Big Fluffy Pan Dinner Rolls
Big Fluffy Pan Dinner Rolls are perfect for any feast, whether you’re serving 5 or 50. Simple ingredients make one heaping pan of soft, delicious rolls. Can be frozen for baking later.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup lukewarm water
- 2 cups warm milk, 100-110 degrees
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 2 1/2 tablespoons yeast (instant preferred)
- 6-7 cups King Arthur all-purpose flour or another brand all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Combine water, milk, butter, sugar, salt, and yeast in a large bowl or in the bowl of a stand mixer. Stir well and let sit for 3-5 minutes or until the yeast begins to foam or bubble.
- Add 5 cups of flour and mix by hand or with the paddle attachment. The dough will not form a ball at this point and will be just shy of coming together.
- Add flour, 1/2 cup at a time, and blend with the dough hook until a smooth ball begins to form. Knead by hand for about 10 minutes or by mixer for 4-5 minutes, until a soft, smooth ball of dough is formed.
- Lightly spray the bowl with cooking spray. Spritz the top of the dough with cooking spray and cover lightly with plastic wrap or a shower cap. Let rise for 20-30 minutes in a warm, draft-free area (see Notes).
- Gently deflate the dough and pat or roll out to a rough rectangle about 8 inches by 12 inches. Cut the dough into 4 long strips, then cut each strip into 6 portions, for a total of 24 pieces. Spritz your hands with cooking spray and shape dough into round balls.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place rack in the center of the oven. Grease or line with parchment paper any of the following pans: One half-sheet baking pan or two 13"x9"x2"
- Place rolls on the pans. Cover with a clean dish towel and let rise for another 30 minutes or until almost doubled in size.
- Bake the rolls for 15-18 minutes or until golden brown. Brush the baked rolls with melted butter if desired.
- Serve warm. Store leftovers in a plastic bag for up to 3 days.
Notes
Tips for raising dough: Fill a bowl with 2 cups of water and microwave for 2 minutes. Remove the bowl from the microwave and place the bowl of bread dough in the microwave to rise.
Once the dough is formed and on the baking sheet, avoid placing the pan directly on a cold countertop. It can be placed in an oven with the light on OR in an oven that has been warmed by turning the oven on and then off after a few minutes OR on a dishcloth by a sunny window.
Freezing rolls to bake later: Follow the recipe until the rolls are shaped. Let them rise for about 10 minutes, then cover tightly in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 4 weeks. When ready to bake, thaw overnight in the refrigerator and then unwrap, rise, and bake as directed.