When the Roll Is Called Up Yonder

How to Make Rolls

I’ve been making the same Betty Crocker roll recipe with my bread machine for several years now. Rolls are one of the few things our kid will eat consistently. I’ve refined the process so that it takes as little of my limited energy as possible. They really are easy! If they weren't, I wouldn't make them! 😊 

I’ve shared the recipe with lots of people, but I thought I would document exactly how I make them for anyone who is interested.

The Ingredients (in the order they go into the bread machine pan):

           

1 cup water – Using hot tap water will give the best results. 

            

2 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened – I put two tablespoons of margarine in a coffee cup and microwave for five seconds to soften. Then, I cut it into fourths inside the cup and put in in the pan with the water.

            

1 egg – Add the egg to the water and margarine already in the pan.

3 ¼ cups flour – Use bread flour for best results.

            

¼ cup sugar – If you leave out the sugar, the rolls won’t brown.

           

1 teaspoon salt – After adding the salt, use the end of the measuring spoon to make a little pocket for the yeast. This is more important when using a delay cycle, but I still do it with this recipe. It keeps the yeast from getting into contact with the water too soon.

            

3 teaspoons yeast – I get the best results from Fleischmann’s Bread Machine Instant Yeast. 

Put the pan in the bread machine and start the dough cycle, which is an hour and thirty minutes on my machine (enough time for a quick nap 😃💤 ).

The Magic

When the dough cycle ends, put the dough on a lightly floured surface to rest for ten minutes. (I set a timer.) While the dough is resting, turn the oven on to “warm.”

After the ten minutes is up, turn the oven off. Divide the dough up into 28-30 rolls. I use a pastry blade. I grab the dough and tuck the ends under with one hand.

Put the rolls on a cookie sheet covered with a sheet of parchment paper.

Put a clean dish towel over the rolls and put them in the oven (which is still off). Set a timer for 30 minutes and let those little yeasties burp some more.

 After the timer goes off, you’ll have big, beautiful rolls that are ready to bake. Take off the towel, turn the oven on 375, and set a timer for 13 minutes. The oven will be preheated about halfway through, which is okay.

When the timer goes off, you’ll have big, beautiful, golden brown rolls!

After you take them out of the oven, pull them off them pan with the parchment paper onto a wire cooling rack.

Freeze any rolls you aren’t planning to serve in the next day or so.