Perfect Soft and Fluffy Dinner Rolls

For 12 rolls, Perfect Soft and Fluffy Dinner Rolls keeps the list centered on milk, water and butter. Set aside about 165 minutes.

• Yield 12 rolls
• Ready in 165 minutes
• Prep 25 minutes
• Cook 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups milk
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup butter, softened or melted
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon instant or active dry yeast
• 1 large egg
• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
• 4 1/4 to 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• Additional butter, for brushing hot, baked rolls

Instructions

1. Heat the milk until tiny bubbles form around the edges and the milk is steaming. Pour into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook.
2. Add the water, butter, and sugar. Let the mixture cool until warm (if you dip a finger in, it should feel like a warm bath - not too hot, not too cold, just right).
3. Stir in the yeast and let rest for 5-7 minutes until the yeast is foamy (technically, you don't need to let the yeast activate before adding the flour, but I find in yeast bread recipes with milk, the dough rises quicker/better if I let the yeast activate first).
4. Add the egg, salt and flour (start with 3 3/4 to 4 cups flour) and mix, adding additional flour gradually, until the dough clears the sides of the bowl and forms a soft, sticky ball. Don't over flour the dough.
5. Knead for 5-6 minutes until the dough is soft and smooth.
6. Let the dough rise in a warm spot until doubled, about an hour or so. (I usually let the dough rise right in the mixing bowl, but you can transfer to a lightly greased bowl and cover.)
7. Grease a 9X13-inch pan. Lightly punch down the dough and turn out onto a lightly greased countertop.
8. Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces (3 to 3.5 ounces each). Roll each piece into a round ball and place in the prepared pan, spacing 1/2-inch or so apart (four rows of three rolls).
9. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Place an oven rack in the middle position.
10. Cover and let the rolls rise until doubled. The rolls should be very puffy with the sides touching.
11. Bake the rolls for 15-20 minutes until golden on the tops and bottoms. Butter the tops of the rolls immediately out of the oven.

Cool the bake on a rack until the crumb sets, then slice.