Amazing, hot, buttery, melt-in-your-mouth yeast rolls – start to finish in just one hour! While these rolls are easy enough to make throughout the year, I like to reserve them for holiday meals. This makes them extra special and something that the family looks forward to on holidays. When the rolls come out of the oven, my mathematicians start calculating how many rolls there are and how many people are eating! I also hear comments like, “Hey, how many rolls have you had?” This is my first Easter as an empty nester. My children in college have a long drive home, and there is no way in heck these won’t be on the table this year! Once you make these rolls, it will be a holiday expectation for the rest of your life!
Measure flour and add baking soda and set aside. Baking and Eggs tip: Use a dry measuring cup to measure dry ingredients, as shown here. If your cup has a spout on it, use it to measure liquids. Scoop the flour into the cup, mounding slightly. Do not tap cup or pack flour down. Level with the back side of a butter knife.
Add warm water to yeast and stir gently until mixed. I usually microwave the water for 15-20 seconds and add it to the yeast. Do not let the water boil, as this will kill your yeast.
Nest, warm the buttermilk either on the stove or in the microwave to lukewarm; melt shortening; combine buttermilk, shortening, sugar, and salt; stir.
Add yeast mixture to buttermilk mixture; stir, and pour into the flour. Mix with wooden spoon until almost combined. Continue to mix (gently) with hands until all dough comes together; do not overmix.
Let stand 10 minutes.
In the meantime, preheat oven to 425degrees. Melt one stick of salted butter in a flat bottom dish. Begin shaping your dough into balls approximately 1 – 2″; flatten in the palm of your hand, dredge both sides in melted butter, fold in half, and place in buttered baking dish. I use a large glass baking dish that measures approximately 15″ x 10 1/2″.
Let the shaped rolls rest for 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Bake for 12 – 13 minutes, removing from the oven when they are golden on top. I usually brush melted butter on the tops of the rolls right before serving to give them an extra pretty shine (and superb taste). Next, get outta’ the way because a riot may start! Notice the small baking dish beneath the large one? That’s for Mr. Baking and Eggs and me…shhhhhh.
Recipe:
One Hour Yeast Rolls
- 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- 2 cakes or 2 packages of active dry yeast
- 1/4 cup warm water (85 – 110 degrees)
- 1 1/2 cups whole buttermilk, heated to lukewarm
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup melted shortening or vegetable oil (I prefer vegetable shortening)
- 1 tsp. salt
Combine flour and baking soda; set aside. Pour warm water over yeast; set aside. Melt shortening and heat buttermilk to lukewarm; combine shortening, buttermilk, sugar and salt. Stir gently. Add yeast mixture to buttermilk mixture and stir. Add this mixture to flour and mix with wooden spoon until combined. Mix with hands until dough comes together. Let rest 10 minutes; Cut or roll into desired shapes; melt one stick of butter and dredge top and bottom of dough with butter; place in pan. Let stand 30 minutes. Bake at 425 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Makes 30 – 36 rolls.
