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These Easy Artisan Rolls truly are ridiculously easy. Stir up the dough then go to bed. In the morning, shape and bake. Unbelievably delicious too!
When I first published this recipe 5 years ago, I called the rolls Unbelievably Easy Artisan Rolls. And it was true, they are unbelievably easy. But that was before the days of our Ridiculously Easy Recipes. Recently, when making a batch of this delicious bread, I realized that it truly deserve a place in our Ridiculously Easy collection. So, without further ado, let me re-introduce you to these fabulous, Ridiculously Easy Artisan Rolls.
What is Ridiculously Easy?
If you're new to The Café, you might not be familiar with our Ridiculously Easy recipes. They are super popular with our readers and I love them just as much! You can read more about these recipes in this post along with the specific criteria that these recipes have to follow but my nutshell definitely is "recipes that make you look like a kitchen rock star with minimal effort on your part". Like that? I sure do!
Can yeast rolls really be easy?
Let me explain how easy they are and you can decide for yourself. Ready? Combine flour, salt and yeast in a bowl. Grab a sturdy spatula. Add tap water (even cold tap water works!), and stir till combined. Cover, go to bed and have sweet dreams! When you wake in the morning, the yeast will have done its magic.
Sprinkle a work surface with flour and turn the dough a few times, to give it a nice white coat. Divide your dough into 12 pieces and shape the pieces into balls. Place the dough balls on a parchment-lined sheet pan and bake for 20 minutes. That's it! See what I mean? Easy, ridiculously easy!
Oh, one more thing; wipe that drool off your mouth, and please, try to wait till they've cooled just a bit before you start sampling.
I saw these beautiful rolls a few months ago on Pinterest. They originated on a beautiful blog called Alexandra's Kitchen. I did adapt the recipe slightly, but she's the genius who came up with the technique.
It's hard to find really good artisan bread unless you live in a big city where there are lots of bakers. Here in Asheville, NC, there are several high-quality bread shops, but they're few and far between. So what do you do if you're craving delicious, European-style bread? You know, the crusty exterior and chewy, richly-flavored-interior type of bread with those big irregular holes?
In the past all I could personally do was dream about it but now the answer is super simple, I just whip up a batch of these Ridiculously Easy Artisan Rolls.
I started to call them dinner rolls but changed my mind when I thought about how versatile they are. While they do make wonderful dinner rolls, I also love these rolls for sandwiches and as an accompaniment to soups and salads.
Four Ingredients
And, while my recipe today has just four ingredients; flour, yeast, salt and water, you can get really creative with herbs and spices. My favorites are rosemary and sea salt, but I was at Whole Foods for lunch recently and had a crusty dinner roll with Parmesan and fresh ground pepper. That just might be my next version!
Make ahead!
Do you know what might be even better than the simplicity of this Ridiculously Easy Artisan Rolls recipe? The fact that you can make a batch in advance and freeze them for several weeks. Just under-bake the rolls slightly, then pop them in the freezer after cooling. Pull the rolls out of the freezer a few hours in advance and warm them for 8-10 minutes before serving. They'll taste just like freshly baked!
Imagine a basketful of these fragrant rolls being passed around the table at your next dinner party. You'd be sure to see smiles of delight, as each guest peeks under the napkin. Be prepared for lots of compliments, as the warm rolls are savored by one and all. Only you will know that the total hands-on time for these rolls is less than 20 minutes!
Café Tips for Making these Ridiculously Easy Artisan Rolls
- Use plenty of flour on your work surface. This is what will keep the dough from sticking. You will need at least a ¼ cup, maybe more, depending on how wet your dough is. I also like to keep my hands well-floured while shaping the rolls.
- A metal bench scraper (aka a dough scraper) is a wonderful tool to have when making bread, rolls, etc. It will keep your hands from getting sticky as you can use it to move the dough and coat it with flour. Also turning the dough a couple of times on a well-floured surface with a bench scraper, will also keep the dough from sticking to the counter. And lastly, a bench scraper makes cleaning the counter a breeze as you can just scrape up any excess dough and flour.
- Do you have to let the dough rise for 10-12 hours? Nope! I've been in a pinch a number of times and have sped up the rising time by using warm water instead of room temperature water. The rolls still turn out and are delicious BUT the beautiful craggy interiors of these rolls are definitely improved with a long slow rise. There is also more depth of flavor - so if you have the time, by all means, go for the overnight l-o-n-g, s-l-o-w rise.
- This Ridiculously Easy Artisan Rolls recipe is a bit unusual in that you form the rolls by pulling the edges under, then pinch them together to form a smooth ball and place them on the baking pan with the pinched side UP. All other roll recipes that I've ever used direct you to place the rolls on a baking pan, smooth side up. Being a bit of a rebel, I decided to try baking them with the pinched side up and LOVED the beautiful artisan whimsical presentation when the rolls "rolled" out of the oven.
- I love these pre-cut sheets of parchment paper. They save a lot of time in the kitchen, as they're the perfect size for a half sheet pan.
- For regular parchment paper, I really like the Kirkland brand that Costco sells. The problem is, that they only carry it seasonally. I was happy to discover you can purchase it online with free shipping. A roll like this will last a long time and is way more economical than the typical size rolls that you often find.
P.S. If you love delicious, EASY bread recipes, be sure sure to check out our Ridiculously Easy Rosemary Bread. SO good and you won't believe the amazing aroma that will fill your house; AND how easy it is!
Unbelievably Easy Artisan Rolls
Ingredients
- 4 cups bread flour, plus extra for shaping
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon active dry yeast (traditional)
- 2 cups room-temperature tap water
Instructions
- In a medium-large bowl, whisk together the bread flour, salt, and yeast. Make a well in the center and add the water. Mix with a sturdy rubber spatula until all flour is incorporated. Don’t worry, the dough will be wet and sticky, that’s how it should be. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and leave to rise at room temperature for 10 to 12 hours.
- The following morning (or after 10-12 hours), the dough will have risen, but it may still look shaggy and its surface will be covered with bubbles.
- Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 425ºF.
- Spread a generous ¼ cup of flour on a work surface. Dump the dough out onto the floured surface and turn it several times to coat with flour. I like to use a bench scraper for this.
- Divide the dough into 12-16 equal portions, turning each piece in the flour to coat. (The bench scraper is also great for cutting the dough). Shape each piece into a ball, pulling edges under and pinching together to make a smooth top. Invert balls and place on prepared pan, pinched side up. This will give you craggy, rustic textured rolls. If the dough is sticky as you’re shaping, just roll the piece in more of the flour. Let shaped rolls rise for 20 minutes.
- The rolls may look a little deflated as they're rising and they won't rise a ton during the 20 minutes but a little magic happens when they hit the hot oven and you'll be shocked at how beautiful they look when baked.
- Transfer the pan to the oven. Bake 15 minutes. Rotate pan. Bake 5 minutes more or until nicely golden. Transfer rolls to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- If making in advance, remove from oven when pale golden brown (about 3-4 minutes less). Cool completely, then freeze on a baking sheet. Once frozen, transfer rolls to a large zip lock bag and store in the freezer. To serve, allow rolls to thaw, then heat for 10-12 minutes at 325˚F.
Notes
Nutrition
Sel says
i am already experimenting with different herb combinations. Also, crust for a delicious pizza......
There are a hundred and one things to do with this recipe......thx for sharing.
Chris Scheuer says
That's wonderful See! Let us know your favorites 🙂
Leslie says
Can you suggest a whole wheat version? I try not to make white bread anymore (not that I don't love it). It seems better to me to add some fiber if I can.
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Leslie, I haven't tried these yet with whole wheat flour but I would probably start with just one cup of whole wheat flour or perhaps more of the white whole wheat flour from King Arthur (it's a little lighter than regular ww flour(.
Summer says
Simple and yummy ♥
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks Summer!
Jenna says
Holy wow, you weren't kidding about incredibly east Chris! I can't wait to try these, the texture looks amazing! Thank you!
Mollybea says
I don't understand why the setup has changed. When I hit Print on your website, viewing from my iPad, within TG E Print mode, the recipe page comes up blank. I can't print the recipes anymore.
New also are all these icons at the bottom of the page which is annoying, you can't minimize or get rid of them. I also used to,have the option to switch to Safari to print and that isn't there either (although that feature may have only been in Pintrest.)
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Mollybea,
Sorry you've had difficulty. We'll check into this and see if there are issues wit hour print button. In the meantime, I've email you the recipe. Hope you enjoy it 🙂
Arlene Kestner, Baton Rouge says
Can recipe be used to make artisan bread rather than rolls?
Chris Scheuer says
Yes!
Pauline says
Could I substitute all purpose flour for bread flour.
I am a great fan of Jim Laheys overnight bread, so am anxious to try these
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Pauline, I think all purpose flour should work, I just haven't tested it.
Peggi Yacovissi says
Chris- Could this dough be shaped into a loaf or 2 small loaves, instead of rolls? If so, what might baking time be?
Peggi
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Peggy, yes, you could definitely do either a loaf or 2 small ones. I would bake for at least 30 minutes.
Arlene Kestner says
Can recipe be used to make artisan bread rather than rolls?
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Arlene, yes, definitely. It would need to bake longer though.
mary says
Do u think you could use sourdough in this recipe? This looks absolutely amazing -- but then, don't ALL your recipes? Thanks for this, dear!! 🙂
Chris Scheuer says
Thank you Mary! I haven't tired a sourdough version but it sounds wonderful!
Jennifer says
Did you use instant yeast or rapid rise or just the regular?
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Jennifer,
The original recipe called for instant yeast but I tried it with regular yeast and it works great. I just used a little extra. The recipe called for 1/2 teaspoon instant but I used 1 teaspoon regular yeast with success every time. Enjoy!
Susan says
We are lucky to have several wonderful artisan bakeries in town but I still love creating my own at home. I love the do-ahead ease of these too. Pass the butter!
Chris Scheuer says
You are lucky Susan!
Alice Kolonis says
Chris these look amazing!! I'll be putting the dough together tonight. They'll be perfect with soup tomorrow for dinner. Love your recipes Chris. They always look delicious and simple. Most of the time I have the ingredients on hand. It's nice to follow someone who cooks like I do. Thanks for having the desire and taking the time to create (and perfect) such lovely recipes.
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks so much Alice, enjoy the bread!
Shannon, Ontario Canada says
Chris - Where have you been all my life? I've searched endless websites and recipes, and they're either way too complicated or way too beginner --. I love how simple and wholesome your ingredients and directions are. Thanks for speaking my food language. You inspire me!
Chris Scheuer says
Thank you Shannon, that is the sweetest, most encouraging comment. I appreciate you taking the time 🙂 Welcome to The Café!
Vicki Bensinger says
These are so quick and easy. They're perfect for Thanksgiving when there's so much prep already.
Chris Scheuer says
Yes, I love that aspect Vicki. Anything that makes entertaining easier is right up my alley!
Jennifer @ Seasons and Suppers says
You are definitely speaking my language with these lovely rolls! Love the magic that is no-knead, though never thought to make it as rolls. Brilliant 🙂
Chris Scheuer says
Yes, this is your language Jennifer, you are the best baker!
Tricia @ Saving room for dessert says
Good morning Chris - I love baking bread and this recipe really appeals to me! Homemade rolls with simple easy directions - how perfect! I am drooling over that warm roll slathered with butter. I could hurt myself on these rolls. Thank you so much for sharing this terrific recipe - can't wait to try them, and freeze them too!
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks so much Tricia. Don't tell anyone but I did hurt myself a little bit on these rolls, I had to walk a long ways to make up for my indulgences!
Regina Gouge says
These bread rolls make me miss you
Let's cook together again, soon:)
love, geenie
Chris Scheuer says
aww... Geeenie, me too! I'm doing a pizza class this week for our small group. Wish you were here to do it with me!!
Jim Bertucci says
Chris, PLEASE email the pizza class recipe. I never have been able to nail a good tasting pizza dough.
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Jim, I will be sharing the pizza recipe in an upcoming post. It's a thin crust and super crisp.
Regina Gouge says
me too - I could be there in no time at all:)
small groups were our specialty:):):)
sue | theviewfromgreatisland says
I love this Chris, we can't get any good bread out here in Southern CA ~ I need to make it myself!
Chris Scheuer says
It is kind of crazy how hard it is to find good bread. But you won't believe how easy these rolls are!
Liz says
Oh, my gosh, I need these in my life!!! Perfect with butter melting into all those nooks and crannies!!!
Chris Scheuer says
That butter melting into all the nooks and crannies can be a problem Liz, it's hard to eat just one! (don't ask me how I know this!)
Jo says
Can't wait to try this recipe they look delicious.. Re: parchment, Sams Club has had a crazy inexpensive deal on parchment rolls, it's the same brand Costco carries and it was under $5.. Great quality and as King Arthur recommends I use it until it falls apart. Also I highly recommend King Arthur's Hamburger bun recipe is easy and taste really good, I do the 2 egg variation and I think I'm going to make the recipe into rolls for thanksgiving. Love your blog, I look forward to each new post!
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks Jo for all the great tips! I will check out the Sam's parchment paper! King Arthur does have wonderful recipes and I'm glad to know about the hamburger bun recipe, yum!
Karen (Back Road Journal) says
It doesn't get much easier than that and they look so good.
Chris Scheuer says
And taste good too Karen!
Monique says
They are perfect my dear..Pinalalala..lalala:)
Chris Scheuer says
Monique, you crack me up!
Ginny Hartzler says
Wow, who knew? My mouth is watering!! For me, bread may be even better than chocolate. Notice I said 'may".
Chris Scheuer says
So true Ginny! I go overboard for a delicious, crusty, soft-on-the-inside loaf of bread!
Angie@Angie's Recipes says
They look so good with open crumb and crunchy crust!
Chris Scheuer says
I'm with you Angie!