🍞 Classic Homemade Yeast Bread / Dinner Rolls Recipe

This recipe makes a soft, slightly sweet dough perfect for loaves or the twisted rolls shown in the image.

Category	Ingredient	Quantity	Notes
Liquids	Warm water or milk	1 cup ( $240 \text{ ml}$ )	Must be between $105^\circ\text{F}$ and $115^\circ\text{F}$ ( $40^\circ\text{C}$ and $46^\circ\text{C}$ ).
Starter	Active dry yeast	2 $1/4$ teaspoons	One standard packet.
	Granulated sugar	1 tablespoon	To feed the yeast.
Fat/Flavor	Unsalted butter	$1/4$ cup ( $56 \text{ g}$ )	Melted and cooled slightly.
	Egg	1 large	Room temperature.
Dry	All-purpose flour	$3 - 3 \ 1/2$ cups ( $360 - 420 \text{ g}$ )	Or bread flour for a chewier texture.
	Salt	1 teaspoon
Finishing	Egg wash (1 egg + 1 tbsp water)	Optional, for shine.

In a large mixing bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer), combine the warm water/milk, the 1 tablespoon of sugar, and the yeast.
Let it sit for 5-10 minutes until it becomes foamy and bubbly. This shows the yeast is active.

Add the melted butter, egg, salt, and about 2 cups of the flour to the yeast mixture.
Mix on low speed (if using a mixer) or by hand until just combined.
Gradually add the remaining flour, $1/2$ cup at a time, until the dough comes together and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. It should be soft and slightly tacky, but not sticky.

By Mixer: Knead using the dough hook attachment on medium-low speed for 6-8 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic.
By Hand: Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 8-10 minutes.

Lightly grease a clean bowl with oil.
Place the kneaded dough into the bowl and turn it over once to coat.
Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap (as shown in the image) and a clean kitchen towel.
Place the dough in a warm, draft-free spot (like a slightly warmed oven) and let it rise until it has doubled in size (this usually takes 1-1.5 hours, depending on the warmth of the room).

Gently punch down the dough to release the air.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface.
For Twisted Rolls (as pictured):
- Roll the dough into a large rectangle, about $1/2$ inch thick.
- Use a pizza cutter or sharp knife to cut the rectangle into strips (about 1 inch wide and 4-5 inches long).
- Twist each strip gently before placing it on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
For Simple Dinner Rolls:
- Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces and roll each into a smooth ball.

Cover the shaped rolls loosely with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel.
Let them rise again for 30-45 minutes until they look puffy and have nearly doubled in size.

Preheat your oven to $375^\circ\text{F}$ ( $190^\circ\text{C}$ ).
Optional: Brush the tops of the rolls with the egg wash for a beautiful golden, shiny finish.
Bake for 12-18 minutes, or until they are deep golden brown.
For an extra soft crust, brush the warm rolls with melted butter immediately after they come out of the oven.