Easy Thanksgiving dinner roll recipe

November 9, 3:54 PMNorfolk Cooking ExaminerKristin King

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Easy Thanksgiving Dinner Rolls

Every Thanksgiving table has a dinner roll.  It’s served hot and fresh from the oven.  The outside is crisp and glistening with melted butter.  The inside is soft and supple.  There is no better accompaniment to Thanksgiving dinner. 

Dinner rolls are usually an afterthought at Thanksgiving dinner.  Cooks are so busy making other things, that all they have time to do is open a can of refrigerator rolls and throw them in the oven.  While baking bread can be intimidating, I guarantee everyone can make these.  There is virtually no hands-on time with these rolls; more hurry up and wait time.  These rolls have three separate rise times, however while the rolls are rising, you can continue cooking your Thanksgiving feast.  Twenty minutes before dinner, you can throw these rolls in the oven and bake them to golden perfection.  When your guests see you carrying fresh, hot dinner rolls to the table, they’ll think you’re a superstar. 

Easy Thanksgiving Dinner Rolls – makes 16

• ½ cup water
• ½ cup milk
• 3 tbsp sugar
• 1 package active dry yeast
• ½ cup (1 stick) salted butter, softened
• 1 egg, room temperature
• 3 ¼ cup all purpose flour

Combine the water and milk and heat until it’s warm; about 105 degrees.  In the bowl of a stand mixer, mix sugar and yeast together.  Add the warmed liquid and stir until dissolved.  Let rest for 10 minutes, or until the mixture is bubbly (slideshow picture 1).

Add 1 cup of flour, along with 5 tablespoons of softened butter to this mixture and stir to combine.  The butter will make the mixture lumpy.  Cover and let rest in a warm spot for at least 1 hour, but up to 24.  This makes a sponge.  A sponge creates a thick crust with a soft center, as well as gives it a tangy flavor – like sourdough (slideshow picture 2).  The longer it sits, the better it is.

After the sponge rises, add the remaining flour a little a time as well as the egg; stir to combine.  Knead the dough for 2 minutes until it is soft.  Place in a well oiled bowl and cover with a clean dish towel.  Let the dough rise for 1 hour (slideshow picture 3).

Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and cut into 16 equal pieces.  Place a piece of dough on a work surface and tuck the dough underneath itself, turning as you go until it’s a uniform ball.  Place the dough on a lightly greased baking sheet.  Cover the rolls and let rise again for 1 more hour (slideshow picture 4). 

In the meantime, preheat an oven to 400 degrees.  Before baking, brush the tops of the rolls with the remaining butter which has been melted.  At this time, you can sprinkle the tops of the rolls with poppy seeds, flaked sea salt…anything (slideshow picture 5)!

Bake the rolls for 20 minutes, or until they are golden brown.  Serve hot from the oven.