Old Fashioned Yeast Dinner Rolls Recipe

dinner rolls in a pile on the kitchen bench

Old Fashioned Yeast Dinner Rolls Recipe

These old fashioned yeast dinner rolls are soft, light, and fluffy, and they are the perfect accompaniment to any meal. Soaked in soup or slathered with butter, these dinner rolls are perfectly delicious. The best part is they aren’t difficult to make if I can make these anyone can!

Course Bread Baking

Cuisine American

Keyword dinner rolls, Old Fashioned Yeast Dinner Rolls Recipe, simple dinner rolls

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 20

Additional Time 2

Total Time 2 50

Servings Rolls

Calories 143kcal

Author Makyla Ata

Ingredients

2 tsp white granulated sugar
445 ml warm water
2 tsp active dry yeast
640 g white bread flour
2 tsp salt
2 tbsp butter softened

Instructions

ACTIVATE YEAST
Mix the warm water and sugar in a bowl and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Add the yeast after the sugar has dissolved. Allow it to activate for about 10-15 minutes without mixing it. It will become frothy when it is activated.
PREPARE DOUGH
In a large bowl mix the flour and salt together. Create a well in the centre and pour the yeast and butter into it. Mix this together with a wooden spoon until a dough begins to form. Now you can begin mixing the remaining flour into the dough with your hands.
Check the dough is not too wet. If it is sticking to your hands or to the bowl, you may need to add a little bit more flour. Dough that is crumbly indicates that too much flour has been added. Add a tablespoon of warm water at a time until it becomes easier to work with.
KNEAD THE DOUGH
Now that you have your dough mixture ready, it is time to knead it. Dust a clean benchtop or hard surface lightly with flour. Place the dough on the surface. Begin kneading the dough to develop the gluten.
Kneading is done by pushing the dough away from you with the heel of your hand, then folding the top back over like an envelope, quarter-turning and repeating. Knead the dough for 10 minutes or until it is smooth, soft, and silky. Pop your finger into the dough and if it springs out nicely this is when you know the dough is ready.
THE FIRST RISE
It's time to let the dough rise for the first time. Lightly grease a large bowl and place the ball of dough in, smooth side up. Cover the bowl with a clean, wet tea towel or cling wrap and let it sit in a warm place for at least an hour or two until it's doubled in size. It may take longer if you are in a cold area or shorter in a hot area.
SHAPING THE DINNER ROLLS AND THE SECOND RISE
Once the dough has doubled in size, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and divide it into 18 equal portions. I like to weigh the dough then divide this into 18 and weigh each individual dough ball.
Once divided into equal pieces for even baking begin shaping the portions into round roll shapes. You can do this by turning the edges of the dough under and pinching them together until a smooth ball shapes.
Place the rolls onto a lined baking sheet with the seams down. Place them around 2-3cm apart in rows of 3. Cover and place in a warm spot to rise again. This could take about 45 minutes to an hour, but you want it to double in size again.
BAKE THE BREAD
Preheat the oven to 210°C(410°F) fan bake or conventional is fine. Remove the cover and bake for 15-20 minutes or until the rolls are golden brown on top.
Cool on a wire rack then enjoy.

Notes

I like to freeze extra rolls in zip lock bags so these can be enjoyed throughout the week if we decide to have soups or easy meals that need a bit more carbs. They will store in a zip lock bag or airtight container for 2 days.

To get consistent results with your bread baking, you must always measure your ingredients by weight.

Many beginners make the mistake of not kneading their dough enough. I have found that my best dinner rolls were kneaded for a good 10 to 15 minutes and I have a heavy hand.

Be diligent with the moisture of your bread rolls. You don’t want it to be too dry or too wet. In my experience, the best results have been when the dough is slightly sticky just after combining the wet and dry ingredients. This results in a soft, smooth dough after kneading.

Spray or brush your rising bowl with olive oil to prevent the dough from sticking.

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