Grandma Dow's Homemade rollsThese are the best dinner rolls that I have ever had!  That’s what my niece said when she ate five of these rolls last Friday for an after school snack.  I asked her how she would describe the roll.  She said awesome, moist, and the best in the world!  Her description didn’t surprise me since this is another recipe from my Grandma Dow who was a wonderful baker, and cook.  This recipe is made with the same ingredients as Grandma Dow’s Cinnamon Rolls.  You just leave out the cinnamon and sugar. Looking to amaze your guests on Thanksgiving? Then this is the recipe for you.

To start, mix the following ingredients to create the yeast mixture in a bowl: 1/2 cup warm water (temp. the water to 100-110 degrees), 1 tablespoon of sugar, and 2 tablespoons of yeast (or two packages). Stir it in the bowl until just mixed and then let it sit for 10 minutes. It will foam up quite a bit. The reason you check the temperature of the water is to make sure that it is not too warm so it does not kill the yeast, but that it is warm enough to activate it.

adding yeast to rollsThis is what it looks like after 10 minutes.

yeastNext, on the stovetop in a saucepan you can make your butter mixture.  You warm 2 cups of milk, 1/2 cup of softened butter, 1/2 cup of sugar (with it heaping in the cup) and 1 teaspoon of salt.  Heat the mixture until warm about 100-110 degrees.

butter mixtureAfter your yeast mixture has sat for 10 min (it will be foamed up) and your butter mixture is warm, stir the two together in a mixer with dough hooks.

butter and yeast mixture Now beat two eggs in a bowl and pour them in your mixer and mix until combined.

eggNow it is time to add the flour to your mixture. Slowly add 8 cups of flour, mixing as you add the flour.

adding flourAfter the dough is throughly mixed, put it into a large butter greased bowl and flip the dough around so the butter gets on all the sides of the dough. 

dough ready for first riseCover the bowl with a clean dish cloth and put the bowl with dough in it in a warm spot in your kitchen and let it rise for 1 hour or more. After the hour has passed, the dough will have rose up in the bowl like this. 

dough 2Knock the dough down. That means use your hands and hit the air out of the dough.  

knock downSprinkle some flour on your counter and set the dough on the counter. Then you can start forming the rolls with your hand. Roll the dough into 1 1/2 inch size balls and set them on a greased cookie sheet to rise.

cutting dough

rolling doughLet the dough rise one hour or more in a warm spot until the rolls are light. They will look like this.

dough after second riseBake the rolls in an oven preheated to 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes. When the rolls are done, they will be golden brown.

cooked doughWhen I made this recipe, it made 48 rolls, but if you make your rolls a little bigger it will make a few less. Now you are ready to impress your family and friends with your homemade rolls.  If you have a few leftover, you can always freeze them and heat them up later. Enjoy!

Grandma Dow’s Homemade Rolls

Ingredients

  • (Yeast Mixture)
  • 1/2 cup warm water
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 2 tablespoons yeast (or 2 packages)
  • --------------------
  • (Butter Mixture)
  • 2 cups of milk
  • 1/2 cup (heaping) sugar
  • 1/2 cup softened butter
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • --------------------
  • 2 beaten eggs
  • 8 cups flour
  • --------------------

Instructions

  1. To start, mix the following ingredients to create the yeast mixture in a bowl: 1/2 cup warm water (temp. the water to 100-110 degrees), 1 tablespoon of sugar, and 2 tablespoons of yeast (or two packages). Stir it in the bowl until just mixed and then let it sit for 10 minutes. It will foam up quite a bit. The reason you check the temperature of the water is to make sure that it is not too warm so it does not kill the yeast, but that it is warm enough to activate it. This is what it looks like after 10 minutes. Next, on the stovetop in a saucepan you can make your butter mixture. You warm 2 cups of milk, 1/2 cup of softened butter, 1/2 cup of sugar (with it heaping in the cup) and 1 teaspoon of salt. Heat the mixture until warm about 100-110 degrees. After your yeast mixture has sat for 10 min (it will be foamed up) and your butter mixture is warm, stir the two together in a mixer with dough hooks. Now beat two eggs in a bowl and pour them in your mixer and mix until combined. Now it is time to add the flour to your mixture. Slowly add 8 cups of flour, mixing as you add the flour. After the dough is throughly mixed, put it into a large butter greased bowl and flip the dough around so the butter gets on all the sides of the dough. Cover the bowl with a clean dish cloth and put the bowl with dough in it in a warm spot in your kitchen and let it rise for 1 hour or more. After the hour has passed, the dough will have rose up in the bowl. Knock the dough down. That means use your hands and hit the air out of the dough. Sprinkle some flour on your counter and set the dough on the counter. Then you can start forming the rolls with your hand. Roll the dough into 1 1/2 inch size balls and set them on a greased cookie sheet to rise. Let the dough rise one hour or more in a warm spot until the rolls are light. Bake the rolls in an oven preheated to 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes. When the rolls are done, they will be golden brown.
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