These Handmade Sub Rolls (aka hoagie rolls or grinder rolls) are ideal for any kind of sub sandwich. I developed this recipe specifically for my Homemade Meatball Sub Sandwiches, but they work perfectly for basically any deli-style sandwich that you pile into a roll.
I never hear complaints about having fresh-baked bread in the house-I doubt you will either! These rolls are soft and fluffy inside, but sturdy enough for saucy sandwiches (meatballs, Italian subs, chicken cutlets, etc.) without turning to mush. Honestly, they are so much better than store-bought that it's hard to go back to anything else!
Want a topping variation? Try my Italian Herb and Cheese Bread (Sub Rolls) for a Subway-style herb-and-cheese crust on the same soft dough!
If you're exploring more Kitchen Coalition reader favorites, my Chicken Schnitzel with Lemon Cream Sauce is one of the most requested dishes in my house - crispy, bright, and weeknight-friendly!
Quick Recipe Insights
- Hands-On Time: ~25 min
- Rising Time: 1 hr 30 min (total proofing)
- Bake Time: 15 min (plus 1-3 min if needed)
- Total Time: ~2 hr 10 min
- Servings: Six 10-inch rolls
- Calories: ~363 per roll
- Difficulty: Easy-Moderate
- Flavor Profile: Rich, buttery, lightly sweet-classic deli-style sandwich/hoagie roll.
Handmade Sub Roll Ingredients
I had a few goals I wanted to achieve with this bread. I wanted the rolls to have a good amount of structure to them, yet still remain soft and pliable. Bread flour was the logical starting point in my mind. It has a higher protein content than all-purpose flour, which helps form a strong gluten network. In turn, this helps create more structure and body to the bread. I also opted for whole milk for my liquid component instead of water for the added fat content and slight sweetness that it lends.
I also opted for cold, cubed, unsalted butter. Using cold butter versus softened butter extends the kneading time by several minutes, which is by design. Using softened butter takes about 3-5 minutes to completely incorporate into the dough, while using cold butter takes closer to 8-10 minutes. The longer kneading time helps bring everything together to make a really smooth dough and adds more body to the finished product. The longer you knead dough, the stiffer/chewier your bread will be. Having a moderate amount of kneading was key to properly developing the structure of the finished product.
I also strongly encourage you to invest in a digital kitchen scale if you do any baking. In my experience, you will have more accurate, repeatable results when measuring by weight vs. volume, which is always a plus.
Dough Proofing and Shaping Process
This dough will go through two proofing (or rising) stages: a one-hour bulk proof, and then a secondary proof after the dough has been shaped into rolls. I have the complete shaping and proofing process outlined below.
Steps 1 - 4: Mixing & Dough Development
Bloom yeast → combine wet + dry → add butter → knead until smooth.
Steps 5 - 8: Bulk Rise, Dividing, & Shaping
Shaping stages: bulk rise → portion → flatten → roll tightly
Step 9 - Second Proof: The rolls should look puffy and slightly relaxed before scoring.
Step 10 - Egg Wash, Score & Bake: Brush with egg wash, score with quick, shallow slashes, and bake for 15 minutes at 400°F. (If needed, add 1-3 minutes until deep golden brown.)
Did you make this recipe for Handmade Sub Rolls?
Let me know in the comments below how yours turned out, and don't forget to leave a rating!
Recipe
Handmade Sub Rolls
Equipment
- Instant Read Digital Thermometer Optional
- Stand Mixer Optional
- Rolling Pin
- Parchment Paper
Ingredients
- 1 Cup Whole Milk 110-115℉
- 1 Tablespoon + 2 Teaspoons Sugar
- 2 ½ Teaspoons Active Dry Yeast
- 3 ¼ Cups Bread Flour
- 2 Teaspoons Fine Sea Salt
- 2 Eggs Beaten
- 3 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter Cold, Cubed
- 1 Egg White Beaten - For Egg Wash
- 1 Tablespoon Water For Egg Wash
Instructions
- In a medium sized bowl, add the warm milk, sugar, and yeast. Let bloom for 5 to 10-minutes until frothy.
- As the yeast mixture blooms, combine the bread flour and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer.
- Add the yeast mixture and beaten eggs to the flour and salt. Knead on low speed for 3 to 5-minutes until a shaggy dough forms, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a spatula as needed.
- Add in the cold, cubed butter, and knead for an additional 8-10 minutes until butter is fully incorporated and the dough is smooth. (The dough ball should weigh approximately 880g at this point).
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface, and roll into a tight ball.
- Lightly grease a large bowl, turning the dough ball to coat and cover. Cover and let rest for 1-hour, or until doubled in size.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface, and punch the dough down. Divide into six equal pieces (approximately 140g each) and roll into individual dough balls.
- Using a rolling pin, roll each dough ball into a rectangle that is approximately 9 inches wide by 5inches tall. The dough should be between ¼ to ½-inch thick. Starting with the long side, tightly roll the dough into a log shape. Pinch the end seams together until they are smooth. Place seam side down on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Cover the rolls with a damp kitchen cloth, or a second baking sheet, and let rise for an additional 30 minutes.
- While the dough is proofing, preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Mix the egg white and water in a small bowl and gently brush over the rolls.
- Using a lame, razor blade, or sharp kitchen knife, score the dough ¼ deep in three spots.
- Bake for 15 minutes until golden brown, or they register 195 - 200°F internally on an instant-read thermometer. (Add 1 - 3 minutes if needed). Remove from oven and transfer to a wire rack. Allow them to cool completely before slicing.
Jeff Coffin says
MAGICAL! These were the best sub rolls I ever made. The recipe was perfect. I did it all by hand without a stand mixer. Used a Danish bread whisk yo mix all the ingredients. Then, when it was all incorporated in the bowl, used a clean hand to stretch it a bit in the bowl. Wonderfully sticky but settled down a bit after a few stretches. Soft, fluffy interior . Many mire batches yo be made in the future! Thanks so much!
Spencer Klickman says
Thanks for giving the recipe a shot, Jeff! So glad to hear you enjoyed it!
And yes, the dough is a bit sticky, but is easier to work with after the first rise since the gluten has some time to develop. Props to you for tackling this with hand kneading as well!
Kayla Labermeier says
A standard yeast packet is 2 1/4 tsp and 7 grams, not 2 1/2 tsp and 11 grams.
Spencer Klickman says
Hi Kayla, thanks for catching that — you’re right that a standard yeast packet is 7g (about 2¼ tsp). This dough was developed with 2½ tsp yeast (11g), which is slightly more than one packet. I’ve removed the packet reference and updated the recipe wording to avoid any confusion. Appreciate you letting me know!
Jennifer Nelson says
I.chose to.double recipe and using grams for ingredients. I am a bit confused because the amount of milk you want added is the same grams as if you're making just one batch 245g.would love to know why
Spencer Klickman says
Hi Jennifer - You were seeing the amounts in grams for a single recipe that I had originally input on the recipe card when it was first written. I have since upgraded the recipe card tool, and it allows the recipes to be converted between volume and metric, and also to be scaled automatically now. I have removed the text notes for the gram measurements to avoid any further confusion (thank you for bringing this to my attention!). Now you can simply select "Metric" and then hit the "2X" button and you will have the correct quantities in grams!
Amanda says
Made this yesterday for philly cheese steaks, and they were a huge hit! I have to admit that I was a bit concerned because the dough seemed very loose and sticky, but I resisted the urge to add more flour, and they turned out just right! I fear I may have created a household of people who will forever expect homemade sub rolls and buns now.... 🙂
Spencer Klickman says
Thanks for trying the recipe, Amanda. My goal is to actually "ruin" store-bought breads for everyone - so, I'm glad to hear you and your family enjoyed them!
annie says
Thank you for the recipe.! Would a dairy alternative milk work in this recipe or is it dependent on the fat?From the whole milk?
Spencer Klickman says
Hi, Annie! I've never made these with dairy alternative milk, so I cant speak from personal experience, but I believe others have made these with oat milk with success.
The fat from the milk is important, but you could add another tablespon of butter to make up for the difference.
Please let me know how these turn out if you decide to make them!
Melissa Davis says
Can I use 2% milk? It’s all I have in this snow storm 🙂
Spencer Klickman says
Hi, Melissa! 2% milk absolutely work. Let me know how they turn out!
James G says
Finally- Prefected my Sub Roles!
No modifications whatsoever I did use my baguette pan instead. Came out perfectly done beautiful texture.
Thanks!
Spencer Klickman says
Thanks for the kind words, James! Glad they came out well for you. A baguette pan is an awesome idea for this recipe. I'll have to pick one up and try it out some day.
Dee says
Wow, I am so glad that I came across your recipe on Pinterest! This recipe is far better than I had hoped for. It's so soft, flavorful and delicous. We used it for our brats and it was perfect. I made them smaller, about 110 grams each and got eight rolls from this recipe. It's also easier than my hamburger bun recipe so I'll be using this recipe going forward. It was somewhat on the wet side so I added about 10 tablespoons more flour to get it to a nice dough consistency. Glad you posted the dough ball weight! I let it rise in the oven with the light on and door open. I've already shared it with my sister who asked for the recipe after I sent her a picture of the rolls. Thank you for developing and posting your recipe!
Spencer Klickman says
Hi, Dee! Using this as a brat or hamburger bun recipe is a fantastic idea! I've got a separate recipe for Ultimate Homemade Hamburger Buns that is similar to these, but has some precise measurements in case you're interested!
I'm currently in the process of updating this recipe to correct a few of the volume measurements to get more consistent results across the board. Stay tuned. Thanks for taking the time to leave a review!
Linda Powell says
Hey made the Sub bread it turned out great! Made the dough up in my bread machine it came out with air in it but I worked on it and it baked up great thanks for the recipe!
Spencer Klickman says
Hi, Linda! Thanks for giving the recipe a shot! Awesome to hear that it worked in your bread machine - I don't have one, so I don't have any experience with using them.
Kristen says
I must have rolled them too tight because the rolls came out about 2 inches wide 🙁
Spencer Klickman says
Hi, Kristen - sorry to hear that they didn't turn out quite as expected! Overworking the rolls during shaping can knock some of the air out of them, unfortunately, which would lead to dense/small rolls. Fortunately, if that happens in the future, you can hold the second rise after shaping a little longer to let the yeast continue to work and add more air back into them. I would check them at 30 minute intervals up to an hour and a half to 2 hours. They'll be ready when they're about doubled in size. Keep in mind that ambient temperature can affect the timing as well, colder will take longer, and warmer will help speed things up!
Please let me know if you have any other questions, and I'll be glad to help. I would love to troubleshoot these until you get perfect results!