Buttery Yeast Rolls

A buttery yeast roll you can pull apart. Dip the dough in butter and then brush more on after they are baked for wonderfully buttery rolls.

Course Bread

Cuisine American

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 15

Rising Time 1 30

Total Time 2 5

Servings rolls

Calories 179kcal

Author Leigh Anne Wilkes

Equipment

Ingredients

2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
1 tsp sugar
1/4 cup warm water
1 cup milk
1/2 cup butter salted, softened
1 tsp salt
1/3 cup sugar
3 eggs
4 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup butter melted for dipping

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 F
In a small pan bring milk to a low boil and add butter and salt. Turn off heat and allow butter to melt. Cool in the refrigerator until it comes to room temperature.
In a small bowl dissolve yeast in warm water and add 1 tsp sugar. Allow to proof.
In another larger bowl beat 3 eggs; add 1/3 C sugar and mix together.
Add cooled milk and yeast to egg mixture.
Add flour, one cup at a time beating with mixer constantly. This will be slightly thicker than cake batter.
Cover batter with a towel and allow to rise until double, about 1 hour.
Flour counter top and place dough on counter. Do not add more flour unless it is just too sticky to handle.
Form dough into small, 1 inch size balls.
Melt 1/2 C butter and dip each ball into butter before placing in pan. Put three balls into each muffin tin to form cloverleaf rolls. Let rise until double
Bake at 350 for about 15 minutes or until golden brown

Notes

Use fresh yeast for best results. Make sure your yeast is active—if it doesn’t get foamy during proofing, it’s time to replace it.
Warm, not hot liquids. When activating yeast, your liquid should be warm to the touch (about 105–110°F). Too hot can kill the yeast, and too cool won’t activate it properly. Be sure and check out my post with all my top tips for working with yeast here.
Don’t over-flour the dough. The dough should be soft and slightly tacky, not dry. Adding too much flour can make your rolls dense instead of light and fluffy. If you are at a high altitude you may need to add additional flour.
Butter generously (it’s the point!). Dip each dough ball in melted butter before placing it in the pan, and don’t skip the final brush of butter after baking—this is what gives these rolls their signature flavor.
Even dough portions matter. Try to keep each of the three dough balls the same size so your cloverleaf rolls bake evenly and look uniform.
Create the perfect rise environment. Let your dough rise in a warm, draft-free spot. If your kitchen is cool, try placing the bowl in your oven with just the light on or preheating your oven to 150 degrees F and then turn it off once it is preheated. Place your pan of yeast rolls into the oven and let them rise until doubled.
Don’t overbake. Bake just until the tops are golden brown. Overbaking can dry them out, and you want these rolls soft and tender.
Make ahead option. Shape the rolls and refrigerate them overnight. Let them come to room temperature and rise slightly before baking the next day—perfect for holidays or Sunday dinner prep!

Nutrition