Thanksgiving dinner starts with lists. First there is the list of what to make. Visions of a table filled with those special dishes surrounded by family and friends brings a smile. Which dishes to cook? It all get carefully noted followed by pulling out recipes. Next up is the grocery list which seems to get longer by the second. Planning is in full gear and soon comes the list of what to prep and when plus which bowls, platters, utensils, will be used along in the process. Realizing the tasks to come and the mounds of dishes to wash, it is a relief to find something to make that doesn’t require a lot of time or equipment. Such is the case with these Buttermilk Rolls. They are made in one bowl and then put on a baking sheet to chill overnight and bake the next day.
The simplicity of baking these rolls is surprising. At least it was to me as I was going through the process. It really should not have been a surprise because the recipe comes from my friend Donna Currie over at Cookistry. I call her The Iron Baker after seeing what she can do with bread, including shaping it into bunnies, birdies, and pumpkins. Way back in January 2012, I linked to her guide on building a starter in my post for Sourdough French Bread. When I saw she had a cookbook in the works, I pre-ordered Make Ahead Bread the day it went on Amazon and patiently waited months for it to arrive.
The wait was worth it. Donna definitely delivers everything I was expecting with this book. Her recipes are for anyone who wants to bake bread whether it is their first time or thousandth. It is the bread book for those with busy lives who have little time. So go ahead and get a few copies to give as gifts. All you have to do is click on the photo of the book which takes you to Amazon (affiliate link):
How are the Buttermilk Rolls? They have that quintessential and lovely buttermilk tang. They are medium in texture; not too airy or dense. I used parchment paper on the baking sheet so the only dishes I had to wash was a bowl, dough hook, and measuring cups and spoons. Seriously, homemade rolls done quickly (only a few minutes of actual hands-on time) plus speedy cleanup is awesome.
Are you getting ready for Thanksgiving? Bread is a must for the menu and that is why it is the theme for this month’s Bread Bakers. Scroll down to find a list with links to more Thanksgiving bread recipes by talented bakers from all over the world. Special thanks to Holly of A Baker’s House for hosting this month. Oh, and answer this question too: What is your #1 must-have food for the holiday? I’m curious to see what everyone looks forward to each year.
Buttermilk Rolls
Ingredients
- Cornmeal for the pan optional
- 1 1/2 cups buttermilk at room temperature
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 3 cups bread flour 13 1/2 ounces, plus more as needed
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 cup instant mashed potato flakes
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Instructions
On Prep Day:
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Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or sprinkle with cornmeal.
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Combine all the ingredients in a stand mixer and knead with the dough hook until smooth. You can also mix the ingredients in a large bowl, then knead by hand.
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Cover the bowl and set aside to rise until the dough has doubled in size, about 1 hour.
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Flour your work surface and turn out the dough. Divide it into 12 equal pieces and roll each piece into a ball.
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Arrange the balls on the prepared baking pan and cover it with plastic wrap or place it in a large plastic bag and tie the open in closed. Refrigerate overnight or up to 24 hours.
On Baking Day:
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Take the dough out of the refrigerator and heat the oven to 350°F.
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Remove the plastic and bake the buns until nicely browned and the internal temperature reaches 195°F on an instant-read thermometer, about 25 minutes. Transfer the buns to a wire rack and let cool.
Recipe Notes
Recipe © copyright Donnie Currie 2014. Used with permission. Time stated does not include time for refrigerating dough overnight.
Holiday meals would not be the same without bread. Take a look at these recipes and bake something special for your family and friends:
- Brown Butter Sage Biscuits by Sophia at Sweet Cinnamon & Honey
- Butterflake Rolls by Anshie at Spiceroots
- Buttermilk Rolls by Renee at Magnolia Days
- Cast Iron Parker House Rolls by Veronica at My Catholic Kitchen
- Cheese & Mustard Pull Apart Bread by Laura at Baking in Pyjamas
- Classic Anise Dinner Rolls by Kathya at Basic N Delicious
- Crusty French Bread Rolls by Robin at A Shaggy Dough Story
- Gruyere Gourgeres by Nicole at The 2nd 35 Years
- No Knead Dinner Rolls by Heather at Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
- Parker House Rolls by Tara at Noshing With The Nolands
- Parmesan Garlic Knots by Lauren at From Gate to Plate
- Pumpkin and Rosemary Bread by Rocio at Kidsandchic
- Pumpkin Pani Popo by Kelly at Passion Kneaded
- Pumpkin, Cheddar & Sage Pull Apart Rolls by Mireilee at Chef Mireille’s East West Realm
- Overnight Rosemary Rolls by Holly at A Baker’s House
- Soft and Tender Dinner Rolls by Stacy at Food Lust People Love
- Sourdough Cornbread Rolls with Sage by Karen at Karen’s Kitchen Stories
- Sweet Potato Rolls by Cindy at Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
- Tomato Herb Loaves by Camilla at Culinary Adventures with Camilla
- Zopf Bread by Carola at En la Cocina de Caro
What is Bread Bakers? It’s a group of bread loving bakers who get together once a month to bake bread with a common ingredient or theme. You can see all our of lovely bread by following our Bread Bakers Pinterest Board. Links are also updated after each event on the Bread Bakers home page.
How is the monthly theme determined? We take turns hosting each month and choosing the theme/ingredient.
Would you like to join in the fun? If you are a food blogger, send an email with your blog name and url to Stacy at [email protected].
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links to Amazon.
Kirsten
Wednesday 4th of November 2015
Renee, You're right, lists are involved in Thanksgiving. It will be the kids and I this year, and I was thinking that some sort of roll would be a nice addition but not wanting to have too much at once--I love the idea of just baking a few with our main meal, and baking a few more with subsequent leftover meals.
This also gives me a bit of potato flakes handy since I don't use the whole box making my Christmas lefse. Thanks!
Jenni
Wednesday 4th of November 2015
I love all kinds of breads, but these sorts of rolls remind me of childhood holiday tables. I could eat my weight in them, Renee! Yum!
Lauren
Friday 21st of November 2014
I simply love buttermilk rolls! I'm going to have to give yours a try! :)
Lauren
Friday 21st of November 2014
PS. I really need to go buy Donna's new book!!!
Hezzi-D
Tuesday 18th of November 2014
I love that the dough can be made a day ahead of time...perfect for the holidays!
Ansh
Friday 14th of November 2014
Oh how wonderful! Donna has been my inspiration for many a bread baking episodes. Since she lives in Colorado too, my very first baking adventures started with reading her blog and understanding how she went about tackling high altitude baking. Love this recipe and these rolls will be wonderful on the TG table.