Soft and Fluffy Dinner Rolls

There's something so comforting about freshly baked, soft and fluffy bread hot out of the oven. This recipe is adapted from a copycat recipe for Texas Roadhouse Rolls. They are less dense and more soft than the actual Texas Roadhouse version, so they're even more delicious! The down side for me (being as impatient as I am) is waiting for the bread to rise every time...but once they're in the oven, they're ready in just a few minutes!

Ingredients:
2 teaspoons of active dry yeast
1 teaspoon of sugar
1/4 cup of warm water
1 cup of milk
1 1/2 tablespoons of butter, plus more for brushing
1/4 cup of sugar
4 cups of flour
1 egg
1 teaspoon of salt

Stir the yeast and 1 teaspoon of sugar together in the warm water. Set aside to bloom until it has doubled in volume. Scald the milk in a small saucepan (heat slowly until small bubbles just begin to show on the side...do not boil!), remove from the heat and add the 1 1/2 tablespoons of butter. Stir and let it cool.

Once the milk is lukewarm, add it to the yeast mixture, and stir in the 1/4 cup of sugar and 2 cups (about half) of the flour. Mix well (it will look like a batter, not a dough), and let it sit for 10 minutes.

After 10 minutes, add the egg, salt, and enough flour to form a soft dough (you may not end up using the full 4 cups). Let the dough rest for 10 minutes.

After this second 10 minute rest, turn the dough out onto a floured surface, and knead until smooth, about 6-8 minutes. Grease a large bowl and add the kneaded dough to it, turning it over to let the top also be greased. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and set the bowl in a warm place to rise for 1-1 1/2 hours, or until doubled in size.

Once the dough has doubled in size, punch it down and place it back onto a floured surface. Roll it out to about 1/2 inch thick. Fold it in half to make it 1 inch thick, and roll over it lightly to make the two halves stick together. Let this rest for 10 minutes.

After those 10 minutes have passed, cut the dough into 2-inch squares and place on a greased cookie sheet. Cover the squares with a damp cloth and set in a warm place to rise for another hour.

Once they have doubled in size, preheat the oven to 350F. Place the rolls into the oven and bake for 10-15 minutes, or until they are light golden brown on top. Once they are removed from the oven, you may brush the tops with some melted butter. Enjoy while warm!

One way I enjoyed these rolls was with some delicious salmon! Click here for that recipe!