Quick Dinner Rolls

This past week, the temperatures finally dipped into the 40s for us. I know that’s not really cold for those of you up north, but for me, all I could think about was SWEATERS…BOOTS…FALL! Finally!

As you may remember, we’re living with my husband’s parents while our house is being built. When the temperature dropped last week, his mom let us know she was cooking gumbo for dinner one evening, so of course, I had to make bread. Dipping bread in gumbo is one of my favorites, especially when it’s homemade bread.

Since it was a weeknight, I needed a quicker recipe, and this recipe from King Arthur Flour was perfect. In about an hour, the bread was ready for baking. The rolls were so tasty, too! I’m already considering the idea of making these for Thanksgiving…this quick(er) recipe would be perfect for a holiday dinner, since it makes 24 rolls. 🙂

Quick Dinner Rolls
Source: King Arthur Flour

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup lukewarm water
• 2 cups warm milk (100-110° F)
• 3 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted and cooled until lukewarm
• 2 tbsp. granulated sugar
• 1 tbsp. salt
• 2 1/2 tbsp. instant yeast
• 6-7 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

Directions:

1. Place the water, milk, butter, sugar, salt and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer. Stir everything together, and let it sit for 6-8 minutes (until the yeast begins to foam).
2. Add 5 cups of all purpose flour to the bowl and mix with a paddle attachment (or by hand) on low, until the dough forms a rough mass. Change the attachment on the mixer to the dough hook, turn the mixer on low. Add more flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until a smooth ball of dough starts to form. Knead for 4-5 minutes in the mixer (or by hand for 10 minutes), until a soft, smooth ball of dough has formed. The ball of dough should feel elastic and slightly tacky to the touch.
3. Lightly spray the inside of a large bowl with cooking spray and place the dough in the bowl. Lightly spray the top of the dough with cooking spray, and cover the dough lightly with plastic wrap. Allow the dough to rise for 20 minutes at room temperature, until the dough appears to be full and puffy.
4. Gently deflate the dough and pat out the dough into a rough rectangle, about 8×12 inches in size. Cut the dough into 4 long strips, and then divide the strip into 6 portions, making 24 dough portions. Shape the portions into round balls, and if necessary, lightly spray cooking spray on your hands to prevent sticking.
5. Place the rolls in either one half-sheet baking pan, two quarter-sheet baking pans, two 9×13″ baking pans or four 8-9″ round baking pans. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Once the rolls are in the pans, cover the pans in plastic wrap, and allow the rolls to rise at room temperature for another 20-25 minutes.
6. Once the oven has preheated, bake the rolls for 20-25 minutes, until the tops are golden brown and an internal thermometer reads 190°F. An optional step is to brush the baked rolls with melted butter. Serve warm. If you have leftover rolls, store the rolls in a plastic bag for up to 3 days.