Printfriendly

Easy Yeast Rolls!


My mother's yeast rolls are nearly famous...at least around these parts...lol.  She has made literally thousands of these wonderful rolls through the years and has the art down to perfection.  I use her recipe when I make them and they are pretty good, but nobody makes these rolls like my mother.  Yesterday, I watched her make them from step one, which I had never done before, and I think I might have picked up a few of her secrets.   I can now pass those tips on to you. 

Don't let the steps in this put you off.  There are several steps, but it is not really that complicated and well worth the effort and this is what you will get.




Here is what you will need:


All purpose flour (we prefer White Lily if you can get it in your area), vegetable or canola oil, sugar, yeast, salt, milk (not pictured) and water.


You will need to sift 5 of the 6 cups of flour into a large mixing bowl.  The bowl needs to have plenty of room for these to double in size when they rise.  Warm 2 cups of milk in the microwave for 5 minutes and let it cool to where it is just warm to the touch. 



Dissolve yeast in 1/2 cup warm water.  Make sure the water is not too hot or it will kill your yeast.  To the warm milk add 3/4 cup oil, 3/4 cup sugar, and 1 tsp salt.  Mix together and add to the flour.  Now add the yeast to this mixture and stir to blend.  This mixture will be very loose. Pour about 2 Tbs. oil over the top the dough and spread it around to coat it. Cover with a kitchen towel and let this rise for 2 hours. 



The mixture should almost double and look like this.  If your kitchen is cold or drafty, this will take much longer.  Sit the bowl near the oven if you are cooking and have it on to speed the rising.  Now take the other cup of flour, sifted and sprinkle 1/2 of it on the dough and 1/2 of it on a pastry sheet or wax paper.   Work the dough into a ball, but do not overwork it, unless you like a denser roll. 




It should look like this.  Now you are ready to flour your rolling pin and roll the dough out into a large circle about 1/4 inch thick.




Using a medium size biscuit cutter or a glass with a similar size, cut your rolls.  Melt about a 1/4 stick of butter in 4 round cake pans or 1/2 stick in 2  9"x13" pans.  Place your rolls in the melted butter turning them over to coat.  You should get 36-40 rolls.  They are best if allowed to rise again for 30 minutes to an hour.  They will double in size in the pan.  Don't let anything touch the tops of them or it will make them fall.  If it's warm in the kitchen, they will rise back up fast.  If it's cool it takes much longer.


Place in a 425 degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes until they are brown on top to your liking. Some folks like them really brown, we like them just browned slightly. 


 
This will be your finished product!  You can brush some melted butter on top when out of the oven or just leave them as is.  These are great for dinner, breakfast or to use for parties with sliced ham or turkey on them.  The dough is very versatile also.  Tomorrow we will use it for Ooey Gooey Cinnamon Rolls!


Ingredients:
6 cups all purpose flour
1 pk. yeast (1/4 oz. packet)
1/2 cup warm water
2 cups milk
3/4  cup oil
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp. salt


60 comments:

  1. I am anxious to make these. Might try for Thanksgiving. Reminds me of my grandmother's rolls. Thanks for posting.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Do they need to rise again after you put them into the baking pans?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Instructions say t is best to rise again after you put cut dough in pan.

      Delete
  3. Yes, they need to rise again after you cut them and put them in the pans. Let them sit in a warm draft free place for a couple of hours at least.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Yummy ! Reminds me of my moms . Thanks for the recipe and the memories .

    ReplyDelete
  5. Can you freeze and cook later?

    ReplyDelete
  6. Can these be frozen before the second rising, or after they are baked?

    ReplyDelete
  7. So funny.....my sweet mom used to place the huge ball of yeast dough in a huge bowl, lay a dish towel (clean n dry) over the top of the bowl. THEN, she'd already have our car parked out in the very hot sun with all windows rolled up. She'd sit that bowl in the car QUICKLY and return inside. After an hour, she'd bring that bowl in and start punching that dough!! Best yeast rolls I've ever had in my 53 years!! Yum!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Never thought of this, Good idea! Your mom was a thinker!:)

      Delete
    2. Great idea, especially if you live in Texas!! I will be trying these soon.

      Delete
    3. I've heard of women in the South doing it years ago but I'm sure it was done everywhere. My mother set hers in a warm oven. I've also heard of ladies sitting it on top of a running dryer. Our mother's were very inventive. I think I'll make these for Thanksgiving and hope we have a warm enough day to try putting them in the car.

      Delete
  8. Do you use 1/4 cup of butter in each pan or divide 1/4 cup between the 4 pans?

    ReplyDelete
  9. you are making me hungry - bookmarked this for later

    ReplyDelete
  10. you are making me hungry...bookmarked this for later to make

    ReplyDelete
  11. Would it be possible to freeze part of these?

    ReplyDelete
  12. Better check those rolls on the second rise in the pans after about 30 mins.....second rise is always fast and if they over rise they will fall and bake up like hockey pucks.
    I partially bake the rolls at 375 for about 10 mins to put into the freezer...take out of freezer and finish baking them at 375 for another 10 mins.

    ReplyDelete
  13. You can freeze these. I would prepare and bake just like the instructions say, except underbake the ones you want to freeze by about 7 minutes or so. Cool completey, wrap well in foil. When you bake them, place them a 375 degree oven with the foil on them for about 15-20 minutes and then uncover to brown the top for about 5 minutes. They are still delicious.

    ReplyDelete
  14. I made these rolls this weekend. I'll just say that I've searched for years for a good roll recipe. I've tried several and they just didn't have the flavor I was looking for - slightly sweet (not too much, like a dessert) and a yeasty flavor. These were perfect all the way around - and very easy. Thanks so much for the recipe!!

    ReplyDelete
  15. Do you have a dough recipe for Bread Makers that stays soft after it cools ? Kind of sweet . This looks really good .

    ReplyDelete
  16. Warm 2 cups of milk in the microwave for 5 minutes and let it cool to where it is just warm to the touch. The milk will boil out, Wouldn't it?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I warm mine in stages. Start with 1 minute, then 30 seconds intervals. I stir between cycles and just enough to warm it to the temperature I need.

      Delete
  17. Can I make these in my bread machine?

    ReplyDelete
  18. Another way to let the dough rise for the first time: Use your crock pot... I have an older crock pot that is round... the bowl I use to let my dough rise will just fit inside the crock.

    Grease the bowl before putting the dough into rise. Coat the dough well, then place the bowl with the dough inside the crock pot. Turn on low and let rise for 2 hours. It works like a charm!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That is genius, I'm doing that! Thx for the tip!

      Delete
  19. This will be perfect for the large crowd that will be at our house this Christmas!

    ReplyDelete
  20. What kind of milk, canned, condensed or whole milk? Or does it matter?

    ReplyDelete
  21. MY GRANDMOTHER USE BUTTER MILK IN HER BISQUITS SHE MADE THE BEST IN THIS WORLD.I HAVE HER RECIPE AND I MAKE OFTEN.MY KIDS LOVE THEM.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Humm....I wonder if butter milk would work with this recipe? My Mama used buttermilk in her biscuits. I'm not a baker but I think it would work.

      Delete
  22. The best place to rise bread is on top of the refrigerator. It's warm...that's why cats like to lay up there

    ReplyDelete
  23. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

    ReplyDelete
  24. Why add the yeast mixture after the flour instead of before? I did it the way it says and that was a mess. Other recipes I've made always have the yeast mixture added to the other wet ingredients before you add the flour. Just curious about that and why the milk has to be heated so long.

    ReplyDelete
  25. Anonymous, I bet you were one of those kids that always asked...why about everything...lol, but it is Christmas so this is why...
    You always add the yeast to the mixture after the flour because yeast doesn't like salt and will behave much better if it is not thrown directly in with it. On your second question, the milk contains enzymes that interfere with your yeast's rising ability. It needs to be scalded and cooled before interacting with the yeast. I hope that answers it all for you.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You are correct salt ruins yeast. you never want to have your yeast touch your salt.

      Delete
    2. I thought my microwave was too hot, and I noticed the milk smelled scalded and was worried, but now you answered both my questions. This is my second attempted to make yeast rolls, first time using this recipe, and it's on the first rise, and so far, it looks and feels right. But im trying the tip about letting it rise in the crockpot on warm. So I will let u know. Thanks for the recipe :)

      Delete
  26. I find to freese rolls if you bake them just until done not real brown and let them cool they freeze well in a freezer gallon bag and they stay fresh in the freezer for seversl months. I make my rolls like three batches at a time and freeze them. You can then take out what you need to zip the bag back up and tyhey stay good for a long time.

    ReplyDelete
  27. Looks like you used a plastic pastry mat like Tupperware makes. I have one too, and wonder whether you can tell me about how many inches in diameter the rolled-out dough should be. Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  28. When it's cold I place my yeast dough on a heating pad...works great...I think I found this tip on Pinterest? Can't wait to try your recipe!

    ReplyDelete
  29. I have been trying to duplicate my grandmother's yeast rolls for years. Will try this recipe. I made bread today and trouble getting the dough to rise (on the chilly side in my area). I am going to try the car, refrigerate, crock pot and heating pad ideas. Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  30. for those of us who buy yeast in bulk and not by the packet, how much yeast do we use in table or teaspoons?

    ReplyDelete
  31. do you have to sift the flour ??? don't have a sifter, can I do it some other (redneck) way ??? ... LOL

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I used a tea strainer... I dont have a sifter either... :)

      Delete
  32. Anonymous- even us rednecks have sifters, I still use my grandmothers,and I am a grandmother myself. As much as it sounds like you make bread, you should invest in one- they arent too expensive.

    ReplyDelete
  33. I have the same question as above: how much yeast do we use in table or teaspoons?

    ReplyDelete
  34. I have the same question as above. Do you have to sift the flour? It is all pre-sifted now. Can you use flour made for bread machines? This sounds wonderful!! I can smell my house now!! LOL

    ReplyDelete
  35. For those asking about freezing, I would completely cook them and leave them in the pan and then freeze. When ready for rolls, remove from freezer in time to thaw.

    ReplyDelete
  36. Can we use the leftover dough from around the cut out rolls to press together and make more rolls or will they be too dense?

    ReplyDelete
  37. Can I use this recipe in the bread machine? I had a recipe for yeast rolls for the breadmaker and I remember that it included eggs. Can't find the recipe and I'm menopausal, can't remember anything.

    ReplyDelete
  38. I just finished making these except letting them rise again before baking.

    Is it 1/4 stick melted butter per pan? That's what I did and they are swimming in butter so I think I goofed. Will they still rise?

    ReplyDelete
  39. I baked them yum they are good

    ReplyDelete
  40. the car would act like a heating oven, i live in the desert where it can get up to 120 .. guess i could bake them there too :) yummy

    ReplyDelete
  41. The recipe looks very familiar and I am sure will be delicious. Some of the questions ask on this forum have got to be a joke.

    ReplyDelete
  42. I turn my empty clothes dryer on and let it get nice and warm inside, turn it off, then put my dough in quickly and close the door. The dough rises in the still warm dryer...works like a charm.

    ReplyDelete
  43. Pretty much standard recipie for yeast rolls!

    ReplyDelete
  44. Would the yeast be a 1.5 teaspoons ? thank you

    ReplyDelete
  45. MY MAMA SHARED THIS RECIPE WITH ME OMGOSH! THESE ROLLS ARE SO DELISH I LOVE TO COOK AND LOVE TRYING NEW THINGS I EVEN HAD MY BOYS & DAUGHTER WATCHING SO THEY CAN KNOW HOW TO MAKE THEM. THANKNYOU FOR SHARING YOUR RECIPES WITH US MERRY CHRISTMAS & HAPPY 2O18 NEW YEAR!

    ReplyDelete

FOLLOW ME HERE ON FACEBOOK FOR DAILY POSTS:

Follow Me on Pinterest