These slow cooker dinner rolls are soft, buttery, and easy to make with no proofing required. Perfect for holidays, busy dinners, or anytime you need bread without using the oven.
Easy Slow Cooker Dinner Rolls
If you need homemade rolls but do not want to deal with proofing or fight for oven space, these slow cooker dinner rolls are the answer. They are soft, sweet, buttery, and surprisingly easy to make.
This recipe is especially helpful during the holidays when the oven is already full of turkey, casseroles, and pies. Instead of squeezing bread into the schedule, you can let the slow cooker do the work.
Why You’ll Love These Slow Cooker Dinner Rolls
- No proofing required
- Perfect for holidays and busy dinners
- Frees up valuable oven space
- Soft, buttery, and great for sliders or jam
- Easy enough for beginner bread bakers
Why Make Dinner Rolls in a Slow Cooker
Using a slow cooker lets you bake bread without heating the whole house or taking over the oven. That makes these rolls especially useful for Thanksgiving, large family dinners, or any day when your oven is already busy.
Do Slow Cooker Dinner Rolls Need Proofing
No, that is one of the best parts of this recipe. Just make the dough, divide it into rolls, and place them into the slow cooker. The slow cooker takes care of the rest.
Tips for the Best Slow Cooker Dinner Rolls
- Shape the rolls evenly, so they cook at the same rate
- Brush with melted butter for extra flavor
- Broil briefly at the end if you want a more golden top
- Reduce the sugar slightly if you prefer a less sweet roll
- Add garlic or herbs for a savory variation
How to Know Your Slow Cooker Dinner Rolls Are Done
- The rolls should look puffed and set
- The tops should feel dry, not sticky
- The bottoms should be lightly golden
- If broiled at the end, the tops should turn slightly golden
Ways to Serve Slow Cooker Dinner Rolls
- With dinner as a soft side roll
- Split and used for sliders
- Warm with butter and jam for breakfast
- As a holiday bread option when the oven is full
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make slow cooker dinner rolls less sweet?
Yes. You can reduce the sugar if you prefer a more savory roll.
Can I add herbs or garlic?
Absolutely. Garlic and herbs work very well in this dough.
Do I need to broil the rolls at the end?
No, but it helps give the tops a more golden finish.
What can I use these rolls for?
They are great with dinner, for breakfast with jam, or as buns for sliders.
These rolls are one of those recipes that feel especially smart during the holiday season. When the oven is full and the kitchen is chaotic, having one less thing to bake in the oven is a pretty beautiful thing.
If you want another easy slow cooker bread idea, also try my Herbed Crock Pot Bread Recipe. And if you prefer the traditional oven route, check out my Homemade Dinner Rolls.
Here’s how we did it:
I hope you can try these delicious slow cooker dinner rolls at home. If you do, please upload a pic on Instagram and tag me @Livingsweetmoments or use the hashtag #LivingSweet. I promise to repost it.
Easy Slow Cooker Dinner Rolls
Ingredients
For Rolls:
- 3 cups bread flour or all-purpose flour more may be needed
- 1 cup milk
- 2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast (1 packet)
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
Topping:
- 1 Tablespoon melted butter
- Coarse salt optional
Instructions
- Warm the milk until slightly warm to the touch, not hot.
- Pour the milk into the bowl of a stand mixer and sprinkle the yeast on top. Let sit for 5 minutes until foamy.
- Add the flour, honey, sugar, melted butter, and salt.
- Using the dough hook, mix on medium speed for 5–6 minutes until a soft, smooth dough forms and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. If the dough is too sticky, add 1 tablespoon of flour at a time until manageable.
- Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and divide into 12 equal pieces.
- Roll each piece into a smooth ball.
- Line the slow cooker with parchment paper.
- Place the dough balls inside, leaving a little space between each one. Cover with the lid.
- Cook on HIGH for 90 minutes, or until the bottoms are lightly golden and the tops are set. Avoid opening the lid too early.
- Carefully remove the rolls from the slow cooker and brush with melted butter.
- Sprinkle with coarse salt if desired.
- Optional, broil for 1–2 minutes to brown the tops.
- Serve warm and enjoy.
Notes
- Dough should be soft and slightly tacky, not sticky
- Do not overheat the milk, or it can kill the yeast
- Cooking time may vary depending on the slow cooker model
- Rolls will not brown on top unless broiled
- Best served warm for the softest texture
Nutrition
You may also like:
Herbed Crock Pot Bread Recipe
Homemade Dinner Rolls
Pandebono
Copycat Cheesecake Factory Brown Bread
Can this be done in an instant pot on slow cooker setting?
If it works in a regular slow cooker I don’t see why it wouldn’t work in the instant pot, as long is on the slow cooker setting and the inside of the pot is DRY.
If I do’nt have slow cooker?
Just use the oven Jovine. But they do need to proof. Use this method and recipe –> https://livingsweetmoments.com/homemade-dinner-rolls-tutorial/
Use an oven. 350 * for 25 minutes.
I’m thinking you would have to at least half it as the IP is tall and skinny. Make sure you use high cooking of slow cooker setting.
Thanks for those tips Toni!
I cannot get these to rise 🙁 I can tell how good they’d be if I could get them to rise.
Oh no! did you check the expiration date of your yeast? did you use instant yeast?
Brand new yeast that’s exactly in your video. I think it might be the milk. I’m going to try a third time today!
Maybe your milk was too hot? Liquids that are too hot kill the yeast. Good luck!!
Made these crockpot dinner rolls and they were wonderful. Although my yeast was heavily expired the rolls were quite heavy but they raised just enough and still delicious! The house had the warm delicious baked bread aroma. Mmmm, willl definitely do this again but wth fresh yeast!
Awesome Vickie! Glad you liked the rolls! I’m very surprise they rose with expired yeast. 🙂
If i dont have a dough hook can i do this by hand i.e. kneading for how long? Thank you!
Of course Edwina! Good to get some elbow grease. Knead until the dough becomes together, is stretchy, and smooth. About 10-15 minutes of manual kneading
Can you use another type of flour such as almond flour etc? If so what would be the best kind? Also what temp should your milk be for the yeast?
Milk should be at temp 105-110 F. For other types of flour I haven’t tried.. I am guessing a combination of cornstarch, almond flour, and GF flour but we’d have to figure out the exact measurements of each
What happens with the moisture from condensation on the inside of the lid? Was that a problem? Can one put a cloth over the bread while it cooks to soak up the moisture?
Not really Susan! As you can see in the video it didn’t bother the rolls. Just remember to brown them in the oven to get a nice caramelization on the top
These look delicious. I can’t wait to try them! I’m all about my Instant Pot! Just a note…did you know the 10 year warranty sticker was meant to be removed from your refrigerator? It just peels off.?
lol thanks for letting me know!
Could l add fruit and make fruit buns or a fruit loaf
Yes! But keep in mind that some fruit may add to the water content of the bread.
Made these today and unfortunately they got burnt on the bottom. I left them for less than 90 min on high, in a similar crockpot.. I don’t get it. The part that’s not burnt, is delicious, but I would never use the crockpot again for bread 🙁
Oh no Emma! so sorry that happened! if your crock pot is stronger then maybe try lining the bottom with parchment paper
Can I use skim milk or does the recipe call for while milk.
Of course!
I tried this today and it was easy least! The pull-apart rolls turned out great, light and fluffy. The top wasn’t golden brown but the bottom was. Did you brown the top in the oven? This recipe is going in my rotation.
Hi Cindy! yes, I put them under the broiler for a couple of minutes to brown their tops
You have a lovely show and the rolls are quite awesome! I love the photography of the foods. I found you on a youtube recommendation after I watched another video on rosemary crock-pot bread. I am enjoying the site. Thanks.
Exactly Karen. If you’re replacing honey, add sugar. Remember that honey has a liquid component. If you’re dough feels dry, add 1 tb extra of water (but only if the dough feels dry)
You’re welcome Karen! Glad you liked it!
Can I omit the honey? I don’t like the taste of honey cooked in bread…. If so should I increase the sugar by 2Tbs in place of the honey?
Thank you!
To save time, can you use those frozen premade bread rolls?
yes! you can bake/freeze after they cool
What size slow cooker did you use?
A 6 Qt.
Can this recipe be used in your crockpot multi cooker? We use the cooker for a variety of dishes
I am not familiar with that appliance but if you use the slow cooker function I am sure it would work
I cant fit all 12 in my slow cooker, is it still the same cooking time if I do them in batches?
Yes!
I won’t let me switch to US Customary measurements. I click it it changes for 2 seconds and then returns to metric. Very frustrating.
Oh no! I am sorry, while I fix this issue let me copy and paste them here for you.
3 cups bread flour or all-purpose flour more may be needed
For rolls:
1 cup milk
2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast (1 packet)
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons melted butter
2 teaspoons salt
Topping:
1 Tablespoon melted butter
Coarse salt optional
Thank you so much! Also what is the calorie count?
Hi Donna it’s 176 calories per roll