Make Ahead Dinner Rolls

​Fresh baked rolls at a dinner party make a big difference but I never seem to have enough time to make them along with all of the other dinner preparations.  These yeast rolls are the perfect solution to that problem.  I make the dough the day before I want to serve them and cold proof them overnight in the refrigerator.  They turn out light and fluffy and delicious every time.  

Best American Dinner Rolls
¾ cup whole milk                                          2 eggs
6 Tablespoons butter, melted                    2 ¼ teaspoons yeast
6 Tablespoons sugar                                      3 cups flour
1 ½ teaspoons salt

​Bring milk to a boil in saucepan over medium heat.  Let stand off heat 3-4 minutes until skin forms.
Using spoon, skim off skin and discard.

​Transfer milk to mixer bowl and add butter, sugar and salt.  Whisk to cool.

​Whisk in eggs and yeast.

​Add flour.  Knead 1-2 minutes on low.  Knead 8 minutes on medium.  Transfer dough to a greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap.   

​ 


​Let rise 2-3 hours.

​Grease 2 nine inch round cake pans.  Pat dough into a 12x10 inch rectangle. Roll up like a cylinder and divide into 16 equal pieces.  Shape each piece into a ball and arrange in cake pans.   (1 in the center and 7 around the edges.)  I made 4 batches of rolls at once so I put mine on cookie sheets instead of cake pans.

​Cover pans with plastic wrap and cover wrap with foil.  Refrigerate 24 – 48 hours.  
To Bake:  Remove rolls 6-7 hours before baking.  Remove foil but leave plastic wrap.  Let rise.  Brush with melted butter before baking.  Bake 14-18 minutes at 400.  Cool in pans for 3 minutes.

​I am such a sucker for freshly baked bread.  These are really good yeast rolls and I love the fact that I can get them ready a day in advance and bake and serve them warm on the day of a party.  These rolls also freeze really well so make a double batch and freeze some for later.

Ciao!

Click here for a printable version of this recipe