Soft and hearty, these oatmeal molasses dinner rolls are irresistibly chewy, lightly sweet, and oh-so-buttery with a warm, nostalgic flavor. Whether you’re a bread beginner or a seasoned yeast baker, this recipe walks you through every step with simple techniques, make-ahead options, and plenty of foolproof guidance so you can serve soft, rustic rolls any night of the week.
This recipe is brought to you in partnership with Red Star Yeast.
These oatmeal molasses rolls are wholesome and gently sweet; the kind you tear open while they’re still steaming, swipe with butter, and immediately reach for a second! I have them pictured above with chicken and corn soup, one of our favorite slow cooker dinners, and the whole meal felt like pure comfort!
Why You’ll Love These Rustic Dinner Rolls
Ingredients You Need & Why
In Pictures: How to Make Oatmeal Molasses Rolls
The first step is to proof your yeast, a step I take even if I’m using instant yeast. All you do is mix the yeast with the warm liquid (water + milk), and a little sugar (we’re using brown sugar today). Cover and let it sit for 5–10 minutes until foamy and frothy on top. This proves your yeast is active and ready to get to work:
Then, add the rest of the ingredients to form a soft dough. Add enough flour for the dough to come together into a kneadable mass; it should be pulling away from the sides of the stand mixer’s bowl. (You can make this dough even if you do not have a stand mixer, see step 1 below.)
The dough should feel slightly tacky, but not overly sticky. On a lightly floured work surface, using the heels of your hands, stretch and fold the dough with gentle motion. If you’d like a visual of how to knead the dough by hand, you can watch the full video tutorial in my post on how to knead dough.
Shape the Rolls
Punch down the risen dough to release the air, and then divide the dough into 15 pieces, roughly equal in size (about 65–70g each—they don’t have to be exact). A kitchen scale is really handy for dividing the dough into evenly sized rolls.
Take a piece and stretch the top of the dough while pinching and sealing the bottom. Make sure the rolls are smooth on top and sealed on the bottom. This is the same way we shape the balls for brioche and sweet potato dinner rolls.
Arrange them in a greased baking pan. A 9×13-inch baking pan is ideal for these oatmeal molasses dinner rolls, but you can bake them on a lined baking sheet or in two 9-inch round or square pans instead.
Loosely cover, and let the shaped rolls rise before baking. Brush with an egg white mixed with a little water and sprinkle with oats right before putting them in the oven. The topping is optional!
They bake in just under half an hour. If you want to take them to the next level, serve these oatmeal molasses dinner rolls with homemade cinnamon butter or honey butter.
Make-Ahead Tips
- Slow the rise: Refrigerate shaped rolls for up to about 15 hours. At least 3 hours before you need them the next day, remove the rolls from the refrigerator and allow to rise on the counter for about 1–2 hours before baking. Add a few extra minutes to the bake time.
- Freeze baked rolls: Cool completely, wrap tightly, and freeze for up to 3 months.
- Freeze dough: Freeze after shaping; thaw overnight in the refrigerator, let rise, then bake as directed.
These make-ahead options are especially helpful if you want fresh-baked rolls for a holiday meal.
