These Lion House Rolls are the perfect dinner rolls! The recipe is a favorite from the Lion House Pantry in Salt Lake City, Utah for a reason – they are soft and buttery and perfect.
We love homemade rolls! For other favorites, check out these Parker House Rolls, Butterhorn Rolls, or this Dinner Roll Recipe.
Lion House Rolls
Years ago, I went to a local cooking class. One of the chefs there was from a restaurant called The Lion House Pantry. He showed us many recipes, but the one I was interested in the most was the recipe for these Lion House Rolls. These dinner rolls are famous here in Utah. Today, you can find them being sold by the thousands around all of the major food holidays. And I’m pretty sure they are pretty easy to come by any other time of the year, as well.
But to be able to make them at home? Count me in!!
You will always recognize these dinner rolls from the way that they are shaped. But the shape is not what makes them so special. These Lion House Rolls are soft and buttery and the absolute perfect holiday roll. Or the perfect Sunday night dinner roll. I have made them dozens of times through the years since I first made these in 2009. They are always my first go-to when I am taking rolls for a holiday dinner. In fact, I don’t think a holiday would be complete without them, now!
Ingredients in these Homemade Dinner Rolls
Here is what you will need to make these Lion House Rolls:
- Water – make sure it is warm, but not too hot to kill your yeast.
- Instant Dry Milk – This comes in a box and is dried, granulated milk. You can usually find it in the baking aisle at the grocery store.
- Yeast – I use active dry yeast.
- Sugar – you’ll use a bit to activate the yeast, and then you’ll add the rest in.
- Salt
- Butter – I wouldn’t suggest substituting margarine. Butter all the way!
- Egg
- Flour – you can use all-purpose or bread flour. Both will work just fine!
How to Shape Lion House Rolls
Roll the dough into an 11×14-inch rectangle.
Brush the surface of the dough with melted butter.
Cut the dough in half horizontally.
Cut into 2×4 rectangles. You can use your hand as a guide for sizing.
Roll the rectangles and place on your baking sheet with the tail ends resting on the sheet.
How to make Lion House Rolls Video
If you’d like to see how to make these rolls, you can watch the video below.
More Holiday Worthy Recipes
Honey Glazed Ham
Hot Cross Buns
Honey Herb Glazed Turkey
Oven Roasted Carrots
Roasted Brussels Sprouts
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Lion House Rolls
Ingredients
- 2 cups warm water
- 2/3 cup nonfat instant dry milk
- 2 tablespoons active dry yeast
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1/3 cup butter softened
- 1 egg
- 5-5 1/2 cups flour (you can use all-purpose or bread flour)
- 3 tablespoons butter melted, plus softened butter for brushing on top after the rolls are baked
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the water and the milk powder and stir to dissolve the milk. Add in the yeast and a tablespoon or so of the sugar and allow the yeast to bloom for 5-10 minutes. Add in the remaining sugar, salt, butter, egg and 2 cups of the flour.2 cups warm water, 2/3 cup nonfat instant dry milk, 2 tablespoons active dry yeast, 1/4 cup sugar, 2 teaspoons salt, 1/3 cup butter, 1 egg, 5-5 1/2 cups flour
- Mix on low speed until all of the ingredients are wet, then mix on medium for 2 minutes. Stop the mixer and add 2 more cups of flour, mix on low until combined, then on medium for 2 minutes. The dough will be getting stiffer at this point. Continue adding flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until the dough is soft and tacky, but not sticky.
- Place the dough in a greased bowl and turn to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise in a warm spot until doubled in size.
- Sprinkle a work surface lightly with flour. Divide the dough in half. Roll out one half of the dough into an 11×14-inch rectangle. Brush the top of the dough with half of the melted butter. Using a pizza cutter, cut the dough in half horizontally right down the center. Slice the dough into rectangles about 2×4″ big. If you hold your hand out so that your hand forms an “L” shape, it can help to be your guide for sizing.3 tablespoons butter
- Roll or flip the rectangles, buttered side in, and place on a greased baking pan with the end resting on the baking sheet. Repeat with the second half of the dough.
- Cover with a towel or plastic wrap and allow to rise until doubled.
- Preheat the oven to 375F. Uncover the rolls and bake until they are browned and cooked through, 15-20 minutes. Brush with softened or melted butter while they are still hot.
paul says
5 stars!
PJ Spencer says
Since you posted this recipe and I started making it, I get the same questions around the holidays “You are going to make the rolls, right?” These are “the rolls” to my family. For the holidays, I’m not allowed to make anything else as this is what makes it a special holiday dinner. I do make other rolls, but this is the special recipe everyone looks for at Thanksgiving and Christmas. Thank you!!
Deborah says
I love it!! These really always make me think of Thanksgiving!
Mary E Remington says
This is one of the best dinner roll recipes I’ve ever tried!! They are DELICIOUS, not hard to make (excellent instructions) and my husband was ready to eat all of them. I was ready to help him except they are for a holiday dinner so we both have to wait (we did split one). The dough feels like a pillow when your knead it and it’s very easy to cut out the rectangles. It’s a WINNER!!!!
Carmen says
This is a keeper! We loved it. So soft and fluffy