Favorite Homemade Rolls w/Raspberry Butter

I just couldn't help myself this week and had to make these amazing rolls with this amazing butter. I have made many different roll recipes, but always come back to these. SO DELICIOUS. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do :)

Sweet Dinner Rolls

Adapted from Allrecipes.com

Ingredients:

1/2 c. warm water
1/2 c. warm milk
1 egg
1/3 c. butter, softened
1/3 c. sugar
1 tsp. salt
3-3 3/4 c. flour (you can use all-purpose, but I like to use bread flour if I have it)
1 pkg. active dry yeast (or 2 1/4 tsp.)
1/4 c. butter, softened (optional)

Directions:

Dissolve 1 T. of the 1/3 c. sugar in the warm water. You don't want your water HOT, JUST WARM. Stir in yeast. Cover and let proof 10 min. Meanwhile, place milk, egg, 1/3 c. butter, sugar, and salt in mixing bowl (I use my kitchen aid standing mixer). When yeast is nice and foamy, add to bowl and begin kneading. Add flour until dough is smooth, but still a tad sticky to touch. The first few times I made them they did not turn out as soft as I would like and I found that I had been adding too much flour. So leave the dough a little sticky, but manageable. (I usually only use 3 c. flour) Knead 5-10 min. more. Place dough in oiled bowl. Cover and let rise 1 hr. Shape rolls into desired shapes and dip into 1/4 c. butter if desired. (I don't do this because of humidity in NC). Place in greased 9x13" pan. Cover and let rise 1 hr. more. Bake at 375 degrees for about 12-14 minutes. Depending on your oven, oven temp and time may need to be adjusted. If you didn't dip your rolls in butter before, I often brush mine with butter once I take them out of the oven. (I don't do this in NC either)

Raspberry Butter

Adapted from thesisterscafe.com

1/2 c. raspberry jam w/seeds (I don't like to use Smuckers. The generic walmart brand is good :)
1/2 c. softened butter
1/4 c. powdered sugar

Beat with hand mixer till smooth. Enjoy! Store in refrigerator.

My Favorite Versatile Dough

This is a recipe of my mom's, who has always been an amazing cook. She uses this dough for all kinds of things, scones, navajo tacos, cinnamon rolls, pizza crust, you name it. One of my sweet little Allie's favorite things to do is help me make cinnamon rolls. And let me just say, she is SO much help :) So glad I had a girl to help me in the kitchen. Finding all of the leftover butter/cinnamon sugar mixture is her specialty. Love her and her little sweet tooth :) The dough is slightly sweet and raises nicely. Makes a lot of dough, so I like to divide it in four after it has raised once and freeze it for whenever I need it. Usually takes about 6-7 hours to thaw at room temp. I took mine out to thaw yesterday morning and we had a yummy pizza that night. My kids gobbled it up! Enjoy!

1/2 c. butter, softened
1 qt. hot water
1 c. sugar
1 T. salt
3 T. active dry
yeast in 3/4 c. water w/1 T. sugar
12+ c. flour

Dissolve 1 T. sugar in 3/4 c. warm water. Stir in yeast. Cover and let sit for about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, combine 1 qt. hot water, 1 c. sugar, 1 t. salt and 1/2 c. softened butter in mixing bowl (I use my kitchenaid standing mixer).When yeast is nice and foamy, add it to the bowl. Begin mixing and add the flour slowly to the bowl until the dough it still a tiny bit sticky to the touch, but manageable. Be careful not to add too much, or the dough will be dry. Knead for 5-10 minutes. Transfer to a greased bowl. Cover and let rise 1 hr. Punch down and form dough for whatever your purpose...cinnamon rolls, pizza crust, etc. Cover and let rise for 1 hr. more. Makes 4 dozen cinnamon rolls, or atleast 4 cookie sheets full of pizza crust. Yum!