How to Make Old Fashioned Yeast Rolls Without Eggs

If you’ve been craving soft, fluffy, old-fashioned yeast rolls without eggs, friend – you’re in for a cozy, homemade treat that’s easier than you’d think. 

Learning how to make old fashioned yeast rolls from scratch is something that you can do! It will take practice, but learning how to make them will connect you with the past in a way that is rewarding beyond words.

Keeping Up the Family Tradition

I have been making rolls for a LONG time. I can’t remember my exact age, but my husband and I think I was around 18 years old when I first learned how to make them. 

I am thankful for my hands on mom who had me make them every Sunday for a month until I got the system down. I credit my Jesus loving, home cooking, baby raising, people serving, Great Grandma for teaching her.

I am proud to say that many members of my family make my Grandma’s yeast rolls and do an amazing job at it. It is not a secret recipe, but maybe it should be. Wink, Wink.

I want to share some tips and tricks with you that I have learned along the way. 

I hope that learning this art blesses you as much as it has blessed my family.  According to some family reunion conversations, this recipe is well over 100 years old

What if I’m busy?

Even if you are busy, you can make these. The hands on time is only about 30 minutes. However, you will need to plan on being somewhat near the day you bake.

I went to church last night while my shaped rolls were rising and they were huge when I got home! They still baked up nicely and tasted great, but a few rolls deflated because they had over risen. It was not big deal to me, but they rose about two hours longer than they needed to.

The good news is, that time variation shows that there is room for flexibility when making these.

Approximate Schedule for Making Rolls for a Late Lunch

7:00 am Mix up dough and then let it rise.

10:00 am Knead dough for 10 minutes.

10:10-10:30 am Let dough rest. (10-20 minutes)

10:30 am Pinch off dough and shape individual rolls.

11:00-12:30 Let rolls rise.

12:30 pm Bake rolls.

1:00 pm Eat rolls.

If you are taking them somewhere, make sure you add driving time in your schedule. For example, if lunch is at 1:00, then you would want to start this process at 6:30 am to be safe. If you turn your oven on, it will generate enough heat in the area to help speed up the process. You can also turn your burner on for about 3 seconds and then turn it off. You should be able to put your hand on it no problem. Just this extra warmth in the kitchen will speed up the rising process. Put your bowl near the extra heat to help speed up the process if needed. NOT on the heat, we don’t need any melted bowls or fires!

Recipe Interpretations from Generation to Generation

This recipe is how I know it and make it. Like I said, many members of my family make these, and some seem to be a little different from others.

The texture and taste both seem to vary just a little when their is a recipe adjustment.  However, there are never any left overs.

I wish my Grandma was here so I could watch her and listen to her share her story of how they came about. I don’t remember seeing her bake them. I can just remember them being there and knowing they were hers.

I have to be honest, taking this recipe card that is pictured below and putting all of the actual steps that have been handed down into words has proven to be challenging. Writing it out is very different from standing side by side in the kitchen and getting your hands in it.

I know that some members only use one packet of yeast and that some say they have used whole milk in their recipe.

When we first started making them we used regular active dry yeast, which meant that we always had to bake them the next day, because the rise times took so much longer. 

Old Fashioned Yeast Rolls Recipe

Ingredients for fluffy rolls:

• 4 cups warm water (no more than 110 degrees)
• 2 package rapid rise instant yeast
• 2 tsp. Salt
• 1 cup sugar
• ⅔ cup oil
• 9 cups of bread flour (you can substitute all-purpose flour)

Directions for Fresh Yeast Rolls 

Yeast Roll Dough without Eggs

1. In a large bowl, combine warm water, yeast, and salt. Swirl it around gently. 

2. Stir in the sugar and oil. 

3. Then, stir in the bread flour. Do NOT over mix. It will look shaggy. 

4.Cover the bread dough with wax paper (you can spray plastic wrap with Pam) and leave it alone for about 2-3 hours.  A warm place in the kitchen near the stove is perfect.

Kneading the Yeast Roll Dough

5. Carefully pour the dough out of the large mixing bowl onto a lightly floured surface. Be sure to scrape the sides of the bowl with your fingers to get all the dough out.

6. Knead the dough for around 10 minutes, and make sure to sprinkle flour in as you go so it isn’t sticky.  Let it rest for 10-20 minutes. To knead: pull the back half of the dough towards you, fold it over, and then push it down and away from you with the palms of your hands. Turn in 90 degrees and repeat this process over and over. I do have a video showing this over on YouTube that might help! It can be a  little tricky the first time. You will end up with a smooth ball when you are finished kneading. 

7. Pour just a bit of oil in the bottom of the 9 x 13 inch pans, just enough to cover the bottom after spreading it around the pan.

Forming the Yeast Roll Dough Balls

8. Use your first to squeeze a dough ball off of the main ball. Pinch them off to shape the individual rolls. Gather the jagged side together to make the bottom side and pinch it closed.

9. While pinching the underside of the roll, dip the top of the rolls in the oil that is in the pan, flip them over, and sit them in place.

10. Cover the rolls with wax paper and let them rise again for about 2 hours. The dough balls will double in size during this second rise. 

Baking the Yeast Rolls with Eggs

11. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes, until golden brown on top. Remove them from the oven.

12. Take a room temperature stick of butter and rub it on the top of the rolls as soon as they come out of the oven. Put more butter on the top even when you think that it is plenty.

13. Note: I do not cover mine after that because of the moisture that collects. However, once they have cooled, you can loosely cover them with aluminum foil. 

How Do I Knead the Dough?

You pull the back half of the dough towards you and then push down away from you with the palms of your hands. Give it a 90 degree turn (I go clockwise) and repeat the pull towards you and push down away from you.

Repeat over and over again. 

Can I cut the recipe in half?

Yes, you can cut this recipe in half and get great results. I do that quite often.

Use the same process and just half all of the ingredients. Your rising time will still be very similar. So make sure you have enough time planned to make them.

Can I double this yeast roll recipe without eggs?

Yep! I have to double the recipe for some events. When I double it, I use two bowls. A very large, plastic, clear bowl is what I recommend.

Can I Use a Stand Mixer?

I have never used a mixer for this recipe. I do believe a friend of ours did and they turned out.

If you do, I would use the dough hook attachment on low speed to make sure that you don’t over-mix them. They will be tough and not rise well if you mix too much.

How long are homemade dinner rolls good for?

They are good for three to five days.

You can make delicious cinnamon toast with these rolls. Store them in an airtight container or a ZipLock baggie.

After day two, I like to slice them in half, toast them in the toaster, and put butter and a cinnamon/sugar mixture on them. D-e-e-licious!

Time to be a Doer and Go Give These Soft Dinner Rolls a Try

There’s just something special about baking homemade dinner rolls from scratch. These old-fashioned yeast rolls without eggs bring back the sweet smells of holiday meals at Grandma’s table.

They’ve got that fluffy texture we all love, and they’re made with simple ingredients you probably already have. Soft dinner rolls like these are the perfect addition to your holiday spread – or any family meal, really.

This is a wonderful recipe to keep in your back pocket. There are a lot of homemade bread recipes out there. This one has been tried and true for so many years.

Try it once, and it might just become your go-to for every holiday.