Thanksgiving Feast: the ultimate dinner rolls

Taste: Buttery with an ideal blend of sweetness and saltiness.

Texture: Soft, fluffy, and tender with a golden brown crust.

Ease: This roll recipe is perfect for beginners who haven’t made homemade bread before!

Pros: Easy, fairly quick, delicious, and perfect for Thanksgiving or any special dinner.

Avoid adding too much extra flour to the dough. This dough contains milk, butter, and sugar, which slow down gluten development and can make it a bit sticky. Adding extra flour will make the rolls denser and tougher, rather than light and fluffy. If the dough is tricky to handle, lightly dampen your hands with water instead of adding more flour.

How to Freeze Dinner Rolls:

1. Freeze the dough after it has risen once and been shaped into rolls.

2. Place the rolls in a baking dish, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and store flat in the freezer for up to 2 months.

3. When ready to bake, loosen the plastic wrap and thaw to room temperature.

4. Let rise until an indentation made with your finger remains.

5. Continue with the recipe as written.

Yield: 12 dinner rolls

Prep Time:

30 minutes mins

Rising time:

2 hours hrs

Cook Time:

20 minutes mins

Total Time:

2 hours hrs 50 minutes mins

Ingredients

▢ 1/4 cup lukewarm water (100 to 110°F)

▢ 1 cup warm milk (100 to 110°F)

▢ 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted plus more for greasing

▢ 2 large eggs, lightly beaten

▢ 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

▢ 1 1/2 teaspoons fine salt

▢ 2 1/4 teaspoons (1 packet) instant yeast

▢ 4 1/2 cups (572 grams) bread flour

For egg wash & finishing

▢ 1 egg, lightly beaten

▢ Melted butter

▢ Flaky sea salt, for sprinkling

Instructions

Combine the water, milk, 1 tablespoon of the melted butter, eggs, sugar, salt, and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer. Add 2 cups of the flour and stir with a wooden spoon until the dough forms a rough, shaggy mass. Attach the dough hook to the mixer, turn to medium-low speed, and gradually add the remaining flour, kneading until a mass of dough begins to form. Continue kneading on medium-high speed for 4 to 5 minutes until a soft, smooth ball of dough is formed. The dough should feel elastic and slightly tacky to the touch.

Lightly spray a large clean bowl with cooking spray and place the dough in the bowl. Cover the bowl lightly with plastic wrap. Let rise for about 1 hour to 90 minutes at room temperature or until the dough is big, puffy, and about doubled in size.

Grease a 9×13-inch or similarly shaped baking pan with butter. Gently deflate the dough. Use a bench scraper, knife, or pizza wheel to divide the dough into 12 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a ball and place in the prepared pan. Lightly cover the dough with plastic wrap and let the rolls rise for about 1 hour, or until about doubled in size.

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Brush the rolls gently with the beaten egg. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with flaky salt. Serve warm. Store leftovers in an airtight container or ziptop bag for up to 3 days.