Dinner Rolls

As I've been hunting around and trying different recipes, I've found I like different rolls for different things.  I have a favorite roll for cinnamon rolls.  I have a favorite for wrapping meat or cheese in.  I have a favorite roll for special occasions.  And then there's that ever-wonderful, light but rich, buttery but not overly-so, slightly sweet perfect all purpose dinner roll.  It goes with spaghetti.  Or roast. Or soup. Or salad. Or fried chicken.  Get the picture?  

I was certainly grateful for this recipe when I found it on another food blog.  However, being comfortable with baking yeast breads and finding myself without some ingredients, I "made do and did without," and I'm here to tell you they still turned out wonderful.

I also flash froze (hand-formed rolls and placed them on a baking sheet, then placed the sheet in the freezer for 2 to 3 hours) some of the uncooked rolls after the first rise and before the second.  If taken out of the freezer about 4 hours before baking, you can cover them loosely with plastic wrap and let them slowly thaw and rise that way and they still turn out wonderful.  Just in case you wanted to know.

First step:  melt butter and warm milk.  Do it in a saucepan or in the microwave.  Also, if you use powdered milk like I do you can use constituted milk or just warm up some water with the butter and add milk powder to the dough later. I'm sure the full-fat version would be wonderfully rich, (the original recipe calls for whole milk) but don't knock the dry milk method until you try it.  

Let all that cool to about 100 degrees F.

Meanwhile, proof your yeast.  What this means is to measure out your warm water and sprinkle the yeast over top.  Let it sit for 10 to 15 minutes, or until bubbly, like so:

To your yeast mixture, add in the cooled butter and milk, sugar, salt and eggs.  The eggs are pictured so you remember to beat them first, please. :)

You'll also stir in about 3 cups or so of flour.  It will be sort of batter-like.  Mix it well and let the dough be a little more homogeneous (the same all the way through).  Then stir in 4-6 additional cups flour.  The dough will still be a little sticky, but should pull away from the sides of the mixing bowl.  It will probably still stick to the bottom, though.

A quick word about flour.  To get a softer, fluffier roll, use all-purpose flour.  But I promise the rolls will still be delightful if you use up to half whole wheat flour.  I haven't tried more, though--for us it's meant to be an accompaniment to dinner, not the meal itself (i.e. sandwiches).

Knead the dough for 8 to 12 minutes, or until smooth and elastic.  You can use the dough hook in your stand mixer if you want (I do).  Cover and let rise 60 to 90 minutes, or until doubled.

Turn out on a lightly floured surface.  Flip it once or twice to get it a little dusty (it won't stick to your fingers this way--remember, the dough is pretty soft).

Then what I do is divide it into equal pieces before forming it into rolls.  I always double the recipe, so I cut my big hunk in half first, then again, then divide each quarter into twelve rolls.

Form balls by gently tucking those ugly ends underneath and forming a smooth surface on top.  Lots of people are better at it than I am; but you know by reading any other post I care more about what it tastes like than what it looks like.  Maybe some day I'll get both to happen at once.  But not with little children nippin' at my heels.

Cover those and let them rise 30 to 60 minutes, or until doubled in size.  Bake at 375 for 15 to 18 minutes, or until golden brown.

Dinner Rolls
adapted from Our Best Bites


2 cups milk (or 2 cups water with 1/2 cup milk powder)
1/3 cup butter

1 T yeast
2/3 cup warm water (about 100 degrees--baby bottle warm)

3 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp salt
8 to 9 cups flour (half whole wheat ok)

2 13x9 inch pans or 1 half sheet pan

Melt butter in milk; set aside and let cool to 100 degrees.  Proof yeast in warm water.  Mix eggs, sugar, salt and 3 to 4 cups flour into yeast mixture.  Add milk and butter and mix well.  Stir in remaining flour (up to 6 additional cups) and knead until dough is soft and pliable.  Cover and let rise until double, 60 to 90 minutes.  Punch down and turn out onto lightly floured surface.  Divide into 12 balls and form into rolls.  Place in greased pan; cover and let rise until double, about 30 minutes.  Uncover and bake at 375 for 15 to 18 minutes, or until golden brown. Brush with butter after pulling out of the oven if desired.

*can flash freeze after the rolls are formed and before the second rise.  To use, thaw on greased baking sheet, covered loosely in plastic wrap, for about 4 hours.  Uncover and bake as directed.