Frozen dinner rolls make it easy to enjoy fresh, hot bread any night. This homemade Rhodes-style roll method comes together quickly and stores for months in the freezer. These rolls often taste even better than the store-bought frozen varieties.
Recently I was swamped preparing to be the camp cook for our church’s girls camp. I was responsible for feeding 90 people, so the time, stress, and intensity of those weeks were real. To stay sane, I kept the menu straightforward. Despite being a food blogger, I didn’t serve an endless parade of baked treats—though I know some expected that.
Still, I couldn’t ignore my inner foodie. For the first night I decided to treat everyone and make 240 homemade rolls. It was ambitious given everything else to prepare, so I relied on my technique for DIY frozen dinner rolls. It’s a huge time saver.
To make frozen dinner rolls, start by preparing your favorite dinner roll dough and let it rise covered until doubled. After the first rise, shape the dough into individual rolls on a lightly greased cookie sheet and cover them loosely. Don’t let them fully proof at this stage—you want them to just begin to puff. I like to use a heavy duty half sheet pan for freezing, which keeps the rolls steady and flat while they firm up.
Once the shaped rolls have only slightly puffed, place the uncovered pan directly into the freezer until the rolls are frozen solid. This usually takes 8–12 hours. When they are completely frozen, remove the pan and transfer the rolls into a large freezer bag or airtight container. Return them to the freezer; they will keep well for about a month.
When you’re ready to bake, arrange the frozen rolls on a lightly greased cookie sheet and cover them lightly. Allow them to rise until doubled. Because they start frozen, this rise can take 5–7 hours at room temperature depending on how warm your home is. To speed things up, you can use a warm oven: heat the oven to 150°F (65°C), turn it off, and let the rolls rise inside—this typically cuts the rising time roughly in half. Once they have fully risen, bake according to your recipe’s instructions for fresh, tender dinner rolls.
This method makes it easy to prepare dough in large batches and keep ready-to-bake rolls on hand. It’s perfect for busy weeks, large gatherings, or whenever you want the convenience of frozen rolls with the flavor and texture of homemade bread.