These delicious light and fluffy yeast rolls are the perfect bread side dish for Thanksgiving and the holidays. They can easily be made ahead of time and frozen, so be sure to make a big batch!
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Holiday Rolls Recipe
When it comes to Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners, I love to serve some freshly baked bread to go along with the rest of the feast. This year, I can’t wait to serve up the deliciously soft yeast rolls.
Simple to make from scratch, and my favorite thing is that they can be made days, weeks and months ahead of time, saving you some precious time!
If you are planning to serve these up during the holidays, be sure to check out more festive sides like Roasted Maple Bacon Brussels Sprouts and Classic Sweet Potato Casserole!
Why You’ll Love this Yeast Roll Recipe:
- EASY: You need to allow time to let the dough rise, so this isn’t a quick recipe. However the ingredients and the method are very easy, so this is a great recipe if you are new to bread making.
- SOFT AND FLUFFY: You need to allow time to let the dough rise, so this isn’t a quick recipe. However the ingredients and the method are very easy, so this is a great recipe if you are new to bread making.
- FREEZER FRIENDLY: Make up a big batch of these rolls to freeze and grab the whenever you want!
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How to Make these Make-Ahead Yeast Rolls
You can jump to the recipe card for full ingredients & instructions!
- Combine the yeast with sugar and water and let sit to activate it.
- Bet together the yeast with water, flour, egg, shortening sugar, and salt.
- Slowly stir in the remaining flour to form a soft dough.
- Place and roll the dough in an oiled bowl.
- Cover and let prove.
- Punch the dough down and refrigerate for at least 8 hours.
- Remove dough from the fridge several hours before you’re ready to bake.
- Punch the dough down and knead it on a floured surface.
- Divide the dough into balls, dip them in melted butter, and place them in a prepared pan.
- Cover with plastic wrap and let rise.
- Bake in a pre-heated oven.
- Let cool and serve or freeze.
Make ahead
To make the lightest and fluffiest rolls, you will need time to let the dough prove and rise several times. Make the dough the day before and let it rest overnight so that they are ready to bake the next day.
How long do they keep?
These rolls are best served soon after they come out of the oven, but they will keep for 3-4 days at room temperature. If you are planning to make them ahead, your best option is to freeze them as soon as they have cooled. Freeze them solid on a baking sheet before transferring to a freezer bag or airtight container.
Defrost frozen rolls for a few hours at room temperature and warm them through in the oven to serve.
What do you serve them with?
These yeast rolls are best served with lashings of butter! They are a great accompaniment to any meal. They work great with soups and stews and are a great addition to your Thanksgiving and Christmas meals. Try them with:
Pair these rolls with:
Tips!
- This dough is as versatile as it is excellent. The yeast rolls can be made into a variety of shapes. Keep in mind the yield will vary depending on the shape and size of the rolls.
- The dough will need to be refrigerated overnight (or at least 8 hours) after the first rise. The dough is then removed from the fridge, shaped, and allowed to rise at room temperature until doubled in size, about 1½ hours, before baking.
More Holiday Bread Recipes We Love
Make Ahead Yeast Rolls
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Ingredients
- 4½ teaspoons active dry yeast 14 grams (2 envelopes)
- ½ teaspoon granulated sugar 2 grams, for the yeast
- 1¼ cups water 284 grams, warm (110-115°F) and divided
- 4½-5 cups all-purpose flour 540-600 grams, divided
- 3 large eggs 150 grams, room temperature and lightly beaten
- ½ cup vegetable shortening 92 grams, melted and cooled to touch (½ stick)
- ½ cup granulated sugar 100 grams, for the dough
- 4 teaspoons kosher salt 12 grams
- ½ cup salted butter 113 grams, for dipping the dough (1 stick)
Recommended Equipment
Instructions
- Combine the yeast, ½ teaspoon sugar, and ¼ cup warm water in a 2-cup liquid measuring cup. Stir just to mix and let stand 5 minutes. (If the yeast doesn’t activate (or grow), discard and try again with fresh yeast.)4½ teaspoons active dry yeast, 1¼ cups water, ½ teaspoon granulated sugar
- In a large bowl, combine the yeast mixture, remaining 1 cup warm water, 2 cups flour, eggs, melted (cooled) shortening, ½ cup sugar, and salt. Use a wooden spoon or Danish Dough Whisk to beat the mixture together for 2 minutes. Gradually stir in enough of the remaining flour until a soft dough forms. The dough shouldn’t be too sticky.4½-5 cups all-purpose flour, 3 large eggs, ½ cup vegetable shortening, ½ cup granulated sugar, 4 teaspoons kosher salt
- Spray a different, large, glass bowl or a proofing container with nonstick spray. Place the dough in the bowl and roll it once to oil all sides of the dough.
- Loosely cover the bowl with sprayed plastic wrap or a damp, clean, lightweight dishtowel. Place it in a proofing oven (around 100°F) or in a warm, dry place until doubled, about 1 hour.
- Punch the dough down, cover tightly, and refrigerate at least 8 hours.
- About 2 hours before baking, remove the dough from the fridge, and spray 2 9-inch square pans with nonstick spray. Melt ½ cup butter.½ cup salted butter
- Punch the dough down a second time and place it on a lightly floured surface. Knead the dough 5-6 times, divide it in half, and cut each half into 16 equal portions. Shape each portion into 2-inch balls, dip them in the melted butter, and place equally apart (with a little space in-between rolls) into the 2 prepared pans.
- Loosely cover each pan of rolls with sprayed plastic wrap and place is a warm, dry place for 1½ hours, or until the rolls are doubled in size.
- Bake the rolls, in a preheated 375°F oven, for 12 minutes, or until golden brown. The internal temperature should register 200°F to 205°F on an instant-read thermometer, when tested in the middle of a middle roll.
- While the rolls bake, cover a large metal cooling rack with a clean dishcloth.
- When the rolls are ready, transfer them to the cooling rack and let cool 1 minute. Turn the rolls out onto the towel-covered cooling rack and then turn them upright. Brush the rolls with melted butter, if desired.
- Serve immediately or cool completely and freeze for later use.
Last step! Don’t forget to show me a pic of what you made! Upload an image or tag me @thecookierookie on Instagram!
Becky’s tips
Adapted slightly by Susie Gall Yield: 32 rolls
- This dough is as versatile as it is excellent. The rolls can be made into a variety of shapes. Keep in mind the yield will vary depending on the shape and size of the rolls.
- The dough will need to be refrigerated overnight (or at least 8 hours) after the first rise. The dough is then removed from the fridge, shaped, and allowed to rise at room temperature until doubled in size, about 1½ hours, before baking.
- The rolls can be frozen after baking and cooling to room temperature.
Nutrition Information
