Jumbo No Knead Dinner Rolls

Sometimes, you need to break out the flour and the yeast and make these Jumbo No Knead Dinner Rolls. Because, sometimes the store-bought type just won’t do! Besides, homemade is always better, and in this case, lighter and fluffier too!

MY LOVE OF BREAD IS INGRAINED

I grew up in a home where homemade bread and homemade dinner rolls were a constant. We were a family of five and like most Newfoundland families, bread was served daily. In fact, on some days, it would have been served with every meal.

Back in those days – no, I’m not that old! – store-bought bread wasn’t readily available. If memory serves me correctly, you were able to buy the plain, white Wonder bread, but that was it. My mom bought that bread sometimes, but it was only used to make sandwiches.

MEMORIES OF WHITE BREAD

She would buy a loaf every Friday morning when she did her grocery shopping. We lived in a small town, so my siblings and I were able to come home from school for lunch. Every Friday’s lunch was a ham and cheese sandwich with a can of Cott Cola or, if we were really lucky, a lime Pop Shoppe Soda! Great memories!

Anyway, I digress. The point here is that my mom always made bread and dinner rolls. She never purchased bread for regular consumption, like for toast or to be served with soup or anything like that. That was always homemade! And if the bread wasn’t white, it was this Molasses Sweet Bread.

She would make bread at least twice a week. Each time she made it, she would prepare enough dough to get four or five large loaves. So, you can tell just how much bread we ate and why it was considered a staple. I don’t think that was excessive though. It was normal for most Newfoundland families.

SOME MAINS NEED BREAD

I posted the recipe for Sweet and Smoky Baked Beans yesterday. When I mentioned that sometimes an occasion calls for breaking out the flour, this was such an occasion. The dinner rolls you see in these photos were enjoyed with those baked beans!

THESE ARE SAME-DAY DINNER ROLLS

Unlike store-bought dinner rolls, these Jumbo No Knead Dinner Rolls are meant to be eaten the same day you make them. Store-bought rolls will last for a few days in a bread box. But, these will not and should be eaten while they are still warm and fresh out of the oven.

I’ve left some overnight to test it and they are still edible, but they don’t have that soft and fluffy freshness anymore. Great for toasting though! I’ve also tried freezing them to see if they thaw well and retain their freshness. Again, the answer is no.

But, as I said at the beginning of this post, sometimes, you just need to put everything else aside and break out the flour. Fresh is always best anyway! And, I can guarantee you that if you make these, the last thing you’ll have to worry about is having any leftover rolls – you won’t!

INGREDIENTS NEEDED TO PREPARE THIS RECIPE

The following is a list of the ingredients needed to prepare this recipe. For exact amounts and measurements, refer to the printable recipe card located near the bottom of this post. 

• Active Dry Yeast – Do not confuse this with Instant Yeast. Active dry yeast needs to be dissolved in water before use, while instant yeast can be mixed right into dry ingredients.
• Sugar – Sugar has more than one function in baking.  Not only does it add sweetness, but it will help with browning too. 
• Lukewarm Water
• Flour – No need for anything special. Just use regular all-purpose flour. I have not tried this recipe with any other type of flour.
• Salt – This is a common ingredient in baking and cooking.  In baking, it helps to enhance and balance the sweetness.  In cooking, it helps to bring out natural flavours in things like vegetables.
• Butter – Make sure your butter is softened and at room temperature! I always use salted butter, unless stated otherwise.  To be perfectly honest, there’s never much of a difference in taste or appearance once all is said and done. Use what you have on hand.
• Eggs – Whenever you set out to bake, make sure your eggs are at room temperature too – just like your butter!

HOW TO MAKE JUMBO NO KNEAD DINNER ROLLS

MIXING THE DOUGH

In a small bowl, add 1 tablespoon of sugar and the yeast. Pour over the water and leave for yeast to froth for 5 minutes. In the meantime, in a large mixing bowl, mix together the flour, salt and the remaining tablespoon of sugar. Form a well in the center.

Pour the milk, whisked eggs, melted butter, and yeast mixture into the well. Stir with a spoon until well combined. Cover bowl with a clean kitchen towel and set aside to proof for 2 hours. In the meantime, line a deep 9 x 13-inch pan with parchment paper. Be sure to leave overhang so that the rolls are easy to remove once baked.

FORMING THE DOUGH BALLS

Once the two hours have passed, remove the towel and use your fist to punch down and deflate the dough. Dust a work surface (countertop) with flour. Turn out the dough and form it into a log about 12-14 inches long. Use a dough cutter or knife to portion the dough into 12 equal portions.

Roll each portion into a ball, folding the dough into itself on the bottom. This will help to create a smooth, glossy top when baked. Place the dough balls into the prepared pan. Spray the top lightly with non-stick cooking spray. Lightly cover with plastic wrap. Drape the kitchen towel over top. Set aside to proof for 45 minutes.

BAKING THE DINNER ROLLS

In the meantime, preheat the oven to 390 degrees. Once ready, remove the kitchen towel and plastic wrap. Place pan in preheated oven and bake for 15 minutes. (Once the bread is golden brown and sounds hollow if tapped with your finger, it’s done.)

Remove from oven. Lift the rolls out using the parchment paper. Using a pastry brush, brush the tops with a little bit of butter if desired. This is optional. Allow rolls to cool for 15-20 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.