5-Ingredient Yeast Rolls Recipe

Rolls are a worldwide favorite, and have been gracing our holiday plates for centuries. They are a staple at dinner parties, and are a popular item served in restaurants. Yeast rolls are a type of bread roll that is leavened with yeast, resulting in a fluffy and airy texture. Recipe developer Miriam Hahn brings us this recipe for 5-ingredient yeast rolls and says, "There is just something about making fresh rolls at home that can really make the meal, and the smell of fresh bread always brings up memories of home, warmth, and comfort. They are best served warm, so I usually just make the dough the day before I will be serving them. Then, it's a snap to bake them up right as the rest of the meal is coming together. For this recipe, you only need 5 ingredients that you most likely have on hand, and you don't even need to pull out the stand mixer." Yeast rolls pair nicely with just about any dish, whether it's a traditional roasted chicken or a classic lasagna. Read on to learn how to make these soft and delicious rolls.

To make this recipe, you'll need active dry yeast, sugar, bread flour, salt, avocado oil, and some water. If you want to brush the finished rolls with butter, you'll need some of that too. "We're using bread flour here because it has a higher protein count, and will help the dough rise higher and hold its shape. For the oil, I like to use avocado oil, but you can use any neutral vegetable oil," Hahn shares.

First, add the warm water into a medium-sized bowl. "The temperature of the water should be [between] 100 to 110 F, but a quick method to make sure it's not too hot is to put a finger in the water, and if you can comfortably leave it in, then you are good to go. If the water is too hot, it will kill the yeast," Hahn shares. Add the yeast and sugar to the bowl, and set it aside for about 10 minutes until it's foamy. In a separate large bowl, mix together the flour and salt. Then, stir the yeast mixture in with the flour.  Remove the dough from the bowl, form it into a ball, and put it back in a bowl. Cover with a tea towel, and let it rest for 1 hour.

Add some flour to a large work surface, and knead the dough for 5 minutes, adding flour as needed when the dough gets sticky. "I love that there is not a lot of time spent kneading the dough. Just a few minutes gets the job done," Hahn remarks. "If you are making the dough ahead of time, wrap it in plastic wrap and keep it in the fridge until you're ready to use it. Make sure to bring it to room temperature for about 1 hour before [dividing the dough]," Hahn goes on to say.

Divide the dough into 8 equal parts, then spray a 9-x12-inch baking dish with cooking spray, and roll each dough part into a ball. Place each dough ball into the prepared baking dish, leaving space in between each roll. Cover with a tea towel, and let it rest for 1 hour. After resting for 45 minutes, preheat the oven to 350 F.

When the rolls have been resting for 1 hour, bake them for 30 minutes or until the tops are golden brown. Your house will begin to smell amazing when they are almost done. When you pull them out of the oven, you can brush with melted butter, if desired. Then, put them in a basket and serve. If you have leftover rolls, store them in a resealable bag or covered container for a few days. You can warm them up in the oven or microwave.