Fresh rolls make a holiday table feel finished, but yeast dough takes hours you do not have on Christmas Day. These greek yogurt dinner rolls skip the yeast completely. The dough is flour, baking powder, salt, and Greek yogurt, and the rolls go from bowl to basket in about 35 minutes.
Each roll has 6 grams of protein for about 122 calories, calculated from the actual ingredients, egg wash and butter included. That is a lighter roll with more protein than most bakery versions, and it still tears apart warm and soft.
The full holiday plan is in my Healthy Christmas Guide.
- 6 g protein and about 122 calories per roll, egg wash and butter included
- No yeast, no rising time: mix, shape, and bake in about 35 minutes total
- Two dough ingredients do most of the work: flour and nonfat Greek yogurt, plus baking powder and salt
- Bake at 375F for 20 to 25 minutes, until deep golden on top
- Honest caveat: these are a biscuit style roll, a little denser and tangier than a yeasted roll, and best eaten warm
Why This Recipe Works
Greek yogurt does double duty in this dough. It replaces the milk, butter, and sugar in a typical roll recipe, and its acid reacts with the baking powder for lift. The result is a soft roll without the long rise.
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It also brings protein to a part of the meal that usually has almost none. Bread will never be a protein food, but a roll with a few extra grams helps the whole plate keep you full a little longer.
A question I hear a lot is whether bread belongs on a holiday plate at all. It does. One good roll with dinner is a normal, satisfying choice. The trouble starts when the basket stays on the table all evening, so plan for one or two and enjoy them.
A Few Notes on the Ingredients
All purpose flour at 1 1/2 cups is the base. Spoon it into the cup and level it off instead of scooping, or the dough gets dry and the rolls turn heavy.
Nonfat Greek yogurt at 1 cup holds the dough together and adds most of the protein. Use thick, plain Greek yogurt. Regular yogurt is too thin and the dough will be sticky.
Baking powder at 2 teaspoons is the only leavening. Check the date on the can, since old baking powder is the most common reason these rolls come out flat.
An egg wash and 1 tablespoon of melted butter give the rolls their golden, glossy tops. The butter is optional, but it makes them taste like real holiday rolls.
Greek Yogurt Dinner Rolls
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Heat the oven to 375F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Add the Greek yogurt and stir with a spatula until a shaggy dough forms. Tip it onto a lightly floured counter and knead 8 to 10 times, just until smooth. Add a spoon of flour if it is very sticky.
- Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces. Tuck the edges of each piece underneath and roll it on the counter under your cupped hand into a smooth ball. Set the rolls on the baking sheet about 1 inch apart.
- Beat the egg with a teaspoon of water and brush it over the tops.
- Bake 20 to 25 minutes, until the rolls are deep golden on top and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom.
- Melt the butter and brush it over the hot rolls. Serve warm.
Nutrition
Notes
Made this recipe?
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- Self rising flour: use 1.5 cups of self rising flour and leave out the baking powder and salt.
- Garlic herb: stir 1 teaspoon of chopped fresh rosemary or thyme and 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder into the dry ingredients.
- Flaky salt finish: sprinkle a pinch of flaky sea salt over the buttered tops as soon as they come out of the oven.
- Whole wheat: swap half the flour for white whole wheat flour for a little more fiber. Add a spoon of yogurt if the dough feels dry.
- Pull apart style: bake the rolls touching in a greased 8 inch round pan so the sides stay extra soft.
Storage, Leftovers, and Serving
These are best warm, so bake them while the main dish rests. You can also shape the rolls, cover them, and keep them in the fridge for up to 2 hours before baking. Add a minute or two to the bake time.
Leftover rolls keep 2 days at room temperature in an airtight container or 2 months in the freezer. Warm them at 300F for 5 to 8 minutes and they taste freshly baked.
They are perfect for sliders with my honey Dijon glazed ham the day after Christmas. On the table, serve them with honey garlic roasted carrots, healthy scalloped potatoes, and a Christmas salad. For dessert, my healthy mini cheesecakes finish the meal. The rest of the menu is in the holiday recipes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can You Make Dinner Rolls Without Yeast?
Yes. Baking powder does the rising here, and the acid in Greek yogurt gives it an extra boost. The rolls come out soft and fluffy with a slightly tangy, biscuit like crumb, and they are ready in about 35 minutes with no proofing time.
Can I Use Self Rising Flour Instead?
Yes. Use 1.5 cups of self rising flour and skip the baking powder and salt, since self rising flour already contains both. The dough and the nutrition come out nearly the same.
How Many Calories Are in a Greek Yogurt Dinner Roll?
Each roll in this recipe has about 122 calories and 6 g of protein, including the egg wash and brushed butter. A typical bakery dinner roll runs about 150 to 200 calories with less protein.
Can I Make Greek Yogurt Rolls Ahead of Time?
Bake them up to 1 day ahead, cool them completely, and keep them in an airtight container. Warm them at 300F for 5 to 8 minutes before serving. You can also freeze baked rolls for up to 2 months.
Your This-Week Plan
Make a batch this week with a weeknight soup or salad. You will learn how the dough feels in your hands and how fast the tops brown in your oven, so the Christmas batch is easy and you already know they work.
This article is for general education and isn’t medical or nutrition advice. Nutrition values are calculated from the listed ingredients and will vary with brands and substitutions. If you have a health condition, celiac disease or a gluten sensitivity, a food allergy, or take medication, please check with your doctor or a registered dietitian before changing how you eat.
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