Dinner Rolls
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I have a versatile White Bread recipe, for bread machines, that I want to share with you and in the process share a few tips that I have found helpful in perfecting a excellent loaf or dough from a bread machine.
Do you have a bread machine?
I love mine!
It seems like many people that bought a bread maker, back in the day, when they were new and exciting, were not happy with how their bread turned out, and subsequently never used it, or sold it in a garage sale or left it to collect dust somewhere on a basement shelf. If that person is you, I urge you get that bugger out and try his recipe. I promise you it will be life changing.
White Bread ~recipe for bread machine
Here’s how!
Tip #1 Always add wet ingredients in the bread pan first. The reason behind this is to keep the yeast away from liquid ingredients until the kneading begins.
Add 1 cup lukewarm water and egg to pan.
Sugar comes next…..
Add flour, completely covering the wet ingredients.
Tip #2 Always use bread flour. Bread flour has higher protein and gluten content than all-purpose flour. Gluten provides structure and more volume to bread.
Dig yourself a little spot for the yeast.
I read once that placing the yeast in a divot over the mixing paddle helps to incorporate the yeast into the wet ingredients while distributing it evenly through out the dough. Hey, sounds good. And it’s kinda fun to make your yeast a little cave in the flour. (I could not find the source of this tip, so don’t quote me on it. Actually if you could please not quote me on anything, it would be much appreciated!)
Measure three teaspoons of yeast into divot.
Tip #4 Always make sure your yeast is fresh. Check expiration date, DO NOT use expired yeast. Always store yeast in refrigerator.
Add 1 teaspoon salt.
I sprinkle mine around the edges. Do not leave salt out. It is necessary element of bread, it controls the growth of the yeast which aids in the rising of the bread dough.
Now plunk your bread pan down in the machine, and set the proper settings. If you are going to make a loaf of bread out of this use the 2 lb white bread setting on light to medium crust.
We are making Dinner Rolls so we are going to use the dough mode. I use this setting ninety-five percent of the time. It works fabulously!! It does all the work, and then you can take the dough out and make phenomenal dinner rolls, in all shapes and sizes, or cinnamon rolls, or cinnamon bread. The skies the limit!
TIP# 5 Don’t be afraid to open up the top. You don’t want to stand there half the time with the top off, because that will mess up the temperature that needs to be maintained for the bread to rise properly. But you do need to make sure everything is mixing properly, if not you may need to give things a little help.
Tip#5 continued See how the ingredients have been shoved to the corner and are not mixing in, stick a spatula along the side and help that flour into the dough. 
TIP#6 You may need to add more water. One tablespoon at a time. If the dough looks dry and/or is just flying around on a layer of flour, then by all means add a tablespoon at a time of lukewarm water until your ingredients are mixed completely and have formed a smooth ball of dough.
This is what your ball of dough should look like. Firm and smooth and not too dry or too wet.I quite often will add 1-2 extra tablespoons of water, but not every time. So it’s best to watch your dough and judge by the looks if you need to add more water or not.
NOW that your dough looks good you can go read your book or do a load of laundry or clean your grout.
This is how finished dough should look.
Dinner Rolls
Dump the contents of bread pan on to a dry, clean, lightly floured surface.
Cut dough in half, then half that , then half that……well you get the idea.
You should come up with 16 pieces of dough. Similar in size.
Tuck each piece into nice round balls, don’t squish or roll, just tuck.
Or pinch. Bring it together at the bottom, making a perfect round ball for your dinner roll.
Like so.
Place them on a baking sheet sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Cover with a cloth and set in warm place for half hour to rise. Pop them in a 375 degree oven and bake for 12-15 minutes.
These little guys pop right up and say, “Howdy”, when you bake them.
I like to take a stick of butter and rub it all over the rolls when they are hot out of the oven. MMmmmgood polka dot period.
Well then of course you need to butter them on the inside too. Actually these rolls are so good, you could leave the butter step out, but why? I will not disclose how many dinner rolls were eaten in the making of this post. It’s a dastardly number.
This dough works great for Parker House rolls too, or if you have ever made The Pioneer Woman’s Rosemary Rolls, this dough works perfect for them too!
Dinner Rolls
Use your bread machine on the dough setting for easy homemade dinner rolls.
Equipment
- 1 bread machine
- 1 baking sheet
Ingredients
- 1 cup luke warm water
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 wholw egg
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 3 1/4 cups bread flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 3 tsp active dry yeast
- 2 tbsp melted butter for brushing on top of rolls after baking
Instructions
- Important that you follow order of directions for the best results.1. Add lukewarm water, softened butter, and egg to pan.2. Next add sugar to pan.3. Add bread flour to pan and make a well in the middle add yeast to the well.4. Sprinkle salt around the edges of the pan away from the middle where the yeast is.5. Set bread machine on dough setting. 10 minutes into the first kneading process take a peak into the pan, if there are dry ingredients sticking to the corners add a tablespoon or two of extra water and help ingredients out of the corner with a spatula.6. When dough is done separate into 16 pieces, pull pieces into balls with smooth at top, place on a lightly greased baking sheet, cover with light cloth, and let rise for 30 minutes in a warm area of your kitchen. Or if you have a proof setting on your oven use that.Preheat oven to 375 degrees. After proofing time is done, place rolls in oven for 12-15 minutes, remove from oven and brush with butter.
Tried this recipe?Mention @eat2gather or tag #eat2gather!
All of the tips that I shared with you in this post can be found in the Better Homes and Gardens Best Bread Machine Recipes. If you are going to make the most of your bread machine this book in indispensable. It is full of tons of tips and every recipe I have used from this cookbook has turned out perfectly. However, the above recipe is not in this cookbook it was graciously given to me by my sister-n-law….to whom I will ever be indebted to for my ever growing mid-section, due to excessive dinner roll consumption. I’m tellin’ ya you can’t eat just one!
Oh, I hope I have not given you too much information. Using your bread machine should be simple, easy, and should be done often. So if you are sequestering your bread machine away in some dark dank place in your home, do the guy a favor, haul him out and make your family some rolls, Man!
Peace, Love and Dinner Rolls,
Sheila
I made 16 wonderful rolls from this recipe yesterday Today, however, I wanted to make a loaf of bread, which I did but it raised so high in less than half an hour. I baked it and of course, it rose even higher!
I think this recipe should be used for 2 loaves instead of one!
You might be right! I hope you enjoyed your big ol’ loaf of bread! Thanks for taking the time to let me know how it turned out.
Oh my goodness! These were THE best rolls ever!! Your directions were on point! I am now following you because I like your “fun” in your directions and the end result was better than I expected! Thank you for making our Thanksgiving dinner tonight even better!
Thanks so much!! I’m so glad you love these rolls as much as we do! In fact your comment reminded me I need to make them again soon!
Making these rolls for the third time in 2 weeks! They remind us of the soft rolls we get at the Chinese restaurant. My kids LOVE these (they call them the “softy rolls”) & they’re so easy to make. Thank you!
Love it! They are softy rolls aren’t they?! So addicting! Glad your family enjoys them, thanks for stopping by. XO, Sheila
What if I want to make the dough in advance in my bread machine, form the rolls & freeze them so I can thaw,raise & bake them at a later date?
I have never done this, but I’m sure it would work! Let me know how it goes if you think about it. Thanks Kathy!
I made this on Saturday, rolls first batch, then a loaf, best I have ever made. I love using my bread machine for the dough
Thank you for your feedback! I’m so glad that you love this recipe as much as we do! Happy New Year 😉
Quwstion
Do you have to cook the rolls soon as they rise are can you cook the next day without g hem falling
Thats a good question, I have always baked them right away. I think after you take the dough from the bread machine you could put in the refrigerator for a day, then form the rolls, let rise and bake. However, I have never tried it this way so I am only guessing from experience with other dough. Hope this helps let me know what you find out! Thanks, Sheila
I am making your rolls right now for Sunday dinner tomorrow.. They are still in machine. I just wanted to let u know. And when they turn out great I will post them on fb. Your rolls look fantastic. This is my first try with this recipe.
Paula, I hope they turned out amazing for you! I don’t think I’ve ever had a fail with that recipe. Thanks for stopping by and taking the time to comment! XO, Sheila
I came across your recipe last fall and have used it for Thanksgiving, Christmas & the Super Bowl party at our house. Today I woke up too early so decided to make cinnamon rolls for my college son who is home on spring break. Thanks for this recipe – – it is the only roll recipe I will use from now on!
Thanks Jeanne for taking the time share! I’m so glad you’ve had as much success with these rolls as I…my family loves them too! Enjoy your boy while he’s home xox, Sheila
I used this recipe and made bread instead of rolls. It was great. My girls are already ate the entire loaf. Great recipe. I had never made bread from scratch, always was a box mix. Never again will I buy bread again. No preserves or other things I cant pronounce in my bread again.
Thanks for taking the time to let me know! So glad you love this recipe as much as my family does. xox Sheila
Trace, Thanks for setting me straight on the rolls ;D! Thanks for reading, Luvya, Sheil
Hey She, I feel compelled to correct you on something…and to prove to you that I DO read your blog 🙂 The rolls that you have placed so nicely in the muffin tin are called cloverleaf rolls (hence the three little balls), not parkerhouse rolls. Parkerhouse rolls are rectangle and folded over on themselves, for easy opening. I only know this from my years working at good ol' Meijer bakery. AND parkerhouse rolls used to be my Jessica's favorite roll. Now after that being said, I really don't care what they are called…they look DELICIOUS!! Thanks for sharing!! 🙂
Thanks for sharing…just what this girl needs in her life! MORE BREAD!
Hi Sheila,
I came to your blog through Pioneer Woman. I love the look of your blog (adorable header!), and this recipe looks great!
I have a really hard time with making yeast breads from scratch, but I love the idea of my bread machine doing the kneading/rising! These look great, thanks for sharing!
Claire, I bought my bread machine at Sears it's a Kenmoor. I have been super happy with it. Happy bread makin'! Sheila
SERIOUSLY! I just drooled all over my keyboard 🙂 If you don't mind, would you tell me what kind of bread machine you're using? I would love to get one. I want to make more bread this year and I love to knead with my hands. The only thing is my carpal tunnel has been really bad lately and would love the help of a bread machine.
i DO remember my bread machine! used it for years but then it just took up way too much retail space so i got rid of it plus, i was trying to cut down my bread consumption – LOL!! a machine makes having bread much too easy!! beautiful recipe!
Your rolls look perfect! Headed to the kitchen to pull out my bread machine now. 🙂
These look completely delicious!!
Yum, Sheila. Those rolls look divine. I made some non-bread machine rolls last week. They were definitely NOT blog worthy. I never knew about the pinching and tucking. I had been rolling. Maybe that was part of the problem but whatever it was, they did not look as scrumptious as yours!