Southern Light Rolls Recipes

1-HOUR SOFT AND BUTTERY DINNER ROLLS

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 400°F. Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray, and set aside.
• In a microwave-safe bowl (or saucepan, see below), stir together the water and melted butter, then add in the milk and honey and stir until combined. Microwave the mixture for 1 minute and give it a stir. Continue microwaving the mixture in 15 second intervals, until it reaches 110°F. It will be warm but not hot to the touch. (*Alternately, you can heat the mixture over medium-low heat in a saucepan until it reaches 110°F.)
• Pour the liquid mixture into the large bowl of a stand mixer. Sprinkle the yeast evenly on top, give it a quick stir with a fork to combine, and let the yeast activate for 5 minutes until it is foamy.
• Add in 3 1/2 cups of flour (not all of the flour) and the salt.
• (See alternate instructions in the notes below for how to knead the dough by hand.) Use the dough-hook to mix in the dry ingredients on medium-low speed until combined. If the dough is sticking to the sides of the bowl, add in 1/4 cup more flour at a time until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl and is only slightly sticky to the touch. (Only use up to 4 cups of flour total.) Continue mixing on low speed for 4-5 minutes until the dough is smooth. Then form the dough into a ball with your hands and transfer it to a greased bowl.
• Cover the bowl with a damp towel or paper towel, and let it rise briefly for 15 minutes.
• Gently punch the dough down and divide into 15 equal-sized pieces. Form each piece into a ball and place the dough balls in the greased baking dish. Cover the dish again with a damp towel or paper towel and let the dough balls rise for an additional 15-20 minutes.
• Uncover and bake for 15 minutes, or until the rolls are lightly golden brown on top and cooked through.
• Transfer the baking dish to a wire cooling rack and brush the tops of the rolls with melted butter.
• Then serve warm and enjoy!

OLD-FASHIONED SOUTHERN ROLLS

Steps:

• Warm the milk in a small saucepan until it bubbles, then remove from heat. Mix in the shortening and sugar; stir until melted. Add cold water and let cool until lukewarm.
• Pour milk mixture into a large bowl. Add egg and yeast; mix well. Beat in 3 cups of flour and let stand for 20 minutes.
• Sift in baking powder, baking soda, salt, and 1 cup flour. Stir in the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, beating well after each addition. When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes. Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl, and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
• Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces. Divide each piece in half and form into 24 rolls. Place the rounds in a lightly greased 9x13-inch baking pan or on lightly greased baking sheets. Cover the rolls with a damp cloth and let rise until doubled in volume, about 40 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Bake in the preheated oven until golden, 15 to 20 minutes.

SOFT DINNER ROLLS RECIPE

Steps:

• Whisk the warm milk, yeast, and 1 Tablespoon of sugar together in the bowl of your stand mixer. Cover and allow to sit for 5 minutes. *If you do not own a stand mixer, you can do this in a large mixing bowl and in the next step, mix the dough together with a large wooden spoon/rubber spatula. It will take a bit of arm muscle. A hand mixer works, but the sticky dough repeatedly gets stuck in the beaters. Mixing by hand with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula is a better choice.*
• Add the remaining sugar, egg, butter, salt, and 1 cup flour. With a dough hook or paddle attachment, mix/beat on low speed for 30 seconds, scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula, then add the remaining flour. Beat on medium speed until the dough comes together and pulls away from the sides of the bowl, about 2 minutes. If the dough seems too wet to a point where kneading (next step) would be impossible, beat in more flour 1 Tablespoon at a time until you have a workable dough, similar to the photos and video above. Dough should be soft and a little sticky, but still manageable to knead with lightly floured hands.
• Keep the dough in the mixer and beat for an additional 3 full minutes or knead by hand on a lightly floured surface for 3 full minutes. (See video tutorial above if you need a visual of kneading dough by hand.)
• Lightly grease a large bowl with oil or nonstick spray. Place the dough in the bowl, turning it to coat all sides in the oil. Cover the bowl with aluminum foil, plastic wrap, or a clean kitchen towel. Allow the dough to rise in a relatively warm environment for 1-2 hours or until double in size. (I always let it rise on the counter. Takes about 2 hours. For a tiny reduction in rise time, see my answer to Where Should Dough Rise? in my Baking with Yeast Guide.)
• Grease a 9×13 inch baking pan or two 9-inch square or round baking pans. You can also bake the rolls in a cast iron skillet or on a lined baking sheet.*
• When the dough is ready, punch it down to release the air. Divide the dough into 14-16 equal pieces. (Just eyeball it- doesn't need to be perfect!) Shape each piece into a smooth ball. I do this entirely in my hands and you can watch in the video tutorial above. Arrange in prepared baking pan.
• Cover shaped rolls with aluminum foil, plastic wrap, or a clean kitchen towel. Allow to rise until puffy, about 1 hour.
• Adjust oven rack to a lower position and preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). (It's best to bake the rolls towards the bottom of the oven so the tops don't burn.)
• Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown on top, rotating the pan halfway through. If you notice the tops browning too quickly, loosely tent the pan with aluminum foil. Remove from the oven, brush with optional honey butter topping, and allow rolls to cool for a few minutes before serving.
• Cover leftover rolls tightly and store at room temperature for 2-3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

SOUTHERN BUTTER ROLLS

Steps:

• Mix together flour, sugar, salt, and instant yeast in a bowl. Add shortening and mix well. Mix in water.
• Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead by hand for 20 minutes, or by machine for 12 to 14 minutes. Toss dough with vegetable oil in a bowl; cover the bowl and let proof for 1 hour.
• Form dough into 24 rounds, and place on a greased baking tray. Cover and let proof for 45 minutes more.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Bake in the preheated oven until golden, 12 to 14 minutes.

CLASSIC LIGHT ROLLS

Steps:

• In the detached bowl of an electric mixer, whisk together the warm water, a pinch of sugar, and yeast. Let stand until mixture is foamy, about 6 minutes.
• Attach the bowl to electric mixer fitted with the dough-hook attachment. With machine speed on low, add milk, butter, remaining sugar, salt, and 2 lightly beaten eggs. Gradually add enough flour to form a sticky but manageable dough. Transfer the dough to a large buttered bowl; cover tightly with buttered plastic wrap. Let dough rise in a warm spot until doubled in bulk, about 2 1/2 hours.
• Line 1 large or 2 small baking sheets with parchment paper. Turn out dough onto a floured work surface. With a floured rolling pin, roll out dough to a 3/4-inch thickness. Using a 2 1/4-inch round cookie cutter, cut 24 rounds of dough as closely together as possible. Place rounds 1/4 inch apart on prepared baking sheet. Cover with buttered plastic wrap. Let rolls rise until they are light and do not spring back when pressed with your fingertip, about 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly beat remaining egg with the water. Brush mixture on tops of rounds; sprinkle with poppy seeds. Bake until rolls are golden brown, 20 to 23 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool for at least 5 minutes. Serve warm.

SOUTHERN "LIGHT" ROLLS

Steps:

• Mix water, yeast, and sugar together until the sugar is mostly dissolved. Add oil and salt, mix.
• Add flour, one cup at a time, until dough pulls away from the side of the mixing bowl and does not stick to your fingers when touched.
• Let dough rise, about 1 hour.
• Punch down, shape, and place on your baking pan (makes 36 rolls or 2 loaves).
• Let dough rise again, about 1 hour.
• Brush tops of rolls or loaves with 1 stick of melted butter. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven until golden brown.
• Optional: When rolls are removed from oven, brush with another stick of melted butter.

SOUTHERN BUTTER ROLLS

Steps:

• Mix together flour, sugar, salt and instant yeast.
• Mix in Shortening.
• Mix in Water.
• Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead by hand for 20 minutes.
• Cover dough with vegetable oil, cover and let rise for one hour.
• Form 24 smooth round rolls and place in greased 13x9" baking pan.
• Let rise again for 45 minutes.
• Bake at 400 degrees for 12 to 14 minutes.

SOUTHERN-STYLE EGG ROLLS

Steps:

• In a small bowl, mix the sauce ingredients until blended. Refrigerate, covered, until serving., For egg rolls, in a large skillet, cook sausage over medium heat until no longer pink, breaking into crumbles, 6-8 minutes; drain. Cool slightly., In a large bowl, beat cream cheese, green onions, soy sauce and garlic powder until blended; stir in turnip greens, cheese, black-eyed peas and sausage., With one corner of an egg roll wrapper facing you, place 3 tablespoons filling just below center of wrapper. (Cover remaining wrappers with a damp paper towel until ready to use.) Fold bottom corner over filling; moisten remaining wrapper edges with water. Fold side corners toward center over filling. Roll egg roll up tightly, pressing at tip to seal. Repeat., In an electric skillet or deep-fat fryer, heat oil to 375°. Fry egg rolls, a few at a time, until golden brown, 3-4 minutes, turning occasionally. Drain on paper towels. Serve with sauce.

FEATHERLIGHT ROLLS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Stir in 1 tablespoon sugar; let stand 5 minutes. Add the milk, shortening, eggs, salt, 3 cups flour and remaining sugar. Beat on medium speed 2 minutes. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough (mixture will be sticky). Do not knead. Cover and refrigerate overnight., Punch dough down. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; divide into 24 portions. Divide each portion into three pieces; shape each into a ball. Place three balls in each greased muffin cup. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1-3/4 hours. , Preheat oven to 350°. Bake 13-15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pans to wire racks. Serve warm.