Aunt Linda’s Spoon Rolls

Earlier this week, I had a friend request that I post a recipe for yeast rolls.  I have several different recipes I use for yeast bread, depending on what I’m looking for.  I talked with her a little more and she said she wanted a roll that was a little sweet and yeasty.  I paired that with knowing that she lives quite a ways outside of town and is busy.  I knew I had a recipe that would be simple and tasty.  One problem.  It wasn’t mine.  It was my Aunt Linda’s.  And they’ve been a favorite holiday and everyday dinner roll ever since she shared the recipe with us when I was young.  I grabbed my phone, shot off a text message and she generously offered to let me share it with you all.

Start  by mixing the yeast with some warm water to let it bloom.  Then, melt some butter and stir in the sugar until it looks a bit like wet sand covered in oil.

Add the egg and mix well.  Then add the bloomed yeast and water.

Stir in the flour.  The dough will be really wet.  You’re going to think it is too think and want to add some flour.  Don’t.  I promise it will be ok.

Cover this tightly with a lid, plastic wrap or just scrape the whole thing into a zip top bag.  Put it in the fridge for a minimum of 3 hours.  It really is better if you let it sit overnight.  Even two nights.  But, no longer than that or your yeast will ferment and your rolls will taste like beer (and not the good beer bread either).  We only made that mistake once.  When you take it out of the fridge after 20 or so hours, the dough will have risen and thickened.  It will also be bubble and super stretchy.

Spoon this dough into greased muffin tins.  The recipe makes 24 rolls.  I made 12 today and I’ll bake the other 12 tomorrow.

They’re not perfect, and that’s just fine.  They’ll still bake up beautiful and golden and people will know they are home made.

Oh, you want to see what they look like on the inside.  Go ahead.  Twist my arm a little harder.  It’s going to take a lot of convincing to get me to tear one of them open.  Yeah right.  Who am I kidding.  It’s gonna take a monumental effort to keep me from eating the whole dozen before dinner.

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I’m betting you’ve guessed by now that I love this bread basket.  It’s got a secret.  There’s a pocket in that beautiful daisy fabric that holds a microwavable rice sack.  So, not only does it look beautiful, it keeps your bread products toasty warm (and, I bought it from a girl who was raising money for a school trip to sing at Carnegie Hall – BONUS!!).

Recipe:

1 package active dry yeast

2 cups warm water

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter

1/2 cup sugar

1 egg

4 cups flour

In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water and set aside to bloom.

Melt butter in the microwave.  Stir in sugar and stir until sugar looks like wet sand.  Add egg and mix well.  Stir in yeast and water mixture.  Stir in all 4 cups of flour.  Mixture will be very wet and sticky.

Cover tightly or transfer to a zip top bag and refrigerate a minimum of 3 hours.  Overnight is better.  Do not exceed 2 nights.

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350*.  Grease 12 muffin cups.  Remove bread dough from fridge and spoon into muffin tins.  This recipe makes 24 rolls, so you should have about half your dough left.  Bake for 30-35 minutes or until tops are golden brown.  Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly before removing from tins.  Loosen any stuck edges with a butter knife.  Serve warm with butter if desired (though, they are nice and buttery without any extra).