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Dec 16, 200970
Get this step-by-step tutorial on how to shape perfect rolls. Your rolls will look so amazing you will feel like a professional bread baker!
Update: Here is a new and improved video tutorial on shaping these dinner rolls (with a section on shaping hamburger and hot dog buns, too). Happy roll rolling!
I promised in the tutorial on yeast that I would post about shaping perfect rolls.
Occasionally, I use a crescent shape for rolls, especially these Lion House rolls, but for almost every other roll recipe, I use the method below. It ensures perfectly round, beautiful rolls.
After my dough has gone through the first rise,
I take the dough out of the bowl and place it on the greased plastic wrap that was covering the bowl. Then, I take my handy-dandy bench scraper/cutter tool and slice off pieces of dough to shape into rolls.
If I am being really precise, I use my kitchen scale to make sure that each piece of dough is about the same size – for an average size dinner roll, I use pieces of dough that weigh about 2 ounces each.
Using my savvy technical knowledge (not! please don’t dwell on how the camera is unsteady), I videotaped my method for shaping the dough into round, smooth balls.
Once all the pieces have been shaped into rolls, I cover the baking sheet with greased plastic wrap. You’ll notice I have a silpat liner on my baking sheet. If you don’t have a silpat or prefer not to use one (the horror!), lightly grease the baking sheet or line with parchment paper.
Once the rolls have doubled in size and puffed beautifully, they are ready to be baked.
Here is the finished product. Golden, lovely, perfect rolls ready to be devoured.
Disclaimer: I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Kitchen Tips Rolls Yeast Breads
posted on December 16, 2009 (last updated April 21, 2021)
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70 comments on “Tutorial: Shaping Perfect Rolls”
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Karen — Reply
The roll link on this page appears to be broken. What is you go-to roll recipe? Thank you!
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Mel — Reply
Sorry about that – here you go: https://www.melskitchencafe.com/french-bread-rolls/
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Angela p. — Reply
Hi Mel, no matter what I do I have not been able to get the video tutorial to work.
I really wanted to see how you shaped the rolls to make them perfectly round….-
Mel — Reply
Hi Angela, here’s the direct video link – does this work? https://youtu.be/QZIUiQuzzg8
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Pc Postle — Reply
I see this is an older thread, but I’m going to try making your rolls (with-out a machine). My Mother in Law was from Missouri and she could roll perfect round rolls, 2 at a time, in her hands! I can do it too, not quite as perfect though. I think they are a little smaller, but they end up rising to regular roll size. Your rolls are supposed to sit and rise again after you roll them, before you bake them, right?
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Mel — Reply
Yes, they should rise after they are shaped. 🙂
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restorationgirl — Reply
Searching under ‘cook’, ‘time, ‘min, ‘minute’. Clicked on new and improved link to video which includes hamburger buns and searched the page there with all search words, too -nothing came up. I saw a reply to someone asking about cooking time for hamburger buns and the reply you gave was ’39 seconds longer’. Longer than what? Watched end of 8 minute video -nothing on cooking time for hamburger buns. Would you consider writing the recipe and post it under the video so people can easily try your recipe? And specifically how long so you cook your 3 ounce hamburger buns? Thanks for your help!
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Mel — Reply
Sorry for the confusion! I have a post in the wings for hamburger buns. This is an old one that is on my list to update. I bake the hamburger buns for 17-18 minutes.
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Mila Garcia — Reply
I just found your blog and your recipes seem so yummy. Do you by any chance have a bread recipe that has a filling …like cream cheese and jalapeno or sausage and onions? I have always wondered how they make them. Thanks.
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Mel — Reply
I have a recipe for these strawberry cream cheese rolls: https://www.melskitchencafe.com/overnight-strawberry-cream-cheese-sweet-rolls/ or these savory spiral stuffed rolls: https://www.melskitchencafe.com/savory-spiral-stuffed-rolls/
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Andrea — Reply
I’m so glad I found this before I ruined my rolls from over handling them. I think I will be making dinner rolls more often thanks to your video! Excellent tutorial! Thank you so much for sharing this!
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Becky — Reply
THANK YOU! I can never get my rolls nice and round-they always end up lumpy and misshapen. Thanks for sharing your secrets 🙂
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Tammy — Reply
Thank you so much for showing me your rolling technique. It worked beautifully. My husband enjoyed them so much, he ate 4. Have a great day and thanks again.
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Christine — Reply
Hi Melanie, found your blog a few weeks ago and love it! Stellar recipes. Just watched the two tutorials on yeast and dough. Can’t thank you enough for putting them together!
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Emily — Reply
I’m wondering how to shape this dough for making sub rolls or buns. I would assume for buns, it would just be a larger ball of dough like the rolls. I’m also wondering how much longer I would bake the sub rolls/buns. You suggested using this recipe for Italian Meatball Subs, which we love, but I’ve always bought sub rolls from the store. I would love to be able to make my own.
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Mel — Reply
Hi Emily, when I make my own sub buns, I use about 3 or 3 1/2 ounces of dough as opposed to 2 ounces for regular rolls. I shape the dough into a fat log and rise and bake like normal. Good luck!
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Mel — Reply
Hi Stephanie – I use the brand of rimmed baking sheets sold in Sam’s Club. To be honest, I don’t remember the exact brand name but I love those ones. They last forever! That’s fun you live by Melanie! She’s actually a sister to my brother’s wife, so we aren’t related but I love her to death.
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Stephanie — Reply
Hi Melanie, Quick question: What brand of rimmed cookie sheet do you use (like in the picture of the rolls above). I really want to invest in newer, sturdy baking sheets/jelly roll pans–the kind that doesn’t warp and pop in the oven! As a side note I thought you should know that my friends and I are on a first name basis with you 🙂 We love to try and share “Mel’s” recipes! We are also in chattanooga, TN with your sister-in-law. Hope you are well and thanks for all the time you put into your blog. As a mother of 3 children 6 and under I don’t know how you find the time! -stephanie
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Michelle — Reply
I make these rolls all the time but just today found this little gem of a tutorial. Oh how beautiful my rolls finally were today. You are a constant Sunday dinner guest with your recipes and most other evenings as well. And oh how I wish I lived in Wisconsin or wherever you are now so I could have you over for a humble dinner to give you a break from the hotel room. I’m hoping everything works out smoothly finally. Take care.
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