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    Home » Recipes » Bread Machine

    Melt in Your Mouth Dairy Free Dinner Rolls {Bread Machine, Gluten Free}

    Published: May 8, 2014 · Modified: Dec 8, 2020 by Christine · This post may contain affiliate links · 21 Comments

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    You’re going to want to keep this melt-in-your-mouth Dairy Free Dinner Roll recipe on hand for any occasion. They are soft, buttery, and an absolute delight that’s ready in under an hour and prepared in a bread machine!

    dairy free dinner rolls inside, up close

    Be sure to bake up a large batch of these gluten free, dairy free rolls for Christmas dinner. Even your non-gluten free guests will enjoy these rolls, so it’s a win for all.

    Easy Homemade Dinner Rolls

    Grab your scale and bread machine to get this simple gluten free bread machine rolls recipe started. To ensure the most accurate measurements use a scale to weigh the flours and starches when baking. It’s so easy to add too much when measuring with cups, which results in dry, dense bread.

    We don’t want that! Like most dinner rolls, we’re looking for a soft, airy texture on the inside and crisp shell (of course, when you brush butter on top the yeast rolls will be soft).

    What should my dough look like?

    A common concern when it comes to gluten free baking is the texture of the dough. The consistency is a more cake-like batter. So if your dough is loose and not like most bread doughs that are thick and kneaded, then you have successfully mixed the perfect gluten free bread dough.

     

    batter mixing in the bread machine batter finished mixing in the bread machine

    PRO TIP: Make sure to use room temperature ingredients!

    Why? When using room temperature eggs and butter, the dough forms an emulsion, which is very important when baking bread so that the dough forms airy pockets. The emulsion traps air that expands while baking, resulting in a fluffy gluten free dinner roll.

    Also, be sure to use warmer water for the yeast. At least 80 degrees, up to 110 degrees works perfectly.

    Bread Machine Dinner Rolls

    The bread machine is a wonderful thing as it will do as much or as little of the bread-making process as you want it to, and you will always come out with a consistent product in the end.

    bread machine pan up close

    To make gluten free rolls, you can easily mix and knead the dough in the bread machine and then scoop into lightly sprayed muffin cups to bake.

    Substitutions

    If you are familiar with gluten free bread baking, you may notice that bread recipes usually call for a fair bit of xanthan gum. This is intentional for wonderfully light and fluffy homemade dinner rolls, as you want a binding agent.

    Though, for this updated gluten free dinner roll recipe, I’ve reduced the amount of xanthan gum, which still results in perfectly soft GF yeast rolls. Of course, if you prefer not to bake with gums, you can substitute the xanthan gum with other gluten free flour alternatives. Psyllium husk is a good alternative.

    basket of rolls up close

    If you want to make these gluten free yeast rolls with a vegan option, you can do so quite well. 

    How to Make a Flax Egg

    One of my favorite vegan egg substitutions is a flax egg. Combine 3 tablespoons of water with 1 tablespoon of flaxseed meal and allow to rest for 15 minutes to create a gelatinous mixture that acts as a binding agent. Read more about How to Bake Practically Anything using Egg Substitutes.

    Try these Dairy Free Baked Goods While Your Here:

    • Gluten Free Blondies {Dairy Free}
    • Easy Gluten Free Potato Bread {Dairy Free, Sugar Free}
    • Gluten Free Cinnamon Raisin Artisan Bread {Dairy Free and Gum Free}
    • Golden Gluten Free French Bread (Dairy Free Too!)

    What ingredients are in these gluten free rolls?

    ingredients on a white countertop

    Luckily, you’re likely to have the ingredients for these tasty melt-in-your-mouth dairy free dinner rolls in your pantry.

    The flours and starches used for this recipe include white rice flour, brown rice flour, potato starch, and tapioca starch. For this soft roll recipe, it’s best to not make substitutions to these ingredients as texture may differ.

    Check out this Guide to Gluten Free Flour Substitutions for more gluten free baking ideas.

    How to make the best gluten free dinner rolls

    Step 1: Because bread machines may differ in the order of which ingredients to add first, follow your machine’s recommendations. For mine, I added the butter, egg, and water, followed by the dry ingredients.

    Set the machine to the dough setting to mix. Initially, leave the lid open for the first few minutes while the dough is mixing to scrape down the sides, then close to finish.

    adding liquid to the bread machine adding ingredients to the bread machine texture of dough in the bead machine

    Step 2: In the meantime, prepare 2 12-cup muffin pans by lightly spraying with cooking spray and set aside.

    Step 3: Once the dough has finished mixing, remove the pan from the machine.

    PRO TIP: The mix will be more like a cake batter, which is what gluten free bread dough should look like.

    Use a large scoop or spoon to fill each muffin cup ⅔ full, then place the dinner rolls in a warm area to rise for 15 minutes. Once the rolls rise in the muffin tin, the dough should fill the cup.

    muffin tins prepped for baking rolls batter in the muffin tins rolls after rising

    Step 4: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F, then bake for 20 minutes. The rolls should be a nice golden brown with a crisp top. An optional step would be to brush the tops of the rolls with butter during the last 5 minutes and allow them to finish baking. The rolls will be softer if you choose this step. Otherwise, you want a nice, crisp top.

    Step 5: Now that your home is filled with that delicious, yeasty aroma of freshly baked bread, remove the pans from the oven and set on a wire rack to cool slightly.

    These dairy-free yeast rolls are the best served fresh out of the oven!

    24 rolls sitting on a wire rack

    How to store Gluten Free Dinner Rolls

    Like most gluten free bread, they tend to dry out and become hard quickly. Though, if you wrap the rolls tightly in plastic wrap and store them in an air-tight container, then these easy dinner rolls will last up to the next day or two. When ready to eat, unwrap and warm in the oven for a few minutes.

    To freeze gluten free rolls, wrap tightly and store in an air-tight freezer-safe bag or container for up to two months.

    PRO TIP: Be sure to store these fresh dinner rolls no more than 3-4 hours after baking. The sooner, the better!

    inside of baked rolls

    What better way to celebrate Christmas than with a big basket of freshly baked gluten free yeast rolls? And they’re just perfect for any time baking. Add this to your gluten free dinners for all to enjoy in under an hour!


    dairy free dinner rolls inside, up close

    Melt in Your Mouth Dairy Free Dinner Rolls {Bread Machine, Gluten Free}

    Soft, buttery and melt in your mouth delicious, these Dairy Free Dinner Rolls will send your taste buds into overdrive! They're also gluten free and mixed in a bread machine!
    5 from 3 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Appetizer, bread, Snack
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Cook Time: 20 minutes
    Mixing time & Rise time: 1 hour 45 minutes
    Total Time: 2 hours 20 minutes
    Servings: 24 rolls
    Calories: 114kcal
    Author: Christine

    Ingredients

    • 220 grams white rice flour about 1 ¼ cups
    • 155 grams brown rice flour about 1 cup
    • 120 grams potato starch about ¾ cup
    • 45 grams tapioca starch about ⅓ cup
    • 1 teaspoon xanthan gum
    • 1 Tablespoon active dry yeast
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • ¼ cup sugar
    • 2 cups water warmed to 80 F
    • ⅓ cup dairy free butter softened
    • 1 egg

    Instructions

    • Place all the ingredients into your bread machine in the order recommended by the manufacturer. See note 1 below.
      adding liquid to the bread machine
    • Set your machine to mix the dough (dough setting).
      texture of dough in the bead machine
    • Prepare 2 12-cup muffin tins by spraying each cup with cooking spray. Set aside.
      muffin tins prepped for baking rolls
    • When the dough has finished mixing, remove the pan from the machine.
      batter finished mixing in the bread machine
    • Use a large scoop or large spoon to scoop batter into muffin cups. Fill each cup ⅔ full.
      batter in the muffin tins
    • Place pans in a warm area and let rise for 15 minutes.
      rolls after rising
    • Heat your oven to 400 degrees F and bake for 20 minutes.
      rolls after baking, sitting in pans
    • Remove from the pan and set on a wire rack to finish cooling. Serve warm.
      24 rolls sitting on a wire rack

    Notes

    From above: Bread machines vary in the order they suggest adding the ingredients. I added the water, butter and egg first, the added the flours and remaining dry ingredients.
    • Make sure all ingredients are at room temperature (slightly warmer for the water).
    • Keep the lid open on the bread machine for the first few minutes of mixing and scrape down the sides as it mixes.
    • Fill each muffin cup ⅔ full.
    • After rising the rolls will just touch the top of the cup.
    • Rolls can be served warm!
     

    Nutrition

    Calories: 114kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 7mg | Sodium: 127mg | Potassium: 80mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 10IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 6mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @zest_for_baking or tag #zestforbaking!

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    Comments

    1. Sandra

      April 21, 2016 at 8:08 am

      I love the dinner rolls , really melt in your mouth I just changed the brown rice flour for oat flour and double the potato starch because I didn't have the tapioca flour, the results is great, soft and flavorful , congratulations for the recipe

      Reply
    2. Jacki

      September 12, 2016 at 1:06 pm

      If only using the bread machine for mixing, how long is the mixing duration if using a stand mixer

      Reply
      • C.J. Brady

        September 14, 2016 at 9:26 am

        Hi Jacki,

        I have only made these in the bread machine so I'm not sure how long it would be using a stand mixer. But typically, its between 2 - 5 minutes.

        Hope this helps!

        Reply
    3. Buffy

      February 04, 2020 at 3:17 pm

      Can you use pillsbury gluten free all purpose flour blend instead of the flours and starches? It says it has rice flour, potato starch, pea fiber, tapioca starch, and xanthan gum in it. Also my original dinner roll recipe has dry milk in it but this one does not. Is that not needed? Or is dry milk not gf?

      Reply
      • Christine

        February 05, 2020 at 8:52 am

        Hi!

        So I have not worked with Pillsbury gf flour blend so I can't say for sure, but it's one I'd definitely try. And then dry milk isn't always needed. It is gf, but not a must for roll recipes.

        Hope that helps!

        ~Christine

        Reply
    4. Maryanne

      May 06, 2020 at 3:39 pm

      i'm wondering if I should have melted the butter. Nothing was said if it should be melted or just put in and let the machine mix it in.

      Reply
      • Christine

        May 07, 2020 at 8:50 am

        Hi Maryanne,

        Sorry about that - it's softened. I'll correct it.

        ~Christine

        Reply
    5. Maryanne

      May 28, 2020 at 8:51 am

      i'm wondering if I could make this recipe into a loaf of bread. I'm very impressed with how good these rolls are and thought maybe I could make a loaf of bread . Any reason why not?

      Reply
      • Christine

        May 28, 2020 at 9:13 am

        Hi Maryanne,

        Ooo, definitely worth a try! Let me know how it turns out!

        ~Christine

        Reply
    6. Carol Kostyniuk

      December 08, 2020 at 10:02 am

      Want to try the bread maker dinner rolls. After reading the ingredients a few times am wondering why there is no cider vinegar that usually is necessary in yeast breads.

      Reply
      • Christine

        December 08, 2020 at 12:18 pm

        Hi Carol,

        Thanks for asking - I tested it a couple times and it turned out that it didn't make a difference in the end result. Actually the same is the case with these potato rolls https://zestforbaking.com/gluten-free-potato-rolls. Now in my loaf breads, I typically always do https://zestforbaking.com/amazing-gluten-free-white-bread-without-xanthan-gum

        Hope you enjoy them!

        Christine

        Reply
    7. June

      December 08, 2020 at 10:44 am

      What brand of dairy-free butter do you recommend?

      Reply
      • Christine

        December 08, 2020 at 12:09 pm

        Hi June,

        I use Country Crock and it works really, really well!

        ~Christine

        Reply
    8. Allison

      December 08, 2020 at 11:15 am

      5 stars
      I’m sure this will be a winner as you put the recipe together Christine. I don’t have dairy free butter - can I use regular dairy butter? Salted? Unsalted? Thanks!

      Reply
      • Christine

        December 08, 2020 at 12:07 pm

        Thanks so much Allison! 🙂

        Yes, regular, unsalted butter works perfectly!

        ~Christine

        Reply
    9. Jeanine Hanushchak

      February 04, 2021 at 10:50 am

      5 stars
      Hi love this recipe! I have had great success in my horizontal bread maker, and since I have upgraded to a vertical bread maker the dough is overflowing and making one heck of a mess. Suggestion as to what I am doing wrong? What ingredient should I reduce or change?

      Reply
      • Christine

        February 04, 2021 at 12:07 pm

        Hi Jeanine,

        Thanks for the rating, so glad you enjoy it! Sorry I missed the comment on the other post, so I'll just reply here if that's ok 🙂

        So that's not good - is it still a 2 pound pan? If you send me a link to the one you have, I'll see how we can make some adjustments.

        ~Christine

        Reply
    10. Beth

      February 05, 2021 at 7:13 pm

      I am going to make this recipe into hamburger and hot dog buns. I have a Zojurshki Bread machine. When should i take it out of the dough cycle? Do i take it out after the mixing/kneading or let it go through a rise?

      Reply
      • Christine

        February 05, 2021 at 10:23 pm

        Hi Beth,

        So you'd let it go through the whole dough cycle - on my machine it's exactly 1.5 hours. After it's done, then take it out and form it. So yes, let it go through the rise and everything.

        Hope that helps!

        ~Christine

        Reply
    11. Linda S

      August 30, 2021 at 5:07 pm

      5 stars
      I love this bread dough, I mushed some of it out in a 6 inch cake pan to make a flat bread. It is so good now I don't have to buy that stuff, they call bread. I can go back to eating sandwiches again.
      Thank you for the recipe.

      Reply
      • Christine

        September 07, 2021 at 1:26 pm

        Hi Linda,

        Oh so happy to hear this - and great idea 🙂

        Christine

        Reply

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    Christine Brady.

    Hi, I'm Christine, a gluten free baker living in sunny Texas! Zest for Baking is where you'll find gluten free (and dairy free) recipes, tips for substituting ingredients and help navigating the world of gluten free baking.

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    Since 2013, Christine has been helping readers with gluten free baking challenges and substitution issues, all while creating delicious gluten free baking recipes that no one would guess are actually gluten free. Her Zest For Baking recipes have been featured on The Daily Meal, Bloglovin' and Dr. Axe, to name a few. When she's not hanging out on Facebook or sharing pictures on Instagram or pinning on Pinterest, you can find her in her kitchen, creating more ZestForBaking.com recipes!

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