Pops' Sweet Dinner Rolls

Ingredients

• 1 cup warm milk (or 1 cup water + 3 tbsp milk powder)
• 0.5 cup sugar
• 1 tbsp instant yeast
• 2 eggs (large; or 2 medium + 1 yolk)
• 1.5 tsp salt
• 5 cup bread flour
• 0.5 cup butter (softened)
• 2 tsp oil
• 1 egg (for egg wash)
• 1 tsp water (for egg wash)
• butter (for brushing after baking)

Steps

1. 1

   In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the warm milk (or water and milk powder), sugar, and instant yeast. Stir slightly and let the mixture rest for 5 minutes to allow the yeast to bloom.

2. 2

   Add the eggs to the yeast mixture and whisk or stir to combine.

3. 3

   Add the bread flour and salt to the bowl. Begin mixing until the ingredients are just combined.

4. 4

   Knead the dough using the stand mixer's dough hook for 4 minutes.

5. 5

   Add the softened butter one spoonful at a time and the oil. Continue to knead for another 4–5 minutes until the dough is silky, cohesive, and pulls away from the sides of the bowl onto the hook.

6. 6

   Transfer the dough to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel, and let it rise in a warm place for 1 to 1.5 hours until it has doubled in size.

7. 7

   Punch the risen dough down and turn it out onto a clean work surface (no extra flour should be needed).

8. 8

   Divide the dough into 30 equal pieces, approximately 38–40g (1.3 oz) each. Use a scale for precision.

9. 9

   Shape each piece into a roll by folding the edges into the center and then rolling it against the work surface to seal the bottom. Place the rolls on a greased baking pan, arranged 5 across and 6 down.

10. 10

    Cover the pan and let the rolls rise a second time for 30–45 minutes.

11. 11

    Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).

12. 12

    Whisk 1 egg with 1 teaspoon of water to create an egg wash. Brush the tops of the rolls gently with the egg wash.

13. 13

    Bake on the middle rack for 18–20 minutes until golden brown.

14. 14

    Remove from the oven and immediately brush the tops with butter while the rolls are still warm.

Notes

The addition of oil helps preserve the rolls so they don't go stale as quickly. The author recommends using a stand mixer from start to finish as the dough can be quite sticky during the butter incorporation phase.

Nutrition per serving

• appetizer
• side dish
• bread
• baked
• vegetarian
• dinner rolls
• homemade bread