One-Hour Dinner Rolls

Who doesn't love a soft, fluffy, delicious, warm dinner roll?  My family sure does.  Sometimes we pack rolls in my purse as snacks!  Making bread can sometimes be time consuming and you don't remember that you've forgotten to make the dinner rolls until one or two hours before you need them.  That's why this recipe is so magical.  These rolls come together fast and so beautiful.  My 18-month-old gets excited when he sees them baking in the oven.  This is also a great starter recipe if working with yeast intimidates you.  (I know it did me for years.)   

So many times I've made these rolls on Sunday mornings before heading out the door to church.  Yes, even amidst the craziness of Sunday morning these rolls are still doable.  Jump in the shower while they're rising, blow dry your hair while they're baking and enjoy one on the way out the door before indulging on the rest of them the moment you walk back in the door.

I hope you try these and love them!  They've for sure become my go-to roll recipe.  They even make a wonderful gift to a friend - just because you want them to know how grateful you are for them in your life.  (The friend, not the rolls - although I am definitely grateful these rolls are in my life.)

This dough is so soft.  I love it.

One-Hour Dinner Rolls

Yield: 15 rolls

Ingredients

4 cups all-purpose flour (give or take a little)

1/4 cup granulated sugar

3/4 tablespoon instant yeast

1 1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup cool water

2/3 cup milk

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, diced into 5 or 6 pieces

1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees. In the bowl of an electric stand mixer mix together 4 cups flour, sugar, yeast and salt.

2. In a medium bowl add water, milk and butter and heat in microwave on high for 1 minute 30 seconds.  You want to make sure the butter has softened through - not melted all the way.

3. Pour milk mixture into dry mixture in bowl of electric mixer along with the lemon juice.  Start the mixer on low speed to combine all ingredients then gradually increase the speed.  Knead about 3-4 minutes until smooth and elastic while adding additional flour if necessary (dough should be lightly sticky but manageable).

4. Cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap or lid and allow to rest for 5 minutes.  Meanwhile coat a 9x13 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.

5. Drop dough onto a lightly greased surface.  Shape into an evenly level square, about 9x9-inches.  This dough is so soft you don't even need a rolling pin.  Cut into 16 equal portions (don't have to be exact).  Shape dough into 15 balls, while using excess dough from the 16th portion to add to smaller rounds as needed.  If you like bigger rolls you can make less rounds, if you like smaller rolls you can make more rounds.  15 rolls for us has turned out perfect every time.  Place shaped dough portions into prepared baking dish.

6. Dampen hands with water and brush tops of dough with the water (just so they don't dry while rising in the oven).  Transfer to oven, close oven and turn oven off.  Allow rolls to rise for 20 minutes (do not open oven door).  Remove from oven and preheat oven to 375 degrees (this should take about 5 minutes so just allow rolls to rest on counter while oven is preheating).

7. Bake in preheated oven 14-16 minutes until tops are golden brown.  Remove from oven and if you'd like, you can run the top of a stick of butter over the tops.  Serve warm.  Store in an airtight container.  Rewarming the leftover rolls is wonderful.

Recipe source: Adapted slightly from cookingclassy.com