These sourdough rolls are light, moist, and buttery, with a distinct tangy flavor and a pleasing chew from ripe sourdough starter. Baking them clustered together in two 8" round pans ensures that each roll retains its soft, pillowy texture on all sides. Sourdough rolls are perfect for soaking up a melting pat of butter, or gravy and cranberry sauce at a Thanksgiving feast.
Weigh your flour; or measure it by gently spooning it into a cup, then sweeping off any excess. Combine all of the ingredients, and mix and knead — by hand, mixer, or bread machine set on the dough cycle — adding more flour or water if necessary to make a soft, smooth dough.
Place the dough into a lightly greased bowl, cover, and allow it to rise at warm room temperature until it's nearly doubled in bulk, 60 to 90 minutes.
While the dough is rising, lightly grease two 8" round cake pans.
Transfer the dough to a lightly greased work surface, gently deflate it, and divide it into 16 pieces.
Shape each piece of dough into a ball. Place eight balls in each of the round pans; if you space the balls evenly, they shouldn't touch one another.
Cover the pans and allow the rolls to rise until they touch one another and are very puffy, about 60 to 90 minutes.
While the rolls are rising, preheat the oven to 350°F.
Bake the sourdough rolls for 24 to 26 minutes, until they're a light golden brown on top; a digital thermometer inserted into one of the center rolls should read 190°F.
Remove the sourdough rolls from the oven and, after 2 or 3 minutes, carefully transfer them to a rack to cool.
Store leftover sourdough rolls well-wrapped at room temperature for several days. Freeze the rolls, wrapped airtight, for up to three months.
Don’t have any starter? Here’s a recipe for homemade sourdough starter. If you're making it from scratch, you'll need to feed it for 5 to 7 days before it’s ready for baking. Want a head start? Purchase our classic fresh sourdough starter — it’ll be ready for baking soon after it arrives at your door. Looking for tips, techniques, and all kinds of great information about sourdough baking? Find what you need in our sourdough baking guide.
