No-Knead Buttermilk Dinner Rolls

Last updated on November 29th, 2025

These homemade pull-apart Buttermilk Dinner Rolls are fluffy, soft and buttery—everything you could want in a dinner roll! Unlike many recipes that call for a stand mixer or a lot of kneading, this recipe is simple to put together with minimal effort and doesn’t require any special equipment.

I can’t think of anything better than homemade rolls fresh from the oven just in time for a Sunday or holiday dinner. This recipe will produce 12 good-sized dinner rolls that you can have ready in 4 hours.

Here’s everything you’ll need to make them

• 2 cups (475 grams) buttermilk, room temperature (sub dairy free)
• 2 teaspoons (6 grams) active dry yeast 
• 4 cups (520 grams) bread or all-purpose flour, plus more for shaping
• 1 tablespoon (12 grams) granulated sugar
• 3 teaspoons (9 grams) kosher or fine sea salt
• ¼ cup (60 grams) melted butter, plus 1 tablespoon for finishing (sub dairy free)
• Flaky salt, to finish

The buttermilk gives them a richer flavour and the flaky salt added at the end really seals the deal. This recipe will also work with whole milk, your favourite plant-based option or even water, although they may not be quite as tender.

To achieve that light and fluffy texture, we’ll let the dough rise twice – once before and then again after shaping the rolls. And while I did say earlier that you don’t require any special equipment for this recipe, I always recommend using a digital scale to measure your ingredients when baking bread.  

How to make pull-apart Buttermilk Dinner Rolls in 5 steps

1. Mix together the ingredients.
2. Cover and let rise somewhere warm until the dough has doubled in volume.
3. Shape the rolls and let rise again until they’ve doubled in size or even filled the pan.
4. Bake for 25-30 minutes.
5. Brush with melted butter, sprinkle with flaky salt and serve!

Can these rolls be made ahead of time?

Yes, shape them then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up 24 hours. Let them sit on the counter for an hour or so to bring them back to room temperature before baking.

Do they freeze well?

Freezing is the best way to store them! Once baked, let them cool completely then freeze in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw and serve or warm them in a 350ºF (177ºC) oven for 5 minutes before sharing.  

Perfect for any occasion, I highly recommend serving these pull-apart Buttermilk Dinner Rolls with even more butter. So good!

Try these Herb & Garlic Skillet Rolls or these Overnight Orange Cinnamon Brioche Rolls next.

If you make this recipe, please tag me on Pinterest or Instagram so I can see! 

And of course, feel free to leave any questions, comments or reviews. This is the best place to reach me, and I’d love to hear from you!

No-Knead Buttermilk Dinner Rolls

Soft and buttery, they’re everything you could want in a dinner roll. This recipe is simple to put together with minimal effort, no special equipment or kneading required!

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Prep Time:30 minutes mins

Cook Time:30 minutes mins

Rise Time:3 hours hrs

Total Time:4 hours hrs

Course: Appetizer, Side

Keyword: baking, buttermilk, dinner rolls, no-knead

Servings: 12

Equipment

• Digital scale
• 4 Qt mixing bowl
• Spatula
• Dough scraper
• 9×13-inch baking dish

Ingredients

• 2 cups buttermilk, room temperature sub dairy free
• 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 4 cups bread or all-purpose flour, plus more for shaping
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 3 teaspoons kosher salt
• ¼ cup melted butter, plus 1 tablespoon for finishing sub dairy free
• Flaky salt to finish

US Customary – Metric

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Instructions

• Stir the yeast into the buttermilk and let it sit for 10-15 minutes. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar and salt and let sit for 10 minutes.
• Add buttermilk, yeast and ¼ cup butter (melted) to the bowl and use a rubber spatula to mix it together until combined. At this point the dough will be wet and sticky. Cover and let rise somewhere warm for 2 hours until it has doubled in volume.
• Uncover and sprinkle dough with a generous amount of flour then, using your hand or a dough scraper, turn it out onto a floured surface. Using a dough or bench scraper, divide the dough into 2 halves, then divide each half into thirds for 6 pieces. Divide each section in two again so you’re left with 12 pieces. Next, using as much flour as you need, shape each piece into a ball, smoothing the top and pinching the sides under the roll to hide the seam. Place rolls in a lightly greased 9×13-inch baking dish, spacing them evenly apart. (If you're not planning to bake them right away, this is when you should cover them and place them in the refrigerator.) Cover and let rise for 60-90 minutes until the rolls have doubled in size.
• Bake at 400ºF (200ºC) for 25-30 minutes until golden.
• While the rolls are baking, melt the remaining tablespoon of butter. Remove dish from oven and brush the tops with melted butter. Sprinkle with flaky salt and serve warm.

Notes

Make them gluten free: Use your favourite good quality 1:1 gluten free blend in place of the bread or all-purpose flour.

Make them whole wheat: Replace 1/3 (175 g) of the flour with whole wheat bread or all-purpose flour.

Make them dairy free: Using buttermilk will produce a richer, sweeter roll. This recipe will also work well with regular milk, your favourite plant-based option or even water if you wish to make them dairy free. You can even make this recipe with vegan butter if needed!

Make ahead: Shape them then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up 24 hours. Let them sit on the counter for an hour or so to bring them back to room temperature before baking.

Baking pan: A deep baking dish in which the rolls will touch is recommended. Having them touch at the edges is how you’ll get those lofty, airy rolls with golden tops!

Storage: The best way to store these rolls is to freeze them. Because they’re preservative free, rolls kept on the counter for more than a day will harden. Once baked, let them cool completely then freeze in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw and serve or warm them in a 350ºF (177ºC) oven for 5 minutes before sharing.