Are you ready for the rolls?
If you are a semi-regular reader of this blog, you are probably rolling your eyes that I am declaring undying love for a new roll. I mean, how many roll recipes can one girl need? At the risk of offending all of my much-loved roll recipes, this new recipe may trump all the others. Really.
These rolls are beyond description. But for you, I’ll try. They are soft and chewy. They are flavorful and tender. They are simply perfect.
If it is any indication how much these rolls have affected my roll-loving person, (and this is no exaggeration, even though I love to exaggerate) I’ve made them nine (yes, nine) times in the last two months. They are absolutely the best rolls I’ve ever made.
They are definitely going to be the star of our Thanksgiving dinner (and for many dinners thereafter).
Make Ahead Tip:
After shaping and placing on the baking sheet, these rolls can be refrigerated for 24 hours. Simply remove them from the refrigerator and let them sit at room temperature for two to three hours (until warmed and risen) before baking.
Click HERE for all of the Thanksgiving 101 Recipes.
Perfect Dinner Rolls
Printable Version
Printable Version with Picture
*Makes 12 rolls – if doubling the recipe (which I do all the time), only increase the yeast to 1 tablespoon or else the dough will taste too yeast-y*
INGREDIENTS:
1 1/4 cups warm water
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon sugar
2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast
3 cups all-purpose flour (I’ve had great results using half white, half wheat flour, also)
1/2 cup instant potato flakes
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 egg, lightly beaten
DIRECTIONS:
Whisk water, oil, sugar, and yeast together in a small bowl or liquid measuring cup until the yeast dissolves. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook or by hand, mix flour, potato flakes, and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt until well combined. Add water mixture in a steady stream with the mixer on low (or stir in by hand) until the dough comes together, about one minute. Knead the dough until it is smooth and comes away from the sides of the bowl, about 6 minutes (add additional flour if absolutely necessary to make a soft dough that doesn’t stick to the sides of the bowl while kneading). Knead the dough briefly until it forms a smooth ball.
Transfer dough to a lightly greased bowl and turn to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled, about an hour and a half. (For a quicker rising method, before you start making the dough, preheat the oven to 200 degrees. When the oven has reached 200 degrees, turn the oven off. Place the covered bowl in the oven and let rise until doubled, about 45 minutes.)
Punch down the dough and divide it into 12 equal pieces (divide into quarters and cut each quarter into thirds). Form each piece of dough into a ball by lightly cupping the dough in the palm of your hand and rolling it on an unfloured or ungreased surface in a circular motion until it forms a smooth ball.
Transfer to a parchment-lined or lightly greased rimmed baking sheet. Cover lightly with greased plastic wrap and let rise until doubled (about an hour). (Again, you can return to the warm oven and let rise for 20 minutes for a quicker method.) If you are making them the night before, do not let them go through this rise, instead transfer to the refrigerator. Take the rolls out 2 hours before baking to allow them to come to room temperature and rise.
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Brush rolls with lightly beaten egg and bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Serve.
Recipe Source: adapted slightly from Cook’s Country
{ 73 comments… read them below or add one }
Melanie, I am having trouble finding potato flakes in my market? Is it the same as mashed potato in a box?
Okay, I made these & loved them! I am totally posting them next week for my Thanksgiving Countdown. I agree. They are just amazing and the fact that they can be refrigerated and then baked, awesome!
these look wonderful! thanks.
I saw that today’s post was rolls and my first thought was “Of course”. And of course they look perfect. You are a yeast master in my eyes.
Melanie~ These do look delicious! I am really a terrible bread maker, so pardon the silly question, but can you do the kneading in the mixing bowl with the dough hook…or does that need to be done my hand? The fact that I am having to ask this is a clear indication as to why my bread usually comes out funky!
This was the one I was waiting for. I’ve only been subscribed for a few months, but already I’ve caught on to your bread obsession. But I don’t mind, I’m becoming a bit bread-obsessed myself, now that I know it’s really not that hard to make. I will DEFINITELY try this–can’t wait!!!!~Veronica
I just love you! You make me laugh so hard. I do know of your love for rolls…..so I am FOR SURE going to try this recipe with such a high recommendation from a bread lover (like myself)
!
My mom uses potato flakes in her famous homemade bread, it must be a magic ingredient! I’m going to have to give these a go. All of these Thanksgiving posts look fabulous!
These must be some phenomenal rolls to be titled the best rolls you ever. I have made and loved several of your roll recipes. One can never have to many bread(carb) related recipes. I can’t wait to try them. -Liz K.
I love reading your roll recipes–they inspired me to make some last week, which I clearly don’t do enough of because my 4 year old said, “Oh, Mom! You’re making bread cookies!”
I just added these to my recipe box! Thanks!
Now, wait a minute… are these better than the Lion House rolls?
Rebecca – I zipped into my pantry to check and this is exactly what my box says, “Betty Crocker Potato Buds Mashed Potatoes 100% Real Potatoes.”
Does that help? Just make sure you aren’t buying any with added ingredients like butter or milk. Just good old fashioned potato flakes (or buds).
EmilyCC – your comment CRACKED me up! How cute.
The Double Dipped Life – I hate to say it but in my book, yes these are better, although I’m sure that is a matter of opinion because the Lion House rolls are pretty darn delicious!
My Sister’s Kitchen – I’m so, so, so glad you liked these, especially after I raved about them so much!
These actually might be better than mine! Egad!
Okay-I’m sold…I have to try my hand at making these sometime before Thanksgiving to see if I can pull it off and THEN offer to bring them to dinner. I love that they can be refrigerated and then baked.
Keep them coming Mel-your Thanksgiving tips are GREAT!!
Splendid Things – no question is a silly question when it comes to yeast, I promise! Yes, you can let your electric mixer do the kneading for you. I have a Bosch and I never knead by hand because it does it all for me. I let it knead in the mixer for a good 3-4 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic. Hope that helps!
I am bookmarking your recipes now. Except for these rolls (for lack of potato flakes) I’m keeping them all! Can’t wait to start cooking!
Well now I have to give these a try just to see how they turn out!
Can I just tell you how much I LOVE your blog!?!?!? I check it daily and have used SO many of your recipes. I often find myself in a rut when cooking dinner for my family so when that happens, I refer to your blog. I love it (Did I already say that?)
I just wanted to tell you that I appreciate your detailed instructions which a lot of roll recipes leave out. I can make a mean loaf of bread, but I’ve never quite gotten the hang of rolls!! I’m definitely going to try this recipe.
Beckie – you sweet thing, thank you for your comment! I’m glad that you’ve liked many of the recipes…thanks for letting me know!
I have a favorite favorite dinner roll, but with you extolling these to the heavens, I will try these. Will have to find potato flakes first.
Wow, Melanie, you’re so on top of everything! Thanksgiving dinner ideas! So great! These rolls look perfect! I think you should open a restaurant or a bakery.
Do you think there would be any problem with rolling these out to make crescent rolls instead of balls?
Thanks!
Shanna – I’m not sure about that. The dough is a bit more elastic than other soft doughs I’ve used before for crescent rolls but it may work, I’ve just never tried it. Let me know if you do!
OK, Melanie. I need some help from the “Queen of Rolls.” (Or didn’t you know that was your official title? lol.) I’ve never been able to make good homemade rolls. I made these and they weren’t what I was looking for, though we ate them all in less than 24 hours (that’s only two people, mind you). I’m looking for a roll that is soft and sweet, like the kind they serve at Golden Corral or Ryans. I don’t know if you have either of those restaurants where you are and you’re not missing a whole lot if you don’t, but they do serve the most delicious rolls. Have you ever posted any rolls that fit this description? I found these to be almost like sourdough, which is not what I want. Also, do you think a stand mixer with dough hooks is necessary to make good rolls? Because making this recipe by hand, the dough was so incredibly sticky that half of it was completely glued to my hands while I worked with it. Eventually I was forced to add 1/4 cup of flour and even then it was incredibly sticky. Despite the wet dough, when I baked them they weren’t soft but almost tough. I’m not very experienced with bread and would appreciate any advice you might have. Thanks!
Veronica – each roll recipe can be really different – you are right, some are sweeter, some a little more chewier. The two roll recipes I have on my blog that may help you are:
The Lion House Rolls (these are soft and slightly sweet):http://mykitchencafe.blogspot.com/2008/12/lion-house-dinner-rolls.html
The Parker House Rolls (these are also easy and sweet and can be made in two hours):http://mykitchencafe.blogspot.com/2009/08/parker-house-rolls.html
My Aunt who loves sweet rolls gave me the Parker House Rolls recipe and they are like little pillows – really good.
Also, I do use an electric mixer with a dough hook and it makes bread and roll making a lot easier, but it isn’t absolutely necessary. I haven’t had one forever and still will occasionally make yeast goods by hand. If your dough is overly sticky, it probably needs more flour, based on humidity or how each person measures it differently. The other trick to getting a really soft roll is to knead it for long enough – this is also why an electric mixer is handy but if you don’t have one, just keep kneading until the dough is very soft and supple. On Monday, I am posting a yeast tutorial that has a step-by-step introduction to yeast and getting a really soft dough. Let me know if you have any other questions!
Love your blog! If tripling this recipe, how much yeast do you recommend using?
Hi Bethany – I triple this recipe all the time and when tripling, I use 1 1/2 tablespoons of yeast.
I will be making these for our Thanksgiving Feast, I am so excited to try them out. Thanks for the great Thanksgiving recipes!
Melanie, you are so sweet–thank you so much for your help!!!
Hi Melanie,
These rolls look great.
I usually make “rifidgerator rolls” (the kind where you leave the dough in a bowl, in the fridge over night, then take out the morning of, form the balls and let them rise before baking).
Do you think I could do that with this roll recipe? I don’t really have room in my fridge for 4 sheet pans.
Thanks!
Matt in Overlook – hmmm…I don’t see why that wouldn’t work but you would definitely want to take the bowl of dough out of the fridge before shaping them into rolls to take the chill off, otherwise the dough will be too stiff to work with. Let me know if you try it this way!
I’m new to making bread/rolls, so these might be silly questions. But I was a bit confused by the recipe…when do you add the egg?? and you say to use instant yeast, but still you add it to water and let it rise twice? From what I learned instant yeast is added to the dry ingredients and you only need to let rise once? I’m in the process of making them right now, so I’ll see if mine turn out!
Nevermind about the egg…I just saw where it says to brush on top.
Melanie W. – yes, instant yeast normally does not need to be proofed in water before using – and some people will skip one of the rises when using it, but this particular recipe is more about the method – meaning, the yeast is added to all the other wet ingredients in order for the wet ingredients to be incorporated into the dry ingredients. It isn’t as much about proofing the yeast in water (since the recipe doesn’t call for the yeast to sit until it is foamy and bubbly) as it is about the method. Also, I am one of those that still does both rises for bread and rolls when using instant yeast because I feel that the rising gives the dough better flavor and texture. Hope that helps. Good luck!
Melanie,
I ended up just making these rolls the day of and they turned out great! Everyone enjoyed them.
Thank you,
Matt – glad they turned out! Thanks for letting me know.
I found this post through another bread one… I was wondering, can I sub the instant yeast and proof it with the water and make these rolls, or will it not work that way?
Miss Rachel – you could absolutely sub active dry yeast and proof it with the water…I think it would work just fine, although I would up the amount of yeast to 1 tablespoon if using active dry.
Hi Melanie, I made this rolls yesterday and they were delicious. I had one problem however: upon going into the oven they looked perfect(well risen etc) but they came out looking rather flat. Could it be because I put them into a fan forced oven?
Thanks
Love the fajita recipe and will definitely give it a go. Not sure if we can get liquid smoke in Australia though
Christie – I’m not really familiar with fan forced ovens but I’m guessing if there is a great deal of air moving around then, yes, it could probably contribute to the rolls going flat. The only other thing I can think of is if the dough was overly soft (not enough flour), but if that was the case, they probably wouldn’t have risen on the pan, either.
I hope you like the fajitas. If you can’t find liquid smoke, I’d still try them…the other flavors are delicious.
Thanks Melanie. Yes there is a lot of air in the oven, so I think that is my problem. I can turn it off, so I will give them another try.
I have managed to find a store nearby called USA foods who sell the Liqiud smoke, so I will pay them a visit. I am hoping that I will be able to get a few other treats that I remember enjoying on a visit many years ago visiting family in the south! Thanks again, Christie.
I made these today and the dough rose fine, but when I took off the plastic wrap on the second rise, they went flat. Maybe I let them rise too long?
Anywho, they tasted great and there are none left!
Chris – hmmmm…I think you may be right – if too much air gets into the dough (i.e. they rise too long) then they may go flat. Also, sometimes if the plastic wrap sticks to the dough – it can deflate the rolls as you pull it off so make sure there is plenty of cooking spray on the plastic. Glad they tasted ok, though!
Dear Melanie, I tried these and just loved them. Have posted them in my blog and linked to ur recipe. Thanks so much.
Thanks, Pari!
I, too, am having some problems with some the rolls going flat. Particularly when brushing on the egg, despite trying to be super-gentle. Anyone else have this problem, or just me?
Allyson (and others who have inquired) – there are several reasons rolls may flatten. In my comment to Chris above, I mentioned that if rolls rise too long, they can become “overpuffed” and possibly collapse. Another major reason why rolls can fall is if there isn’t enough flour in the dough. It is a delicate balance between not too much and just enough. When you feel the dough in your fingers, it should be tacky and slightly sticky but not gooey and messy (alternately, it shouldn’t be so stiff you can’t work with it). Hope that helps a little bit!
Ugh Mel–I need help! I’ve made these twice now, and both times they’ve been less than stellar. Both times I’ve had difficulty getting them to rise as much as they should. The flavor has been good, but the texture has been dense. What am I doing wrong? I feel like I’m following the directions exactly, but obviously not! I thought I might be getting better at this whole yeast thing, but now I’m rethinking that…
Reyna – stop! Don’t bad talk your yeast/bread-making abilities. Think of all your successes! As for these rolls, I don’t know why they wouldn’t be rising as much. My first thought was the one that is my first line of defense when anyone comments that their bread/rolls aren’t rising. Do you think you might be overflouring the dough? There is a fine line between underflouring and overflouring. You want to achieve a soft, tender dough that even might be on the side of slightly sticky – but as you roll the dough into balls, the stickiness isn’t so apparent that the balls can’t be shaped. If the dough is too sticky, the rolls may flatten as they rise. It’s a tricky balance but overflouring can definitely lead to dense, under-risen rolls. How long do you let them rise on the baking sheet? Perhaps it may take extra time based on the temp/conditions of your kitchen to get them to rise fully. I kind of think that even though we’ve never met but since we live fairly close, we should just get together and make them! But until then, don’t get discouraged. And comment or email if you want further clarification/ideas.
So I made these rolls the other day and the reviews from the family were “okay, not as good as grandma’s (my mom-in-law). Urg. They did fall a little when I brushed the egg on, even though I tried to be oh so gentle. Can I put the egg on before they rise? I would really like to get the roll thing down. Wish you could come to my house for a roll making lesson.
Lorie – I’m starting to think I may be the only fan of these rolls! Several other commenters have been less than pleased, also, which makes me so sad because honestly, these rolls are some of my favorites! If I were you, I’d take the egg wash step out completely. There won’t be much of a difference and you won’t run the risk of the rolls deflating. Was that the only issue with the rolls or was it also just the general taste/flavor?
Hi Mel!
I tried these today. I enjoyed the taste very much but mine were a little flat too. I was wondering, when you let them rise in the oven should they still be covered with plastic wrap or would the plastic wrap melt? I did it the long way since I wasn’t sure. I felt like the plastic wrap prevented them from rising as much as they might have in the oven without wrap?
Elena – ugh! I’m sorry that your rolls flattened, too. It seems to be a widespread problem with these darned rolls. I usually choose the longer rising method but I think the plastic wrap should be fine in the oven because the oven shouldn’t be hot enough to bake the rolls – just warm them slightly to rise. I noticed last time I made these that my plastic wrap was tucked tightly underneath the bottom of my baking pan and I made sure to take it out so that the plastic wrap wasn’t putting too much pressure on the rolls – they should have room to grow without flattening and the tight plastic wrap can sometimes cause them to flatten, as well as not enough flour. I hope that helps a little!
Hi! I am addicted to your site! It is fabulous! I have a question about instant yeast. Is that the same as quick rise yeast? I have only ever used active dry yeast I am making these rolls for Thanksgiving this year, and I don’t want to mess them up by using the wrong yeast. Thanks for your help.
Hi Heidi – yes, quick rise yeast is the same as instant yeast. Also, if you are attempting these rolls (and I know you’ll do great!), read through the other comments before making them. Several others have had problems with the rolls flattening. I don’t want that to happen to you so I’ve offered some feedback to the other commenters. Let me know how it goes!
This was my first attempt at making bread! The rolls came out very delicious, but I wonder why they never actually turned golden brown even after staying in the oven for an extra minute.
Lisa – glad you liked the rolls…to be honest, I’m not sure why they didn’t brown! Sometimes if your oven rack is too low in the oven that makes a difference, but usually they should brown either way. Sorry I can’t help more!
Okay, so I made these rolls for Thanksgiving and let me just say, the way you described them was the perfect description. These were wonderful! Absolutely delicious! My husband even said, now keep this between you and me, they were better than his mom’s rolls! That is a huge compliment, my mother in law makes some good rolls. Anyways, I am now addicted to them and will be making them again, soon. I did not brush them with the egg though. Instead, I just put them in without it, and when they came out of the oven, I rubbed butter all over the tops. YUM!
I also just wanted to say, that in addition to these rolls, I made the two hour turkey recipe, your giblet gravy recipe, and your stuffing recipe, the celery herb one. ALL were FABULOUS! My husband was nervous about the turkey when he saw me put the greased paper bag over it, but after taking one bite, he was speechless, it was that good. Anways, I could go on and on, but I really appreciate the time you put into this blog to help amateur cooks like me! So, thank you again, our Thanksgiving was a great one because of these wonderful recipes.
Sorry this comment was so long!
Heidi – I’m so happy you liked these rolls (and your husband, too, although don’t worry, mum’s the word on not letting it get back to his mum!). I’m thrilled all the components of your Thanksgiving spread worked out. That’s awesome. Thank you!
Can you place the ingredients in a breadmaker and put it on the dough cycle eliminating some of the steps? I have a recipe for rolls that I use the breadmaker for. I then take the dough out and roll them into balls and place in the oven to make. I do have to let them rise for 15 minutes after I roll them into balls. Just wondering. I am new to your site and love it.
Jill – I don’t have a breadmaker so I’ve never tried this method. It is probably worth a try, although if I were you, I’d compare this recipe to the one you’ve used in your breadmaker in the past to make sure the amount of ingredients will fit. Let me know if you try it!
delicious! wonderful! easy! perfect even with 1/2 ww flour!
Hi! Mel,
I just made whole wheat bread with my new Bosch mixer and Nutrimill. I love my new machines. Do you have a bread recipe for white bread, by any chance?
Much appreciated.
Ann
Hi Ann – I don’t make white bread very often so I don’t have a great recipe, but you might try googling the recipe to find one. Good luck!
I made these tonight to go with your cheese soup. They were good, but flatter like the others have said. I’ve tried another of your roll recipes and these were very similar – more like buns than rolls. I’m not sure it’s just your recipe. I wonder if it has something to do with the yeast? I’m not sure. I was gonna ask my mom
Eva – these rolls tend to flatten if they are underfloured – do you think that could have been the case?
perhaps though the dough didn’t seem sticky to me. they were still good!
These are THE roll recipe in our house, and I have been looking for a while. I’m always sure to have instant potato flakes on hand so that I can make them. I usually use canola oil instead of olive oil, and I don’t need as much flour where I live near the mountains (I use 2.5 cups per batch). It’s rare to find a roll recipe that has low saturated fat like this one. My kids love them with soups/stews and as leftover cheese buns in their lunches. The search is over!
I made these rolls again today, for the third time. The first time, I followed the recipe exactly and they were great. The second time I used half AP and half Whole Wheat flour, again they were excelent. This time I decided to mix it up a little. I added some rosemary, thyme, sage, garlic powder and onion powder. They were heavenly!
Now that I understand how bread dough should look and feel, I have stopped making hockey pucks and door stops! Thanks again for the great recipes and blog!