Pillowy soft dinner rolls are the BEST yeast rolls around. Great for Sunday dinners and a must for Holiday meals. A special technique will help you make perfect light yeast rolls every time.
This could be my last yeast roll post because these soft dinner rolls are the PERFECT yeast roll recipe. I saw this technique on America’s Test Kitchen and it will give you the softest yeast roll imaginable.
I am a yeast roll lover and am always searching for a way to improve my dinner rolls whether by adding mashed potatoes or dill. With this method I was just amazed at how much softer they are.
I could have easily eaten the entire dozen. I did show some restraint and froze what we didn’t eat, but I’m not sure how long I’ll be able to resist them even in the freezer. Mike agreed that these were phenomenal!
What makes these homemade yeast rolls the BEST
They’re not any more trouble then traditional yeast rolls. However, there are two things that make them softer.
First, you make a paste with water and flour and thicken it in the microwave then add it to the yeast and flour mixture.
Second, once the dough has risen and you are ready to make them into rolls, instead of forming into balls, you roll out the dough and cut it with a knife into 4 inch by 2 inch strips. Each strip is then rolled up into a cylinder and placed in a round cake pan.
Rolling them like this instead of in a ball yields a tender and extremely light and airy dinner roll. It only takes a minute or two more than forming them into balls, but the difference is just amazing.
You get rich buttery rolls from the milk and butter in the dough, don’t try to substitute.
What you’ll need
- Bread flour – its high protein makes for a light and fluffy roll.
- Yeast – either quick acting or regular
- Whole milk and butter – this is not the time to be concerned about fat
- Sugar and an egg
How do you make fluffy yeast rolls
Step 1: Make a paste with flour and water and microwave it until it is the consistency of pudding.
Step 2: Add the paste to a stand mixer and mix with milk and an egg. Add Flour and let it rest for 15 minutes then add a little sugar, salt and softened butter.
Step 3: Let rise for an hour until doubled and roll out into a rectangle. Cut into squares.
Step 4: Press the squares into 4 x 2 inch strips and roll up like a cylinder and place in a cake pan.
Step 5: Let rise until they fill the pan.
Step 6: Bake for 15-20 minutes and brush with butter.
After trying these, you’ll be confident enough to offer to bring rolls for your next potluck or family dinner
FAQ’s and tips
Bread flour is used in this recipe. Bread flour has more protein than all purpose flour which allows it to rise higher, it can absorb more liquid which causes it to rise upward. You can substitute all purpose flour and still get amazing rolls, they just might not be as light and fluffy as those made with bread flour. I generally use King Arthur’s or Bob’s Red Mill which are both unbleached.
If you want to make these the day before, refrigerate the dough once you have rolled them into cylinders and placed in the cake pan. They can get the second rise overnight. Remove from the refrigerator and let them stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before baking.
All yeast rolls freeze well after baking. First let them cool then wrap in aluminum foil and place in a resealable plastic bag to keep any air out. Reheat in foil at 325º for about 10 minutes.
This can easily be doubled so you can share or freeze the second pan.
I’m so excited that I now have a tried a true recipe for yeast rolls that won’t let me down and I can move on to making the perfect salmon dish. I am struggling with seafood right now.
They are predicting bad weather on Monday around here, which gives you a great opportunity to give these a try.
More easy YEAST roll recipes
- For a sour cream dough, try Sour Cream Yeast Rolls made into a knot
- Add some onions for a sturdier Pull Apart Roll
- Want a sweeter role, add pineapple juice for Hawaiian Rolls
- Use left over mashed potatoes for Mashed Potato Rolls
- Try savory dill yeast rolls
What should you serve with fluffy dinner rolls
Don’t save these just for Thanksgiving or Christmas, while divine served with turkey and all the sides, they are too good to only eat on special occasions. Try with some of these dinner recipes:
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Fluffy Dinner Rolls
Ingredients
- FLOUR PASTE
- ½ cup water
- 3 tablespoons bread flour
- DOUGH
- ½ cup cold milk
- 1 egg
- 2 cups bread flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons yeast
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 tablespoons butter softened
- ½ tablespoon butter melted
Instructions
- PASTE:
- Whisk water and flour together in a microwave safe bowl until there are no lumps. Microwave, whisking every 20 seconds until mixture thickens to a stiff, smooth, pudding like consistency. (if it gets too thick, add a little water and whisk until it is smooth)
- DOUGH:
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, whisk the paste with milk until smooth, then whisk in the egg. Add flour and yeast and mix on low speed with the paddle attachment until all the flour is incorporated, about 2 minutes. Let sit for 15 minutes.
- Add the sugar and salt and mix on medium-low speed for 5 minutes, then add softened butter, 1 tablespoon at a time until incorporated and continue to mix for an additional 5 minutes, scraping down sides as needed.
- Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface, it will be sticky. Knead briefly to form a ball and place in a lightly greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.
- Grease a 9-inch round cake pan with tall sides. Transfer dough to lightly floured surface and press gently to remove the air. Pat and stretch to form an 8 inch by 9 inch rectangle. With the short side facing you, cut dough into 4 equal strips and cut each strip into 3 equal pieces. Work with one piece at a time and press it into an 4 inch by 2 inch strip. Starting at one end roll each strip into a tight cylinder. Place seam side down in prepared pan, pointing inward. Place 10 around the pan and 2 in the center.
- Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 375º. Bake until deep golden brown, 15-20 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 3 minutes and then remove and brush with melted butter and let cool slightly before serving.
Video
Barbara’s Tips + Notes
Tips
- Rising tips: To help the dough rise, heat up some water in the microwave and then add the bowl of dough to the warm microwave and shut the door, or you can heat the oven to 200º. Place the dough in the warm oven shut the door and turn off the oven.
- Flour: Use bread flour for the fluffiest texture. All purpose will still make delicious dinner rolls.
- Fat: Use whole milk and butter.
- Make ahead tips: You can refrigerate the dough after formed into rolls. Remove from the refrigerator and let warm to room temperature for 30 minutes before baking.
- Double the recipe: You can easily double this and share or freeze the second batch.
Nutrition
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