Image from Canva.com (because there are no leftovers)

Word Prompt | Knead

No Knead Dinner Rolls

No Kneading, No Appliances. Only Golden Tops and Soft Insides

It’s Thanksgiving this weekend in Canada. While we celebrate the holiday a whole month earlier than our U.S. neighbors, and for a different reason, one thing we have in common is Thanksgiving Dinner.

Every family has their own traditions, which take a lot of work. Whether making pies, roasting a ham or turnkey, or making countless side dishes, Thanksgiving is an entire day of planning, dicing, chopping and peeling. Even though it is totally, 100% worth every minute, I believe in working smart, not hard.

Every year, I make these No Knead Dinner buns, and they are always a hit. Golden, soft, and fresh from the oven, there are few things better. Except maybe dipping them into a thick turkey gravy.

Preparing these dinner buns only takes 25 minutes, and although they still need a proof or two for rising, they’re very hands-off. Perfect for busy holidays.

Ingredients

❤ 1 tbsp dry yeast

❤ 1/4 cup caster/superfine sugar, or sub with normal white sugar

❤ 1/2 cup warm water

❤ 4 cups bread flour + extra for dusting

❤ 1 1/2 tsp salt, cooking/kosher salt

❤ 1 cup milk, lukewarm, whole or low-fat

❤ 50g / 3 1/2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled

❤ 2 eggs, at room temperature, beaten with a fork

❤ 1 tbsp butter, melted (for brushing on tops)

Directions

❤ Place the yeast and 2 teaspoons of the sugar in a medium bowl, then pour in water. Leave for 5 minutes until it froths.

❤ Place flour, remaining sugar, and salt in a bowl. Mix to combine.

❤ Make a well in the centre. Add milk, butter, and eggs and pour in the yeast liquid, including all froth.

❤ Mix until combined with a wooden spoon — it will be like a thick muffin batter. Not pourable, but thick and sticky.

RISE #1

❤ Leave the dough in the bowl, cover with a wet (clean) tea towel, and place in a warm place (25C/77F+) to rise for around 1 1/2–2 hours or until almost tripled in volume. The dough surface should be bubbly

FORMING BALLS

❤ Line a 31.5 x 23.5 cm / 9 x 13″ tray with baking paper with an overhang. This is important for removal, Don’t skip this step!

❤ Remove the tea towel and punch the dough to deflate, then mix briefly in the bowl to get rid of the bubbles in the dough.

❤ Dust the work surface with flour, and scrape dough on the work surface. Dust the top of the dough then shape it into a log. Cut the log into 4 pieces, then cut each piece into 3 pieces (12 in total).

❤ Take one piece and press down with your palm, then use your fingers to gather it into a ball, flip (so the smooth side is up) then roll the dough briefly to form a ball. This stretches the dough on one side and that’s how I get a nice smooth surface. Use flour as needed so it doesn't stick to your hands.

❤ Place the ball with the smooth side up on the tray. Repeat with the remaining dough. Line them up 3 x 4.

RISE # 2:

❤ Spray the surface of rolls (or cling wrap) with oil (any), then place cling wrap over the tray.

❤ Return tray to warm place and leave for 30–45 min, until the dough has risen by about 75% (less than double in size).

❤ Partway through Rise #2, preheat oven to 200C/390F (standard) or 180C/350F (fan/convection).

❤ Bake for 15–18 minutes, or until the surface is golden brown and the roll in the centre sounds hollow when tapped. The surface color is the best test for this recipe.

❤ Remove rolls from oven. Brush with melted butter.

❤ Use the overhang to lift rolls onto a cooling rack. Allow to cool to warm before serving.

❤ Enjoy!

I hope you find use for this No Knead recipe, on the holiday or otherwise.

In the words of Jonathan Safran Foer,

“Thanksgiving is the meal we aspire for other meals to resemble.”

Happy Thanksgiving!

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