Simple All Purpose Sweet Dough Recipes

MASTER SWEET DOUGH RECIPE

Steps:

• Warm milk to 110ºF. Add in 1 Tablespoon of your sugar and then the yeast and whisk to combine. Set aside for 5 minutes.
• Add your flour to your mixing bowl and then add in your milk/yeast mixture. Stir on low to combine
• While mixing on low, add in your sugar, eggs, butter and salt until combined
• Increase the speed to medium and let mix until the dough cleans the sides of the bowls and feels elastic and smooth. The dough should bounce back when you touch it with your finger. This can take 8 - 12 minutes *do the window test - see blog post for details*
• Shape the dough into a smooth ball and then place it into a greased bowl. Cover with a tea towel and let rise for 90 minutes in a warm place ***optional***(I pre-heat my oven to 170ºF for five minutes then TURN THE OVEN OFF. It should be barely warm inside. Place a bowl of warm water in the back of the oven and your covered bowl of dough into the oven and shut the door)
• You can now shape the dough into rolls, make cinnamon rolls, sticky buns etc. See the blog post above for links to other recipes.

BASIC SWEET DOUGH

Steps:

• Scald milk in a medium saucepan. Add cold water to scalded milk. Remove 1/4 cup liquid; mix yeast into liquid when cooled to lukewarm. To liquid in saucepan, add salt, sugar, shortening, and eggs. Add dissolved yeast to saucepan. Mix well.
• Sift and measure the flour into a large bowl. Make a well in the flour, and pour the liquids into the well. Stir with a large wooden spoon until liquid disappears.
• With one hand, mix dough in bowl using swinging rotary motion. Gradually form dough into smooth ball, then knead in bowl for 2 minutes. Brush top with melted shortening. Cover, and allow dough to rise at room temperature until doubled in bulk, about 2 hours.
• Punch down dough. Use dough for any sweet bread recipe.

CAJUN SWEET DOUGH

Steps:

• Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
• In a separate bowl, beat the butter, then add the sugar a little at a time. Add the vanilla. Beat the mixture until it is nice and fluffy. Beat in the egg. Stir in the flour mixture alternately with the milk.
• Before you use this dough, be sure you chill it well at least 2 hours or even overnight.
• To make turnovers: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Roll dough out to 1/4 inch thickness on a lightly floured surface. Cut into 3 inch squares. Spoon about 2 teaspoons of the pie filling into the center of each square and fold over to form a triangle. Pinch the seams to seal or press with the tines of a fork. Place at least 2 inches apart on a greased baking sheet. Brush with egg white.
• Bake for 12 to 15 minutes in the preheated oven, until golden brown on the tops and bottom.

BEST BASIC SWEET BREAD

Steps:

• In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the milk, sugar and butter. Heat until slightly warm to the touch then remove from heat and stir in the yeast. Let stand until foamy, about 10 minutes.
• In a large bowl, stir together the flour and salt. Mix in the eggs, oil and the yeast mixture. Mix until dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Turn dough out onto a floured surface and continue to knead until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Grease a large bowl with 1 tablespoon of oil. Place the dough into the bowl and turn once to coat. Cover and let stand in a warm place until double in size, about 1 hour.
• Use remaining oil to grease a cookie sheet or 9x13 inch pan. For plain rolls, punch down dough and divide into 12 equal pieces. Roll the pieces into balls and place them into the greased pan side by side. Let dough rise for 20 to 25 minutes, or until almost double. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in the preheated oven, until rolls are golden brown.

SWEET DINNER ROLLS

Steps:

• Place water, milk, egg, 1/3 cup butter, sugar, salt, flour and yeast in the pan of the bread machine in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Select Dough/Knead and First Rise Cycle; press Start.
• When cycle finishes, turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide dough in half. Roll each half into a 12 inch circle, spread 1/4 cup softened butter over entire round. Cut each circle into 8 wedges. Roll wedges starting at wide end; roll gently but tightly. Place point side down on ungreased cookie sheet. Cover with clean kitchen towel and put in a warm place, let rise 1 hour. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Bake in preheated oven for 10 to 15 minutes, until golden.

BASIC SWEET BREAD DOUGH

Steps:

• For the sponge: In a small bowl stir together water and sugar until sugar is dissolved. Stir in yeast and flour. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside until bubbly and active, about 10 to 15 minutes.
• For the dough: In a large bowl, mix together all of the sponge, yogurt, butter, eggs, sugar, salt, and vanilla or citrus zest. Add flour 1 cup at a time, mixing until the dough comes away cleanly from the sides of the bowl.
• Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for about 5 minutes, until soft and pliable but not sticky. Let dough rest while you clean and grease the bowl. Finish kneading the dough until it's smooth, supple, and springy.
• Place the dough in a greased bowl, turn to coat all surfaces, cover with plastic wrap and let sit in a warm place for about 1 1/2 hours, or until doubled.
• Gently deflate the dough and shape into desired shapes. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled in bulk, about 35 to 45 minutes.

BASIC SWEET DOUGH

Steps:

• In a bowl, combine 2 cups flour, sugar, yeast and salt. In a saucepan, heat milk, butter and water to 120°-130°. Add to dry ingredients; beat just until moistened. Add egg and remaining flour; beat until smooth. Shape into a ball. Do not knead. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes. Use for Braided Coffee Cake or Coffee Cake Ring.

MASTER SWEET DOUGH

Steps:

• Heat milk in a small saucepan over medium heat or in a microwave until an instant-read thermometer registers 110°F-115°F. Transfer milk to a 2-cup measuring cup; stir in 1 tablespoon sugar. Sprinkle yeast over milk and whisk to blend. Let sit until yeast is foamy, about 5 minutes. Add eggs; whisk until smooth.
• Combine remaining 4 tablespoons sugar, flour, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Add milk mixture. With mixer running, add 1/2 cup room-temperature butter, 1 piece at a time, blending well between additions. Mix on medium speed for 1 minute. Knead on medium-high speed until dough is soft and silky, about 5 minutes.
• Brush a medium bowl with some melted butter; place dough in bowl. Brush top of dough with remaining melted butter; cover with plastic wrap. (If making Sticky Buns , chill dough for 2 hours, then proceed with recipe.) DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with plastic; chill.
• Let dough rise in a warm, draft-free area until doubled in size, 1-1 1/2 hours (or 2-2 1/2 hours if dough has been refrigerated).

BASIC SWEET DOUGH

Steps:

• Dissolve 1 tsp.
• sugar in warm water in large bowl.
• Sprinkle in yeast.
• Let stand 10 minutes, then stir well.
• Heat milk to lukewarm.
• Stir in 1/4 cup sugar and salt.
• Add lukewarm milk mixture, butter,egg and 1 cup flour to dissolved yeast mixture.
• Beat for 3 minutes.
• Stir in about 3 cups remaining flour gradually.
• If necessary, add more flour to make a soft dough which leaves sides of bowl.
• Turn out onto lightly floured board.
• Knead dough, adding more flour as necessary, until dough is smooth, elastic and no longer sticky (about 5 minutes).
• Place in lightly greased bowl.
• Turn dough to grease top.
• Cover with greased waxed paper and tea towel.
• Let rise in warm place until doubled (about 1 hour).
• Punch down.
• Turn out onto lightly floured board and round up into a ball.
• Cover and let rest 10 minutes.
• Shape and prepare according to one of the following variations.
• (These variations can also be made with Basic White Bread dough).
• Dinner Rolls: Divide each portion of prepared dough into 16-24 equal pieces depending on size of buns desired.
• Shape into balls and flatten slightly.
• Place on greased baking sheet or in muffin cups.
• Cover with a tea towel and let rise in warm place until doubled (about 30 minutes) Bake at 375F for 12-15 minutes or until golden.
• Brush with melted butter, if desired, for soft shiny crust.
• Pan Rolls; Divide each portion of dough into 16 equal pieces.
• Shape into balls.
• Place balls, almost touching, in rows, in a greased 8" square pan.
• Cover and let rise as above.
• Bake at 375F for 25-30 minutes.
• or twin rolls, Cloverleaf rolls, Cresents, Parkerhouse Rolls, knots and posies.

SWEET PASTRY DOUGH FOR CUSTARD PIE

Steps:

• Pulse flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor to combine. Add butter, and process until mixture resembles coarse meal. With machine running, add yolk and ice water, and process until dough just comes together. (It should not take longer than 30 seconds.)
• Shape into a disk, and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate dough for at least 30 minutes.

EASY SWEET PASTRY DOUGH

Steps:

• Sift together the flour, sugar, and salt (if using) into a bowl.
• Toss butter into flour mixture to coat pieces. Using fingertips, rub butter into flour, working it until you have created a coarse meal with a few pea-size pieces.
• In a small bowl, combine egg and vanilla. Whisk together, then add gradually to flour mixture, stirring with a fork. Mix with hands until dough forms a ball.
• Knead the dough to make it smooth. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 10 minutes.
• Roll out dough and shape to pie pan or cut out rounds for tarts.

BASIC COOKIE DOUGH

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in eggs, milk and vanilla. In another bowl, whisk 7-1/2 cups flour, baking powder and salt; gradually beat into creamed mixture, adding more flour if necessary. Divide dough into four 2-cup portions. Refrigerate, covered, until needed., Basic Cookie Dough may be used to prepare the following recipes: Crumb-Topped Date Bars, Cherry Surprise Cookies, Chocolate Mallow Cookies or Jelly Sandwich Cookies.

EASY ALL-PURPOSE PIZZA DOUGH

Steps:

• Dissolve yeast in warm water in a large bowl, and let stand 5 minutes. Add 1 cup flour and salt to yeast mixture and stir well. Stir 2 cups flour, 1 cup at a time, stirring well after each addition.
• Turn the dough out onto a floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic (about 10 min), and add enough of the remaining flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, to prevent the dough from sticking to hands (dough will feel tacky). To knead, push out the mound of dough with the heels of your hands, fold it over, give it a quarter turn, ad repeat. The dough should become smooth. If necessary, add slightly more flour. Shape the pizza dough into a ball.
• Place the dough in a large bowl coated with olive oil turning to coat top. Cover and let rise a warm place one hour or until doubled in size. Press 2 fingers into dough, if an indentation, the dough has risen enough.
• Use your hands to deflate the dough, cover and let rest 5 minutes. Either roll or shape into a 12" circle. Transfer to a pizza pan.
• Add desired toppings, and bake in 450F preheated oven for 13 - 15 minutes or until toppings are golden brown.
• **To Freeze: let the dough rise once, punch down, and shape into a ball. Place in a heavy duty zip top bag coated with cooking spray, squeeze all of the air out and seal. Store up to 1 month.
• To Thaw: place the dough in refrigerator 12 hours or overnight. Place dough on floured surface and shape.
• Alternatively, you can make the dough, roll it out, wrap in foil, and freeze. To bake, remove from freezer, top and bake according to recipe instructions, (no need to thaw).