When it comes to Thanksgiving baking, one of the topics King Arthur Baking Company’s hotline experts field the most questions about is dinner rolls — second only to pies and pie crusts, according to baking specialist Dawn Hope.
These dinner rolls come out soft, tender and warm and are perfect for Thanksgiving — or, really, any time. According to recipe author Mary Jane Robbins, who also works at the baking hotline, “We make this big batch of rolls for cookouts, bake sales, community dinners and Sunday dinners (with plenty of leftovers for the week).” Bake what you need and freeze the rest if desired, she writes.
Makes 24
1/2 cup (113g) water, lukewarm
2 cups (454g) milk, warm (100 degrees to 110 degrees)
3 tablespoons (43g) butter, room temperature
2 tablespoons (21g) granulated sugar
1 tablespoon (18g) table salt
2½ tablespoons (28g) instant yeast
6 to 7 cups (720g to 840g) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
Combine the water, milk, butter, sugar, salt and yeast in a large bowl, or the bowl of your stand mixer. Stir well and let sit for 6 to 8 minutes, or until you see the yeast begin to foam.
Add 5 cups (600g) of flour and mix by hand or with the paddle attachment until the dough forms a rough, shaggy mass. The dough will not form a ball at this point, but will be just shy of coming together.
Add flour, 1/2 cup at a time, and blend with the dough hook until a smooth ball begins to form. Knead by hand for about 10 minutes, or by machine 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 your work bowl with cooking spray and place the dough in the bowl. Spritz the top of the dough with spray as well and cover lightly with plastic wrap or a shower cap. Let rise for 20 minutes at room temperature or until the dough is full and puffy.
Gently deflate the dough and pat out to a rough rectangle about 8 inches by 12 inches. Cut the dough into 4 long strips, then cut each strip into 6 portions for a total of 24 dough balls. Shape into round balls, as you would shape meatballs, using your cupped hands to roll the dough. Spritz your hands with cooking spray to prevent sticking.
You can place the rolls into any of the following pans, well greased or lined with parchment paper: one half-sheet baking pan or two quarter-sheet pans, two 13-by-9-inch pans, four 8- or 9-inch round baking pans OR a combination of any of these pans.
After the rolls are in the pans, cover again with plastic wrap and let them rise at room temperature for another 20 to 25 minutes, or until round and full looking. If you are baking now, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Bake the rolls for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown and an internal thermometer reads 190 degrees. You can brush the baked rolls with melted butter if desired. Serve warm and store leftovers in a plastic bag for up to 3 days.
If you want to freeze the unbaked rolls, place them in the pans as described in step 6 and allow to rise for 10 minutes. Wrap airtight and freeze for up to 4 weeks. To bake, thaw overnight in the fridge, then unwrap and bake as directed.
— Courtesy Mary Jane Robbins and King Arthur Baking Company, via kingarthurbaking.com.
