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Imagine sinking your teeth into a pillowy soft, buttery dinner roll – that warm, comforting bite that often steals the show at your favorite steakhouse. What if you could recreate that deliciousness at home, save money, and know exactly what wholesome ingredients you’re serving your family? If that sounds tempting, then you’re in for a treat! You will love this money saving Amish dinner roll recipe!

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What Type of Flour to Use?

One of the things I love most about this Amish dinner roll recipe is its flexibility – I’ve made it countless times with various flours, and they always turn out wonderfully!

• All-Purpose Flour: This is likely what you have in your pantry, and it works beautifully, yielding light and fluffy rolls with a tender crumb.
• Bread Flour: If you prefer a slightly chewier texture and a bit more structure, bread flour is an excellent choice. Its higher protein content helps develop more gluten, resulting in airy and slightly more substantial rolls.   
• King Arthur Flour (or your favorite brand): Absolutely! Feel free to use your preferred brand of all-purpose or bread flour – the results will be just as delightful.

The only flour I haven’t personally tried is fresh-milled whole wheat flour, but I encourage you to experiment and adapt this recipe to your liking!

Ingredients to Make Fluffy Rolls

• 2 cups boiling water
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 Tablespoon salt (We love Redmond Life. Use code “Handmilked” for 15% off your order!)
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 2 packages (or 2 tablespoons) active dry yeast (or instant yeast)
• 1/4 cup warm water (around 105-115°F or 40-46°C)
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar (for yeast activation)
• Approximately 8 cups all-purpose flour (or bread flour, see notes in the recipe)
• Additional flour for dusting the work surface
• Optional: 1 square of butter, for topping

Special Equipment

I love to multi-task in the kitchen, so I utilize my stand mixer when making these Amish dinner rolls. However, I’ve also made them by hand, so don’t feel like you have to own special equipment in order to put these on the table.

If you have a bread machine, feel free to make these using the dough cycle! 

How to Make this Perfect Soft Dinner Roll Recipe

This recipe yields delicious, golden pull-apart butter buns that melt in your mouth. The rolls are great as a side dish, as buns for a chicken or egg salad sandwich, or smothered in honey for a sweet treat.

These rolls come together easily and require only simple ingredients. Here’s how to make them:

Liquids:

1. In your stand mixer bowl or a large mixing bowl, combine the boiling water, sugar, salt, and butter. Allow this mixture to cool to room temperature or 70-80 degrees F (21-27°C). Once cooled, stir in the eggs.
2. In a separate bowl or mason jar, combine the yeast (specify active dry or instant), warm water (around 105-115°F or 40-46°C), and a pinch of sugar. Let this mixture stand for 5-10 minutes until it becomes foamy, indicating the yeast is active.
3. Add the yeast mixture to the egg mixture and stir to combine.

Mixing the Flour:

1. Add 4 cups of flour to the wet ingredients and beat well (if using the stand mixer, use the dough hook for this process).
2. Gradually add more flour to the sticky dough, about 1/2 cup at a time, combining well after each addition. Continue adding flour until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl and forms a smooth dough ball that is slightly tacky but not sticky. You will likely use around 8 cups of flour, but this can vary depending on humidity and other factors.
3. After the dough is a smooth ball and the flour is well incorporated, place it in a lightly greased bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. This dough can be stored within the large bowl in the fridge for about a week. As the days go by, the dough will develop a bit of a sour flavor, so use it sooner if you don’t prefer the sourdough-type taste.

Baking the Rolls:

1. When ready to bake, divide the dough into 32 dough balls. Place these round balls onto a prepared pan (half-sheet pan works well!). Next, allow the rolls to rise until doubled in size, at least half an hour. Bake at 400 degrees until golden brown, around 15-20 minutes depending on your oven. 
2. ​Once the rolls come out of the oven, I like to take the extra time and smother the soft white dinner rolls in extra butter by simply taking a cube of butter and sliding it over the tops of the pull-apart rolls, but this is optional. You could also brush melted butter over the rolls with a pastry brush.

Tips for Perfect Amish Dinner Rolls

Temperature is Key: Pay close attention to the water temperatures for both activating the yeast and the initial dough mixture. Water that’s too hot can kill the yeast, while water that’s too cold won’t activate it properly. The initial mixture needs to cool down so it doesn’t cook the eggs.

Don’t Overmix the Dough: While you want the dough to be smooth, overmixing can develop too much gluten, resulting in tougher rolls. Mix until just combined and smooth.

Proper Rising Environment: Ensure a warm, draft-free environment for the dough to rise.  A sunny spot in your kitchen can work well or the oven with just the light on.

Gentle Shaping: When dividing and shaping the dough into balls, handle it gently to maintain its light and airy texture.

Doneness Check: The rolls are done when they are golden brown on top. You can also gently tap one, and it should sound slightly hollow.

Fresh Ingredients: Using fresh yeast and good-quality flour can make a noticeable difference in the final product.

My Favorite Aspect of These Dinner Rolls

I am a busy mom and wife. Whether its church activities, sporting events, or growing our own food, we always tend to have something to do. While I love that these homemade rolls have great savings compared to buying rolls at the store, I especially appreciate the fact that I can make the dough ahead of time. The dough can sit in the fridge for up to a week. We generally like using it by day 3 or 4, to avoid the sourdough-type flavor. On busy days, I can whip out the dough, make balls into a smooth roll, line them on the sheet pans, and let the dough rise. I preheat the oven and bake the rolls and wa-la! Within an hour, my family has delicious, fresh rolls to devour. Truly, these do get devoured! 

Big Batch Quick Dinner Rolls

The quintessential soft dinner roll is a delicious side dish to bring to get-togethers or serve at home – they’re not just for Thanksgiving dinner! Offer homemade butter with the fluffy dinner rolls or serve them like a bun for sandwiches. You will love this money-saving Amish dinner roll recipe, and your family and friends will ask for them time and again! This is one of my best basic recipes!

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5 from 3 votes

Amish Dinner Rolls

This recipe for Amish Dinner Rolls yields just that – tender, golden-brown rolls that are perfect alongside any meal or simply enjoyed on their own. What's even better? The dough can be prepared ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for up to a week, making fresh, homemade rolls a breeze whenever you desire.

Course Appetizer, Bread, Side Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword Amish Dessert, amish recipe

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 16 minutes minutes

Rising Time 45 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 31 minutes minutes

Servings 36 rolls

Calories 134kcal

Equipment

• Stand Mixer Or mix by hand

Ingredients

• 2 cups boiling water
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 large eggs lightly beaten
• 2 tbsp active dry yeast or 2 small packets of yeast
• ¼ cup warm water about 105-115°F
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar for activating yeast
• 8 cups all-purpose flour plus more for dusting

Instructions

• Begin with the Base: In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer, carefully pour the boiling water over the ½ cup of sugar, salt, and butter. Stir until the sugar and salt are completely dissolved and the butter has melted. Allow this mixture to cool completely to room temperature. This step is crucial to ensure the heat doesn’t deactivate the yeast later.
• Incorporate the Eggs: Once the water mixture has cooled, gently whisk in the two lightly beaten eggs until well combined.
• Awaken the Yeast: In a separate small bowl, combine the warm water (it should feel comfortably warm to the touch, like bathwater) and the 1 teaspoon of sugar. Sprinkle the active dry yeast over the top. Let this mixture stand for 5-10 minutes, or until it becomes foamy. This indicates that the yeast is active and ready to work its magic.
• Combine Wet Ingredients: Pour the foamy yeast mixture into the cooled water and egg mixture. Stir gently to combine.
• Incorporate the Initial Flour: Gradually add 4 cups of the all-purpose flour to the wet ingredients. Beat well with a sturdy spoon or an electric mixer until a thick batter forms. This initial mixing helps to develop the gluten.
• Form the Dough: Gradually add the remaining 4 cups of flour, mixing until a smooth, elastic dough comes together. You may need to adjust the amount of flour slightly depending on the humidity and the consistency of your ingredients. The dough should be soft and slightly tacky but not sticky.
• After the dough is smooth and the flour is well incorporated, place it in a large mixing bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. This dough can be stored in the fridge for about a week. As the days go by, the dough will develop a bit of a sour flavor, so use it sooner if you don't prefer the sourdough-type taste.
• When ready to bake, divide the dough into 32 dough balls. Place these rolls onto a greased cookie sheet or pan. Next, allow the rolls to rise until doubled in size, at least half an hour. Bake at 400 degrees until golden brown, around 15-20 minutes depending on your oven.
• Once the rolls come out of the oven, I like to smother them in homemade butter by simply taking a cube of butter and sliding it over the tops of the rolls, but this is optional.

Notes

The nutritional information presented is an estimate and may vary.

These Amish Dinner Rolls are best enjoyed warm. Their soft texture and subtle sweetness make them a welcome addition to any table. Enjoy the simple pleasure of homemade goodness

The dough can be prepared ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for up to a week, making fresh, homemade rolls a breeze whenever you desire.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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