Thanksgiving 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 dinner roll. It has the soft texture everyone loves and the versatility to make ahead for the holidays. 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 to 2 hours Knead & shape: 25 minutes Second rise: 45 minutes Bake: 18 to 22 minutes Bake at: 375°F Yield: 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 for yeast
  • 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
  • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1/4 cup (51 grams) 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 to 3 cups (300 to 360 grams) all-purpose flour
  • 1/3 cup (35 grams) whole wheat or white pastry flour (no substitute)
  • Vegetable oil for bowl
  • 2 tablespoons melted, unsalted butter, divided
  • Non-Stick cooking spray

Directions

Making the Roll Dough

  • In a large bowl, proof the yeast with 1/4 cup warm water and 1 teaspoon sugar until it is frothy, about 5 minutes.
  • Add the 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 the dough with an electric mixer at low speed for 1 minute and then at medium speed for an additional 2 minutes. If you prefer, beat the dough 300 strokes by hand.
  • Stir in the whole wheat or white pastry flour. Add more of the all-purpose flour until the dough rolls away from the sides of the bowl.

Kneading the Dough

  • Turn out the dough onto a floured board and knead it for 10 minutes. If you prefer, use the dough hook of an electric mixer and knead on low speed for about 4 minutes until the dough is satiny and elastic.
  • Add small amounts of flour as needed to prevent sticking.

Letting the Dough Rise

  • Add about 1 tablespoon vegetable oil to a clean, large bowl. Form the dough into a ball and place it in the bowl. Turn the dough ball to coat and end with the seam side down.
  • Cover the bowl and let the dough rise in a warm, draft-free place until it is doubled in bulk, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
  • Punch down the dough. Knead it 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 to prevent sticking.
  • Form the dough into a ball with the seam side down, lightly cover the bowl, and let the dough rest for 10 minutes.

Cutting Out the Rolls

  • Prepare two 9-inch round cake pans with non-stick cooking spray.
  • Roll out the dough on a lightly floured board to 1/2-inch thickness.
  • Cut the dough into rounds with a 2 1/2-inch biscuit cutter dipped in flour; do not twist the cutter.
  • Place the rolls in the cake pans with sides touching.
  • Brush the tops with 1 tablespoon melted butter.
  • Cover the rolls and let rise until almost doubled, about 45 minutes.

Baking the Rolls

  • Preheat the oven to 375°F during the last 20 minutes of the second rising period.
  • Bake the rolls on the middle rack for 18 to 22 minutes until they are light golden brown.
  • When the rolls come out of the oven, brush the tops with the remaining 1 tablespoon melted butter. Turn the rolls out onto a wire rack.
  • Serve hot.

Make-Ahead Directions

  • If you plan to make the rolls ahead and freeze, it is easiest if you bake them in heavy aluminum foil pans.
  • Bake the rolls at 350°F for about 15 minutes, so that the rolls finish browning when reheated. The rolls should be done, but still light brown. Brush the tops with butter when the 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 the rolls in their wrapping outside of the refrigerator before reheating.
  • Preheat the oven to 325°F. Reheat the rolls, uncovered, for 6 to 8 minutes. There is no need to butter the tops again when the 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.
  • The make-ahead directions work for any bread with a high sugar content. Breads with low sugar content will not brown properly when reheated.
  • You can make 1 pan of rolls 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 to 5 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 3/4 cup pastry flour, and 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) melted butter.
print recipe