These “Fluffy Dinner Rolls with Sesame Seeds” are the quintessential comforting bread, perfect for any meal, from a casual weeknight dinner to a festive holiday spread. The image beautifully illustrates the journey from raw dough to baked perfection. The top portion of the image displays numerous pale, smooth dough balls meticulously arranged in a large, clear glass bowl, ready for their final rise and subsequent transformation. Each dough ball is distinct and appears soft and pliable, promising a tender interior. The bottom half of the image showcases the irresistible finished product: a baking sheet filled with golden-brown, perfectly puffed rolls, nestled close together, indicating a soft, pull-apart texture. Many of the rolls are generously sprinkled with sesame seeds, adding a delightful nutty flavor and a subtle crunch to the soft bread. A hand is gently breaking open one of the rolls, revealing its incredibly soft, airy, and fluffy white interior, a testament to its successful proofing and baking. These rolls are subtly sweet, incredibly tender, and have a rich, buttery aroma that fills the kitchen, making them truly irresistible. They are versatile and can be served with butter, jam, or as an accompaniment to savory dishes, soaking up sauces and gravies beautifully.
The smooth, pale dough balls in the top part of the image suggest a well-kneaded and properly hydrated dough, essential for fluffy rolls. The golden-brown exterior and puffed-up appearance of the baked rolls indicate a successful bake with good oven spring. The visible sesame seeds add a classic aesthetic and hint at a textural and flavor contrast. The soft, airy interior shown when the roll is broken open is the ultimate sign of a light and fluffy texture, which is highly desirable in dinner rolls.
Ingredients:
- For the Dough:
- 1 cup (240ml) warm milk (around 105∘F−115∘F or 40∘C−46∘C)
- 2 ¼ teaspoons (1 standard packet) active dry yeast
- ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar, plus 1 teaspoon for yeast activation
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- ¼ cup (56g) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 ½ – 4 cups (420g – 480g) all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
- For the Egg Wash:
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon milk or water
- For Topping:
- 2 tablespoons sesame seeds (optional, as seen in image)
- 2 tablespoons melted butter (for brushing after baking, optional)
- Equipment:
- Large mixing bowl
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Whisk
- Stand mixer with dough hook attachment (optional, but recommended for easier kneading)
- Clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap
- 9×13 inch baking pan or a similar size (for close-packed rolls)
- Small bowl for egg wash
- Pastry brush
- Wire cooling rack
Instructions:
Part 1: Activate the Yeast
- Warm Milk: In a large mixing bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer), gently warm the milk until it reaches between 105∘F and 115∘F (40∘C−46∘C). It should be warm to the touch, but not hot. Too hot will kill the yeast; too cold will not activate it.
- Add Yeast and Sugar: Sprinkle the active dry yeast and 1 teaspoon of granulated sugar over the warm milk. Stir gently and let it sit for 5-10 minutes. The mixture should become foamy on top, indicating that the yeast is active. If it doesn’t foam, your yeast might be old or the milk was too hot/cold, and you should start over with fresh yeast.
Part 2: Prepare the Dough
- Add Wet Ingredients: To the foamy yeast mixture, add the remaining ¼ cup granulated sugar, the large egg, melted and cooled unsalted butter, and salt. Whisk everything together until well combined.
- Incorporate Flour: Gradually add 3 cups of the all-purpose flour to the wet ingredients, mixing with a wooden spoon or the dough hook on a stand mixer on low speed. Once most of the flour is incorporated, continue adding the remaining ½ to 1 cup of flour, a little at a time, until the dough comes together and starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl. The dough should be soft and slightly sticky but manageable.
- Knead the Dough:
- By Hand: Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead for 8-10 minutes until the dough is smooth, elastic, and no longer sticky. Add minimal flour as needed to prevent sticking.
- Stand Mixer: Increase the mixer speed to medium-low and knead with the dough hook for 6-8 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic.
- First Rise (Bulk Fermentation): Lightly grease the large mixing bowl. Place the kneaded dough in the bowl, turning it once to coat all sides with a thin layer of oil. Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap. Let the dough rise in a warm, draft-free place for 1-1.5 hours, or until it has doubled in size. This could be in a slightly warm oven (turned off), near a sunny window, or on top of the refrigerator.
Part 3: Shape the Rolls
- Punch Down Dough: Gently punch down the risen dough to release the air.
- Divide Dough: Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into 12-16 equal pieces, depending on your desired roll size. For a 9×13 inch pan, 15 pieces usually fit perfectly in a grid, as seen in the image.
- Shape Rolls: Take each piece of dough and tuck the edges underneath to form a smooth, round ball. Roll it gently between your palm and the counter to create a tight, even sphere. The image shows uniformly shaped, round dough balls.
- Arrange in Pan: Lightly grease a 9×13 inch baking pan. Arrange the shaped dough balls in the prepared pan, leaving a small space between them. They will expand during the second rise and baking, touching each other to create soft, pull-apart rolls. The image shows them closely packed.
Part 4: Second Rise and Bake
- Second Rise (Proofing): Cover the baking pan loosely with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap. Let the rolls rise again in a warm, draft-free place for another 30-45 minutes, or until they have nearly doubled in size and look visibly puffy.
- Preheat Oven: While the rolls are on their second rise, preheat your oven to 375∘F (190∘C).
- Prepare Egg Wash: In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and 1 tablespoon of milk or water.
- Egg Wash and Sesame Seeds: Gently brush the tops of the risen rolls with the egg wash. This will give them a beautiful golden-brown crust. If desired, sprinkle generously with sesame seeds.
- Bake: Bake the rolls in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes, or until they are puffed up and have a beautiful golden-brown color on top. The exact baking time may vary depending on your oven and the size of your rolls.
- Optional Butter Brush: Immediately after taking the rolls out of the oven, you can lightly brush the tops with 2 tablespoons of melted butter for extra flavor and shine.
Part 5: Serve
- Cool Slightly: Let the rolls cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack. Cooling slightly in the pan helps them set, but cooling on a wire rack prevents the bottoms from getting soggy.
- Serve Warm: These “Fluffy Dinner Rolls with Sesame Seeds” are best served warm, either as individual rolls or pulled apart directly from the pan, revealing their incredibly soft interior.
- Storage: Store leftover rolls in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2-3 days. Reheat briefly in the microwave or oven to restore some of their softness.
Tips for Success:
- Warm Milk Temperature: Ensure the milk is not too hot (will kill yeast) or too cold (will not activate yeast). Use a thermometer if unsure.
- Proper Kneading: Thorough kneading is crucial for developing the gluten, which gives the rolls their light and fluffy texture. Don’t skimp on this step.
- Warm Rising Environment: A warm, draft-free place is essential for the dough to rise properly. If your kitchen is cold, you can place the covered bowl in a slightly warmed (but turned off) oven with the door ajar.
- Don’t Over-Flour: Add flour gradually during kneading. Too much flour will result in dry, dense rolls. The dough should be soft and still slightly tacky.
- Even Shaping: Uniformly shaped rolls ensure even baking.
- Egg Wash: The egg wash is key for that beautiful golden crust and for helping the sesame seeds adhere.
- Sesame Seeds: While optional, sesame seeds add a wonderful nutty flavor and visual appeal, as seen in the final product.
- Pull-Apart Rolls: Placing the rolls close together in the pan encourages them to bake into soft, pull-apart rolls, which is characteristic of many dinner roll recipes and evident in the image.
Enjoy these comforting and delicious “Fluffy Dinner Rolls with Sesame Seeds!”