Sourdough Rolls in Dutch Oven - No-Knead, No Yeast!

Struggling to choose between baking sourdough bread or rolls? Try this straightforward Dutch oven sourdough rolls recipe, a perfect blend of both. These rolls are as simple as it gets, made from just starter, water, flour, and salt. They're a wholesome alternative to traditional buttery sourdough dinner rolls.

Baked in a Dutch oven, these rolls have the same great taste as your favorite sourdough loaf! But they are more fun to eat (just ask your kids, they'll tell you). They're perfect for making sourdough sandwiches as well.

(If you searched for this recipe with sourdough sandwiches in mind, be sure to check out my sourdough sandwich rolls or sourdough potato rolls!)

Jump to:

• Ingredients
• How To Make Dutch Oven Sourdough Rolls
• Substitution Notes
• Variations & Add-ins
• Tools You'll Need
• 💭Crucial Success Tips
• FAQ
• More Sourdough Recipes
• 📖Printable Recipe
• Baking Schedule
• How To Store Sourdough Rolls
• Pin It For Later
• End Notes

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Ingredients

Like with any basic sourdough bread recipe, you'll only need the most simple ingredients:

• active sourdough starter

Use a lively, fed starter; it doesn't need to be very old. The quantity of starter used significantly influences both the rising time and the bread's flavor. Adding more starter results in a quicker rise and a milder taste, while using less will slow the rise and enhance the sourdough's distinct flavor. I typically use a bit more active starter to accelerate the bulk fermentation process, so these rolls have slightly more starter in them to do just that!

• water

If you want to speed up your starter's activity, use warm water. There's no need for filtered water unless your tap water is heavily chlorinated.

• salt

Ordinary table salt works well. In fact, any type of salt is suitable, provided you use the right amount. Even though it may not appear like much, salt plays a vital role in the fermentation process. Since we eat a lot of homemade bread, I still like to use real salt without unnecessary additives!

• all-purpose flour

I opted for all-purpose flour in this recipe to ensure a soft, airy texture. Bread flour isn't necessary since we are not weighing the rolls down with any fat or other additions. It's worth mentioning, though, that different flours have distinct water absorption capacities. So, my tip is to begin with slightly less flour than the recipe suggests. This is especially important if you're using a mixture of flour. This way, you can tweak the quantity as you mix, achieving the perfect consistency.

See recipe card for quantities.

How To Make Dutch Oven Sourdough Rolls

Hint: Keep the dough covered tightly between the sets of stretch and folds and then throughout the bulk fermentation to prevent it from drying out!

Substitution Notes

You can try using some whole wheat or rye flour in your recipe. Adding about 20% of either is okay and won't change the recipe too much. But, you might need to add a bit more water because they soak up more. Just remember, using whole wheat flour can make the rolls a little heavier.

Variations & Add-ins

While the "original" sourdough Dutch oven rolls made with water are great, I experimented with an interesting twist: sourdough rolls made with whole milk. When I made them with milk, the rolls had a richer flavor and a slightly softer texture. Just use whole milk instead of water, the ratios and rising times stay the same.

I haven't posted this milk-based recipe on the blog yet, but it's a delightful change that I'm excited to share soon

Tools You'll Need

• Large mixing bowl
• Something to cover your dough with - a plastic bag, plastic foil, or you can also use a wet tea towel!
• I really recommend using a digital kitchen scale! They're cheap and can make your sourdough baking much more predictable. But you can make this recipe using only measuring cups and spoons as well.
• (Cast Iron) Dutch oven - I use this beautiful red one from Lodge, which is available on Amazon. It's on sale half the time, so be sure to check it out if you're looking for one
• Parchment paper
• Bench scraper (not necessary, but very practical)

FAQ

More Sourdough Recipes

Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:

📖Printable Recipe

Baking Schedule

Morning:

8:00 AM - Mix Ingredients: Combine all in a bowl, cover, and rest for 30 minutes.

8:30 AM - Start First Rise: Begin the first rise, which lasts 6 hours. Perform stretch and folds every 20 minutes for the first hour.

9:30 AM to 2:30 PM - First Rise: Let the dough ferment undisturbed.

Afternoon:

2:30 PM - Shape Rolls: Divide and shape into 8 balls, placing them on parchment in a circle.

2:45 PM - Begin Second Rise: Let them rise for 1 to 3 hours depending on temperature.

Late Afternoon/Evening:

4:45 PM - Preheat Dutch Oven: Start preheating your oven with the Dutch oven inside.

5:15 PM or 6:15 PM - Bake Rolls: Bake at 460°F for 15 minutes, then at 440°F for 8 minutes after removing the lid.

How To Store Sourdough Rolls

Store them at room temperature in an airtight bag or container, and they'll keep fresh for 3-4 days. In the fridge, they'll stay good for about a week.

You also have the option to freeze them for 1-2 months. I haven't tried freezing these particular ones, though – we always end up eating them too fast

Pin It For Later

End Notes

If you have any trouble with the recipe or questions, just write them down in the comments. I'll try to help out. And if you made it, tell me how it went – I really like hearing from you!

HAPPY BAKING! 👩‍🍳🍞