Fluffy Dinner Rolls

Ingredients:

-1 Cup 2% Milk, lukewarm

-1/4 Cup Water, lukewarm

-2 1/2 Tsp Instant Dry Yeast

-1 Egg, room temperature

-2 Tbs Sugar

-1 1/2 Tsp Sea Salt

-3 Tbs Unsalted Butter, plus extra for brushing

-3 1/2 cup AP Unbleached Flour

Directions:

1. Place milk in a small saucepan and heat until lukewarm. Remove from the heat, stir in the butter and half of the sugar. Dissolve yeast in warm water with the other half of the sugar and let sit until foamy.

2. Combine milk mixture, eggs, yeast, salt, and 1/2 of the flour in a stand mixer with the hook attachment and mix until smooth. Add the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, and stir until a smooth ball forms. *Add additional flour as necessary. The dough should be slightly sticky and soft and pulling away from the edge of the bowl.

3. Remove the dough from the bowl and knead by hand on a floured surface for about 5 minutes. Make a nice ball and place it in greased bowl, cover with a clean cloth or plastic wrap, let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

4. On a floured surface, punch down the dough and shape into a a square/rectangle. Cut the dough into equal size squares. *You can weigh them to keep the rolls close to the same size (around 60 gr each) and form little balls. Transfer the rolls to a lightly greased baking dish or baking sheet. *You want them very close one to another to create the classic dinner roll pattern. Cover them with a clean cloth or plastic wrap and let rise for an additional 30 minutes at room temperatur

5. Preheat the oven 180 C (350 F)

Bake for about 15-18 minutes until golden brown. If the rolls are getting too brown, cover them with foil.

6. Remove from the oven and brush with melted butter before serving.

7. Serve immediately or store cooled rolls in a plastic ziplock bag for up to 3 days in the fridge. You can freeze them too and reheat in the oven or toaster.

Tips for Making Perfect Homemade Dinner Rolls

Measure out all the ingredients before you get started so you can just dump them in the bowl of the mixer and get started super fast.
The milk is what activates the yeast so be diligent about checking for the right temperature. You’re looking for somewhere between 40-45 C. If it gets too hot, let it sit until it reaches the right temperature. Killing the yeast with very hot milk is a big no-no.
Making the rolls the same size ensures an even baking time. I’m pretty good at eyeballing it but to be extra sure you can use a kitchen scale to weigh them.
When rolling the dough into balls, I like to make them nice and smooth on top by pulling the “seams” down to the bottom and giving it a twist. That’s the side I place on to the baking dish so the top is perfectly rounded.
Check the rolls at 12 minutes. If they are starting to darken beyond what you prefer, put a piece of foil over the top. I like my rolls a nice golden brown and once it hits that color, I know the rolls are done. Always check a center roll for doneness and then tent with foil if they need a few more minutes.
Don’t forget to brush with butter! This is what gives the top of the dinner rolls that irresistible golden sheen.