Texas Roadhouse Rolls

Even if you have never made bread much before, this recipe is great! The dough raises quickly, and makes just a dozen roll. You can use the dough for cinnamon rolls or hamburger buns. I love the versatility of this recipe, and they are almost always light as a feather with a nice crusty outside. You can brush them with water for a harder crust, or butter for a nice dinner roll, and if you want it to be fancy, mix 1Tbs honey into melted butter and brush the rolls about 5 min before they finish baking for a shiny buttery glaze. Mix the dough in your bread maker, and then let raise in warm place until double before shaping into desired shape. (Rolls, cinnamon rolls, hamburger buns, etc.)

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 (0.25 ounce) packages active dry yeast

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons sugar 1

1/4 cup nonfat dry milk powder

1 1/4 cups warm water (105° - 115°)

1 large egg, slightly beaten

8 tablespoons butter, melted

2 tablespoons butter-flavored vegetable shortening

Place 2 cups flour in a large mixing bowl. Add yeast, salt, sugar, and dry milk. Mix well, set aside.

In a small bowl, combine water and egg; stir to blend. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Pour water mixture into the well. Mix by hand, beating 150 strokes, frequently scraping bottom and sides of bowl. Add 1/2 of the melted butter, and beat to incorporated. Add remaining flour, about 1/3 cup at a time, beating to incorporate each addition. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Set dough in a warm, draft-free place, such as oven with a pan of the hottest tap water on the rack below. Allow batter to rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.

BREADMAKER INSTRUCTIONS:

In bread maker pan add water, beaten egg, and melted butter. Add flour, salt, and dry milk.  Make a little well in flour, add sugar and yeast in flour well. Mix on dough cycle. Dough will be very soft. You can add 1/2 c more flour for ease of handling. After dough is smooth and well mixed transfer to to med bowl prepared with pan spray. Let rise double. Follow the directions below, or shape as desired letting rise until almost doubled in size. Bake at 350^ if you are making cinnamon rolls.

Coat bottom and sides of 2 (8 inch) round cake pans with shortening. Punch dough down (batter will be extremely soft and sticky). Drop by hand or spoonful into prepared pans, with sides touching. Brush dough with 1/2 remaining melted butter. Let rise, uncovered, in a warm, draft-free place, until doubled in bulk, about 30 minutes. Bake in preheated 400° oven, on middle rack for 16-18 minutes. Brush tops of baked rolls with remaining melted butter.

Cinnamon Butter

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter

2 ounces granulated sugar

2 ounces brown sugar

4 teaspoons cinnamon