This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, read my disclosure policy.

If you’re looking for an easy homemade dinner roll, then these Cloverleaf Rolls are the perfect recipe for you. My daughter proclaimed these the BEST dinner rolls she’d ever eaten – soft and fluffy pull apart buttery rolls are so good!

multiple dinner rolls in a bread basket.

Dinner isn’t complete without some sort of bread as a side dish. Whether I’m making soup or salad for a weeknight dinner or going full out and making a special occasion meal, I’m always in the mood to make dinner rolls.

Rise time is only 30 minutes
You can make them with or without a mixer – I’m showing you how to do it by hand!
The recipe makes 12 perfect pull apart rolls!

My daughter said these were the best rolls I’d ever made – and she’s an authority on dinner rolls since I make them so much!

Ingredients Needed

Instant Yeast – As always, yeast matters when you’re making bread or rolls. There are different types and you need to pay attention to which one you’re using.
All-Purpose Flour – you can always substitute bread flour
Sugar – this helps activate the yeast, it does not make a sweet roll
Salt – for flavoring the bread
Milk and Water – Nondairy milk works, or any kind of milk
Butter – Adds a ton of flavor and we’ll brush the rolls with it too.

How to make Cloverleaf Rolls

Start the recipe by adding the dry ingredients in a large bowl. I always start with just part of the flour to get the mixture going, then we’ll add the rest later.
It’s important to get your liquid to the right temperature (between 120-130°) so it’s warm enough to activate the yeast but not so hot as to kill it. You can think very warm water or use an instant read thermometer to check the temperature.
Add the wet ingredients into the dry, along with more flour, up to 2 1/4 cups, stirring until the dough comes together. You can do this by hand, as I have, or you can use a stand mixer. Your choice!
Once the dough comes together and can’t be stirred anymore, it’s time to knead it. (Learn more about kneading techniques here.) Knead the dough on a floured surface for about 6-8 minutes. Work the dough back and forth over itself until it forms a cohesive ball.
You’ll know you are done kneading when the dough forms a ball and will spring back when touched with two fingers.This dough ball needs to rest for just 10 minutes.

Roll dough pieces on a wood cutting board with yeast packet

Raw dough in muffin pan before being baked into cloverleaf dinner rolls

How to form Cloverleaf Rolls

These rolls are like monkey bread: they have little bite sized pieces of dough that form the shape. You’ll need to cut the dough into 36 pieces.

First, cut the dough into 4 pieces .Cut each quarter into thirds, then cut each little third into thirds for 36 pieces.
Dinner Rolls in Muffin Pans: I love that these rolls are baked in a muffin tin. It makes them so much fun! Simply spray a traditional, 12-cup cupcake pan with nonstick spray, then add 3 pieces to each one. Then cover and let the rolls rise for 30 minutes.
Bake the rolls at 375°F until they are nice and golden brown. Once the rolls are baked, I like to brush them with melted butter because melted butter makes everything better.

multiple dinner rolls in a stainless steal muffin tin.

Expert Tips for Dinner Rolls

Be sure to pay attention to the kind of yeast you’re using. This recipe was written for rapid quick yeast – you cannot substitute active dry.
It’s important that your water is the right temperature. That’s why I recommend an instant read thermometer.
Be sure to read the entire recipe before starting.
You can do this by hand or in a stand mixer. The stand mixer will knead the dough for you so you don’t have to do as much by hand.