Homemade Dinner Rolls

At Sunday dinners, holiday spreads, and “company’s coming” suppers across America, see what’s on the table—and what gets gobbled up first. It’s that basket of hot, buttery dinner rolls.

One bite of a warm, light-as-air roll slathered with butter is enough to convince even the most novice cook to become a roll baker. Yes, they take a little time, but they’re certainly not difficult, and they’re a great way to ease into yeast breads. To speed up the process, take advantage of time-saving appliances such as an electric mixer with a dough hook attachment to knead the dough quickly and easily. It just takes a little practice and time to get the feel of a good dough. Next thing you know, your homemade rolls will be the top request from family and friends.

Buttery Light Dinner Rolls

• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup milk, scalded
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
• 1 package active dry yeast
• 1/3 cup warm water
• 1 egg, beaten
• About 4 1/2 to 5 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons melted butter

Stir sugar, salt, and butter into milk; cool to lukewarm. Place warm water in a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle with yeast and stir to dissolve. Add warm milk mixture and egg; blend well. Stir in 2 to 3 cups flour and beat with a wooden spoon until smooth. Mix in additional flour about 1/2 cup at a time until a soft dough forms. The dough should be soft and sticky but not stick to the sides of the bowl. Knead dough on a lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 8 to 10 minutes.

Place dough in a large greased bowl, turning to cover dough with grease. Cover with damp towel and let rise in a warm, draft-free area until doubled in bulk, about 45 minutes to one hour. Punch down dough. Shape into rolls (1 1/2-inch balls) and place in two greased 8- or 9-inch cake pans or on a large baking sheet about 1/2 inch apart. Cover with damp towel. Let rise until doubled in bulk, about 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Brush rolls with melted butter and bake 15 minutes or until tops are golden brown. Serve hot. Makes about 24 rolls.

Mindy Merrell is a cookbook author and frequent American Profile contributor.

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