Versatile rolls or buns

This is a recipe I have used for years because of its tremendous versatility. This one recipe can give you 24 dinner rolls, 24 burger buns, 2 French bread loaves, 3 baguettes, etc. No, you don’t get all of those. You have to pick lol. This recipe is also great in the bread machine.

2 cups water

1/3 cup oil

1/3 cup honey

2 tsp salt

2 cups wheat flour

4 cups white flour

2 Tab yeast

If you are using a bread machine, put the ingredients in the order listed. You can be a little generous on the flour, but not much. Use your dough cycle. I have used the regular and quick dough cycles, both with good results. There is a picture of the bread machine I use at the bottom of the post, with a horizontal pan.

When the cycle finishes, you should have a risen, smooth dough.

Plop your dough ball out onto a clean cutting board and shape it into a nice even mound. If you are making dinner rolls or burger buns, you will need 24 pieces. I use a food scraper to divide the dough in half. Work with one half at a time. Divide the half into fourths, and each fourth into thirds. Repeat with the other half. Now, you have 24 pieces, and if your kids are around, they now have a firm grasp on fractions!

If you are making dinner rolls, you will need to grease two 12 cup muffin pans. For burger buns, you will grease two cookie sheets. (I don’t grease my ceramic cookie sheets.) Use a natural bristle brush and an oil, like olive oil, and simply paint the oil on. I keep oil in a squeeze bottle right by my stove.

Okay, back to your 24 blobs of dough. To achieve a nice looking bun, pick up the dough with your left hand, keeping the palm flat. Cup your right hand over the dough, and with a twisting action, form the dough into a ball.

Fill your 24 muffin cups, or lay the dough balls on your cookie sheets in a 3×4 configuration.

Pop them in your oven on warm. I am able to set mine to 170 degrees. You want them to rise, not bake, so get that oven as low as possible. You can also turn it on, and then shut it off once it’s warm.

I let the buns rise for about 30-40 minutes. This is pretty forgiving. Once you are happy with how much they have risen, turn your oven on to 325 degrees. I don’t want to disturb those beautiful rolls, so I allow for preheat time when I set the timer. I bake for about 25 minutes. Ovens and preferences vary, so be sure to watch them. You want a golden brown, but that can quickly turn into burn, so be diligent until you know what to expect from your oven, and the time it takes to get them just how you want them.

Once they are done, pull them out of the oven, and enjoy!