Recipe for Easy Yeast Rolls, aka Southern Spoon Rolls

My recipe for easy yeast rolls, also known as southern spoon rolls, is super simple. With a mixture of just 6 ingredients (flour, egg, yeast, butter, and sugar) you’ll have the best dinner rolls around!

I know bread can seem like a challenge, but with this simple recipe on hand, you’ll easily whip up a batch of better-than-storebought dinner rolls.

Can you make rolls without the fat? 

Not so much. For yeast rolls, the dough needs to be super rich. That means that the dough needs to be high in fat content to make the rolls moist and flaky.  The egg and lard do an incredible job of achieving this without making the dough too dense. 

Can you use all-purpose flour instead of bread flour to make yeast rolls?

Yes! Usually when making bread, I would recommend bread flour because of its high gluten content. However, in this recipe, you want the bread to be more flaky than chewy. In this case, all-purpose flour is the very best for the recipe!

Why aren’t my rolls light and fluffy?

If your yeast rolls are not as light and fluffy as you would like, you may have added too much flour or maybe let them overproof. When measuring flour, make sure to carefully even out the scoop to get exact measurements. 

Can I let my yeast rolls rise overnight?

Yes. If you don’t have time to make the rolls the day of, you could always make the dough and refrigerate it overnight. That will make your meal prep the next day just that much easier. Before scooping the dough into the tins, let it sit on the counter for a while, or until it’s nearly at room temperature. 

Can you freeze homemade rolls?

Absolutely! If you find yourself with leftovers (very unlikely) or just want to make a batch ahead of time, you can always bake the rolls, wrap them in cling wrap, and toss them into the freezer. 

Southern spoon rolls vs yeast rolls?

Yeast rolls traditionally are rolled into balls and placed in a casserole dish, while southern spoon rolls are made in muffin tins and you use a spoon to shape them. 

Tips for Baking with Yeast 

1. To make sure your yeast is alive, pre-proof it in warm water. If the yeast is alive, it will activate and rise; this will let you know for sure that your bread will proof. 
2. Don’t let the salt and dry yeast initially mix together because the salt will dehydrate the yeast, killing it and any chance of your bread rising. If you pre-proof the yeast, however, the likelihood of this happening is non-existent because the yeast has already bloomed.

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Easy Yeast Rolls

These southern spoon rolls are super simple. With just 6 ingredients, you’ll have the best dinner rolls around!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Course Bread

Cuisine American

Ingredients

  

• 1 cup hot water
• 2 tbsp lard
• 3 tbsp sugar
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 package active dry yeast
• 1 tsp salt
• 2¼ cups all-purpose flour

Instructions

 

• In a large bowl, dissolve lard and sugar in hot water. When the water mixture cools to lukewarm, add flour, egg, salt, and yeast. (Pour salt and yeast on opposite sides of the bowl.) Mix ingredients and cover with cling wrap or kitchen towel. Allow to double in size (about an hour).
• Grease muffin pan and add the bread mixture, with a spoon, until nearly to the top. Allow to rise again for about 20 minutes and preheat the oven to 425°F. Bake for about 10 minutes or until golden brown.

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