Turn frozen store-bought frozen dinner roll dough into soft, fluffy amazingly flavorful Buttery Dinner Rolls with this easy tried and true method. These are perfect with a bowl of Easy Slow Cooker Potato Soup, or just about any meal!

You'll also love our recipe for homemade sweet potato rolls and sour cream biscuits!
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Frozen dinner rolls are super easy to work with and make the BEST buttery dinner rolls. It doesn't matter what brand, because I'm going to show you how to doctor them up to make them taste totally amazing.
This recipe is inspired by The Pioneer Woman - one of my most favorite bloggers! I love that her recipes are easy to make and totally scrumptious.
Many years ago, my husband bought me one of her cookbooks, which I promptly sat down and read cover to cover. Her Buttered Rosemary Rolls recipe jumped right off the page and I made them the next day. I've been hooked on this method ever since!
While I love making homemade bread and homemade rolls, it's nice to have a short cut option in your back pocket! The best thing about these rolls is that you don't have to spend time fussing with warm water, dry active yeast, looking for your dough hook, or kneading the dough. It's even easier than using a bread maker! Instead of using an egg wash, these soft dinner rolls are bathed in buttery goodness.
🧂 Ingredients
- frozen, unbaked dinner rolls
- butter
- dried herbs - I like basil or thyme, depending on what I'm serving for dinner.
- kosher salt
- granulated garlic
This is meant to be a brief overview of this easy recipe. For step-by-step instructions and a full printable recipe card with ingredients, please scroll down to the teal box below or Jump to Recipe.
🔪Instructions
- In an 8-inch cast-iron pan, melt about 2 tablespoons of butter.
- Remove the pan from the heat and let it cool for about ten minutes.
- Place the unbaked rolls in the pan and brush with more melted butter.
- Cover the rolls with plastic wrap and set them in a warm spot to rise. Allow the dough to rise until they're about doubled in size.
- Using a pastry brush and the extra melted butter in the bottom of the pan, gently brush the top of the dough balls with butter.
- Sprinkle the rolls generously with the salt, garlic and basil.
- Bake according to the directions on the package until they are golden brown.
- Serve hot.

Not enough butter for you? Serve our Cowboy Butter (also inspired by Ree!) for even more flavor!
Equipment
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- cast iron skillet - if you don't have a skillet, you can make this recipe with a square baking dish.
- pastry brush
- measuring spoons
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💭 Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some questions (and answers!) readers often ask about these semi-homemade dinner rolls.
It can take 3-5 hours for dinner rolls to rise, depending on the temperature in your kitchen.
Personally, I have NEVER had leftovers of these buttery dinner rolls. Seriously. However, you can store these in an airtight container or bag for 2-3 days.
Preheat the oven to 300-degrees F and arrange the rolls on a baking sheet. Cook for 7-10 minutes until warm.
Variations
We always recommend that the first time you try a new recipe, you follow the instructions exactly as they have been written. However, if you're looking to put your own stamp the ultimate dinner rolls, here are a few ideas for you. Please note we have not tested all of these variations.
- These can also be made in a greased baking pan. Melt the room temperature butter in the microwave or small saucepan. Grease the pan, place dough balls in it and follow the rest of the directions given.
- Add a little bit of flaked sea salt to the top of the rolls.
- After the dough doubles, but before baking, add a cup of your favorite shredded cheese on top.
You can use your favorite seasoning mix with these buttery rolls. Sometimes I made them with ranch seasoning or Italian seasoning. They're even delicious with apple pie spice!
Serving Suggestions
For a Sunday dinner or just because these are the best dinner rolls. Serve with one of these yummy main dish ideas:
I also love them for holidays like Easter and Thanksgiving dinner!

You can serve your rolls with one of our delicious compound butter recipes like garlic chive butter, rosemary butter, or even steak butter.
More Tasty Side Dishes
Next time you're looking for another side dish for your dinner table, try one of these delicious recipes:
- Dutch Oven Cheese Bread
- Cast Iron Skillet Cranberry Stuffing
- Honey Glazed Baby Carrots
- Focaccia Bread Recipe
- Butter Swim Biscuits
- Garlic Green Beans Recipe
- Texas Roadhouse Rolls
Saturated in butter and seasoned with garlic and herbs, these butter dinner rolls are one of my favorite things to serve at dinnertime.
Not ready to make these fluffy rolls yet?
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When you do make it, please be sure to tag me on Instagram @jugglingactmama or #jugglingactmama – I’d love to see your pictures! And finally, if you get a chance, please comment and leave me a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5 star rating below!

Buttery Dinner Rolls
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Ingredients
- 7 frozen unbaked dinner rolls
- 4 tablespoons butter divided
- 1 teaspoon dried herbs such as basil, thyme or rosemary
- ½ teaspoon granulated garlic
- ½ teaspoon Himalayan OR Kosher salt
Instructions
- In a small cast iron pan, melt about 2 tablespoons of butter.4 tablespoons butter
- Remove the pan from the heat and let it cool for about ten minutes.
- Place the unbaked rolls in the pan and brush with the remaining 2 tablespoons melted butter.4 tablespoons butter, 7 frozen unbaked dinner rolls
- Cover and let them rise in a warm place until they're about doubled in size.
- Using a pastry brush and the extra melted butter in the bottom of the pan, gently brush the tops of the rolls with butter.
- Sprinkle the rolls generously with the salt, granulated garlic and your favorite dried herbs - I like basil or thyme depending on what I'm serving for dinner.1 teaspoon dried herbs such as basil, thyme or rosemary, ½ teaspoon granulated garlic, ½ teaspoon Himalayan OR Kosher salt
- Bake according to the directions on the package until they are golden brown. (Most oven 400-degrees F for 15-20 minutes).
- Serve hot.
For best results, be sure to check our Tips and FAQs above with important tips and questions that can help your delicious recipe come out perfectly.
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We'll never share your email or send you spam.If you're looking for a scratch-made yeast dough dinner roll recipe, try this easy yeast rolls recipe from Gimme Some Oven.
Kathleen says
I love Pioneer Woman also! Never thought about doctoring up some frozen rolls. Great idea!
Karen Howard says
My favorite herb would be a tossup between basil & thyme. I love both & use them often along w/ chives.
JanD says
My favorite herb is thyme so I when I make chicken pot pie I make these dinner rolls with thyme because it compliments the herbs in the pie filling.
I love how easy these are to make!
Sandy Pincombe says
I love any FRESH herbs with cilantro or nail at the top of my list. Yes, I love watching PW cook and also looking at her products.
Cheryl Chervitz says
I like garlic and basil herbs and these are such a delicious and easy recipe. I'd love to check out the cookbook, always looking for more recipes.
Sandy says
I have made these rolls many times and they are delicious! Don't hesitate to try this recipe.
Donna L Holder says
I make these to go with pasta a lot and I use dried basil with garlic usually. Sometimes also oregano.
Sheri Newell Anderson says
Wow, how could I not love the Pioneer Woman, she is sooo awesome! I'm going with basil as my favorite herb, it's an amazing enhancer for many recipes. Thanks!
Melissa says
Dill is and has always been my favorite herb! The taste of it always brings back fond memories of my mom's famous soups; she would always add a bit of dill to it and the taste was always great!
Debbie Welchert says
My favorite herb to add to these short cut rolls is Herbs de Provence. They are SO yummy!
Tara Liebing says
I love cooking with rosemary! I watch the Pioneer Woman on tv, I love her recipes.
Desi says
Hi! Can I use a glass baking dish or a sheet pan instead of a cast iron skillet? Also, do I let them rise from frozen, or do I need to completely thaw them first and then let them rise? Thank you so much!!
Ang Paris says
Yes, a baking dish will work just fine (and a 9x13 will hold more rolls, too!) They will thaw as they rise so just add melted butter to the bottom of your baking dish, place the frozen rolls in the dish and cover. 🙂