These light and soft pull-apart rolls are so delicious, and easy to make, too! They’re the perfect dinner roll!
I really thought that I had reached absolute roll perfection with my perfect crescent rolls. I’ve been making them for years, and they turn out consistently perfect. They’re beautiful, light and fluffy, and they taste amazing. Why in the world would I need another roll recipe? I mean, sure, there are my one hour rolls (which are by far the most popular post on my blog) and they’re great for when I need rolls quickly. And there are the Lion House rolls that remind me of my wedding luncheon, and are totally delicious. But really, how many roll recipes does a girl need? I’ve been really content with the recipes I already have. And then I saw these rolls on my friend Melissa’s blog, and couldn’t stop thinking about them. And then I made them and my family basically inhaled them, and now we have another favorite roll recipe! I’ve made them three or four times in the last couple of months, and they are just so good!
These rolls are a little quicker to make than my crescent rolls, and I like that they are easier to shape. I’m a little neurotic about all of my rolls being exactly the same size, so I always use a kitchen scale, but if you are less of a perfectionist than I am, the process will go even faster. As with all yeast doughs, the key is to use the right amount of flour. Too much flour, and your rolls will be dense and heavy, too little and the dough will be hard to work with and your rolls won’t hold their shape. I’ve found that my dough has the perfect amount of flour when it pulls away from the sides of the bowl, and I can tap it quickly with my finger and it doesn’t stick. Be sure to add the flour little by little, so you don’t accidentally add too much.
These pull-apart rolls have the perfect light and fluffy texture, with beautiful round golden brown tops. They smell totally amazing while they’re baking! I love that they are simple enough to make for a weeknight dinner when you have a little extra time on your hands, but delicious enough to make for a holiday or special occasion dinner. The leftovers (if there are any) still taste great the next day, and we like to use them to make sandwiches with leftover turkey or ham. These rolls are so good!
Add the milk and butter to a microwave safe bowl or measuring cup and heat until the butter is melted, about 1-2 minutes. Pour the milk and butter into a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the yeast, warm water, and sugar, and stir to combine. Let rest five minutes. Add the salt, eggs, and 3 cups of flour, and mix to combine. Add additional flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl and is only slightly sticky to the touch when tapped lightly. Knead five minutes. Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise for 30 minutes.
After the dough has risen, gently punch the dough down and divide into 32 even pieces (I like to use my kitchen scale so they are all the same size). Roll each piece of dough into a ball and place on a baking sheet. Cover and let rise until doubled in size, about 30 minutes. While the rolls are rising, preheat the oven to 400. Bake the rolls for 15-17 minutes, until golden brown. Brush the rolls with the melted butter immediately after baking.
Servings: 32
Pull-Apart Rolls
2 cups milk 1/2 cup butter, cut into pieces 2 tablespoons instant yeast 1/2 cup warm water 1/2 cup sugar 2 teaspoons salt 2 large eggs 6 1/2 – 7 1/2 cups flour 2 tablespoons butter, melted
Add the milk and butter to a microwave safe bowl or measuring cup and heat until the butter is melted, about 1-2 minutes. Pour the milk and butter into a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the yeast, warm water, and sugar, and stir to combine. Let rest five minutes. Add the salt, eggs, and 3 cups of flour, and mix to combine. Add additional flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl and is only slightly sticky to the touch when tapped lightly. Knead five minutes. Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise for 30 minutes.
After the dough has risen, gently punch the dough down and divide into 32 even pieces (I like to use my kitchen scale so they are all the same size). Roll each piece of dough into a ball and place on a baking sheet. Cover and let rise until doubled in size, about 30 minutes. While the rolls are rising, preheat the oven to 400. Bake the rolls for 15-17 minutes, until golden brown. Brush the rolls with the melted butter immediately after baking.
An avid 62YO failed bread maker past! I was searching for an easier thanksgiving roll recipe that would go with everything else homemade meal! My rolls have turned out dense, chewy, crusty, flat, brickish, pasty, you name it fails & id been doing bought or rise from frozen…not our TG standard by far. I made this recipe while my gDaughter was staying the weekend. She already believes me to hung the diner moon…now she’s a bonafide fan! Lol these are easy to bring together, I didn’t use a mixer either…all by hand…the kitchen was filled with the baking yeast scent mixed with a deluxe potato soup…OMG! Better than ANY steakhouse rolls, fluffy as bought…honest to goodness…they rose up gorgeous and when I put them in the heat, they continued to puff and golden… her eyes were wide with that first bite anticipation…oh yes, the best she’s ever in her 12 yrs had! Made by her Nene! Extra special…she said these will make me look forward to TG & Christmas and not just for Turkey or ham, these excellent rolls are fabulous! We couldn’t quit raving about them…she requested to save some for the next morn for her breakfast. Give these a try, go exactly by the recipe, don’t vary any until you master the first batch…they’re awesome! We are the snobby bread aficionados…(older recipes are Gen the best, even tho this one isn’t recent…it’s stood the test of time)
These look amazing!! I'm excited to try them!
An avid 62YO failed bread maker past! I was searching for an easier thanksgiving roll recipe that would go with everything else homemade meal! My rolls have turned out dense, chewy, crusty, flat, brickish, pasty, you name it fails & id been doing bought or rise from frozen…not our TG standard by far. I made this recipe while my gDaughter was staying the weekend. She already believes me to hung the diner moon…now she’s a bonafide fan! Lol these are easy to bring together, I didn’t use a mixer either…all by hand…the kitchen was filled with the baking yeast scent mixed with a deluxe potato soup…OMG! Better than ANY steakhouse rolls, fluffy as bought…honest to goodness…they rose up gorgeous and when I put them in the heat, they continued to puff and golden… her eyes were wide with that first bite anticipation…oh yes, the best she’s ever in her 12 yrs had! Made by her Nene! Extra special…she said these will make me look forward to TG & Christmas and not just for Turkey or ham, these excellent rolls are fabulous! We couldn’t quit raving about them…she requested to save some for the next morn for her breakfast. Give these a try, go exactly by the recipe, don’t vary any until you master the first batch…they’re awesome! We are the snobby bread aficionados…(older recipes are Gen the best, even tho this one isn’t recent…it’s stood the test of time)
Have you ever halved recipe ? Too many in one batch for me.