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Golden, shiny dinner rolls arranged closely in a circular baking dish evoke the charm of a classic dough balls recipe. Topped with chopped herbs and a light glaze, they create a warm and appetising appearance against the wooden table and blue cloth peeking through.
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Dough Balls Recipe

Soft, fluffy dough balls baked tear-and-share style in the oven. Serve with your favourite dip (try my beer cheese dip), make mini sliders, brush them with garlic butter, or use to swipe up the pasta sauce at the bottom of your bowl.
Prep Time1 hour 50 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time2 hours 20 minutes
Course: Appetizer, Party Food
Cuisine: Italian-American
Keyword: Any Time Of the year, Party Food, sharing food
Servings: 28 -30 dough balls
Author Nicky Corbishley

Ingredients

Dough Balls:

  • 500 g (4 cup + 1 tbsp) strong white bread flour
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 25 g (3 tbsp) caster sugar
  • 10 g (3 tsp) instant yeast
  • 30 g (2 tbsp) unsalted butter softened
  • 330 ml (1 1/2 cups) warm (but not hot) milk
  • 1 tbsp oil

Also:

  • 1 tbsp unsalted butter melted

Instructions

  • Place the flour in a food mixer bowl with dough hook attachment. Add the salt and sugar to one side of the bowl, and the instant yeast to the other side (yeast and salt don’t like to be in direct contact).
    500 g (4 cup + 1 tbsp) strong white bread flour, 2 tsp salt, 25 g (3 tbsp) caster sugar, 10 g (3 tsp) instant yeast
  • Add in the butter and milk. Turn the mixer on to a medium speed and let it mix the dough ingredients, then let run for 7-8 minutes. The dough will be wet and sticky at first, but will be soft and smooth towards the end.
    30 g (2 tbsp) unsalted butter, 330 ml (1 1/2 cups) warm (but not hot) milk
  • Wipe a little oil around the inside of a large bowl and transfer the dough to the bowl. Cover with clingfilm and allow to prove in a warm room for about an hour, until doubled in size.
    1 tbsp oil
  • Once the dough has doubled in size, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knock the air back out of it by folding it in on itself repeatedly.
  • Divide the dough into small, equal size pieces, weighing approximately 30g each. Roll each portion into a ball. Arrange the dough balls in a large oven-proof dish. Leave a little bit of space between each ball so they can expand. Cover the dish in clingfilm and leave to prove for another 30-40 mins.
  • Preheat the oven to 190C/375F (fan).
  • Once the dough has proved, remove the clingfilm and place the dish in the oven in the oven for 20-25 minutes until the dough balls are golden.
    1 tbsp unsalted butter
  • Take out of the oven and brush the melted butter on the rolls whilst they’re still hot. Leave the dough balls to cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

Can I make dough balls ahead?

I like serving these fresh out of the oven, whilst they're still fresh, fluffy, and warm. However, they stay nice and soft for a day or two, stored in an airtight container at room temperature.
Nutritional information is approximate, per dough ball, (based 30 dough balls in this recipe).

Nutrition

Calories: 86kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 5mg | Sodium: 163mg | Potassium: 37mg | Fiber: 0.5g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 55IU | Vitamin C: 0.001mg | Calcium: 17mg | Iron: 0.2mg

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