CHEESY YEAST ROLLS

I was looking for a yeast roll recipe that didn't make 2 dozen or more rolls...just wanted a pan of rolls to go with dinner....with maybe a couple leftover for breakfast :-)

I found a recipe on the Taste of Home site which was called "Baker's Dozen Yeast Rolls" and I slightly modified it to leave off garlic (not so great in the morning).  I also didn't roll them into balls, but made them the way my granny-in-law made hers...all kinds of wacky sizes but they have a dent in the middle which facilitates opening them.  Anyway, they turned out deliciously tasty, so here's how I did it.

CHEESY YEAST ROLLS
Adapted from Tasteofhome.com


INGREDIENTS:

2 to 2 1/2 cups all purpose unbleached flour
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup hot tap water
2 tablespoons melted butter
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

4 teaspoons melted butter
2 teaspoons honey

METHOD:
In the bowl of a stand mixer, add 1 1/2 cups flour, sugar, yeast, and salt.  Mix until blended.  Add water and melted butter and mix for 3 minutes.
Add cheddar cheese and mix thoroughly.
Replace paddle with dough hook.
Add 1/2 cup flour and as much of the 2nd half cup as needed to form a soft dough.

Allow machine to knead dough until it all comes away from the side of the bowl and then go one more minute.

Flour a surface, pull the dough off the hook and manually knead until smooth and elastic.
Cover with cloth and allow dough to rest for 10 minutes.

Prepare round cake pan by spraying with cooking spray or greasing with shortening.

Cut dough into 12 pieces. (mine were not even...I'm sure you'll do better) and roll into balls.  I push my thumb into the middle to make a mushroom shaped top and fold over.  Place in pan and repeat with all the balls.

Cover and allow to rise 30-45 minutes in a warm dry location.

Bake at 375 degrees for 11 to 13 minutes.  They should be lightly browned.

Melt remaining butter and add honey and mix.
Remove rolls from oven and brush with butter and honey mixture.
Move to wire rack until ready to serve.

These were much more dense than typical yeast rolls (the cheese I'm sure) but they were very, very good.  My son ate 3 with his meal.  The little one in the middle didn't brown and it tasted "doughy" so do try to get them all the same size.  Plus, I used an 8 inch round pan and the original recipe called for 9 inch round pan...space makes a difference.

While they were good - very good - I really am searching for a lighter, more traditional yeasty dinner roll.  A recipe that can be halved or is already the right size for a round pan of rolls.  Any more than that and it gets wasteful here - we tire of too much of one kind of bread...and freezing them never seems to get them eaten with all the fresh baking I do.

So, if you have a suggestion for a good small-batch yeast roll...please pass it on!

Bon Appetit, Y'all!!!