Make Your Own Roll Dough

Every once in a while, we walk up our apartment complex hallway and we smell someone making homemade bread or something else delicious. I decided I needed to be that person this week, so I made homemade roll dough and used it in a couple of different recipes.

I was never that great at making bread until I met my husband. He has a magic hand when it comes to bread dough. I used to always have problems with it and then he taught me how to have a magic hand too. Making any sort of bread dough is much easier than it seems.


This recipe starts with 1 1/2 Tablespoons worth of shortening. The temptation would be to take your measuring spoon and dunk it right into your shortening, correct? Well, here is what you should do. Get some shortening on a table knife and slide it into your measuring spoons using the side of the measuring spoon as a means of getting the shortening off.

Then use the tip of the knife to press the shortening into your measuring spoon.

Why should you do this? Well, I do not know about you, but I have to hand wash all of my dishes and it is a lot harder to clean my measuring spoons when they are greasy only on the insides as opposed to all over. But you know, it is just a tip and you might have a really great dishwasher and not have a problem with getting the grease off of your measuring spoons.

Oooooo, Oooooo!!! Here is another cool trick. I would like to just begin with this little disclaimer: This trick works best with really hot water and stainless steel (or other metal) measuring spoons. So measure out your 1 cup of HOT water. Slide your shortening filled measuring spoons in and let them sit for a while. If you are using stainless steel or other metal measuring spoons the shortening will eventually pop out of the spoon on its own. If you are using plastic measuring spoons you will have to eventually help it out (just slightly) with a table knife. It will still get more shortening out of the measuring spoon than if you just scooped it out yourself. This trick also makes them easier to clean.

Mix hot water, shortening, salt, and 1/4 cup sugar in a medium size mixing bowl. Let it cool to lukewarm. This is a very important step, because if you do not allow the water to cool to lukewarm (or cooler even), then when you add the activated yeast to the water, the hot water will kill it. And then you will end up with bread that does not rise, which is just depressing.

While the water is cooling, activate your yeast. Combine the yeast and one teaspoon of sugar in a small plastic bowl. Add two tablespoons of warm water to the yeast. The water should be at least 105 degrees but no more than 110 degrees (Fahrenheit). Stir to make sure all of the yeast makes contact with water. If your water is too HOT the yeast will not activate. If your water is too COLD the yeast will not activate. Either way your bread won't rise. So it is vital that you get your water the right temperature. Let the yeast mixture sit for at least five minutes.

When you come back to your yeast it should be bubbly and bigger in size than when you left it. If it is not, dump it out and try try try again. Yeast is a poor misunderstood creature. Too many people making bread add inadequately activated or killed yeast to their bread doughs which does not yield a successful bread. You would rather dump out a tiny amount of yeast that failed to activate than have rolls that don't rise. Trust me. The picture below is what your yeast should look like.

Check to make sure the hot water mixture has cooled sufficiently. Add the beaten egg and the activated yeast. Then add flour one cup at a time. The first cup of flour that I add is all-purpose flour.

The next two that I add are 100% whole wheat. If the dough needs any more flour after that I keep adding all-purpose flour. You will need at least three cups of flour, but no more than four. You will want your dough to be soft soft soft, but not sticky. If the dough gets hard to work with you have added too much flour OR you have over worked it.

Knead dough in bowl 8 times. Place in larger bowl, greased with non-stick cooking spray. The picture below is of the finished, un-risen dough.

Cover with towel and let rise 1 1/2 hours or until double in size.

This dough can also be refrigerated for 24-48 hours instead of rising at room temperature. It will rise slower in the fridge.

Basic Roll Dough

1 Cup hot water
1 1/2 Tbsp shortening
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup sugar
1 Tbsp active dry yeast
1 tsp sugar
2 Tbsp warm water (105 degrees)
1 egg, beaten
3-4 cups flour

Mix hot water, shortening, salt, and 1/4 cup sugar in a medium size mixing bowl. While hot water  mixtures cools to lukewarm, activate yeast by combining it in a small bowl with the 1 tsp. of sugar and 2 Tbsp of warm water (about 105 degrees). Your yeast should get bubbly and expand.

Once water has cooled to lukewarm, add beaten egg and dissolved yeast. Add flour one cup at a time until you have added three cups of flour. Add more if needed. Dough should be soft but not sticky. Do not add too much flour.

Knead dough in bowl 8 times. Place in larger bowl, greased with non-stick cooking spray. Cover with towel and let rise 1 1/2 hours or until double in size. You can refrigerate the un-risen dough for up to 48 hours. It will rise in the fridge, just much much slower.

Now, I have given you the recipe for the dough because I will be posting variations of rolls on the blog using this recipe. But just in case you already have a favorite way to shape your rolls here is the temperature and the time you will bake them at.

Bake rolls at 350 for 15-20 minutes.

Recipe Source: Kera Day (an professor from my good ol' college days)