Ingredients
Method
Step-by-Step
- Warm the milk to about 105–110°F (40–43°C), then stir in the yeast and sugar. Let the mixture stand for 5–10 minutes, until it becomes foamy.
- Stir the melted and slightly cooled butter, room-temperature egg, and salt into the milk mixture. Add most of the flour gradually, mixing until a soft, slightly tacky dough forms.
- Knead the dough by hand for 8–10 minutes, or use a dough hook for 5–7 minutes. Continue until the dough is smooth and elastic, adding only a little extra flour if it is genuinely too sticky to handle.
- Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover it, and let it rise in a warm, draft-free place for 1–2 hours, or until doubled in size.
- Gently deflate the dough and divide it into 15 equal pieces. For the most even batch, weigh the finished dough and divide the total weight by 15.
- Shape each piece into a smooth ball by pulling the edges underneath and pinching the seam closed. Arrange the balls in a greased 9-by-13-inch baking pan or similar dish, leaving a little space between them.
- Cover the pan and let the rolls rise again for 30–60 minutes, until they look puffy and are beginning to touch. This second rise helps create a light, tender interior.
- Near the end of the second rise, heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Place the pan on a center rack so the tops and bottoms bake evenly.
- Bake the rolls for 18–23 minutes, until the tops are lightly golden. Avoid baking them far past this point, since excess oven time can make the crumb dry.
- Brush the hot rolls immediately with 1–2 tablespoons of melted butter. Let them cool briefly in the pan, then serve warm.
Notes
Use a thermometer to keep the milk near 105–110°F (40–43°C); milk above roughly 120°F (49°C) can weaken or kill the yeast. Measure flour by weight whenever possible, because too much flour is the most common reason dinner rolls become dense. Store cooled rolls tightly covered at room temperature for up to 2 days, or freeze them for longer storage.