Texas Roadhouse Rolls {Copycat}

You know those restaurants that you go to because you love the bread they serve as you're waiting for your food?  Or the chips and salsa they have as an appetizer that you try your best not to fill up on?  Now the rest of their food is great, and your excited about that too - but you relish in the yumminess of the rolls or chips you get in the beginning.  Well Texas Roadhouse falls under that category.  I've only been to Texas Roadhouse once and I really need to change that because it was soooo good.  The chicken salad I ordered was delish, but man - their rolls were a buttery goodness of warm deliciousness.  So - when I came across their copycat recipe I had to try it right away, and I did!  And they turned out wonderful.  I love this recipe for many reasons - it's easy, it's yummy, bread makes me and my family happy and it makes a ton.  I gave a bag-full to my neighbor because there were so many rolls.  A very good problem to have.

Give this recipe a try.  If you've been to Texas Roadhouse - let me know how you think these compare.  If you haven't been to Texas Roadhouse, no worries - you can make these rolls, I'm pretty positive you'll love them, then you can go try them out at Texas Roadhouse and then you'll be so happy you can make them right in your own kitchen!

Texas Roadhouse Rolls {Copycat}
Yield: About 30 rolls

Ingredients
*4 teaspoons instant yeast
1/2 cup warm water
2 cups milk, scalded and cooled to lukewarm
1/2 cup sugar
7 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons melted butter, slightly cooled
2 eggs
2 teaspoons salt

Directions
In the bowl of a stand mixer, with your dough hook attached, combine yeast, water, milk, sugar and 4 cups of the flour.  Mix well.  Add melted butter, eggs and salt and beat well again.  Add the rest of the flour to form a soft dough.  (You may need to add a little more to get the right consistency.  7 1/2 cups worked perfect when I made them.)  You want the dough to pull apart from the bowl but not become to stiff.  Knead for 5 minutes.

Lightly spray a large bowl with non-stick cooking oil and place dough inside the bowl.  Cover with greased plastic wrap and let it rise until it has doubled in size (1-2 hours).

Once the dough has doubled, punch it down a few times and turn it out onto a greased (with non-stick cooking spray) counter.  Let it rest for 10 minutes.  Roll the dough out to a 18"x12" rectangle and cut into desired sizes (I was able to cut 31 squares out).  Place rolls on baking stones or silpat lined baking sheets.  Cover again with greased plastic wrap and let rise until doubled (about 30 minutes).

Bake in a 350 degree F preheated oven for 13-15 minutes or until golden brown.  Immediately brush the tops with melted butter if desired.

*If you are using active dry yeast instead of instant, first combine the yeast and warm water with 1 teaspoon of sugar and let sit for about 5 minutes until the yeast starts to froth.  Then add to your stand mixer and continue with the recipe.

Recipe Source:  adapted slightly from jocooks