Homemade Dinner Rolls

Recipe

Ingredients:

1 cup whole milk
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter (plus about 1 tablespoon, melted)
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
4 – 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon active dry yeast

Directions:

• Soften the butter and warm the milk by microwaving for 1 – 1 1/2 minutes.  Test the temperature of the mixture.  It should be about 120 degrees (on an instant-read thermometer).  Pour the liquid into the pan of your bread maker.  Add the sugar and salt.
• Lightly beat the eggs (you can use the same dish you used for warming the milk) and add to the milk mixture.
• Pour 4 cups of flour over the wet mixture.  Add the yeast on top of the flour.
• Using the “dough” setting on your bread maker, mix/knead the dough.  If after the initial mixing the dough isn’t forming into a smooth, elastic ball, add additional flour, 1 tablespoon at a time until the dough is the right consistency.  Allow the dough to rise in the bread maker.  This step should take about an hour and a half to 2 hours.
• Punch the dough down and transfer to a lightly-floured surface.  Knead 10 – 12 times or until no longer too sticky to handle.  If needed, lightly butter your hands for easier handling.
• Pinch off golf ball-sized chunks and form into balls.  Divide the dough into 18 rolls (depending on how large you want them to be) and place 1″ apart in a buttered pan.
• Cover and allow to rise in a warm place until doubled in size, approximately 45 – 60 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Bake until golden brown, about 18 – 21 minutes.
• Lightly brush tops with melted butter.

* Note:  Total time includes about 2 1/2 to 3 hours for the dough to rise twice.