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Basic Sweet Yeast Dough can be used for any sweet bread recipe, from dinner rolls to donuts.
This basic recipe is all you need to know in order to make any of these sweet roll recipes (and monkey bread too!) – the possibilities are endless.
This post has been a long time in coming. One of my favorite things to make are sweet and savory rolls. There are over a dozen roll recipes on the site.
If you’re intimidated by yeast breads, trust me, you can do this. I’m giving you all the tips and directions you need.
Everyone loves homemade cinnamon rolls and once you’ve made them a time or two, you’re going to wonder why you ever waited so long!
I’m here to teach you how to make the easiest and simplest yeast dough and show you it’s a lot simpler than you think.
This recipe for a basic sweet yeast dough is one I have been using for years to make all kinds of sweet rolls, breads, and yes, donuts too.
Ready? I’m about to break down all the nitty gritty involved in sweet roll dough. If you’re scared, consider this the ultimate guide to sweet yeast dough.
How to make Basic Sweet Yeast Dough
Begin by getting all of the ingredients ready. You’ll need just seven simple ingredients! Let’s run through each ingredient.
Yeast – I always use active dry instant yeast because I like how fast it rises and it’s never failed me. I buy it in a big package and store it in the freezer so it lasts longer. You can use regular yeast too, it will just take longer to rise. If you store it in the freezer like me, there is no need to thaw it first, the warm milk will do the trick.
Milk – I use whole milk that I have microwaved just until it’s warm enough that I can barely keep my finger submerged in it (115 F if you want to be precise). 2% Milk would work too. I’ve never tried baking with skim milk.
Sugar – I use regular white granulated sugar
Butter – This should be well softened, almost melted, but not quite. If it does start to melt a little bit, it’s okay, you can still use it.
Salt – Don’t forget the salt. It’s a key ingredient here. Salt is the difference between a bad batch of sweet yeast dough and a successful one. Don’t ask how many batches of bread I’ve ruined because I forgot the salt.
Eggs – Be sure they are room temperature, they will incorporate better into the dough.
Flour – Use regular all purpose flour. I’d stay away from whole wheat flours with this recipe, the dough will be heavy and dense.
With yeast dough, the amount of flour needed can vary slightly depending on the humidity, protein content of the flour, etc.
Add just enough flour so that the dough will hold together. This dough should be slightly sticky. You can always add a bit more flour as you are kneading it if needed.
Once you have all the ingredients, it comes together very quick. Just stir the yeast and milk together, add the sugar, butter, salt and eggs.
Stir in the flour and you have dough. No mixer is needed. I prefer kneading by hand, but you can use a mixer if you like.
To me kneading is therapeutic. You’ll want to knead for at least 5-6 minutes by hand to get that smooth elastic consistency.
It will take less time if you use a mixer to knead. If you never done it, check this video on how to knead, it’s very simple to learn.
After kneading, the dough is ready to be frozen, refrigerated, or allowed to rise if you plan to use it immediately.
Can you freeze sweet yeast dough?
Yes, you should freeze the dough immediately after kneading in a gallon sized freezer-safe bag. This is convenient if you want to have dough on hand to make rolls as you need them.
Frozen dough is best used within one month of freezing. However, I’ve used it after that with good results.
To use frozen sweet yeast dough, thaw on the counter and allow to rise until double. Use as directed in the rolls. It can also be thawed overnight in the refrigerator and used the next morning as directed in the recipe.
Can you make basic sweet yeast dough ahead of time (the night before)?
Yes, make as directed through the kneading. Place in a large bowl and cover tightly. The dough will still continue to rise slowly even in the refrigerator, so keep an eye on it so it doesn’t outgrow the bowl.
Use the dough within 24 hours of refrigerating. Take the dough out of the fridge and let it rise while coming to room temperature. Use as directed in the recipe.
You can use this dough to make the best cinnamon rolls ever, dinner rolls, monkey bread and even homemade donuts.
Throughout the week I’ll be posting and linking to recipes for the dough, but meanwhile, you can get started with one of the recipes below.
Basic Sweet Yeast Dough Recipe
Ingredients
For the Dough
- 1 tablespoon instant yeast
- 1 cup very warm milk 115 F, I use whole milk.
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup butter well softened almost melting.
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 4 cups all purpose flour
Instructions
- In a large bowl, stir together the yeast and milk until dissolved. Beat in the sugar, butter, salt and eggs until well combined. Add the flour, one cup at a time, stirring until incorporated. The dough should be shaggy and still sticky.
- Turn out the dough onto a floured surface and knead 5-6 minutes until smooth and elastic. Or if you use a mixer knead 4-5 minutes. Freeze or refrigerate at this point if desired.
- If baking now, continue by placing the kneaded dough into a greased bowl. Cover and let rise for 1 hour or until doubled in size. The length of time needed to rise will depend on how warm the room is. Ideal rising temperature is 72 F.
- When the dough has risen, punch dough down with a floured hand and shape and bake as desired.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
{originally published 4/16/18 – recipe notes and photos updated 1/4/21}
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What temperature is it baked at and for how long?
All of the sweet rolls recipes here that use this dough include the baking directions. I hope that helps!
I love your recipe for the sweet yeast dough, made cinnamon rolls over the weekend. I was just wondering about using it to make Apple strudel with. Do you think that would work?
That should work great, Regine!
If you made this dough and put in refrigerator overnight, do you let it warm up and then let it rise again ? Then punch it down and form the shapes I.e. balls or for a danish roll.
Yes, you’ll want to make the dough as usual up through the first proof. After that, you can punch the dough down, form it into a rough ball, and keep it covered in the refrigerator until the day it’s needed. It should keep well for a day or two in the refrigerator. Then I allow it to warm up, rise at room temp and form the shapes desired.
I made this sweet dough and I made poppyseed twist and the cinnamon rolls and my dough did not raise a second time. I even preheated my oven to 300 for 1 minute turned oven off and put rolls on oven for 2 hours ( making a proofer out of my oven) and still no second rise
Have you used the dough before without any issues? I’m unsure why it wouldn’t have risen for you with this variation. That makes no sense.
Wasn’t great, plus no baking temperature or time listed. 👎🏿👎🏿👎🏿
Hey Geronimo, as listed above, this is a “basic yeast dough recipe” and there are over a dozen variations of sweet rolls here with uses for it.
Thank you for the recipes
I’m glad you like the dough recipe!
I had to do a Google search since this recipe’s author forgot probably the most important part of baking; WHAT TEMPERATURE AND HOW LONG TO BAKE. I’m sorry, “as desired” doesn’t work for me. Baking is extremely precise and it’s actually insane to me that this author couldn’t even tell us a very simple answer
Hey Tori, this is specifically just a recipe for the dough. As described throughout this article, there are countless ways to use the dough and there isn’t a “one-size fits all” answer for how to bake it. It depends on what you want to make. There are dozens of recipes that use this exact dough on this website (and clearly linked right above here), from sweet rolls to pizza rolls, dinner rolls to bread.
Clearly people here don’t know how to cook lol love the recipe doing it now for apple butter cinnamon bread
I’m so glad you’re enjoying the bread!
The author didn’t forget anything.She states several times the time and temperature is determined by what you are making out of this basic sweet dough recipe.It clicked for me right away.
Thanks for the explanation, Faye! I’m glad you’re enjoying the recipe.
Our favorite cinnamon roll dough! My kids ask for them every time they come home.
Can this base be used for pizza dough?
I’m thrilled that you’re enjoying the cinnamon rolls. I think that this dough would be a bit too sweet and light for pizza, Bethany. However, this is a great traditional pizza dough recipe: https://thefoodcharlatan.com/pizza-dough-recipe/ and this recipe makes the best pan pizza I’ve ever tasted: https://www.foodiewithfamily.com/the-best-pan-pizza-how-why-and-what-to-put-on-it/
I made this recipe, step by step, and it turned out perfectly. I did use King Arthur I bleached bread flour instead of regular flour, with no issues!!! I also cooked it in a Dutch oven, and the texture, the crust, and the softness in the middle was DELISH!!! Thank you for a perfectly measured recipe .
I’m thrilled that you enjoyed the bread!
I’ve made this dough 4 times now and it’s always turned out delicious! Instead of milk I’ve just been using water and it still turns out amazing. I made dinner rolls with it for Easter, the only change I made was 1/4 of sugar instead of 1/3, everyone was obsessed with how good they turned out. They practically melted in your mouth! About to make another batch of rolls tonight!
To those having issues with flour, it’s common to have to add a little more or less with dough recipes but if your dough is still overly wet after 4 cups, it’s possible something else in your recipe is going wrong. Melted butter over softened will add extra moisture, size of eggs will also affect moisture.
I’m thrilled that you love it so much, Teagan!
I mixed coco powder and added chocolate shavings into mine and baked at 175ish for 40 mins in a loaf tin turned out allreyt any issues was of my own causing so really good recipe
I’m glad you liked it!