Soft Yeast Rolls Tutorial

A recipe passed down to me by my Mother-in-Law, who has been making these yeast rolls FOREVER. I knew when I married her son, that I was going to learn how to make these at some point. After a reader messaged me for a good yeast roll recipe, I knew my time had come. So, here is my first attempt at making these Old-Fashioned Yeast Rolls (like you'd get at the cafeteria at school). Mmm...

Soft Yeast Rolls (Makes about 21 rolls)

Ingredients

2 cups of lukewarm water (105 degrees) 
3 Tbs dry yeast
1/3 cup powdered (dry) milk
5 cups flour (separated)
1/2 cup cooking oil
1 Tbs salt
1/2 cup sugar


Step 1 

 
In a bowl, combine the water, yeast, dry milk, and 2 cups of flour. Let sit for 5-8 minutes. This is called preparing "the sponge" for the dough.

Step 2

 
After the "sponge" has risen and puffed up, add to stand mixer. Add the oil, salt, and sugar.

Step 3

Begin mixing in the remaining 3 cups of flour, one cup at a time. It will be an elastic, sticky dough.


Step 4

Grease a bowl with cooking oil (several Tablespoons) and put the sticky, unkneaded dough in the bowl. Cover with saran wrap and let rise until double in size (about an hour).


Step 5

Once it's risen, punch down, and turn it out on a floured surface. Knead the dough once or twice, just to get it shaped into a ball. Divide the dough in half to make it more manageable. 


Step 6

Roll the dough into a log shape and begin pinching palm-full sized rolls off the log. Shape them into circles and lay them in a greased baking dishes (I used a 9X13 and an 8X8 dish). The sides of each roll should just touch the others.


Step 7

Cover the dishes with saran wrap and let rise in a warm place for 20-25 minutes. Until double in size.


Step 8

Bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes until tops of rolls are golden brown. Butter the tops of the hot rolls when they come out of the oven. Let cool for 5-10 minutes and enjoy!

Linked up at Little House on the Prairie Living!