A soft yeast roll dough that can be used to make a variety of rolls. An easy recipe to master that requires minimal kneading!
An essential baking recipe on my family’s farm were yeast breads and rolls. Being self-sufficient was the way of life; there were no weekly trips to the grocery store almost and everything was homemade or raised on the farm. My Grandma used to make 11-12 loaves of bread each week for my Mom’s family alone!
Many home bakers like my Grandma found a way to master one type of yeast dough and use that dough to turn into different types of rolls. My 1953 copy of Better Homes & Gardens Cookbook advices to “select a basic recipe, master it, then develop any variations you desire.” This recipe does exactly that.
This master dough can be used to make:
About this Recipe
This yeast roll recipe originated from my Grandma’s recipe files dating to the 1950’s. I have adapted and updated her original recipe in both quantity (I don’t have a large farm family to feed!) and ingredients. Her recipe calls for an ingredient that was once popular: compressed yeast cake, that is somewhat hard to find today. I use dry active yeast instead.
I have also updated the recipe by adding a temperature for the warm liquid ingredients. As baking is a science, baking with yeast is even more of a science! You want to ensure your yeast gets activated properly from the warm liquid ingredients in order to rise, but does not die from the liquid ingredients being too hot.
This is a fairly easy yeast dough recipe to master, as there is minimal kneading required. Click on each recipe above to see how to assemble each type of roll used from this Master Dough.
Happy Baking!
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