Old Fashioned Southern Rolls Recipes

OLD FASHIONED BUTTER ROLLS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F and lightly spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
• In a large bowl, cut the shortening into the flour using a pastry blender or two forks. The goal is to get the shortening cut into tiny pea-size pieces.
• Add the water and stir until combined. Use your hands to gently knead the dough until it holds together.
• Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and roll the dough into a thin rectangle that is about 10x16-inches. Spread the soft butter to cover the dough then sprinkle with the sugar and nutmeg (or cinnamon). Carefully and tightly roll the dough up jelly roll style and pinch to seal the long edge. Cut the dough into 12 even rolls and place them into the prepared dish.

OLD-FASHIONED SOFT AND BUTTERY YEAST ROLLS

Steps:

• 1. Sprinkle yeast over very warm water in large bowl. Stir until yeast dissolves. Leave to foam about 10 minutes.
• 2. Add sugar, the 1/4 cup butter and salt to hot milk and stir until sugar dissolves and butter is melted. Cool mixture to 105 to 115 degrees.
• 3. Add milk mixture to yeast and then mix in egg. Beat in 4 cups of the flour, 1 cup at a time, to form a soft dough. Use some of remaining 1/2 cup flour to dust a pastry cloth.
• 4. Knead the dough lightly for 5 minutes. Use remaining flour for flouring pastry cloth and your hands.
• 5. Place dough in a warm, buttered bowl; turn greased side up. Cover and let rise in warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours.
• 6. Punch dough down and knead 4 to 5 minutes on a lightly floured pastry cloth. Dough will be sticky, but use as little flour as possible for flouring hands, otherwise rolls will not be as feathery light as they should be.
• 7. With large knife, cut dough ball into four (4) pieces. Cut each piece into four (4) more pieces OR simply pinch off small chunks of dough and roll into round balls about 1 3/4 inches in diameter. As you roll into balls, pull sides down and under to shape roll. Place bottom side down in neat rows, not quite touching, in well-buttered 13 X 9 X 2 inch pan.
• 8. Cover rolls and allow to rise in warm place until doubled in bulk; 30 - 45 minutes. When doubled in bulk, brush tops with melted butter and bake in 375 degree F oven for 18 - 20 minutes or until nicely browned. My oven runs hot so I usually bake @ 325 so tops do not brown before rolls are done inside. Adjust your oven temp accordingly.
• 9. If desired, brush (or bathe!) rolls in more melted butter when they are hot. The butter will sizzle down sides and bottom of rolls for a buttery soft crust.

SOUTHERN BUTTER ROLLS

Steps:

• Mix together flour, sugar, salt, and instant yeast in a bowl. Add shortening and mix well. Mix in water.
• Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead by hand for 20 minutes, or by machine for 12 to 14 minutes. Toss dough with vegetable oil in a bowl; cover the bowl and let proof for 1 hour.
• Form dough into 24 rounds, and place on a greased baking tray. Cover and let proof for 45 minutes more.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Bake in the preheated oven until golden, 12 to 14 minutes.

GRANDMA'S OLD-FASHIONED YEAST ROLLS

Steps:

• Dissolve yeast in warm water in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook. Stir in sugar and salt until you see foam rising. Add 3 cups flour and 3/4 cup shortening; mix with the dough hook until the mixture is the consistency of a thick pancake batter.
• Fill a pot with hot (not boiling) water.
• Remove the mixer bowl and cover it with plastic wrap and a towel. Place the bowl over the pot of hot water, making sure the bottom does not touch the water. Let rise until doubled in size, 45 minutes to 1 hour.
• Place the bowl back on your stand mixer and gradually mix in remaining 4 cups flour until dough is smooth and elastic; you may need to add up to 1 additional cup.
• Heavily grease two 9x13-inch pans with shortening.
• Divide dough into 24 balls. Place 12 balls into each of the prepared pans; cover with plastic wrap and a towel. Let rise in a warm area until doubled in size, about 1 hour; balls will start out at about 1 1/2 inches in diameter but will rise and touch the sides of the pans.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Bake rolls in the preheated oven until golden brown on top, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and brush melted butter over top.

OLD-FASHIONED SOUTHERN BUTTER ROLLS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350. Grease a large baking dish; set aside.
• In a large bowl, combine flour and salt. Cut shortening in until mixture looks like course crumbs. Add water, and stir just until combined. Use your hands to press dough together until it forms a ball.
• Turn out onto a floured surface, and roll dough out into a large rectangle. The dough should be rolled fairly thinly, like you would dough for cinnamon rolls. Spread butter evenly over the top, then sprinkle with 1/4 cup sugar and nutmeg. Roll up tightly, and pinch ends to seal. Cut into 12 equal slices. Place cut side down in baking dish.
• In a saucepan, heat 2/3 cup sugar, milk, and vanilla until bubbles form. Remove from heat, and pour over top of rolls. Bake 30-40 minutes.
• *Note: These rolls can also be made without the milk sauce if you'd like, with a little milk or cream being poured over individual servings instead.