Soft Dinner Rolls
I've tried so many roll recipes over the years, so, so many. No recipe has ever come close to my mother's soft dinner roll. It has the soft texture everyone loves and the versatility to make-ahead for holiday baking. Her secret is using a small amount of pastry flour in the dough. I include make-ahead directions.
Prep: 25 minutes
First rise: 1 1/2-2 hours
Knead & shape: 25 minutes
Second rise: 45 minutes
Bake: 18-22 minutes Bake at: 375° Makes: 18 (2 1/2-inch) rolls Pan: two 9-inch round cake pans Difficulty: easy
Ingredients:
1 1/2 packets (scant 3 1/2 teaspoons) active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/4 cup (51g) granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup warm water
1/3 cup evaporated milk (no substitute)
1 large egg, room temperature
2 1/2-3 cups (300g-360g) all-purpose flour
1/3 cup (35g) whole wheat or white pastry flour (no substitute)
Vegetable oil for bowl
2 tablespoons melted, unsalted butter, divided
Cooking spray
Directions:
Bring the egg to room temperature.
In a large bowl, proof the yeast with warm water and 1 teaspoon sugar until frothy, about 5 minutes.
Add vegetable oil, 1/4 cup sugar, salt, 1/3 cup warm water, evaporated milk, egg, and enough all-purpose flour to make a somewhat stiff dough. Beat with an electric mixer at low speed for 1 minute and then at medium speed for an additional 2 minutes. If you prefer, beat 300 strokes by hand. Stir in whole wheat or white pastry flour. Stir in additional all-purpose flour until the dough rolls away from the sides of the bowl.
Turn out dough onto a floured surface and knead 10 minutes. If you prefer, use the dough hook of an electric mixer and knead on low speed for about 4 minutes until dough is satiny and elastic. Add small amounts of flour as needed.
Add about 1 tablespoon oil to a clean, large bowl. Form the dough into a ball and place in bowl. Turn to coat and end with seam side down. Cover and let rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled, 1 1/2-2 hours.
Punch down dough. Knead on a lightly floured board for 10 minutes or use the dough hook of an electric mixer for 4 minutes. Add as little flour as possible. Form the dough into a ball with seam side down, lightly cover, and let rest for 10 minutes.
Prepare two 9" round cake pans with cooking spray. Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface to 1/2" thickness. Cut into rounds with a 2 1/2" biscuit cutter dipped in flour. Do not twist cutter. Place rolls in the cake pans with sides touching. Brush tops with 1 tablespoon melted butter. Cover and let rise until almost doubled, about 45 minutes.
Pre-heat the oven to 375° during the last 15 minutes of the second rising period.
Bake on the middle rack for 18-22 minutes until light golden brown. Brush tops with 1 tablespoon melted butter when the rolls come out of the oven. Turn rolls out onto a wire rack. Serve hot.
Make-Ahead Directions:
If you plan to make rolls ahead and freeze, it is easiest to bake them in heavy aluminum foil pans.
Bake the rolls at 350° for about 15 minutes, so that rolls finish browning when reheated. Rolls should be done, but still light brown. Brush the tops with butter when rolls come out of the oven to avoid having them get crisp during reheating.
Cool the rolls completely on a wire rack in their pans. Wrap tightly and freeze.
Thaw rolls in their wrapping outside of the refrigerator before reheating.
Pre-heat the oven to 325°. Reheat the rolls, uncovered, for 6-8 minutes. There is no need to butter the tops again when rolls come out of the oven unless you left them in for too long. Serve hot.
Tips:
- If you want the rolls to be soft, do not substitute milk for evaporated milk or whole wheat or all-purpose flour for pastry flour.
- Make-ahead directions work for any bread with a high sugar content. Breads with low sugar content will not brown properly when re-heated.
- You can make 1 pan for Thanksgiving and freeze the second pan for Christmas.
- To make 3 dozen rolls, use 2 packets yeast, 1/2 cup warm water, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1/3 cup vegetable oil, 1/2 cup sugar, 2 teaspoons salt, 3/4 cup warm water, 3/4 cup (one 5-ounce can) evaporated milk, 1 egg, 5-5 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 3/4 cup pastry flour, and 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) melted butter.