Best Southern Light Rolls Recipes

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.

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.

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.

SOFT BUTTERMILK DINNER ROLLS

Steps:

• Dissolve yeast in warm water until foamy. In a large bowl, combine 1 cup buttermilk, 1/2 cup butter, egg, sugar, salt and yeast mixture, then add 3 cups flour; beat on medium speed until smooth, 1 minute. Add remaining flour, 1/4 cup at a time, to form a soft dough., Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour., Punch down dough. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; divide and shape into 20 balls. Place in a greased 13x9-in. pan. Cover with a kitchen towel; let rise in a warm place until almost doubled, about 45 minutes., Preheat oven to 350°. Brush rolls lightly with remaining buttermilk and butter. Bake until golden brown, 20-25 minutes. Cool in pan 20 minutes. Remove to a wire rack; serve warm.

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.