Soft White Dinner Rolls

Soft White Dinner Rolls are as important to the Southern table as biscuits and cornbread.

Alabama’s successful Sister Schubert rolls prove my point. They’ve pretty much hijacked the long tradition of roll baking at home selling millions of frozen pans of handy, good quality rolls sell like mad across the South. Sister Schubert’s are an absolute must for holiday and family dinners and they do it all. Sop up the gravy, slather with butter, and stuff with sliced ham, beef tenderloin, and turkey. The smart Nashville host know to shop for them ahead of holiday rushes. I’ve been in a panic a time or two from not planning ahead.

Soft white dinner rolls are also an important restaurant item here in Nashville. Meat & three restaurants are famous for serving them, like the airy puffs at Barbara’s Home Cooking and Arnold’s and one of the many holiday specialties of Nashville’s sorely missed Becker’s Bakery.  They always taste yeasty and a little sweet. On the home front, many generations of home bakers have elevated them to their kitchen specialty and are absolutely expected to bake them for special occasions.

You can make them yourself at home. This recipe for Soft White Dinner Rolls is a good place to start.

It’s a simple soft dough flavored with butter and a bit of sugar that is very forgiving. You can use either bread flour or all-purpose flour. Make the dough a day or two ahead and keep it in the refrigerator to bake on party day. I usually refrigerate the bowl of dough a day or two before forming the rolls because it’s easier for me to store a bowl than a baking sheet in my fridge. However, you can swap the process and refrigerate the formed rolls and pull them out an hour or two before baking.

The most important thing is to make a soft pliable dough that is easy to work with. Doughs with too much-added flour are stiff and uncooperative. You can shape them any way you like–cloverleaf, Parker House, crescents.

You’ll probably what to bake a ham.  Or maybe a one-hour rump roast to go with your beautiful homemade rolls.

Soft White Dinner Rolls

minmerrell Soft White Dinner Rolls are as important to the Southern table as biscuits and cornbread.… Recipes Soft White Dinner Rolls European Print This

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup warm water
• 2 packages dry yeast
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 2 cups milk
• 1/4 cup butter (1/2 stick)
• About 6 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup melted butter

Instructions

Sprinkle the yeast, sugar, and salt over the warm water in a mixing bowl. Stir to dissolve and allow to proof a few minutes.
Scald the milk in a small saucepan. Stir in the butter to melt. Allow the mixture to cool to lukewarm while the yeast proofs.
Add 2 cups of flour to the yeast mixture. Add the warm milk and stir until sticky and blended. Add  2 cups more cups of the flour and stir.
If using a dough hook on a mixer, start kneading the dough on low speed, adding enough additional flour to form a soft dough that starts to form a ball on the hook and leaves the sides of the bowl. (If you are using all all-purpose flour, you'll probably use a little more of that than bread flour). The dough should be very pliable, but easy to handle.
If you are kneading by hand. Add enough flour to create a soft kneadable dough. Knead on a floured surface until smooth, about 7 minutes. If you are using a mixer,  be careful not to over knead the dough.  Knead about 5 minutes.  Or until dough looks smooth.
Place the dough in a large greased bowl. Grease the top of the dough and cover with plastic wrap and a damp towel. For faster rising, place the dough in a warm room for a couple of hours or so. If you want to make the rolls the next day, place the bowl in the refrigerator.
When the dough has risen, pinch off small golfball-sized pieces and shape into smooth balls by pinching the dough together at the bottom of the roll. Place the rolls seam side down on a greased baking sheet.
Brush with cooled melted butter, cover with plastic wrap and a warm damp towel, and allow to rise until doubled in size. Timing will depend on the temperature of the room, probably about an hour.
Heat the oven to 375 F.
Bake the rolls until golden brown, about 20 minutes.
Serve hot! But, they're also great at room temp. Makes about 30.

Notes

Sure you can add some whole wheat flour. I usually add a cup so they are still soft and white. haha. Brush with egg wash before baking if you want a shiny finish.