How to Make Easy Crusty Sourdough Rolls with Yeast
Easy crusty sourdough rolls with yeast are one of my favorite things to bake when I want fresh bread without too much fuss. They’re simple, quick, and full of flavor. The combination of sourdough starter and a little yeast gives you the best of both worlds—deep flavor and a reliable rise.
I love making an artisan sourdough loaf and homemade yeast rolls, but this recipe gives you the best of both worlds. This is a great beginner recipe and I think you will love it.
Easy Crusty Sourdough Rolls with Yeast
Ingredients
Method
- In a large bowl, combine the active starter, bread flour, water, and sugar. Mix until a shaggy and slightly sticky dough forms.
- Cover it for 30 minutes in a warm spot.
- Sprinkle the salt and rapid rise yeast over the dough. Use your fingers and thumbs to massage in the salt and yeast, do some stretch and folds, and then knead it for 3-5 minutes. Make sure you don't have any yeast and salt pockets in the dough by really using your thumbs and fingers to massage it throughout.
- Cover it for 1 hour in a warm spot. You want it to be almost doubled in size.
- Turn the dough out onto the counter and cut it into 8 equal pieces.
- Bring the dough into the middle by pulling it with your fingers. This will give you a nice and round top.
- Prepare your baking sheet by putting parchment paper on it and dusting the parchment paper with cornmeal.
- Put the rolls onto the prepared baking sheet with the smooth side facing up.
- Dust the rolls with flour and use your fingers to spread it evenly over the top. Slash the dough with a lame or a sharp knife down the middle.
- Cover the dough with wax paper, greased plastic wrap, or a clean towel for one hour in a warm place.
- Preheat the oven to 450° and place a baking sheet with a lip of the lowest rack to heat up. We are going to pour a cup of water in this during baking to produce steam to get that spring in the rolls.
- Once the oven is preheated and the rolls have risen, quickly pour 1 cup of water into the pan with the lip and put the rolls in the oven.
- Bake them for 15-17 minutes. They will be golden brown on the outside.
- You can let them cool on a wire rack or not. I love them right of the oven and warm with some butter. YUM!
Ingredients You’ll Need
- 198 grams active sourdough starter (about 1 ¼ cups, room temperature)
- 369 grams bread flour (about 2 ½ to 3 cups)
- 194 grams warm water (about ¾ cup plus 1 tablespoon)
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- ½ teaspoon rapid rise instant yeast
That’s it. Nothing fancy. Just pantry staples that come together for the perfect homemade roll.
Mix the Dough
Grab a large bowl. Add the active sourdough starter, bread flour, warm water, and sugar. Stir until you get a shaggy, sticky dough. Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel and let it rest for 30 minutes in a warm place. You can use a stand mixer with a dough hook for this step if you would like.
Add Salt and Yeast
Sprinkle the salt and yeast evenly over the top of the dough. Work them in with your thumbs and fingers before kneading. This makes sure you don’t end up with salty or yeasty pockets. Stretch and fold the dough, kneading for about five minutes. Cover again and let it rise in a warm place for one hour.
Shape the Rolls
Turn the dough out and cut it into eight equal pieces. Pinch each piece together at the bottom so the top is smooth and round. These will become your crusty sourdough dinner rolls.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Sprinkle it with cornmeal. Place the rolls on the sheet, smooth side up. Dust the top of the dough with flour. Use a sharp knife or a lame to slash each roll. Cover them with wax paper, greased plastic wrap, or a clean kitchen towel. Let them rise for another hour. This second rise is important for getting that light texture inside.
Bake Until Golden Brown
Preheat your oven to 450°F. Place a baking sheet with a lip inside while it preheats. When the rolls are ready, pour one cup of warm water into the hot pan on the lower oven rack to create steam. Quickly slide in the baking sheet with your rolls. Bake 15–17 minutes until the rolls are golden brown and crusty on the outside.
Cool the sourdough rolls crusty and perfect on a wire rack before serving. I eat them warm and do not wait for them to cool, but that is up to you.
Tips and Variations
- You can use all-purpose flour instead of bread flour, though the rolls may be softer.
- Letting them rise in a warm place with help keep that rising time lower. If you don’t have a warm place, you may need to let them rise longer. Also, a hot oven is key for the steam and spring with baking.
- Don’t use sourdough discard here. This recipe calls for an active sourdough starter to get that nice lift.
Why You’ll Love This Crusty Sourdough Rolls Recipe
These rolls bake up with a chewy crust and a soft center. They’re perfect for dinner, sandwiches, or as a side with soup. Each homemade roll looks bakery-worthy but is simple enough for a weeknight.
If you’ve been wanting to try sourdough dinner rolls with a little help from yeast, this is the recipe to start with. It’s simple, reliable, and delicious.
