This post may contain references to products from one or more of our advertisers. Oh Sweet Basil may receive compensation when you click on links to such products.
These easy homemade hoagie rolls are soft, chewy, and sturdy enough to hold all your favorite sandwich fillings — yet simple enough for even beginner bakers. With just a handful of pantry staples and straightforward steps, you can skip the store-bought rolls and bake bakery-style hoagies right at home.
Made with just 9 simple ingredients, these easy Hoagie Rolls are the perfect base for French dip sandwiches, meatball sliders, pesto meatball sandwich and more!
Why Make Fresh Hoagie Rolls?
BECAUSE YOU WILL BE A HERO.
We make our own hoagie rolls because it goes so fast, it’s easier for me than to remember to run to the store. The only problem is, I didn’t think everyone else would want to make them too, but boy was I wrong!
We received a comment on our french dip sandwiches post saying they would like the recipe for the hoagies and I had stated I would post it, but I forgot and got busy aka side tracked with the gazillion recipes always floating around in my head. And then that recipe has gotten really popular and I not only started getting more comments, but emails too!
One night, we were eating french dip for dinner when, BAM! I remembered that I was going to photograph them. I had hardly any light left and we were literally eating them so I quickly threw the hoagies on a board, snapped a few shots and now here we are.
What’s Needed for Hoagie Rolls?
To make this hoagie bread recipe, you need 9 simple ingredients:
- Warm Water: Activates the yeast and hydrates the flour, helping the dough come together smoothly.
- Instant Yeast: Leavens the dough, allowing the rolls to rise and develop a light, airy texture.
- Granulated Sugar: Feeds the yeast to encourage rising and adds a subtle sweetness to the rolls.
- Honey: Enhances flavor, adds gentle sweetness, and helps create a softer crumb and lightly golden crust.
- Flour: Provides structure and strength while keeping the rolls soft and tender.
- Salt: Balances sweetness and enhances flavor while strengthening the dough’s structure.
- Butter: Adds richness and tenderness, creating soft, fluffy hoagie rolls.
- Egg: Used for brushing the rolls before baking to promote a shiny, golden finish.
- Milk: Combined with the egg white to thin the wash and help create an evenly browned crust.
The measurements for all the ingredients are listed in the recipe card at the end of the post.
How to Make Hoagie Buns
This sub roll recipe is incredibly easy, but it does require some patience as the dough goes through two separate rises.
- Make the Dough: Using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, make the dough (**see section below for tips on making the dough).
- First Rise: Transfer the dough to an oiled bowl, cover with a towel, and let rise until doubled.
- Shape the Dough: Line a baking sheet with a silpat or parchment paper and shape the dough into 4-8 hoagies.
- Second Rise: Cover lightly with a towel and allow to rise another 1 to 2 hours.
- Slash: Slash the top of each roll with a really sharp knife or blade and brush with egg and milk mixture.
- Bake: Bake until golden and sound hard when you gently tap the outside. Brush with butter.
The complete instructions are listed in the recipe card. You can also print or save the recipe there.
Tips for Finishing Hoagie Rolls
- I highly recommend brushing the hoagie bread with butter before serving it.
- If you like a little crunch and an added flavor, sprinkle some sesame seeds on the top right after brushing with butter.
- The bread is hard upon removal but quickly softens, so don’t worry that you over baked.
- Let the sub rolls cool for 15 or so minutes before cutting them.
Hoagie Roll FAQs
A hoagie roll is a type of long flat roll used to prepare hoagie sandwiches. A Hoagie is the same thing as a Sub sandwich, hero sandwich, or grinder.
There is no difference. They are the same thing, but they just are called a variety of names depending on where you are from.
In all my research, it’s a little hard to say where the word “hoagie” comes from. There’s a consensus that it comes from the Philadelphia area in the mid 1900s, but where it exactly originates is debatable.
Wrap the rolls well, or place in a zip lock bag. Hoagie rolls will keep for 5-7 days at room temperature.
Yes! To freeze hoagie rolls and buns, place them inside a freezer bag and seal tightly. Hoagie rolls will keep 3 months in the freezer.
Tips for Making the Dough
- Since posting this recipe, we have received several comments about the recipe being wrong, the dough is too wet, the ratios are off, etc. I started to wonder if somehow the recipe had been changed without my knowing it. So I made the recipe again exactly how it is written, and they came out perfectly!
- In fact, they were so good, I re-photographed them and those pictures are the ones you see now.
- The dough will seem a little wet and shaggy at first (known as slack dough which is like a blog and will not hold a shape), but you just have to keep mixing it. As you work the gluten, the dough become so smooth and silky. Patience is key and trust the process!
Homemade hoagie rolls might sound intimidating, but this easy recipe proves just how achievable they really are. Soft, chewy, and incredibly versatile, and homemade is always better. Make a batch for dinner, freeze extras for later, and enjoy fresh, bakery-quality bread whenever you need it.
More Easy Bread Recipes to Try:
- No-Knead Artisan Bread
- French Bread
- Herbed Focaccia Bread
- Classic Potato Rolls
- Homemade Naan
- 7 Up Biscuits
- All of our bread recipes!
Watch How Each Step of This Recipe Should Look…
Easy Hoagie Rolls
Ingredients
- 1 ½ Cups Warm Water
- 1 Tablespoon Instant Yeast
- 1 Tablespoon Granulated Sugar
- 1 Tablespoon Honey
- 3 ¾ Cups All-Purpose Flour
- 1 Tablespoon Salt
- 3 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter, cubed
- 1 Egg White
- 1 Tablespoon Milk
Instructions
- In the bowl of a standing mixer, add the warm water, yeast, sugar, and honey.1 ½ Cups Warm Water, 1 Tablespoon Instant Yeast, 1 Tablespoon Granulated Sugar, 1 Tablespoon Honey
- Allow to foam up for about 5 to 10 minutes.
- Add the flour and using a dough hook mix for 4 minutes on low.3 ¾ Cups All-Purpose Flour
- Increase the speed to medium and add the salt, mixing for another 3 minutes.1 Tablespoon Salt
- Finally, add the cold butter, one tablespoon at a time and mix for another minute or two after each addition. Continue to mix until no pieces of butter remain. This is going to be odd to see that butter slapping around in there, but trust me, as you mix, the dough will firm up and be silky and all butter will be incorporated.3 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter
- Place the dough in a lightly oiled (olive oil or vegetable oil is great) bowl, turning over to coat, cover with a towel and allow to rise for 1 to 2 hours.
- Place a silpat or parchment paper on a baking sheet and shape the dough into 4-8 hoagies depending on size preference. I like to flatten each piece into a rectangle, fold one end up like an envelope, turn 180 degrees and fold up the other end over the first. Repeat until you've formed a hoagie and pinch shut the seam and end seams.
- Place seam side down and repeat with remaining dough.
- Cover lightly with a towel and allow to rise another 1 to 2 hours.
- Whisk together the egg white and milk. Using a razor blade, make a slit down the top of each roll. Brush each top with the egg mixture.1 Egg White, 1 Tablespoon Milk
- Preheat the oven to 375ºF, place the hoagie rolls on the baking pan and bake for 16 to 22 minutes.
- Remove from the oven when they are lightly golden and feel hard when you tap the crust.
- Rub with a little butter if desired and allow to cool.
- The bread is hard upon removal but quickly softens, so don't worry that you over baked.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
We loved this Hoagie Roll recipe! I made it exactly as the instructions recommended. It was incredibly easy to make — great instructions. All the rolls disappeared very quickly!
Thank you so much for the feedback Patricia!! So glad you loves these hoagie rolls!
I followed the recipe to a T! My dough is not firm, but silky?
Yes, that sounds exactly right!
No need to answer about buttermilk. I mistook butter for buttermilk. Call me a dumb bunny!
No worries at all!!
I don’t have any honey can I substitute with something
You can try agave or maple syrup.
What am I doing wrong I used metric to an exact I threw first batch away cleaned up and did it again same result its a sticky glue mess the second time I did 2extra tbls of flour. I’m saddened
The buttermilk is mentioned on the cover , but not in the recipe. Is there something I missed?
I’ve made these twice now and both times my dough has come out rather dry. I followed the recipe to a T yet still struggles with dry, hard to work with dough. It’s not silky as it should be. What am I doing wrong? The second time I used warmer water and set timers for each step so to follow the mixing times perfectly. Any suggestions? They cook up and taste delicious each time, it seems to be forming the dough into rolls that is the biggest struggle for me.
Hi Natalie! It sounds like you might be over flouring the dough. Different altitudes can also affect the moisture of the dough. Try cutting back on the flour by 1/2 – 1 cup. I hope this helps!
Same here. Very tight dough, difficult to work with. Am using measurements as written, and King Arthur AP flour, so should be good to go I would imagine. Will try cutting back on the flour next time.
Hi! I was wondering if we could make the dough the night before and let it rise overnight in the fridge, and then shape and do shaping, 2nd rise, and bake the next morning?
Yes that should work!
These were perfection! So easy to make they’re practically fool proof- unless you forget the salt like I did ha ha! The dough is wonderfully silky and easy to work with. Made them last night for french dip sandwiches because the weather was cold and snowy and I didn’t want to go to the store!
Cold and snowy in May?? I hate when that happens! Thank you so much for the feedback on the rolls and I’m so glad you enjoyed them!
This is my second time making these and they are so good. Follow the recipe and instructions exactly and they will turn out just fine. I haven’t experienced the problem that some are saying, yes the dough is sticky but keep following the recipe exactly as written and it should be fine. So far we’ve used these for sandwiches and hotdogs, tonight we’re using them for cheesesteaks. This is the best homemade bread for sandwiches
THANK YOU Adrian!! I’m so glad you have enjoyed this recipe and that you’ve stuck with the recipe and it has worked for you. I appreciate your feedback so so much!
These are delicious!! Mine deflated when I went to score the top but even though they were a little flat, the flavor was amazing & I’ll definitely be making them again! Any tips to not have them deflate when I score the tops?
Hi Kimberli! It sounds like it could have been one of two things. First, it is possible that you over-proofed the bread. Second, if you make your scores too deep, it can release too much of the gasses making them deflate. I hope this helps!
These deflated to a pancake when I tried to slit the top. They are baking flat as well? I’ll try them but not sure about the flatness for a hoagie? Maybe I will split them prior to the last rising?? Any thoughts?
Hi Candy! That is so frustrating! I’m so sorry! It sounds like you are over-proofing them. Another cause might be a dull knife or applying too much pressure when you score them. But honestly my initial thought is that you are letting them rise too long.
My dough was extremely soft also and I had to add more flour. They are on their first rise now. With so many other bakers having issues with the flour, could you please post your recipe using weight and not volume…issue solved! Seems we all scoop a little differently.
Hi Bobbi! It is a very soft dough. I’ve added a “Metric” button at the end of the ingredients list so you can see weight. There is also a video for this recipe if that helps at all to see what the dough should look like. How did they turn out?
They turned out great and I do apologize as I totally missed the metric button! Thank you for replying!
I’m so glad they turned out!! Thank you Bobbi!