale. If you don’t, I’ve included volume measurements as well. This is especially important with sourdough recipes since the volume can vary wildly depending on how much air is in your starter.
  • Bread flour: Bread flour is important to get a crusty, chewy texture. If you are using all-purpose flour, the texture won’t be quite the same, and you’ll need to use a little more flour. (I recommend King Arthur bread flour for all my bread recipes.)
  • A bread machine. Not necessary, but will make this recipe a breeze. You only need a basic one, since all it will do is knead and rise the dough.
  • Instant yeast. It’s the best for home bakers.
  • Parchment paper that lays flat on the baking sheet. Much easier to deal with!

🍴Instructions

Step One: prep your starter

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Make sure your sourdough starter is active, bubbly, and recently fed. The better your starter, the better your rolls. Even though these use a small amount of yeast, they still rely on the starter.

Most sourdough starter is a thick, pourable liquid the consistency of pancake batter. If yours is thicker or thinner, you will need to adjust the amount of water, so start with a lesser amount and add more slowly if needed.

Step Two: mix the dough

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If you are used to baking artisan sourdough, the dough will probably seem very dry to you. Since we are forming it into rolls, it needs to keep its shape. So the texture is more like traditional bread dough. If you add too much water, you will have flat rolls.

After the autolyze period, we will knead in the salt and yeast. I like to put the salt and yeast in a little dish on top of the towel so I don’t forget about them.

Step three: knead

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You can knead this dough by hand, with a stand mixer, or using a bread machine on the dough cycle.

To knead by hand

Fold the dough in the half, then punch it down. Stretch it out again, fold, and punch. Repeat this process for at least five minutes, until the dough is stretchy and smooth. You should be able to pull it flat without tearing it.

Kneading with a stand mixer

Place the dough in your mixer bowl with the dough hook and let it run on low for five to ten minutes.

Bread machine method

Simply add everything in the bucket and select the dough cycle. When the machine beeps, you’ll have a risen dough that’s ready to shape. I use this method the most.

Step Four: shape

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You’ll want a sharp knife to divide the dough into eight equal pieces. If you want the rolls exactly equal, use a digital scale and measure in grams.

Make sure you do not smash the dough down to try to smooth it out. Pinch the bottom of the dough until the top has a smooth, round top. Don’t handle it too much, just pinch and place it on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

After shaping, dust flour on top and slash with a lame or a serrated knife.

Step Five: the second rise

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These rolls will complete their second rise in about forty-five minutes to one hour. They will not double in size but will look quite puffy. If you’re looking for a warm place for the dough to rise, try turning your oven on for a minute, then turning it off and tucking the rolls in there. Just be sure to remove them before you preheat!

Step six: bake with steam

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This is one of the keys to a great oven spring. Don’t be afraid of this process.

Set up your oven like this, with a metal-rimmed baking sheet on a lower rack. (Do not use glass, or it will shatter!)

Let the oven preheat with the baking sheet on the lower rack. You’ll pour water on just before you place the rolls inside, which will create steam. This will make the rolls rise nice and high with a beautiful crust.

🥫 Storage instructions

This recipe will keep well at room temperature for three days, tightly wrapped and just hanging out on the counter.

They also freeze very well. After they’ve cool to room temperature, pack them up in a freezer bag and they will keep fine for at least a month.

To reheat rolls without drying them out, defrost for a minute or so in the microwave at the defrost setting. Then wrap them in foil and place them in a warm (not hot!) oven for 5-10 minutes.

🔍 FAQs

Can I make these without yeast?

Yes! I rarely do, because I find they’re a little fluffier with it. But it will work perfectly fine. Your rising times will be more like 4 hours each.

What if I don’t have bread flour?

You can reduce the water a bit and use all-purpose. They won’t be as chewy though.

Why does my dough look so wet?

You probably used a different brand of flour, or measured it differently. Add some more flour.

👩🏻‍🍳 Expert tips

  • Always shape rolls by pinching the bottoms. Smashing them down will make them dense and ugly.
  • Don’t skip the steam! It’s the magic that makes these so good!

📘 Related Recipes

  • Sourdough Burger Buns are softer but still delicious.
  • Bread machine sourdough is the easiest way to get an authentic sourdough loaf.
  • Or if you are after a more open crumb loaf, try my artisan sourdough tutorial.
  • Easy Bread Machine Sandwich Rolls
  • Soft Sourdough Sandwich Bread
  • Sourdough Sandwich Bread (Soft, No Yeast, Easy!)

🍽 Serve it with

These are great with Sunday dinner. Try these too:

  • Oven Roasted Chicken with butter and herb
  • Cheddar scalloped potatoes
  • Broccoli salad
  • Brown sugar apple pie

The Best-Ever Crusty Sourdough Rolls (Easy Recipe!) (15)The Best-Ever Crusty Sourdough Rolls (Easy Recipe!) (16)

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The Best-Ever Crusty Sourdough Rolls (Easy Recipe!) (2024)

FAQs

How to get a golden crust on sourdough? ›

To achieve that crispy golden crust you want all that steam that comes out of the bread when it hits the hot oven to shoot up at the top of the dutch oven, hit the surface, and come right back down. It also helps your bread cook more evenly since you are essentially baking it in an oven, within an oven.

What is the secret to sourdough bread? ›

Try to leave it in the fridge for a minimum 5 hours up to a maximum of around 36 hours. The longer you leave it the better your bread will be! A longer cold ferment creates beautiful blisters on your crust and a deeper sourdough flavour. It will also ensure your dough forms a skin which makes it easier to score.

What is the secret to fluffy sourdough? ›

Keeping the lid on for the first part of baking allows steam to expand between the gluten fibers to rise the bread and create a fluffy loaf. Step 4: Remove the lid and bake for an additional 12-14 minutes or until the crust is crispy and golden brown. Once you take the lid off, the bread likely won't rise anymore.

What is the secret to crispy crust bread? ›

The best way to brown and crisp your bread's bottom crust – as well as enhance its rise – is to bake it on a preheated pizza stone or baking steel. The stone or steel, super-hot from your oven's heat, delivers a jolt of that heat to the loaf, causing it to rise quickly.

What is the secret to a soft crust? ›

Sweat It Out

When the hot air hits the cold air, the water vapor condenses, or “sweats.” If you cover your bread with a towel or bowl, you can trap that water in your bread, resulting in a softer crust. I've turned otherwise rock-hard loaves into soft, tasty treats this way.

Why isn't my sourdough crusty? ›

Your sourdough crust goes soft after cooling because there is still too much moisture in your bread. The baking process should have removed this moisture, but if it's too short, the moisture remains in the crust and softens it as soon as the sourdough cools.

Why is my sourdough bread crust so hard? ›

Avoid Using Too Much Flour On Your Dough Surface

Excess flour can cause a thick, tough crust. If you are using rice flour in particular, this can cause a tougher crust to form. Try to minimise the amount of rice flour you use and brush off the excess before baking.

What not to do with sourdough? ›

Here are the big errors to avoid when working with sourdough.
  1. You Bake Too Soon. ...
  2. You Use Unfiltered Tap Water. ...
  3. You Use Water That Is Too Hot or Too Cold. ...
  4. You're Impatient. ...
  5. You Don't Autolyse Your Dough. ...
  6. You Don't Let Gluten Develop Properly. ...
  7. You Don't Let the Bread Proof Long Enough. ...
  8. You Don't Form the Bread Correctly.
Apr 1, 2022

Why do you put vinegar in sourdough bread? ›

There are two main acids produced in a sourdough culture: lactic acid and acetic acid. Acetic acid, or vinegar, is the acid that gives sourdough much of its tang. Giving acetic acid-producing organisms optimal conditions to thrive and multiply will produce a more tangy finished product.

What is the best flour for sourdough bread? ›

The best flour blend for creating a new sourdough starter is 50% whole-meal flour (whole wheat or whole rye) and 50% bread flour or all-purpose flour. I recommend a 50/50 mix of whole wheat flour and bread flour.

What temperature do you bake sourdough bread at? ›

Preheat your oven with a baking surface or combo cooker/Dutch oven inside to 450°F (230°C). Remove your dough from the fridge, score it, and transfer it to the preheated baking surface or combo cooker. Bake for 20 minutes with steam.

What does baking soda do to sourdough? ›

Baking soda or bicarbonate of soda can be used in sourdough bread to create a less sour loaf. Added after bulk fermentation, but before shaping, it can help to create a lighter, more fluffy loaf of sourdough.

What makes sourdough taste better? ›

The key taste compounds include salt, which is directly added to the dough, as well as acetic and lactic acid, produced during fermentation. After these experiments, they applied a technique called “unified flavor quantitation,” which was previously developed by Hofmann's team, to the sourdough bread.

How to make crust crunchy? ›

Preheat it thoroughly — at least an hour before baking — and it will still be able to deliver a significant blast of heat to the bottom of your crust, enabling it to brown at a nice rate. If you don't have a baking steel or stone, you can bake your pizza on a preheated metal half-sheet pan.

Why is the crust on my sourdough bread so tough? ›

  • Overbaking: Baking the bread for too long or at too high a temperature can cause it to become hard. Properly baked sourdough bread should have a crispy crust but a soft interior.
  • Lack of hydration: If the dough is not hydrated enough, it can result in a dense and hard loaf.

Why is my sourdough crust so hard to cut? ›

If it is extra difficult and you notice your bread sticking to your knife, you likely cut into it a little too soon. Make sure it cools completely before slicing. How long should sourdough sit before cutting? Sourdough should be cooled all the way to room temperature before you slice into it.

How to crisp up a loaf of bread? ›

Put the bread in a cold oven, then turn the heat to 300° F. Let the loaf slowly heat up for 10 to 15 minutes, depending on the density and dryness of the bread. Start checking the bread after 10 minutes.

References

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