Cloverleaf Dinner Rolls Recipes

CLOVERLEAF ROLLS

Steps:

• Stir the yeast and 1 teaspoon of the sugar into the milk. Set aside until foamy, about 5 minutes. Melt 4 tablespoons of the butter.
• Meanwhile, in the bowl of a stand mixer with the dough hook attached, combine the remaining sugar, flour and salt. With the mixer on low, add the yeast mixture and the egg and knead until the dry ingredients have been incorporated (you may have to help it along at first with a spatula) and the dough is smooth, about 5 to 10 minutes. Carefully add the melted butter (the dough will slosh around in the butter for a few minutes, but will eventually absorb it all) and continue to knead the dough until smooth, increasing the speed to medium, another 5 to 10 minutes. The dough will be shiny and elastic; if it's at all sticky, scrape down the sides of the bowl and gather the dough into a neat ball (no need to add extra flour). Cover the bowl with plastic and set aside to rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 to 2 hours.
• Butter a standard 12-cup muffin tin. Gently tip the dough out onto a work surface. You shouldn't need flour at this point. Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces. Work with one piece at a time and keep the other pieces covered. Divide each piece into 3 equal pieces, roll each piece into a tight ball and place into one cup. Repeat with the remaining dough. Cover the tray lightly with plastic wrap and set aside to double again, about 45 minutes to 1 hour. The dough should look puffy and spring back slowly when pressed gently.
• Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Remove the plastic wrap and without deflating the dough, gently brush the rolls with butter. Bake until puffed and golden, about 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from the oven and brush with more butter and sprinkle with salt. Serve warm.

GRANDMA'S CLOVER LEAF ROLLS

Steps:

• Heat the milk in a saucepan over medium heat until bubbles begin to form, but the milk is not simmering. Stir in the sugar, shortening, and salt; set aside until cooled to 110 degrees F (43 degrees C). Sprinkle the yeast over the warm water and set aside for 5 minutes.
• Beat the egg in a mixing bowl, then stir in the yeast and milk. Stir in half of the flour until no lumps remain, then stir in the remaining flour a little at a time until a smooth dough forms. Place into a greased bowl, turn once to grease the top, cover, and let rise until doubled in bulk, about 2 hours.
• Grease a 12 sectioned muffin tin. Deflate the dough, and place onto a well-floured work surface. Divide the dough into 36 pieces, and form into balls. Place 3 balls into each muffin cup. Cover, and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.
• Preheat an oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Bake in the preheated oven until golden, 12 to 15 minutes. Serve warm.

CLOVERLEAF ROLLS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm milk. Add the butter, egg, sugar, salt and 3 cups flour. Beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough., Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour., Punch dough down and divide in half. Divide each half into 36 pieces and shape into balls. Place 3 balls in each greased muffin cup. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes. Brush with additional butter. , Bake at 375° for 15-18 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove to wire racks. Serve warm.

NO-KNEAD CLOVERLEAF ROLLS

Steps:

• To make the dough: Combine the milk and canola oil in a large pot. Stir in the sugar. Scald the milk by heating it almost to a boil. Turn off the heat and let cool until warm.
• Add 8 cups of the flour and the yeast to the milk mixture and stir until combined (it will be super sticky!). Cover the pot with a lid or dishtowel and let the dough sit until risen, an hour or so.
• Sprinkle in the remaining 1 cup flour and the baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir gently to combine; it takes a while to get it stirred together.
• To make the rolls: Drizzle a small amount of butter into 36 muffins cups (3 standard muffin pans). Pinch off small amounts of dough and roll into neat balls. Place 3 balls in each muffin cup.
• Set the pans in a draft-free, slightly warm place; cover with a lightweight dish towel and allow the rolls to rise until light and puffy, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Bake until deep golden brown, 18 to 20 minutes. Serve piping hot.

DEB'S CLOVERLEAF ROLLS

Steps:

• Combine the hot water, white sugar, and yeast together in the mixing bowl of a large stand mixer; let sit until it forms a creamy layer on top, about 10 minutes.
• Fit the mixer with a dough hook, and slowly beat in 3 cups of bread flour and the rolled oats until the flour is thoroughly worked in. Place the mixing bowl in a warm place, cover with a cloth, and let the batter rise until doubled and puffy, about 1 hour.
• Place the mixing bowl back onto the stand mixer, and pour in the butter; start the mixer on low speed, and beat in the remaining 6 cups of bread flour. Sprinkle salt into the dough. Turn the mixer up to medium, and knead the dough until smooth and elastic, 5 to 8 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease 24 muffin cups.
• Pinch off about 2 tablespoons of dough, and form into a ball about the size of a large cherry tomato. Place the dough ball into a greased muffin cup; make 2 more balls, and place them into the same cup (3 dough balls per cup). Repeat with remaining dough.
• Bake the rolls in the preheated oven until the turn lightly golden brown, 38 minutes.

NO-KNEAD CLOVERLEAF ROLLS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine sugar and water. Sprinkle yeast on top and let sit until foamy, 5 minutes. Add 1 cup flour and, using a mixer, beat on medium until smooth, 2 minutes. Add fine salt, egg, and butter and beat until combined. Add remaining 2 cups flour and, with a wooden spoon, mix until just combined. Lightly coat a large bowl with cooking spray. Transfer dough to bowl, lightly coat with cooking spray, and loosely cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight (or up to 2 days). Dough will double in size.
• Divide into 27 equal pieces (1 ounce each). Lightly coat 9 standard muffin cups and your hands with cooking spray. Roll each dough piece into a smooth ball and place 3 balls in each cup. Liberally coat with cooking spray and loosely cover with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled, 45 to 90 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bake rolls until puffed and deep golden, 15 to 20 minutes. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with coarse salt; serve warm.

FANTASTIC CLOVERLEAF ROLLS

Steps:

• Grease 12 jumbo muffin tins.
• In a cup or bowl, combine yeast with 1 tbsp sugar in warm water; cover with plastic wrap, and sit for 10 minutes, or until the yeast is foamy.
• In the mixer bowl, mix in 3 cups flour, the remaining sugar, melted butter, warm milk, egg and salt.
• Add in the yeast/sugar mix.
• With a kneader blade fitted on a heavy-duty mixer, knead and gradually add in the remaining flour, until a soft dough sticky is formed (do not add in too much flour, as the baked buns will have a heavy texture).
• Remove from the bowl and let rest on the counter for 10 minutes, covered.
• After 10 minutes, knead gently for about 30 seconds.
• Coat a glass or stainless steel bowl with oil.
• Transfer the dough to the bowl.
• Cover; and let rise in a warm draft-free area, for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
• Punch down the dough.
• Remove from bowl then place the dough on the counter.
• Slice the dough evenly in half lengthwise down the middle, set one piece aside.
• Shape piece of dough into a chunky long rope using hands.
• Slice into 18 even pieces (don't worry if each piece of dough is not the exact same size).
• Shape into about 1-1/2-inch balls or a little more.
• Place 3 balls into each muffin tin.
• Repeat with remaining piece of dough and muffin tin.
• Cover the tins with a clean tea towel and allow to rise warm place for 30-40 minutes (rising time will depend on the temperature of your kitchen).
• Remove the tea towel; brush tops with melted butter.
• Bake at 350°F for 18-20 minutes, or until buns are a dark golden colour.

EASY MAKE-AHEAD CLOVERLEAF DINNER ROLLS

Steps:

• Cook's Note: I almost forgot to tell you-I used White Lily flour in this, which is a soft wheat flour. I like it for the delicate texture it adds. You may wonder why I mention it, but not all flours are created equal. Even among brands, there are differences, and it stems from the type of flour they use, which makes the protein count vary. Really high protein flours (often called bread flours) absorb a lot of water, and lower protein flours (cake flour is probably the lowest) absorb less. Each brand will use a different blend, and the one I used absorbs less on the whole, but is known, especially in the Southern US, for its excellence especially for making tender flaky biscuits. So this is why it may sometimes seem the water you add doesn't work right, on occasion. So in making dinner rolls, just as in bread, you start with an amount of water in the bowl, and you want to add flour, about a half cup at a time, until it comes together and forms the dough ball, coming away from the sides of the bowl. It shouldn't be as runny as cake batter or add more flour. It shouldn't be dry and crumbly or cracked, or you have added too much flour and need to add a little water and work it in until you get the dough ball. This is why you should never just dump all the flour in at once. I know most bread makers already know this, but there is always someone just finding out, and I got your back here.
• In your stand mixer, place warm water to heat the bowl.
• When the temperature of the water reaches 110F, drain off all but one cup.
• Sprinkle yeast over the water and let it soften.
• Add room temperature melted butter, sugar, room temperature eggs, and salt.
• Add dough hook and run mixer on low, adding flour 1/2 cup at a time until dough comes together, adjusting flour amount if necessary, then run mixer until dough is fairly smooth.
• Turn dough out into an oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 2 hours.
• Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide dough in half, then each half into 4 pieces, then each piece into thirds. Roll each piece into a log and cut into three more pieces, and roll in between lightly oiled hands into smooth balls.
• Place dough balls on waxed paper on a baking sheet and freeze until firm, about an hour or so. Place balls in a freezer bag, and keep frozen until needed.
• To prepare, grease a muffin tin and place three balls into each cup. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let sit in a warm, draft-free place for several hours or until doubled in size.
• Bake at 375F for 12-15 minutes, or until golden brown.