5 Store-Bought Frozen Dinner Rolls Ranked Worst To Best

Store-bought frozen dinner rolls are the friend of anyone who knows what's good for them. They are quick, convenient, there whenever you need them, and often taste just as good as homemade ones — so they have what it takes to make an appearance on many of your dinner plates. Dinner rolls are also a sponge for butter, and we all know that butter makes everything better. Go for the frozen ones, and you'll never have to worry about whether or not you'll finish them before they go bad. Who wants to be forced to find ways to use stale bread, am I right? Now that you're sold on frozen dinner rolls, I should tell you up front: Some are much better than others. Stick with me, though, and I'll steer you in the right direction.

To find out which frozen dinner rolls rule them all, I bought, baked, and taste-tested five different store-bought products. I also ranked them based on how easy they were to prepare, their texture, flavor, perceived quality, price, and overall taste. I'll explain the finer details of my ranking methodology at the end, but let's not jump the gun. Before we get to that, let's find out how the five store-bought frozen dinner rolls I put through the wringer measured up in a head-to-head competition. As it turns out, the differences were more significant than I anticipated, so knowing which to choose will serve you well.

Sadly for Kroger, the brand's Original Yeast Dinner Roll Dough comes in dead last in my ranking. Sorry, not sorry, Kroger, you just didn't measure up. My first qualm is that they aren't the easiest to heat up, especially if you are trying to make a last-minute decision. Due to the fact that they are dough balls, you have to grease a pan, cover them, and let them rise for four to six hours before you can even think about baking them. So yeah, it's not like you just take them out of the freezer and pop them in a warm oven. 

Another way Kroger Original Yeast Dinner Rolls let me down was the texture. At first glance, they looked fluffy, big, nicely brown (after baking, of course), and just as good as any of the other rolls I tried. Unfortunately, though, once I broke into one, I saw they were lacking quite a bit. Instead of being fluffy and doughy, the centers were stringy, almost like a mess of cobwebs. As a result, they didn't soak up butter the way they should, and aesthetically, they were less appealing as well.

As for flavor, Kroger's Original Yeast Dinner Rolls weren't bad. They had the slightest hint of sweetness and a good bread taste overall. Additionally, a bag of 36 dough rolls only cost me $4.59, so they are the cheapest product I tried. Still, considering all the other setbacks, we can do better. Next!

Coming in second-to-last place is Rhodes Dinner Rolls. Unfortunately, they shared a major flaw with Kroger's Dinner Rolls: They are balls of dough, so they need ample time to rise before baking. While this isn't the worst problem if you plan ahead, it sure takes a big part of the convenience factor out of the equation. Luckily, they only take three to five hours to rise, so less than Kroger's, but they're smaller, so is that even a win?

Rhodes Dinner Rolls' need for time to rise before baking aside, the texture was significantly better than our last place loser. The shell was slightly crusty, and the centers were soft and fluffy, as dinner rolls should be. The same could be said for the flavor. When I first took a bite, I was like, yup, that's bread alright. It may have lacked anything different, aka been a bit basic, but as far as classic dinner rolls are concerned, they hit the mark. With a little butter, I had zero complaints.

A bag with 36 Rhodes Dinner Rolls costs $6.29, so I can't argue with the price, either. I'm sure they are good for molding into something like pretzel dog buns as well, but I'll be reaching for a more convenient frozen dinner roll from here on out. And guess what? That's what all of the products that made it into the top three are — more convenient and ready for baking straight out of the freezer.

As a fan of Texas Roadhouse's iconic fresh-baked rolls, I was pretty excited to try the brand's frozen version. As you can see by their third-place ranking, they didn't do too badly, either. In fact, they were downright tasty. Plus, it certainly didn't hurt that they came with a packet of cinnamon honey glaze. Yum! As for the rolls themselves, the bread was uber soft and fluffy, and it had a delicious buttery sweetness to it. Even so, they weren't really anything like the ones you get at Texas Roadhouse, nor was the glaze.

Texas Roadhouse Mini Rolls come in a ready-to-bake tray, so convenience isn't an issue, either. The price is a bit high — 12 rolls for $6.79 — but considering the lovely flavors and textures, they are certainly worth a try. Will they satisfy a craving for the yummy rolls you get at Texas Roadhouse? Probably not. One of the reasons they are so delicious in-house is that they use yeast cultivated on the premises. So, while many have tried to come up with a copycat recipe, they are hard to replicate. Apparently, even for Texas Roadhouse itself, because the frozen variety are a far cry from the mouth-watering ones you get at any location. I guess that's why the packaging says, "Inspired by Texas Roadhouse's made-from-scratch bread." Still, they aren't bad by any means. The two upcoming frozen dinner rolls still have it beat regarding texture, price, and overall quality, though.

The award for second place goes to Sister Schubert's Dinner Yeast Rolls, and let me tell you: I loved them. For starters, they are ready and waiting for you whenever you need them. You can take them out of the freezer, put them straight into the oven, and have delicious rolls in six to 10 minutes. They are also the cheapest option in my top three — $4.99 for 10 rolls. Winning!

Once I had my Sister Schubert's Dinner Rolls baked, I knew just by looking at them that they would go far. The outer shell was crusty and looked almost homemade. When I sliced one open, a soft, spongy center awaited me. After taking a bite, the texture was as expected, spot-on. The flavor was darn near perfect as well. I detected a hint of sweetness, but it was still savory overall. Additionally, it tasted like quality bread.

One of the reasons Sister Schubert didn't lock down first place is that the rolls are a bit smaller than my first-place pick. I don't know about you, but the more soft center available to soak up butter, the better. They also had a chalkier exterior, which translates to more lingering flour. Still, with a little butter on top as an upgrade, you'll forget I even mentioned it. Besides, these aren't real issues; they are just why Sister Schubert's frozen dinner rolls fell behind. They are yummy by any standards.

Coming in hot in the number one spot is none other than Rhodes Warm & Serve Soft White Rolls. You might be surprised to find Rhodes in first place, considering they also hold down the second-to-last place spot, but convenience is key, and the Warm & Serve option gave me everything the other, lesser-than one was lacking. Translation: If the name didn't give it away, you can simply pop them in the oven without the need for proofing. Hooray!

A package of 12 Rhodes Warm & Serve Soft White Rolls costs about $6.79, but considering they are the best of the bunch, that's a minor detail. What's important is that they boast outstanding texture, and they taste great. Everything from the slightly thicker shell to the pillowy soft centers screamed classic dinner roll in all the best ways. They're larger than the other two products that made the top three as well. As a result, they take to butter like a champ. Yum! In all seriousness, they were so deliciously perfect that I don't even think I could have guessed they were ever frozen if I didn't prepare them myself.

One more thing, Rhodes Warm & Serve Rolls also give you the option to microwave them for 25 seconds, which I obviously tried. As expected, it became chewy fairly quickly and lacked the ideal texture. Even so, it was soft at first and undeniably the most convenient option on this entire list. I still recommend baking them, though.

Now that we've made it all the way through my ranking, it's time to circle back and touch a bit more on my methodology. For starters, I bought, baked, and, in some cases, proofed all five of the store-bought frozen dinner rolls found on this list. After that was done, I got to the good stuff: tasting and comparing them all to find out who would come out on top. At first, I sampled each one as-is. Then, because they are dinner rolls, I tried them all with a little bit of butter smeared on. I mean, how they take to butter is important, right? Obviously yes.

When it came time to rank each of the five store-bought frozen dinner rolls I sampled, I focused mostly on convenience, texture, and taste. I also considered price and perceived quality, but they were secondary factors. After everything was said and done, the dinner rolls that were the most complicated to make, i.e., the ones that required proofing for several hours, didn't make it higher than the bottom part of the list. The top three, however, were significantly more convenient to prepare — ready to bake straight out of the oven and all. Of course, they nailed both textures and flavors as well. So, in the end, everything in the top three is worth a try. Still, I recommend making my number one, Rhodes Warm & Serve Rolls, your go-to pick. I know it's going be mine. All hail Rhodes Warm & Serve Rolls!