Slow cooker dinner rolls are an easy way to make fresh, homemade bread right in your crock pot! No oven necessary, which is perfect for holiday dinners!
Dinner rolls are practically their own food group at our house. I usually make rolls to go along with dinner a couple nights during the week. There are times when I don’t want to bake rolls in the oven (like during the summer!) or can’t bake them in the oven (when my oven is full at the holidays!).
And then there are the times when it’s just easier to make Slow Cooker Dinner Rolls and come back in a couple hours for them.
Every time I make these rolls, they are always a hit! The rolls are soft and mildly sweet – a classic dinner roll. And with very little hands-on time, they couldn’t be easier to make!
Give them a try, and I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised at how good dinner rolls “baked” in your slow cooker can be!
“These were super easy to make. U followed the recipe exactly and was super impressed. All 4 of my kids approved! Thanks for making this so easy!” – Kari
Ingredient notes and substitutions
- Yeast: If using instant yeast, there’s no need to proof.
- Butter: I use salted butter in this recipe.
- Flour: I’ve given a range of flour because you may find that you need slightly more or less flour – even the humidity on the day you make the rolls can affect how much flour you’ll need. I recommend going off feel rather than strictly by amount.
How to make slow cooker dinner rolls
Here you’ll find instructions and step-by-step photos showing how to make this recipe. The full recipe, including ingredients, is given below.
Step 1: Turn slow cooker to “warm”. Line with parchment paper and grease parchment with nonstick cooking spray.
Step 2: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook (in a large bowl), stir together water, sugar, and yeast. Let stand 5-10 minutes, or until foamy.
Step 3: Stir in butter, and 2 cups flour and salt.
Step 4: Continue adding flour 1/4 cup at a time until dough clings to the hook and clears the side of the bowl. Dough will feel slightly sticky but shouldn’t stick to your finger.
Step 5: Shape dough into 12-16 rolls, depending on desired size, and add to slow cooker.
Step 6: Place a thin cotton towel across the top of the slow cooker and cover. Let rolls sit for 10 minutes.
Step 7: Turn to “high”, and cook for about 1 ½ hours, or until edges are light golden brown. My slow cooker doesn’t cook evenly, so I rotate my crock halfway through the cooking time.
Step 8: If you would like to brown the tops, turn broiler on.
Step 9: Brush with tops of rolls with melted butter (about 1 tablespoon), and broil for about 1-2 minutes. Watch the rolls closely because they can go from golden to burnt very quickly.
Recipe Tips!
- Mixer: You can make this recipe without a stand mixer. Just mix by hand and then add a minute or two of kneading by hand.
- Towel: The towel will stay on during the cooking. It helps to absorb any moisture so you don’t end up with wet rolls. Just be sure that the towel isn’t tucked down into your heating element.
Storage
Store any leftover rolls in an airtight container at room temperature. The rolls will keep for 2-3 days when properly stored.
More slow cooker baking recipes!
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Slow Cooker Dinner Rolls
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups warm water about 105 F
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 packet active dry yeast (2 ¼ teaspoons)
- ¼ cup butter melted, plus extra for brushing the tops of the rolls
- 3-3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Turn slow cooker to “warm”. Line with parchment paper and grease parchment with nonstick cooking spray.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook (in a large bowl), stir together water, sugar, and yeast.1 ¼ cups warm water, ¼ cup granulated sugar, 1 packet active dry yeast
- Let stand 5-10 minutes, or until foamy.
- Stir in butter, and 2 cups flour and salt.¼ cup butter, 1 teaspoon salt
- Continue adding flour 1/4 cup at a time until dough clings to the hook and clears the side of the bowl. Dough will feel slightly sticky but shouldn’t stick to your finger.
- Shape dough into 12-16 rolls, depending on desired size, and add to slow cooker.
- Place a thin cotton towel across the top of the slow cooker and cover. Let rolls sit for 10 minutes.
- Turn to "high", and cook for about 1 ½ hours, or until edges are light golden brown. My slow cooker doesn't cook evenly, so I rotate my crock halfway through the cooking time.
- If you would like to brown the tops, turn broiler on.
- Brush with tops of rolls with melted butter (about 1 tablespoon), and broil for about 1-2 minutes. Watch the rolls closely because they can go from golden to burnt very quickly.
Notes
- Yeast: If using instant yeast, there’s no need to proof.
- Butter: I use salted butter in this recipe.
- Flour: I’ve given a range of flour because you may find that you need slightly more or less flour – even the humidity on the day you make the rolls can affect how much flour you’ll need. I recommend going off feel rather than strictly by amount.
- Nutrition values are estimates.
Nutrition
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Reader Interactions
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Comments & Reviews
MJ says
Fantastic
My oven went out
Nice to have another way to make
Kate Dean says
Sorry about your oven, but I’m glad that this recipe was helpful!
MJ says
Very good, family liked them. My oven went out, seeking another option. Thank you for sharing
Kate Dean says
Thank you! I’m glad that they turned out well for you!
Liz says
Hi there. I have made this recipe before with very happy results. I cannot remember if I should remove the cotton towel when I turn up the temperature. (I think I should, however…) Thank you.
Kate Dean says
I leave the towel while the rolls cook. I just make sure that it isn’t touching or near the heating element. The towel will help to collect any condensation while the rolls cook.
Tracy Elaine DIXON says
I want to make this recipe but have questions. Is the dry yeast 2.25 tsps and is the flour 3 cups?!? It says 3-3.5…what does this mean?
Kate says
Yes, the yeast is 2.25 teaspoons. You’ll need approximately 3 to 3 and 1/2 cups of flour.
mary jensen says
do you put the lid on the slow cooker for the proof and the bake?? sorry, this may be a dumb question.
Kate says
Not dumb at all! In step 7, you will cover it and then leave the slow cooker to bake.
Jamie says
Can I make this if I don’t have a stand mixer with a dough hook?
Kate says
Yes, you can mix the dough by hand.
Becky Taylor says
I haven’t made this recipe yet. I am going to try and make hotdog/hamburger buns in my Rival Casserole Slow Cooker. I will let you know how they turn out.
Kate says
Great! I hope it turns out well for you!
Jeannie says
Hello Becky,
How did your hamburger buns turn out in the crockpot ?
Ruxandra Conecini says
Hello Kate ,
Can I prepare the dough and then freeze it for later? My intention is to bake one role at a time for breakfast.
Thank you!
Kate says
Hi! You can freeze the dough. I’m not sure how evenly just one roll may bake at a time in a slow cooker, but the dough should freeze just fine!