Easy Homemade Yeast Rolls

5 from 1 vote

Soft, fluffy yeast rolls with a slightly sweet flavor that tastes just like the old-school cafeteria rolls you grew up with. Simple ingredients, easy method, makes 24 rolls in one pan.

Prep Time20

Cook Time17

Rise time1 30

Total Time2 7

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Servings: rolls

Calories: 179kcal

Author: Jennifer Fishkind

Ingredients

2 cups warm water
2 tablespoons instant yeast *see note
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup canola oil
4 cups bread flour
2½-3½ cups all-purpose flour *see note
¾ cup nonfat dry milk powder
1 tablespoon salt
3 tablespoons melted butter topping

Instructions

In the bowl of a stand mixer use a fork to quickly mix together the water, yeast, sugar, and oil. Add the bread flour, 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour, dry milk powder, and salt. Attach a dough hook and knead on low for 2-3 minutes until the dough comes together around the hook. Once it’s formed a ball around the hook, increase the speed slightly and knead for about 5 minutes longer until the dough is smooth and soft and slightly tacky still. Add more flour if needed, a little at a time.
2 cups warm water, 2 tablespoons instant yeast, ½ cup granulated sugar, ½ cup canola oil
Remove the dough briefly to a clean counter or your hand and spray the bowl with cooking spray. Return the bread to the bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Sit the bowl in a warm location until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
4 cups bread flour, 2½-3½ cups all-purpose flour , ¾ cup nonfat dry milk powder, 1 tablespoon salt
Spray a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray when the dough has risen.
Punch the dough down lightly and divide into 24 equal-sized pieces. Roll each piece into a smooth ball and place in the prepared baking dish 4 wide and 6 down. Cover with greased plastic wrap and let rise until poofy and almost doubled in size, about 30 minutes. During this time preheat your oven to 400 F.
Remove the plastic wrap and bake for 17-20 minutes or until golden brown on top.
Brush with melted butter when the rolls are still warm. Pull apart and enjoy warm.
3 tablespoons melted butter

Notes

Storage:

Once your rolls are completely cool, tuck them into an airtight container or zip-top bag and keep them at room temperature, they'll stay fresh for 3 to 4 days. Fair warning though: day two is arguably the best day. The rolls get even softer overnight, and in my house, that's considered peak roll perfection. Want to save some for later? Freeze them in a freezer bag and they'll keep beautifully for up to 3 months.

Tips:

If you use dry active yeast, use 2 ½ tablespoons and make sure to let the yeast proof in the water and sugar until it becomes frothy before continuing.
All yeast breads will vary in flour amounts due to the humidity and temperature of your kitchen and how you measure your flour. Add only 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour to begin. Add ¼ cup more at a time if needed to get a soft, slightly tacky dough that sticks to itself more than it sticks to the sides of the bowl.
I used a combo of bread flour and all-purpose flour. If you use all bread flour the rolls will be more firm. If you use all all-purpose flour the bread may not have as much structure as they need to rise tall for baking right next to all the other rolls.
These rolls are done when the internal temperature of a center roll reaches 190 F. If the rolls get too dark on top too fast you can tent lightly with foil at the 10 minute baking mark.

Nutrition