Fluffy Milk Bread Rolls (Freezer-Friendly & Perfect for Back-to-School Lunches)

Back-to-school season calls for easy, no-fuss recipes that actually work—and these fluffy milk bread rolls deliver. They’re soft, slightly sweet, and ideal for sandwiches. Bake a batch on Sunday, freeze them, and just pull one out the night before. By lunchtime the next day, it’s perfectly thawed and ready to eat—no soggy texture, no fuss. Ideal for parents, busy professionals, or anyone who wants make-ahead meals without sacrificing taste.

What are Fluffy Milk Bread Rolls? Soft, pull-apart buns made with milk, butter, and eggs—perfect for back-to-school lunches, freezer meal prep, and low-effort weeknight dinners. These rolls are a school lunch lifesaver: make once, freeze, and enjoy all week with zero hassle.

Makes 20 soft rolls • 213 calories each • Ready in under 3 hours

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Recipe

• Makes 20 soft rolls

• 213 calories each

• Ready in under 3 hours

Fluffy Milk Bread Rolls (Freezer-Friendly & Perfect for Back-to-School Lunches)

Ingredients:

• 1 cup warm whole milk (about 110°F)

• 1 cup warm water

• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled

• 2 large eggs, room temperature

• 4 tablespoons granulated sugar

• 2¼ teaspoons instant yeast (or 1 tbsp active dry)

• 2 teaspoons sea salt

• 6 to 6½ cups all-purpose flour

• 2 tablespoons melted butter (for brushing, optional)

Instructions:

• Warm and mix: In a large bowl, combine warm milk, warm water, and sugar. If using active dry yeast, sprinkle it over and let it sit until foamy (about 5–10 minutes). If using instant yeast, you can skip the bloom.

• Add fat and eggs: Mix in the eggs and melted butter until smooth.

• Build the dough: Stir in 5½ cups of flour and the salt. Mix until a shaggy dough forms. Gradually add the remaining flour, kneading by hand or using a stand mixer, until the dough is soft and elastic but slightly tacky—not sticky.

• Let it rise: Transfer dough to a greased bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm spot for about 1 to 1½ hours, or until doubled.

• Shape the rolls: Turn dough onto a floured surface and divide into 20 equal pieces (about 72g each). Roll each into a smooth ball, pulling the dough taut underneath.

• Second rise: Place rolls in two greased 9×13-inch pans or on a large sheet tray, spaced slightly apart. Cover loosely and let rise again for 45–60 minutes, until puffy and touching.

• Bake: Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Bake for 20–25 minutes, or until golden brown and hollow-sounding when tapped.

• Butter finish: While still hot, brush with melted butter for shine and softness.

Nutrition per roll (72g):

• Calories: 213

• Protein: 5.6g

• Carbs: 32g

• Fat: 7.1g

• Saturated Fat: 4.1g

• Sugar: 3.5g

• Fiber: 1.1g

• Sodium: 210mg

Storage Instructions:

• Room Temp: Store in an airtight container up to 2 days.

• Fridge: Keep up to 5 days. Reheat before serving.

• Freezer (Best for School Prep): Cool rolls completely after baking. Place in freezer-safe bags and freeze up to 3 months.

  • For School Lunches: The night before, place a frozen roll in the fridge or lunchbox. It will thaw overnight and be soft and ready to use by lunchtime—no heating required.

Warm and mix

Warm and mix

Warm and mix

Warm and mix

Add fat and eggs

Warm and mix

Add fat and eggs

Add fat and eggs

Build the dough

Let it rise

Let it rise

Shape the rolls

Second rise

Second rise

Optional - brush with butter

Bake

Butter finish

Butter finish

Butter finish

Enjoy :-)

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Prompt

Here's how I prompted the "Fluffy Milk Bread Rolls (Freezer-Friendly & Perfect for Back-to-School Lunches)" recipe.

I have made a few dinner rolls before however I really wanted to make the perfect ones, as they are the main sandwich bread my kids eat:

Recipe for amazing and airy, slightly sweet, dinner rolls (pull apart buns) rich in milk and butter? Double quantity so I can freeze for school sandwiches please

ChatGPT:

Absolutely — here’s a recipe for amazing, airy, slightly sweet pull-apart dinner rolls made rich with milk and butter. This double batch yields 24 soft, golden buns, perfect for freezing and using for sandwiches or school lunches.

✨ Buttery Milk Dinner Rolls (Pull-Apart Buns)

Yield: 24 rollsFreezer-friendly: YesTexture: Light, airy, soft crumbFlavor: Slightly sweet, buttery, richPrep time: 20 minutes (active)Rise time: 2 hours totalBake time: 20–25 minutesTotal time: ~3 hours

🧈 Ingredients:

• 1 cup (240 ml) whole milk, warm (about 110°F / 43°C)

• 1 cup (240 ml) warm water (same temp as milk)

• 6 tbsp (85 g) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled

• 2 large eggs, room temperature

• 4 tbsp (50 g) sugar

• 2 ¼ tsp (1 packet) instant yeast (or 1 tbsp active dry yeast)

• 2 tsp fine sea salt

• 6 – 6 ½ cups (750 – 815 g) all-purpose flour

For brushing:

• 2 tbsp melted butter (optional: mix with a bit of honey or milk)

🥣 Instructions:

1. Activate Yeast (if using active dry):In a large bowl, combine warm milk, water, and sugar. Sprinkle yeast on top and let sit for 5–10 min until foamy. (Skip this step if using instant yeast—mix it right into the flour.)

2. Mix Wet Ingredients:Whisk in eggs and melted butter until smooth.

3. Add Dry Ingredients:Add 5 ½ cups of flour and the salt. Mix with a wooden spoon or dough hook until a shaggy dough forms.

4. Knead:Knead by hand or machine for 8–10 minutes, adding remaining flour gradually just until dough is soft, elastic, and slightly tacky—not sticky. Avoid adding too much flour.

5. First Rise:Transfer dough to a greased bowl. Cover and let rise in a warm place for about 60–90 minutes, or until doubled in size.

6. Shape the Rolls:Turn dough onto a floured surface. Divide into 24 equal pieces (about 70–75g each). Shape each into a ball by tucking dough underneath to create surface tension.

7. Second Rise:Arrange rolls in two greased 9x13-inch pans (or one large sheet tray with space between). Cover lightly and let rise for another 45–60 minutes, until puffy and touching.

8. Bake:Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Bake rolls for 20–25 minutes until golden brown on top and hollow-sounding when tapped.

9. Brush & Cool:Immediately brush tops with melted butter (add honey for a subtle shine and extra sweetness if desired). Let cool 10–15 minutes before serving or freezing.

🥶 Freezing & Reheating Tips:

• To freeze after baking: Let rolls cool completely, then wrap tightly in foil or freezer bags. Freeze up to 3 months.

• To freeze unbaked: Shape rolls and freeze on a tray. Once frozen solid, transfer to a bag. Let thaw and rise 4–5 hours before baking.

• To reheat: Warm individual rolls in the microwave (10–15 sec), toaster oven, or wrapped in foil in a low oven.

🧃 Serving Ideas:

• Use for sliders, lunchbox sandwiches, or tear-and-share dinners

• Pair with soups, chili, or slow-cooked meals

• Serve with whipped honey butter or savory spreads

I ended up with 20 rolls so wanted to know how many calories and get an updated recipe:

At 72 ish grams I ended up with 20 rolls. no need to update recipe but can you tell me caloric value per bun?

ChatGPT responded:

Sure! Let’s estimate the caloric value per bun, based on the ingredients used in your double batch and the fact that you ended up with 20 rolls at ~72g each.

🔢 Calorie Breakdown (Double Batch):

• Whole milk (1 cup) = ~150 kcal

• Water (1 cup) = 0 kcal

• Unsalted butter (6 tbsp / 85g) = ~610 kcal

• Eggs (2 large) = ~140 kcal

• Sugar (4 tbsp / 50g) = ~200 kcal

• Flour (6 ½ cups / ~815g) = ~2,960 kcal

• Yeast + salt = negligible calories

• Extra melted butter for brushing (2 tbsp) = ~200 kcal (assuming full use)

🧮 Total (approx.):= 150 + 610 + 140 + 200 + 2,960 + 200 = 4,260 kcal

➗ Per Roll (20 total):

4,260 ÷ 20 = ~213 kcal per roll

⚠️ This is an estimate and assumes no flour or butter was left unused. If you brushed lightly or used less flour, it could be closer to 200 kcal.Let me know if you skipped the butter brushing or want a protein/carb/fat breakdown too.

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