Very tender, light and tasty. These are my very favorite dinner rolls. They can be started in a bread machine (mixing only) and completed in three hours or even less if the room is warm. Variations are endless. They also make the very best cinnamon rolls–I’ll show you those in another post.
Ingredients:
* 1 cup warm milk (if using skim milk which is usually all I have, replace 2 Tablespoons of milk with heavy cream)
* 1/4 cup shortening
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1 egg
* 3 tablespoons sugar
* 3 1/4 cups unbleached flour
* 2 1/4 teaspoons bread or instant yeast
Directions:
Place ingredients into bread machine in order listed. Use dough cycle. When finished, dough should be doubled in size and light. If not, allow to stay in bread machine a few more minutes till risen. (This may happen if the house is cold.)
Punch down gently. Place on floured surface and form into two large balls. Divide each ball into 8 pieces.
Make balls from each piece by pulling dough toward the bottom while turning the dough. Someday I will insert a video here because it is so easy once you get the hang of it. Much better than trying to roll a ball on the counter.
Place completed balls in 8 or 9 inch round or square pan, covered with towel or loose plastic wrap. Put in a warm spot until doubled. (I put mine in the microwave where I have already boiled a cup of water for 5 minutes to make it warm and steamy.)
Bake in 350 degree preheated oven until golden brown, usually about 10-12 minutes. Within 5 minutes, dump baked rolls out of pan and let cool on rack or paper plate so they won’t get soggy from the steam they produce.
Variations:
* Substitute 1 cup whole wheat flour for unbleached.
* Add 3/4 cup raisins or dried cranberries into dough before forming into balls.
* Make cinnamon rolls. (post to follow)
* Add 3/4 – 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese (large grate) into dough before forming into balls.
Notes:
* If you aren’t sure when they are done, buy yourself a quick-read digital thermometer and test rolls. They should be around 185-190 degrees in the oven. I highly recommend this method if you are an inexperienced baker or even if you are experienced. Since I started testing my bread with a thermometer, I have had no more raw bread. Rolls will brown fast so keep an eye on them but be sure they are done.
* Bleached flour may be substituted but you may need 1/4 cup more.
* Whenever making bread in the bread machine, I recommend you take a peek after about 20 minutes. You may need to add more flour if dough has not formed into a shaggy ball. Weather conditions can affect your flour and dough.
* Dark colored pans will make a nicer brown crust than light colored.
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
these look truly delicious.
Thank you for your favorite dinner rolls recipe. I used your dinner roll recipe tonight with the use of bread flour. Like you said, it was so soft, tasty and light. Everybody in my family enjoyed it.
The chocolate mini bundt cakes look so good. Would it be possible to request for the recipe? My 3 1/2 year old son loves chocolate cakes. I would like to bake it for him. Thanks
Hi Paula,
I would like to share your dinner rolls recipe with my sister in lawabroad. Can she use all purpose flour instead of bread flour since she can not find bread flour at her local grocery store? It would be her first time to bake bread and she is very excited to do it. Thanks.
Yes, she can definitely use all purpose. Unbleached is better than bleached but bleached will also work. Normally, you have add a little more flour if using unbleached instead of bread flour and maybe even more if using bleached flour. I hope it works out for her. Working with yeast dough is a little tricky and takes practice.
These dinner rolls are the absolute best! My family thanks you for the recipe… I have made them twice a week for the past few months, and they never get tiring. They are light & fluffy, and a definite keeper. Thanks!