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I saw this recipe for Lunch Lady Cafeteria Rolls on Pinterest last week and just had to try it. There wasn’t a whole lot I loved about school lunch but I do remember liking the rolls.
I was so happy with the way these rolls turned out. I made two small changes, one wasn’t even on purpose but it simplified the process. That is what I call a happy accident!
I made the rolls again today and took a picture of each step. If you are an old pro at making rolls just skip down to the bottom for the entire recipe. Otherwise, follow me. Once you see the steps you will be a pro!
{Are you making the Turkey for Thanksgiving this year? Click Here for Simple tips to make it AWESOME!}
P.S. when I made these rolls last time I used half of the dough to make cinnamon rolls!!! TURNED OUT AMAZING!!!!!! **see picture at bottom of post**
Add yeast and 1 tbsp sugar to warm water and let sit for 3-5 minutes
Melt butter in microwave and then add the milk to it to help it cool down. (if you add the butter to the yeast while it is still hot it could kill the yeast.) **The original recipe says to add the melted butter after dough has risen for the first time and to knead it into the dough. That just seems like it would be a mess. I accidentally put it in with the yeast mixture the first time I made them and they turned out so great I don’t feel like it is worth the mess of adding it later after the dough has risen, but you can do what you want.
Slightly beat your eggs
Add melted butter (cooled), milk, eggs and salt (original recipe calls for 1 tbsp, I thought it needed just a little more so I threw in another 1/4 tsp) to yeast mixture and stir until it is well combined. It will look something like this.
In a large bowl combine flour and sugar. Stir until combined
Add shortening to mixture
Using your hand crumble shortening into flour until it is barely noticable
Search for lumps until you get them all.
Pour liquid yeast mixture into flour mixture
Using a large wooden spoon, stir until well combined.
When dough starts to come together, ditch the spoon.
Use your hand to knead the dough for approx. 2 minutes. ( you may need to add a little more flour if dough is two sticky to work with.)
It will come together into a nice ball. Cover dough and place in a warm area for up to two hours or until dough doubles in size. (I put mine in my oven. While I mix the dough I heat the oven to 195 degrees. then I turn the oven off right before I put the covered dough in. This step cuts back on time dramatically. Dough will be doubled in 20-30 minutes.)
Dough will look something like this. (I forgot about mine and it rose for about 1 1/2 hours) it is fine you could let it rise for up to 2 hours if you want to.
After dough has doubled in size, punch it down and knead with your hands one more time for 2 minutes. If dough is a bit sticky sprinkle it with flour as needed. A this point start to preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
After the 2 minutes of kneading are up, you are ready to form the dough into rolls. The original recipe says you can roll it out and cut it into 2×1 rectangles and form them into balls. TOO MUCH EFFORT. Just rip off a piece the size of a large apricot and follow my steps above to form it into a perfect ball. You may need to dip your fingers in flour occasionally to keep dough from sticking to your hands. Step one: Act as if you are turning the dough inside out. Step two: Using your other hand come down around the dough pusing it into a ball like shape. Step three: Turn over and pinch bottom to finish making it into a ball. Step 4: Place seam side down on your cooking sheet.
When dough is formed into rolls and placed on pans, cover and allow to rise until almost doubled again. I put my pans on top of the oven while it is preheating and this step usually only takes 15-20 minutes. Bake rolls on 400 degrees for 12-14 minutes.
***Remember if you want to you can use this dough for great cinnamon rolls, click here for the recipe.
Not so bad right! Great job! Enjoy your yummy rolls!
Crazy good soups
- 3 cups warm water
- 2 tbsp + 1½ tsp yeast
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 /4 cup butter, melted
- ¼ cup milk
- 2 eggs, slightly beaten
- 1 tbsp + ¼ tsp salt
- 10 cups all-purpose flour
- ⅔ cup sugar
- ¼ cup shortening
- Add yeast and sugar to warm water and let sit for 3-5 minutes
- Add melted butter (cooled), milk, eggs and salt to yeast mixture
- In a large bowl combine flour and sugar. Stir until combined
- Using your hand crumble shortening into flour until it is barely noticable
- Pour liquid yeast mixture into flour mixture
- Using a large wooden spoon, stir until well combined.
- When dough starts to come together, ditch the spoon and use your hand to knead the dough for approx. 2 minutes until it comes together in a nice ball.
- Place dough in a warm area, covered, until it doubles in size. (I do this in my oven. While I mix the dough I heat the oven to 195 degrees. then I turn the oven off right before I put the covered dough in. This step cuts back on time dramatically. Dough will be doubled in 15-30 minutes.)
- After dough has doubled in size, punch it down and knead with your hands one more time for 2 minutes. If dough is a bit sticky sprinkle it with flour as needed.
- Prepare pans and form dough into 2 inch balls and place onto cooking sheets. I like rolls to be touching so I have to pull them apart when they are done. If you don't like that place them at least 1-2 inches apart on your cooking sheet. I cook mine close together in 9x13 pans.
- When dough is formed into rolls and placed on pans, cover and allow to rise until almost doubled again. I put my pans top of the oven while it is preheating and this step usually only takes 15-20 minutes.
- Back at 400 degrees for 12-14 minutes.
Don’t forget to pin this awesome recipe to your favorite pinterest board!
Rolls go great with these
These rolls can be frozen in dough form if you roll them into balls and freeze them individually on a cookie sheet before putting them in a freezer safe container. You just have to pull them out and give them time to rise as they thaw out. They can also be frozen after they are cooked and cooled. So handy to be able to pull out of the freezer on busy days!
Melanie
January 28, 2014 at 12:00 pmMmmm, I’m a sucker for a good roll, and these look amazing. Yum!
Dianne
February 7, 2014 at 11:35 pmI’ve just spent an afternoon in my happy place – in the kitchen baking! I decided to give these a whirl and see how they came out. We don’t have cafeteria lunches at schools in New Zealand…but it doesn’t take much imagination to work out what they are. So….I halved the recipe and threw it in my breadmaker while I got on with my baking. It produced the most incredibly soft dough…and then I turned them into cinnamon rolls. They have just come out of the oven and oh my! The house smells incredible…they look delicious…I can hardly wait for them to cool down so I can frost them and eat them. The idea was to freeze them down for the school lunchboxes….not sure if that’s going to happen!!
Maria
February 10, 2014 at 6:02 pmI am so glad!!! I love having days like that! Thank you so much for taking time to come and tell me about your baking! I am so glad you liked the recipe!
Maria
September 5, 2016 at 12:29 pmGluten free flour?
Maria
September 6, 2016 at 10:30 pmI haven’t ever tried it, but I think they would still turn out well.
Phyllis
December 14, 2016 at 10:20 pmWhere can I find this recipe?!?
Maria
March 7, 2017 at 1:52 pmIt should be on this link. You may need to click the red button that says “read more” if you aren’t seeing the recipe.
Mike
January 17, 2017 at 9:12 pmHi . I am trying the rolls 1st time . do I butter the tops or egg wash them ?
Maria
January 17, 2017 at 10:26 pmButter the top after they come out of the oven. 🙂
Kenani
October 10, 2018 at 9:51 amThis appears to be easy and straight forward, so it’s easy to make and pretty fast. Thank you.
Carrie
February 17, 2014 at 11:52 pmNothing beats homemade rolls!
Ida
November 18, 2014 at 5:58 pmDo you need to grease or spray the cookie sheet before placing the dough balls on it?
Maria
November 18, 2014 at 8:24 pmyes Ida. 🙂
Joy
February 21, 2014 at 1:47 amI made a half batch of these the other day and they turned out fabulously! Thank you so much for the recipe, and the tips to make everything come together a little quicker. Homemade rolls are great, but even better when you can throw them togrther and have them ready to eat in about an hour.
Maria
February 21, 2014 at 9:39 amHi Joy,
Yeah! So glad you liked it, it is such a great recipe. You should totally try making cinnamon rolls with the dough next time….SOOOOO yummy! Thanks for taking time to come back and let me know you liked the recipe!
Maria
KIm
November 15, 2014 at 2:05 pmHi Maria, I just have one question (since I am just now finding my joy of baking). The flour used in these rolls…is it all purpose or self rising? Thanks.
Maria
November 15, 2014 at 2:26 pmHi Kim,
All purpose…and so glad you are finding your joy of baking. 🙂
Maria
Katy
November 26, 2014 at 11:29 amMaria, Did you use rapid rise yeast or regular yeast?
Maria
November 26, 2014 at 2:05 pmRegular
Katy
November 28, 2014 at 7:11 pmThese were a big hit at Thanksgivng! Thank you for sharing!
Claire
November 21, 2014 at 4:08 pmI tried them in my bread machine. Just go through the dough stage, let rest for 10 minutes, and then allow to rise again. They come out perfectly!
Gloria
May 21, 2016 at 4:45 pmIn what order did you add ingredients in your bread machine?
Maria
May 21, 2016 at 5:41 pmI’ve never done it in my bread machine. I actually don’t have any experience using a bread machine. Sorry I can’t be of more help.
Melsie
November 19, 2016 at 3:13 pmDepends on your bread machine. Some are wet to dry and some are dry to wet. Mine is wet to dry with yeast last. Just look at a bread recipe you have had success with and put the ingredients in in that order. Vague, I know, but I hope it helps.
Angela Muntz
November 23, 2016 at 6:40 pmYou usually add liquid, then shortening and etc. Adding your yeast last according to my bread machine. But about the adding flour to liquid , she should really emphasize, to have extra flour handy. I did not and I could hardly get my hands free to get the canister. I learned about that. It was really funny Later. Enjoy the day.
Maureen
April 26, 2014 at 3:30 pmThese are soooo amazing!!! I used 6 cups of unbleached flour and 4 cups of whole wheat and they turned out so good. I’ll be making these again and again… Thank you for sharing this recipe. (This is the first time I have ever commented on a recipe.)
Maria
April 26, 2014 at 7:38 pmMaureen!
You are too cute! I am so glad this recipe spoke to you enough to get you to leave a comment…..And I am so glad you like the rolls. I love them too. Next you have got to try them as cinnamon rolls. THE BEST!!!
Maria
Cydney
February 26, 2017 at 12:37 amGreat idea! I am a cafeteria lady and have made these rolls at schools many times. We’ve stopped making them as well as the chocolate chip cookies. (New nutritional guidelines and time I think). Unfortunate because we also began making them with whole grain flour and they were still so soft and tasty. This original and your recipes are spot on and all advice Maria has offered is authentic. So nice of ypu both to share. This dough is also excellent with a slice of american cheese folded several times then inserted as well as mini smoked sausages sealed in well before baking. Those are called Cheese zombies. Velveeta works also ?
Maria
March 7, 2017 at 1:38 pmThat totally makes me sad that lunch ladies aren’t able to make rolls anymore. It seems like very little (at my kids school, at least) is made on sight or from scratch anymore. 🙁 Thanks for the idea to try Cheese Zombies, I am sure my kids would love them.
Sue Piotrowski
May 12, 2017 at 9:42 amI am really excited to try the version with the whole wheat. We have so many uncommon grains here in Switzerland that I haven’t ever heard of. One is called Dinkel. Have you ever heard of it? I know it is supposed to be one of the ancient grains that haven’t been modified. It tastes amazing. I love baking bread and rolls more than any other baking process. There is something magical that happens when you feel and smell the dough. It is the best and reminds me of coming home from school and smelling the fresh rye bread that my Daddy made for us. Funny thing is, none of us wanted the middle slices and we all wanted ends so Daddy would cut it in half lengthwise and then in 1/2. We would top it with our homemade fresh butter and honey! OKAY, that got me to salivate a bit too much. Off I go to satisfy my craving with this amazing recipe. THANKS FOR SHARING!
Maria
June 13, 2017 at 8:02 pmI’ve never heard of Dinkel. How fun to get to try new things. I hope it turned out well for you.
Tammy
May 11, 2014 at 3:43 pmWonderful, delicious, easy….mmmmm! Thank you for sharing this recipe! I have shared your website with my FB friends so that they can join in the yeasty incredibleness! =D
Stephanie
May 22, 2014 at 8:19 pmI was wondering about stuffing these? The rolls from the cafeteria are also one of the things I liked best as well…however on special days the cafeteria produced their normal rolls as a breakfast roll! Amazing! They were stuffed with sausage (thinks smokies or cut up breakfast links) and cheese, so good! Any ideas or tips?
Maria
May 23, 2014 at 8:34 amYou could give it a try I would just make sure to roll out a roll sized piece to about 1/4-1/2 inch put filling in middle and pinch it shut, then watch closely as it cooks. Good luck!
Kim
November 10, 2016 at 9:14 pmI’m a cook st school and we use our roll dough to make the pepperoni rolls and pig in the blankets too. Pepperoni rolls you just add mozzarella cheese and pepperoni and roll it up. Pig in blanket we just wrap the dough around the hot dog. Couple of the kids favorites❤️ Hopefully this helps you out
Maria
November 10, 2016 at 10:26 pmThank you Kim! My kids would love both of those.
Clayre
March 7, 2017 at 11:56 pmCheck out Cydney’s post a few comments above yours. She mentions stuffing them toward the end of her note. ?
Tracy
August 18, 2014 at 10:43 pmHave you frozen any of the dough and made rolls later? How did they turn out?
Maria
August 22, 2014 at 12:04 pmHi Tracy, I have never frozen the dough, but I often cook the whole batch and freeze the rols to pull out for later meals.
Maria
Emerald
September 29, 2014 at 7:00 pmI made these last night. They were good, but didn’t turn out quite like I expected – in particular, they weren’t as fluffy and didn’t rise as much as they should have. I am not very experienced with yeast dough – can you think of anything I might have done wrong or could do to fix it?
Maria
September 29, 2014 at 10:23 pmHi Emerald,
How long you let things raise is sometimes not as important as letting it raise to a certain size. Depending on water temp, or temp in your house, the dough may need to raise longer then recommended to double in size. If you let it double and then give the formed dough balls time to rise before cooking, they should come out nice and fluffy.
Hope that helps,
Maria
Susan Loper
November 17, 2014 at 12:18 amAlso, I’ve had that problem if my yeast is too old. It won’t last forever, even if you keep it in the freezer.
Linda
February 22, 2019 at 5:32 pmSometimes if the yeast is not fresh your dough will not rise as much as you would think it should. Good yeast will dissolve in liquid and look foamy on top after it sets 5 to 10 minutes. If it doesn’t that is a sign that it is too old.
Tracy
November 11, 2014 at 8:36 amDid you use plain flour or self rising?
Maria
November 11, 2014 at 9:32 amHi Tracy,
I use regular all purpose flour and sometimes I add a couple cups of wheat flour.
Maria
Nancy B
November 15, 2014 at 10:54 amcan I use self rising flour? If so, how much salt would I use?
Maria
November 15, 2014 at 12:10 pmHi Nancy,
I haven’t ever used self rising flour so I can’t say for sure. You could try googling it to see if there is a conversion chart for salt adaptation out there anywhere. Good Luck!
Maria
Lynn
November 18, 2014 at 1:42 amHey, guys — yes, self-rising flour can be used in recipes which call for APF, but the reverse isn’t always true — usually in THAT case, you have to add baking powder and salt (which are already included in SRF).
FYI. Enjoy!
Lynn
Geneob
November 12, 2014 at 10:33 pmI wonder how they would work with whole wheat flour ?
Maria
November 12, 2014 at 11:05 pmHi Geneob,
I have made them using almost half whole wheat flour. They turn out well, but for the genuine copycat flavor of the good old school lunch rolls you will want to stick with all white or just a cup or so of whole wheat.
Maria
Kellie davidson
November 13, 2014 at 5:59 pmWe stuff the rolls with taco meat and cheese in a ice cream scoop stretch the rolls around the meat let it rise cook for 8-12 minutes great with liquid cheese on top taco burgers
Maria
November 13, 2014 at 6:22 pmHi Kelly,
Sounds Awesome! My husband keeps asking me to make ham cheese roll-ups with the dough too. He says at his school they did that and it was his favorite. Thanks for the great idea, can’t wait to try it.
Maria
Linda
November 13, 2014 at 9:39 pmGreased or ungreased pan?
Maria
November 13, 2014 at 10:08 pmgreased
Linda
November 13, 2014 at 10:16 pmThank you…..
Maria
November 13, 2014 at 10:30 pm🙂
Susan
November 15, 2014 at 1:02 amCan we stand up to make them? My knees aren’t so good at squatting anymore…..sorry couldn’t resist. The rolls look great, I’ll have to give them a try. And I appreciate the effort to get good pixs 🙂
Maria
November 15, 2014 at 12:08 pmHaha Susan! Yes, making them standing up will still yield amazing rolls. 🙂
Larry
November 15, 2014 at 2:37 pmCan the dough be made and kept in the frig. and baked the next day?
Maria
August 28, 2015 at 4:10 pmIf you choose to do it that way. Form it into the rolls and cover it with plastic wrap and immediately put it in the fridge. Don’t let them start to raise before putting them in the fridge. They will raise in the fridge.
Nelda Pinner
November 15, 2014 at 4:15 pmYou stated that you placed the rolls on top of oven while preheating@ 400degrees. Do you mean top shelf of inside the oven or on top of cook stove above the oven. If it is on top of cook stove what is a good tip to help them rise quickly since I only have built in’s? Can’t wait to try these.
Maria
November 15, 2014 at 4:36 pmHi Nelda, I was talking about on top of the stove top while it is preheating, but another tip I use all the time is to heat your oven to 200 degrees while you are mixing up the dough. Then turn off the oven and place the bowl (don’t use a metal one) in the warm oven (covered) for about 30 minutes or until the dough doubles. Good luck! Maria
Tommy
February 28, 2016 at 6:17 pmFirst time making rolls , wanted some for lunch tomorrow… Got through mixing and put in warmed oven , now reading where you said don’t use a metal bowl…..too late. Well we’ll see how they turn out. Can’t wait for instructions from wife , she previously worked in a lunchroom.
Hope they turn out better than her’s .
Maria
March 2, 2016 at 4:14 pmI’ve done it with a metal bowl on occasion but I put a hot pad under the bowl so it won’t touch the metal wire rack which will transfer direct heat to the bowl. Hopefully it still worked out for you. Way to go making rolls for the first time. 🙂
Melissa
November 15, 2014 at 4:22 pmRemember the homemade rolls at school so well! I am going to try this but don’t need that many rolls. Thinking about using half the recipe for cinnamon rolls. How do you make the cinnamon rolls?
Maria
November 15, 2014 at 4:34 pmThey are so yummy and make great cinnamon rolls. There is a link on the post that will direct you to the cinnamon roll recipe.
Robyn
September 23, 2016 at 1:59 pmWhen halving the recipe, do you half all ingredients including the yeast mixture?
Maria
September 26, 2016 at 6:39 pmHi Robyn, yes, I do half everything.
kathy
November 15, 2014 at 7:59 pmHi. . . just wondering if I make this and want to freeze a batch for holiday dinners, should I cut down the cook time, and freeze them not quite done for finishing later, or fully cook before freezing, or just freeze the dough in balls without cooking at all?
thanks
Maria
August 28, 2015 at 4:08 pmI have never tried it that way. I usually just cook them completely and heat them for 2-3 minutes in the oven before serving.
Angie Chittenden
November 18, 2016 at 8:15 pmI noticed on the ingredients
There r 2 different measurements of sugar
At the beginning & on the end of the recipe when u add shortening add the additional sugar?
Maria
November 30, 2016 at 3:05 pmYes, the first little bit is to put in with the yeast to help it grow faster.
Donna Neal
November 15, 2014 at 9:27 pmOh my goodness! These rolls look so good! The last time I had yeast rolls was in the cafeteria my Senior year which was over 40 years ago!!! I haven’t eaten any yeast rolls since that were as good as the cafeteria made. Once I get my oven repaired, this will be once of the first recipes I try. DID I MISS THE RECIPE FOR THE CINNAMON ROLL VERISION???
Maria
August 28, 2015 at 4:07 pmHere you go. https://reallifedinner.com/lunch-lady-cafeteria-cinnamon-rolls-tmh/
Emma
October 11, 2017 at 1:51 pmCan I use bread flour for this recipe?
Maria
October 12, 2017 at 2:08 pmI’ve never tried it, but it should work fine, the rolls will most likely be extra fluffy and light.
Susie
November 15, 2014 at 9:39 pmI also remember the lunch rolls we had at school. We had western hash with rolls and we called them orange rolls. They had an orange tint to them and I’ve never figured it out. They were delicious though. I must try this recipe to go along with my western hash. That and a salad is a great meal.
Marilyn
April 25, 2017 at 9:04 pmWhat is Western Hash?
Marilyn
April 25, 2017 at 9:23 pmAny yeast bread can be made and refrigerated before the first rising period. It rises in the refrigerator overnight. Next day (or up to 5 days) remove how much you want to use. Shape your rolls, let them rise until double, and then bake.
You can also freeze shaped rolls after the first rising period . It is best to let them freeze on a cookie sheet then when frozen put them in a freezer bag. Remove the number you want to cook and let them thaw and rise and then cook as usual.
Dianne
January 13, 2018 at 12:05 pmI’m not an experienced baker – but my mother was a master ! I am confused about putting the dough into the refrigerator to rise? I thought the yeast needed the heat then rise ? Thanks for the clarification.
Maria
January 13, 2018 at 12:34 pmHI Dianne,
Letting it rise in the fridge slows down the process so the rolls can be cooked later, if that is what you desire.
Deborah
November 16, 2014 at 9:12 amMy Aunt Bernice was the Head Cook for our school district (5 high schools in Whittier, CA) in the ’70’s; she served her rolls with honey butter, using two of the ‘commodity foods’ provided by the U.S. government back then. They were to die for!!
Ruby
November 16, 2014 at 9:44 amMoving soon into a house with a real kitchen! Can’t wait to get started on baking your tempting recipes! Thanks for the step by step instructions!
Renee
November 16, 2014 at 7:37 pmi have a stand mixer with a dough hook. Is there any way to use it to make this even easier?
Maria
August 28, 2015 at 4:07 pmYou can use it in place of where I instruct you to hand knead. Just cut the time in half
Priscilla
November 16, 2014 at 7:51 pmAnyone try these at high altitude and have to make adjustments?
Angela
November 16, 2014 at 9:38 pmI tried out the rolls tonight and they are definitely yummy! I love to cook, but not much of a baker. While the rolls were light and fluffy, I would have liked them to have more of a flaky/layered like consistency … Instead mine were closer to a biscuit-like feel. Was it something I did wrong; or is this the texture they have when you make them? And, I love a buttery & slightly saltier roll … Any suggestions on what I should do to change it!?
Maria
August 28, 2015 at 4:06 pmYou might need to let them raise a little longer. You could add a little more salt and brush the tops with lots of butter when they come out.
Myrtle Blowers
November 17, 2014 at 1:19 amI am 71 years old ,and have made rolls in the past but I am so glad my cousin posted this on my face book page, I will be trying these in the morning and will be making them for Thanksgiving .
My children have and myself have thought many times about these rolls and I am so excited tonight thank you so much for posting this !!!!
Dorothy
November 17, 2014 at 1:39 amHi! What do you use to cover the dough while it rises in the oven (Saran Wrap, a kitchen towel, etc)
I want to make these for the holidays. Thank you for posting.
Maria
November 17, 2014 at 6:25 pmHi Dorothy,
I just use a dish towel or an apron to cover it when I put it in the oven. If I use my big plastic bowl I put a dish towel or a big hot pad under it to make sure it won’t melt or warp my bowl. 🙂
Dan'l
November 17, 2014 at 3:30 amCan you tell me *which* yeast to buy? There are a few different kinds. Thank you!
Maria
November 17, 2014 at 6:24 pmHi Dan’l,
I just use active dry yeast, but I am sure fast rising would still work as well, it would just decrease the rising time.
Rachel
November 17, 2014 at 10:05 amHi! I am wondering if I can use my KitchenAid mixer with the same results?
Maria
November 17, 2014 at 6:22 pmHi Rachel,
Yes! You just need to make sure your kitchen aid capacity can hold that many cups of flour, if not you may need to adjust the recipe by half. You still need to use your hand to distribute the shortening into the flour mixture though.
Rachel
November 21, 2014 at 8:20 pmGood news-I had success with my kitchen aid 🙂 Thank you!
Cathy
November 17, 2014 at 11:46 amI was a school cook for awhile years ago. We use this dough for pig-in-a blanket.
Boil hotdogs and let them cool. After first rise punch down and roll out to 1/2 inch thickness. Cut into 1 inch wide strips. Use the strips to wrap hot dog around and around, end to end… Place on cooking sheet and let them rise again. Bake as directed for rolls. Hot dogs must be pre-cooked or rolls will be finished before hot dog..
Maria
November 17, 2014 at 6:21 pmThanks for the idea Cathy, that sounds fun, I know my kids would love it!
olieann
November 17, 2014 at 12:49 pmif you have RA like I do and can’t kneed that dough anymore you can always use your bread machine to just mix and kneed the dough and take it out before it rises then just shape and let it rise and bake in your own oven. Let the machine do all the work. it works out great..
Maria
November 17, 2014 at 6:20 pmI have always wanted a bread maker! You are so smart to do it that way! Thanks for sharing!
Karen Windham
November 18, 2014 at 12:44 amJust wondering if you freeze the rolls after cooking them, do you thaw them before reheating? Also, how do you recommend reheating? Thanks!
Maria
November 18, 2014 at 1:03 amHi Karen,
Yes I freeze them after cooking and I thaw them before reheating. To reheat them I put them in the microwave briefly immediately before serving or I wrap them in foil and put them in a low temp oven (275 or 300) for a few minutes. Hope that helps.
Maria
DebB
November 18, 2014 at 10:21 amHas anyone tried making these using gluten-free flour mixes?
For those of us who REMEMBER our school days and the lunchroom rolls we consumed by the ziliions, it would be a real treat to be able to try these….
Do I need to be the first to try? I have a few wonderful flour mixes that might work….
Kathy Kelley
November 18, 2014 at 7:22 pmI love these rolls. I have made cinnamon rolls and regular rolls. My family likes for me to make pizza rolls with them. You cut up a block of mozzarella cheese into big chunks and add some pepperoni I usually put 3 pieces on either side of the cheese. Then I just pull the dough over the cheese and pepperoni until it covers all of the cheese. Put it seam side down and wait for the second rise. Cook them the same time you cook the rolls and they are done. We dip them in pizza sauce. Love them and so easy to make a batch.
Maria
November 18, 2014 at 8:24 pmTHAT SOUND SO GOOD KATHY!!!! My kids would love it. Definitely trying that soon! Thanks for sharing!
Sandra Leigh
November 18, 2014 at 9:29 pmI avoid shortening…..would butter work just as well to be added to the flour? Thanks.
Maria
November 18, 2014 at 9:42 pmI can’t say for sure, but I bet it would give you similar results. You could also try coconut oil. Good luck Sandra!
Sandi
November 26, 2014 at 1:47 amHi, these sound so good! Going to try this weekend. If using coconut oil, how much? Melted or not before adding?
Maria
November 26, 2014 at 2:07 pmHi Sandi,
I have never tried it with coconut oil myself, but soften or melt it before using and use the same amount as it calls for shortening , 1/4 cup. Good luck!
Brenda
November 19, 2014 at 8:34 amCould vegetable oil be used instead of shortening?
Maria
November 19, 2014 at 8:43 amI think so Brenda. I have a Tortilla recipe that has you incorporate veg oil, by hand into the flour mixture. It would be worth a try.
Emily A
November 20, 2014 at 10:43 pmHi!
It’s me again…I’m sorry, I misread the ingredients and thought it said 3 tablespoons but it really says 2 tablespoons. My mistake… That is still more yeast than I’ve used before, so would still like to confirm the amount with you, if you don’t mind. So sorry again about the mixup and confusion! Thanks!
Maria
November 20, 2014 at 10:51 pmHi Emily, Yes 2 tbsp + 1 1/2 tsp is correct. It is equivalent to about 3 of the little envelopes you can buy at the store. Thanks for checking, I am excited you are going to make these, you will love them!
Emily A
November 21, 2014 at 3:06 pmThank you so much for responding! I’m about to start making the right now, and I’m excited!!!
Karen Schmidt-Dill
November 22, 2014 at 3:05 amMy dad’s mom used to make the lightest, fluffiest, tastiest rolls. We never got a recipe from her. My mom thought there was egg and a little sugar in there. Dad would take the rolls to country school with him and the teacher absolutely loved Grandma’s rolls too. Dad graduated in the mid-40’s. As I read your recipe and the descriptions, well, maybe your recipe sounds like something Grandma would have done. I would guess she used lard in place of shortening.
I can’t wait to try this out and get my mom and siblings opinion. Thanks much.
Maria
August 28, 2015 at 4:04 pmI hope they were just like Grandmas!
Jennifer S
November 22, 2014 at 8:59 amI was wondering about bread flour instead of all purpose? Is there a difference in it?
Maria
November 22, 2014 at 11:23 amHi Jennifer,
Here is some info I found about the difference all purpose vs bread flour makes in rolls. “Irene from King Arthur Flour explained it in dinner roll terms. Think about how you like your dinner rolls. Do you prefer your rolls soft and supple and tender? All-purpose flour is the way to go. If you prefer your rolls more firm, chewy, and substantial then bread flour would be your go-to bread baking flour.” Hope that helps.
Maria
Christopher
November 22, 2014 at 1:14 pmThanks for this Jennifer and Maria, that’s what I did wrong in my first try. I am a bread baker and always use King Arthur Bread Flour, so it never crossed my mind that there is a difference. Well, I say wrong because I was anticipating the lovely rolls in your photos which take me back to the day these were called Gramma Byer’s Buns and were tender and light and lovely! They taste yummy and are fine, just need to use the All Purpose next time. Btw, I also had to leave them in the over longer to double in size at 195, and I had to cook them about 30 minutes at 400 and they still did not really brown evenly either. But again, this was my first try and I used Bread Flour. Any other suggestions will be much appreciated. More stars next time, I’m sure. Cheers!
Christopher
November 26, 2014 at 7:05 pmMade my second batch of these today for Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow. This time with King Arthur Organic All-Purpose flour. Still yummy and better, lighter, but still not like yours. They did not rise enough and are still more dense. Also, got to say at both points of kneading with my hands the dough was very sticky and stuck to my hands, had to scrape it off with a spatula even with flour on my hands. Advice would be much appreciated, please. Thanks!
Maria
August 28, 2015 at 3:49 pmBoy Christopher, I am sorry this recipe gave you problems. I an not sure what to tell you. If they seem sticky when kneading add a little more flour. Kneading can be tricky, I often have to scrape dough from my hands when I knead bread recipes by hand. Hope it goes better next time. …could also have to do with your elevation or humidity level in the air.
Nancye
November 22, 2014 at 8:18 pmI made these today and while they were easy to make, were very soft and looked good, they don’t have a lot of taste. It seems like they’re lacking something.
Maria
November 22, 2014 at 11:32 pmHi Nancye,
These are a very basic roll meant to be eaten with butter and/or jam, dipped in soup or gravy, or made into a sandwich with meat and cheese. If you feel they do not have enough flavor to stand alone you could add an extra 1/4 tsp of salt next time.
Maria
jennifer
November 22, 2014 at 10:06 pmAfraid of yeast, but going to try these. Give me an idea how warm the water should be?
Maria
November 22, 2014 at 11:29 pmHi Jennifer, Don’t be scared. 🙂 Yeast is your friend. The water should be similar to how warm you would make a bath for a baby. Good luck!
Sharon
November 23, 2014 at 11:14 amMaking these today the dough is rising. Was reading all the comments pig in the blankets excited to try that with the next batch! This time its rolls and cinnamon rolls!
Barbara
November 23, 2014 at 8:08 pmJust pulled the dinner rolls out of the oven and they are fantastic. I wanted to try the recipe prior to Thanksgiving to make sure I liked them. YES I LIKE THEM !!! I foresee making these ahead and freezing before baking to have fresh rolls any time we want them. The recipe was not difficult and exceeded all my expectations. Thank you so much for sharing the recipe and all the alternate ways of fixing them.
Maria
November 23, 2014 at 8:58 pmYeah Barbara!
I am so glad you are happy with the results. I LOVE THESE ROLLS Too. The texture is exactly what I think a roll should be. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving and thank you for taking time to come back and let me know you made them.
Maria
Bonita Love
November 23, 2014 at 11:42 pmfound this recipe on Face book, and so tracked you down… I mean we are talking about bread, my favorite and it’s the rolls we had at school (which was a long time ago lol) talk about memories, so after reading all the great comments you got, I am fixing these for Thanksgiving dinner, Just wanted to say THANK YOU FOR SHARING…
Maria
November 24, 2014 at 12:10 am🙂 you are so welcome Bonita! Have a great Thanksgiving!!!
paula Chamberlain
November 24, 2014 at 8:40 pmJust tried this receipe today, the rolls were wonderful, my grandchildren LOVED them….Thank you so much… I plan to make them again thursday for Thanksgiving…
Maria
August 28, 2015 at 4:03 pmAwesome!
Beth Reed
November 26, 2014 at 4:16 pmHi Maria,
Do you think it would be okay to prepare the dough a day ahead of time, roll into balls, place on cookie sheet, and then cook the next day or I would I need to go ahead and freeze the dough balls?
Thanks and I can’t wait to try these out!
Beth
Maria
August 28, 2015 at 4:13 pmIf you refridgerate it, it should be fine. Just work it out that it will be in the fridge for no more than 8-10 hours.
Beverly
November 26, 2014 at 6:05 pmHi Maria….
I admit I am not much of a bread maker but I saw this recipe and thought “hmm…I can make those.” Boy, was I wrong.
The recipe did not specify self rising flour or all purpose, so I used all purpose. Thought this was the thing to do since I was using yeast, NO….they came out awful. I think next weekend I will give this another try but use self rising this time….lol.
What are your thoughts on this?
Maria
August 28, 2015 at 3:50 pmBeverly, I am surprised these rolls didn’t turn out for you. I always use all-purpose flour. I hope your next try goes better.
Alyne Parson
November 26, 2014 at 8:41 pmI love your recipe — I was shocked by the number of rolls I got — I made one batch of the rolls and when I went to portion them I made 2″ balls (some bigger) and I wound up with 96 rolls. I was expecting 48. Maybe I made them too small? I don’t know. All I know is that I am going to have rolls for a while. I will probably freeze some of them and use them later. Good to know how many I got so that when I make them again, I can half the recipe.
Maria
August 28, 2015 at 3:47 pmWow. Too funny. I wish I would get 98. maybe I make mine too big. 🙂 Freezing extra is a great plan and wonderful to pull out on busy days.
Jeannie
November 26, 2014 at 10:19 pmI added a touch of honey in mine… better than Hawaiian Sweet Rolls!
Maria
November 27, 2014 at 2:06 pmSounds awesome, I will have to try that next time.
Mandy
November 27, 2014 at 2:54 amThank you, thank you!!! I am making these for Thanksgiving lunch & I have never, ever made anything like this before!! You gave perfect instructions! Thanks so very much!!
Maria
August 28, 2015 at 3:46 pmYou are so welcome. I hope they turned out great!
Nikki
November 27, 2014 at 11:15 amCan you cook these in an aluminum disposable pan? I heard the bottoms wouldn’t brown if I did.
Maria
November 27, 2014 at 2:04 pmyes
Jean
November 27, 2014 at 3:19 pmMaria,
The rolls are so beautiful.They are heavier than I expected and a little gummy. I did use 1/2 all purpose and 1/2 self rising flour. Could this have caused the problem?
Maria
August 28, 2015 at 3:46 pmHmm, interesting. I have never had them come out doughy. But I have also never used self rising flour. I am not sure. It could also be that you need to space them a little further apart and cook them a little longer.
SHIRLEY PASLAY
December 10, 2014 at 3:56 pmI discovered my water was bad for making breads, so I tried these as my first b4ead with spring water…. AWESOME! My husband says I have to make them once a week so he can take them for his breakfast sammies and his lunches. Its the first time that hes eaten 3 rolls at dinner and only 1 bowl of soup. They are perfect for sopping up the soup juice. And they freeze beautifully too. Next batch on its first rise now.
Maria
December 11, 2014 at 12:34 amAwesome!!! I love it that your husband likes them so much.
Lydia
December 12, 2014 at 2:21 amI’ve got a kitchenaid stand mixer, would this be ok to use or is this recipe better used with hands?
Maria
December 13, 2014 at 12:24 amHi Lydia,
You need to check and see what the capacity is for your Kitchen aid. Mine is only supposed to hold 11 cups, so If I make this recipe in it, I have to half it. I usually just do it by hand in a big bowl so I can have enough rolls to freeze some for later. But to answer your questions, yes, the kitchen aid will work fine you just might have to cut the recipe in half.
Maria
Angelia
December 24, 2014 at 1:14 amI have 23 yrs in food service in the school district where I graduated. We use oil instead of shortening and use the mixer. If you pinch off a baseball size portion of the dough with oiled hands, tuck it under until it is smooth on the top, make a circle with your thumb and forefinger and give it a push through to the size you want and squeeze the bottom with your thumb and forefinger then twist the ball off you don’t have all that pinching together on the bottom. You should get 3 rolls out of the baseball size portion. Once you get good at it you can pinch a dozen rolls in like 5 mins. Hope everyone has a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!
Maria
December 26, 2014 at 1:40 pmThanks for the tip Angelia, I will have to give that a try, what a good idea!
Paula Crouch
September 11, 2018 at 10:58 pmAt 76 with arthritis, my Kitchen Aid mixer is such a gift. Follow recipe directions and let it do the work. I will add a nice amount of bench flour before turning the dough out of the bowl. Coat dough, which should be soft, liberly with this extra flour. Form into ball and put into large plastic bowl and let rise till double. Punch down and form into balls, wait until double in size, and bake. Do cover with cloth kept especially for this use, washing between each use. LOL.
I live in a retirement community and love to share these with my friends.
Maria
September 17, 2018 at 2:23 pmThank you for these tips when using a mixer! I am so glad you love this recipe! It is the best!
Lacey
February 20, 2015 at 9:07 pmHi,
Thanks for sharing this recipe! I would like to try the cinnamon rolls, but first I have a question. It is unclear to me what stage the 1/2 batch of roll dough is at for the cinnamon rolls. I am wanting to do the overnight version. Do I need to let it rise til doubled, punch down then proceed with cinnamon roll recipe? Or mix dough, no rise, roll into rectangle, add cinnamon, etc the shape into my cinnamon rolls, and refrigerate? Thank you!
Maria
February 25, 2015 at 1:10 amI usually do it after it doubles in size, but now you have me thinking…I think it might work a little better if you just let it rise a little the first time, not quite doubling and then roll it out and make into rolls and then refrigerate.
Shirley
September 19, 2017 at 1:30 pmHow do u u mk cinnamon rolls?
Vicki
April 18, 2015 at 2:55 pmMaria, When My Mom Passed Away The Recipe Went With Her .Her Home Roll’s Was The Bomb I’m So Glad You Put This Recipe On Here I’m Going To Try It Then Let You Know How I Liked Them. Hope They Taste Like Mom’s Did.
Maria
April 23, 2015 at 10:38 amI hope they taste just like your moms did too. I know how it is to loose a recipe with someone. My Grandma made the best Divinity and I just can’t figure out her secret….I wish I would have taken the time to learn it from her before she passed away.
hal
May 4, 2015 at 10:27 amI made these yesterday and…WOW, this is the best, easiest, tastiest recipe I have ever found for making rolls and cinnamon rolls. The texture is amazing. I will no longer be in search for a yeast roll recipe and will trash all of others I’ve tried, for this is the one I’ve been searching for. So glad for Pinterest and finding your recipe…finally! Now, off to eat another cinnamon roll or a roll with a slice of ham, or maybe both!
Maria
May 4, 2015 at 11:51 amThat’s what I’m talking about HAL!!! I am so glad you found this recipe and love it as much as I do, I feel the same way. The Texture really is perfect! Thank you so much for coming back to let me know you love the recipe!
Take Care!
Maria
Shirley
September 19, 2017 at 1:32 pmRecipe for cinnamon rolls, please
Maria
September 19, 2017 at 7:58 pmHere is the link to the cinnamon roll recipe. https://reallifedinner.com/lunch-lady-cafeteria-cinnamon-rolls-tmh/
Camille
August 19, 2015 at 7:14 amI’ve been looking for a go to dinner roll recipe and this one sounds great! Very interested in trying it but this is a huge recipe so I’d like to start with a half portion first. Do you literally 1/2 all the measurements? Your feedback would be greatly appreciated, just want to make sure it’s done right. Thank you in advance.
Maria
August 19, 2015 at 9:39 amYes, Camille, cutting each ingredient exactly in half will still give you great rolls. This recipe is great! You’ll love it!
Tammy
November 27, 2015 at 9:25 pmIf you make these rolls and go exactly by the directions you won’t be sorry. We made some similar to these one year and instead of balling up one roll we put three smaller rolled up balls together in a muffin pan that had been sprayed with cooking spray. When baked thet were like restaurant style ‘Parker House’ rolls if you know what I mean. Haven’t done them in years but may try it for Christmas
Fay O'Conner
December 20, 2015 at 2:24 pmHello girlfriend. I made these rolls and they were so good. I used bread flour the first time. Then I read all the comments and to use APF. So I did and they were 100% better. Made half recipe, and made cinnamon rolls as well. I am diabetic, but oh how my neighbors love me when I make these. Reminds me of how much love our lady’s at school put into making the yeast rolls. Also of my Nannie, I loved going to her house and the smell of yeast, oh my I could hardly wait until they were done. I’ll stop babbling and say thanks again for this wonderful recipe. Merry Christmas and God Bless.
Maria
December 24, 2015 at 10:49 pmFay, you are so sweet. I am so glad you love this recipe. I do too. I have made them three times since Thanksgiving and plan to make them for Christmas Dinner tomorrow. It is a great recipe and totally reminds me of the lunch ladies at my school too. Merry Christmas!
gayatri tiwari
March 21, 2016 at 8:43 amHello can I omit the eggs and replace with some buttermilk?
Maria
March 21, 2016 at 2:21 pmI have never tired that, replacing it with plain yogurt might be a better option.
shirley
April 19, 2016 at 12:33 pmcan you make into loaves instead?
Maria
April 19, 2016 at 7:38 pmHi Shirley, I have never tried it so I don’t know. If you end up trying it, let me know how they turn out.
Julie
April 20, 2016 at 8:35 pmFantastic, thank you for the recipe!
Maria
April 21, 2016 at 2:43 pmYou’re welcome. 🙂
Barbara
September 6, 2016 at 1:23 pmI’m looking forward to making these rolls. My husband and I have our kids and grand kids at our home for Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter meals. My plan is to make them ahead, freeze and reheat later. Of course, I will want to try the cinnamon rolls for our breakfast. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Maria
September 6, 2016 at 10:28 pmSounds like a great plan Barbara. Having family together for the holidays is the best!!!
Aly
September 11, 2016 at 1:36 pmEven easier way to measure out equal portions: roll your dough out into a long rope, cut in half then cut each half into equal pieces. I find this easier to get rolls that are all the same size..
Katie
September 12, 2016 at 8:39 pmSo good! This recipe made so much, which is great. It fed 6 farm guys plus my 4 kids! They were so easy to make. Great recipe!
Maria
September 12, 2016 at 11:09 pmThank you, glad everyone liked them. 🙂
Linda
October 21, 2016 at 12:36 pmHow many rolls will fit into a 9x 13 pan?
Maria
October 21, 2016 at 3:14 pmHi Linda, I usually put 20-24 in a 9×13.
Julie
November 24, 2016 at 5:56 pmThese rolls were a huge hit today! Tomorrow we’re having cinnamon rolls with the left over dough. My fiancé said they’re as good as his moms. High praise! ?❤️
Maria
November 30, 2016 at 2:53 pmWow! That is a great compliment. Thank you! So glad you all liked them.
Naomi
April 25, 2017 at 1:56 pmHave you tried freezing balls of dough? Do they hold up well? I would like to make some of these dinner rolls I don’t always have time make a new batch every time I want some dinner rolls.
Maria
May 2, 2017 at 5:52 pmI haven’t tried that, but I like to cook the rolls and then freeze them in portions that are family would use at one meal. Works great. I just take them out a couple hours before we are going to eat and they taste great.
Sue Piotrowski
May 12, 2017 at 9:48 amJust read through the whole recipe and noticed something that my Dad, a professional Baker, taught me was a NO NO! He said you never add your salt to the liquid that goes into the yeast mixture, because it kills the yeast. I learned that you should always add it to the flour. Just a thought! I’ve never done it any other way, so I don’t know if it would have that big of an effect. I am baking these as we speak and getting ready to make the cinnamon rolls from 1/2 of the dough. The smell is incredible!
Maria
June 13, 2017 at 8:01 pmHi Sue, It isn’t best practice to add salt to the yeast mixture, but it doesn’t kill the yeast. I worked at a pizza place where we made the dough from scratch and they always taught us to put the salt in with the yeast mixture. I think they did this mostly for convenience purposes so we wouldn’t have to use the measuring scale twice. In my own baking I go back and forth with adding salt to the yeast mixture and not adding it to the yeast mixture…I’ve never noticed a difference in the final product.
Barb
November 15, 2017 at 6:14 pmI don’t buy shortening. Can I use butter?
Maria
November 16, 2017 at 12:28 pmYes, that will work fine.
Ashtyn
December 16, 2017 at 4:46 pmThese look great! I cant wait to give them a try!
Maria
December 17, 2017 at 12:16 amThanks Ashtyn!
Jan
January 10, 2018 at 7:50 pmI just got these out of the oven and they are awesome
Maria
January 11, 2018 at 8:13 pmGreat! Hopefully you had butter and jam handy. I wish I had one right now!
Veronica
March 3, 2018 at 8:46 pmThank you for a wonderful recipe. Best rolls ever! I also made the cinnamon rolls, which were delicious as well. Only change I would make is a personal preference of cream cheese frosting for those. Both are my go to recipes from now on!
Maria
March 7, 2018 at 8:13 pmGreat! I am so glad you like the recipe Veronica!
Lana
January 5, 2019 at 8:29 amOk, I found this recipe through a facebook group for recipes. I have always been horrible at making homemade bread – just never seems to turn out correctly. Most of my adult life, I just bought the frozen bread doughs in the grocery store, and made those into rolls or loaves, or even pizza crust – whatever bready thing I needed.
BUT I moved overseas, and cannot get frozen bread dough here. So I have experiemented over and over, never quite getting the taste I want, or the rise.
WELL, I have found a new favorite – THIS RECIPE! I just made it, and before baking, I made all the small rolls, but I put about 2/3 in the freezer (I got about 40 altogether) before baking, to try and see if they will work like the frozen dough I used to buy. Also, there probably would have been more, but my son wanted a “giant” roll, so I left one big blob bigger and put into a small Pyrex to bake.
I baked 18 rolls + the giant ….less than 15 minutes after they are out of the oven, the giant bun was half gone and there are only 8 little buns left! And there are only 3 of us here!
Thanks for this great recipe!
Maria
February 26, 2019 at 9:54 pmHaha! That is awesome Lana, so glad you found the recipe and that your family loves it. Good luck with your cooking adventures overseas!