Who doesn't love a pull-apart hit of gluten with their Thanksgiving meal? I am a firm believer that everyone should be able to make their own bread. It seems intimidating to use yeast if you've never ventured into its depths, but I promise that it's a lot easier than it sounds and 1-UPs your baking skills. Follow the instructions below and you'll have buttery pull-apart rolls that provide the perfect golden-brown centerpiece for a cozy night in on your own, a family of 12, or any number of guests in-between.
In my most recent YouTube video, I explain why cloverleaf rolls are my absolute fave and why this specific bread rolls holds so much nostalgia and meaning in my life. Just like with my recipe for Green Bean Casserole, I also give you some insight about their history and a quick how-to so that you can make these coveted dinner rolls yourself.
I hope you enjoy making these buttery rolls. Do you like to make bread? How do you like to incorporate yeast into your baking?
Cloverleaf Rolls
Yield:
12 rolls
Active Time:
approx. 15 minutes
Baking Time:
12-14 minutes
Time:
3 hours proofing in all
Ingredients:
1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon (1 stick/120 ml + 1 tablespoon) butter, melted and divided
1 cup warm milk
1/2 cup warm water
1/4 cup (25 g) sugar
a pinch of salt per guest*
one packet dry active yeast
1 egg
3 1/3 cups (430 g) all-purpose flour
Tools:
mixing spoon
medium mixing bowl
large mixing bowl
muffin or cupcake tin
oven
Method:
In the medium mixing bowl, mix together melted butter, warm milk, and warm water with the sugar and salt until evaporated.
Add the packet of yeast and mix until it is just incorporated.
Cover the bowl and let it sit for approximately 10 minutes until a bubbly foam begins to appear on top.
In the larger mixing bowl, whisk the egg.
Add the yeast mixture to the larger bowl and mix until the egg is fully incorporated.
Add the first cup and a third of flour, stirring as you go.
As you add the rest of the flour, switch to kneading when the dough begins to form.
Continue kneading until the gluten activates. When the dough becomes shiny and stretches easily, form it into a ball, cover the dough, keep it in a warm, dry place, and allow it to rise for about two hours.
Line a cupcake or muffin tin. Be sure to line the outside edges so that the rolls don't stick!
Deflate the dough and form the balls for the cloverleaf shapes--36 in total to make 12 rolls.
Place three balls in each compartment of your cupcake tin.
Cover the tin, place in a warm, dry place, and allow the dough to rise for another hour.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F/200 degrees C fan.
Be sure that the remaining butter is melted.
Uncover the rolls and brush the tops of each with the butter.
Bake the rolls for 12 to 14 minutes or until golden brown and fragrant.
*I find that giving a small pinch of iodized salt for every person who will be eating the rolls will give them enough flavoring. I use this rule of thumb for almost every dish I make that incorporates salt. Obviously, feel free to use a teaspoon of salt if you are partial to standard measurements.
This recipe is part of my first ever holiday meal planning series on Old Fashioned AF (visit my YouTube channel here) as part of a collaboration with Lost in the Pond. Looking for Green Bean Casserole? You can find that recipe right here.
Even more Thanksgiving-themed recipes are coming soon. If you'd like to support Old Fashioned AF, become a patron today. Those of you who do so before November 15th will receive a recipe card designed by me, featuring one of my Thanksgiving dishes! If you like this recipe please consider pinning it, sharing it on social media, or tagging a picture of your own dinner rolls with #craftyvintagelady. Happy Thanksgiving!