The BEST Dinner Rolls

Steps

1. 1

   Warm the milk to about 100–110°F (38–43 °C), ideally close to 110°F (43 °C). Measure all ingredients before beginning so they can be added efficiently.

2. 2

   Place 3 cups of the flour, the yeast, sugar, salt, warm milk, softened butter, and room-temperature egg in the bowl of a stand mixer.

3. 3

   Attach the dough hook. Mix on the lowest speed until the flour is incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

4. 4

   Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat the mixture for 2 minutes.

   Start 2-minute timer
5. 5

   Add ½ cup of flour and mix with the dough hook on medium speed until incorporated.

6. 6

   Add another ½ cup of flour and mix again. Continue mixing at medium speed for about 2 minutes, until a ball of dough begins to form.

   Start 2-minute timer
7. 7

   Add additional flour as necessary, a little at a time. Stop when the dough is soft and slightly sticky and pulls away from the sides of the bowl; the full recipe generally uses 4–5 cups of flour.

8. 8

   Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl. Cover it with a clean towel or plastic wrap and let it rise at room temperature in a draft-free place for 30 minutes.

   Start 30-minute timer
9. 9

   Remove the covering and gently deflate the dough by punching it down lightly.

10. 10

    Pinch off portions of dough and shape them into 24 rolls. For evenly sized rolls, pat the dough into an approximately 8-by-12-inch rectangle, cut it into 4 strips, then cut each strip into 6 pieces. The source notes that its rolls weighed about 2 ounces each, though this varies with the amount of flour used.

11. 11

    Arrange the shaped rolls in a lightly greased quarter-sheet baking pan or a 9-by-13-inch baking dish, leaving room for them to expand.

12. 12

    Cover the pan with a towel or plastic wrap and let the rolls rise at room temperature for another 30 minutes.

    Start 30-minute timer
13. 13

    While the rolls finish rising, preheat the oven to 375°F (190 °C).

14. 14

    Bake the rolls for 12–15 minutes, checking at 12 minutes, until golden brown and cooked through. Check a center roll for doneness. If the tops become too brown before the centers are finished, tent the pan loosely with foil and continue baking.

    Start 15-minute timer
15. 15

    Remove the rolls from the oven and immediately brush the hot tops with the melted butter.

16. 16

    Serve immediately, or cool completely and store the rolls in a plastic bag for up to 3 days.