Classic Dinner Rolls

These were good, but could use a bit more sugar. The next time I made them, I added 2 extra tablespoons of sugar and 1 extra egg (so 2 eggs used in the dough and one for glazing). I now make them this way. Use all-purpose flour, not bread flour, for a softer crumb. Everyone comments on how good these rolls are.

4 to 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar [plus 2 Tbsp.]
2 envelopes (1/2 ounce or 4 1/2 tsp) Fleischmann's Active Dry Yeast
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3/4 cup very warm milk (105° to 115° F)
1/2 cup very warm water (105° to 115° F)
1/3 cup butter or margarine, softened
2 eggs, at room temperature, 1 for brushing rolls before baking to give them a glaze
     [I use 3 eggs total, 2 for the dough and 1 egg for brushing on top]
Poppy Seed or Sesame Seed, optional

In large bowl, combine 1 1/2 cups flour, sugar, undissolved yeast, and salt. Gradually add warm milk, warm water, and butter; beat 2 minutes at medium speed of electric mixer, scraping bowl occasionally. Add 1 [2] egg and 1/2 cup flour; beat 2 minutes at high speed. With spoon, stir in enough remaining flour to make soft dough. Grease top; cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate 2 to 24 hours. (Half the dough can be baked one day, and the rest the next.)

Remove from refrigerator. Punch dough down. Remove dough to lightly floured surface.

One recipe for rolls suggests: Use rolling pin to roll into a rectangle and fold the sides into the dough, as with biscuits, rolling and folding 4 more times. Roll out to rectangle again, cut dough in half lengthwise, then into 12 equal squares. Shape into balls and place into buttered pan.

Shape as desired:

See Shaping Dinner Rolls, also Shaping Rolls for Easter. Place rolls, about 2 inches apart, on greased baking sheets (or in other pans as directed). Cover; let rise in warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about 20 to 40 minutes.

FMM: I made 16 rolls, about 2.8 oz. or 78 grams a piece, so we could make small sandwiches from them. Dinner rolls are generally about 2 ounces each. These latter rolls are fairly small, but a good size if you are serving them with a big dinner, such as Thanksgiving.

2024: from 1/2 recipe I made 4 2-oz. dinner rolls and 6 2.5 oz. small sandwich rolls.

Beat remaining egg; brush on rolls. If desired, sprinkle with poppy or sesame seed. Bake at 375 F for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from sheets or pans; let cool on wire racks.

Once baked and cooled they can be heated in the oven to refresh them. I often make them the day before, especially for holidays, and then just reheat them for dinner the next day.

Yield: 1 1/2 to 2 dozen rolls

Nifty Make-Ahead Trick (from http://www.cookscountry.com/)

Steal a technique from commercial bakeries: par-bake. When the rolls are just beginning to brown and outside is set (about 5 minutes), remove them from the oven, cool, and freeze for up to a month. To finish, let the parbaked rolls sit on a parchment-lined baking sheet at room temperature for 1 hour. Bake in a 400-degree oven until they’re golden brown, about 10 minutes.