Honey Yeast Rolls

When I was trying to decide what I wanted to make to accompany my barbeque chicken, I saw Megan's blog post about making honey yeast rolls, and I knew they would be the perfect side. I looked for a recipe that was geared more towards my beloved KA mixer and found this one on Annie's Eats. They were very easy to make and they made the apartment smell so wonderful while they were cooking. I was a little nervous since this was my first attempt at making bread from scratch, but they were so incredible. Don't worry - they taste MUCH better than they look. :-) (Next time, I will work on making them look better!) I will definitely make these again. You should go make them - right now.

Ingredients

2 1/4 tsp. dry active yeast
1 cup plus 2-4 Tbsp. warm water, divided
1/4 cup plus 1 Tbsp. honey, divided
3 tbsp. canola oil
1 1/4 tsp. salt
1 egg, lightly beaten
4 cups bread flour, divided
1 Tbsp. butter, melted

In the bowl of your electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the yeast and 1 cup warm water. Once it is frothy, add 1/4 cup honey, oil, salt and egg and mix well. Add 3 cups of the flour and mix until the dough comes together in a sticky mass. With the mixer on low speed, add the remaining 1 cup flour and mix until it is incorporated into the dough. Switch to the dough hook, and continue kneading on low speed until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 8-10 minutes. (If the dough is still crumbly at this point, add 2-4 Tbsp. warm water and continue to knead.)

Form the dough into a ball and transfer to a lightly oiled bowl (I used cooking spray), turning once to coat. Cover the bowl with a damp kitchen towel and let the dough rise in a warm, draft-free spot for 2 hours, or until it doubles in bulk.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 30 seconds. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes.

Punch the dough down and divide into 12 equal portions. Shape each portion into a ball and place into a round, lightly greased baking dish, spacing evenly. (I used a 13 x 9 baking dish.) Cover and let rise in a warm, draft-free place for 20 minutes.

Mix together the melted butter and honey, and brush lightly over the tops of the rolls. Bake at 400 degrees for 13-15 minutes or until lightly browned. Serve warm or at room temperature.

My husband took one bite and said, "This is the best bread since... sliced bread." He's such a comedian.