



I’m a sucker for super soft rolls.
Before I knew how to bake, I’d buy a bunch of Rhodes Rolls to keep in my freezer and make those whenever I had a classic chicken dinner planned. They were soft, they were easy, and they went well with just about anything.
But now, I have a recipe that I love to make more than Rhodes Rolls. These super soft sourdough discard rolls are flavorful, simple, and fast. Top them with melted butter or jam, and you have the perfect side for a variety of meals.

This recipe also works well if you don’t have any sourdough starter on hand or if you don’t like that telltale tang of sourdough. Simply replace the sourdough starter with equal amounts flour and water (so 113 grams of each), and you’re good to go.

Soft Sourdough Discard Rolls
Ingredients
- 600 Grams Warm Water (2 1/2 cups)
- 18.6 Grams Dry Active Yeast (2 Tablespoons)
- 226 Grams Sourdough Starter Discard (1 Cup)
- 1020 Grams All-Purpose Flour (8 1/2 Cups)
- 50.25 Grams White Granulated Sugar (1/4 Cup)
- 12 Grams Salt (2 Teaspoons)
- 54.5 Grams Vegetable Oil (1/4 Cup)
Instructions
- In the bowl of a standing mixer, combine the warm water and the yeast. Stir and then let the yeast sit for 10 minutes to proof.
- Add the sourdough starter and stir until well incorporated.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt.
- Add the flour mixture to the yeast mixture and the vegetable oil to the standing mixer bowl.
- On a low setting, use the dough hook of the standing mixer to knead everything together. Continue to mix until the dough pulls away from and cleans the sides of the bowl.
- Turn out the dough onto a lightly greased surface and shape into a round.
- Place round in a lightly greased container with a lid. Let dough rest until double in size, about 45 minutes to 1 hour depending on kitchen temperature.
- Turn dough out onto lightly greased surface and punch down. Divide the dough into 24 pieces and shape into balls. Each ball should weigh about 80 grams.
- Place dough balls onto a greased baking sheet. Cover and let rest for 30 to 45 minutes until double.
- Preheat the oven to 400° Fahrenheit (204° Celsius) and bake for 16 to 18 minutes.
- Brush with melted butter and serve warm.
Notes
Did You Try It?
I love these super soft bread rolls, and I love how easy they are to make for my family. But what did you think of the recipe? Did you like it? Did you adjust it to make it better?
Share your baking experience in the comment section below!
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe! Just did it yesterday and I appreciated how simple it was and the delicious taste + texture of the rolls — also how versatile they are. For example, last night we ate them as dinner rolls but today we’re using them as hamburger buns. Have you ever shaped them into other forms than rolls, like loaves?
I haven’t tried making them into loaves but that’s a fantastic idea! I’ll have to play around with it and see what happens. I have made them into buns and they were excellent 🙂 I’m so glad you tried them and liked them.
Hi there! Can I use organic unbleached bread flour (I have King Arthur brand) instead of all purpose flour? Thanks!
Sure! Bread flour should work just fine. In fact, it might have even better texture than all purpose. Happy baking!