Heavenly Oatmeal-Molasses Rolls
Monkeymom's ingredient list: molasses, egg, yeast, flour, milk, butter, brown sugar and rolled oats.
First, you proof the yeast in a little lukewarm water with a pinch of sugar.
We used a mixer with a dough hook to make the dough, but you can easily do it by hand, as monkeymom suggests.
Molasses: black as tar, and great for flavor.
Our yeast proofed beautifully.
Once the rest of the ingredients have been incorporated, it's time to add the flour. We found that we needed a tiny bit more than the recipe called for, but you may not -- bread requires flexibility...
It reminded us of gingerbread dough at this stage.
A quick knead, and Amanda shaped it into a smooth ball for its first rise.
We put it in the fridge for a few hours in an oiled bowl.
Once it had risen (not too much), we punched it down and divided the dough into 12 equal pieces.
We followed monkeymom's technique of flattening each piece of dough and then tucking the edges under to form smooth balls.
We nestled them into a cake pan, with a little breathing room for the second rise.
Some butter...
and a dusting of oats.
After another hour and half or so, this is what they looked like. Time for the oven!
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Author Notes: I wasn’t a bread maker before I joined food52. I caught the bug after trying AntoniaJames’ Buttermilk Oatmeal bread. I’ve explored many different types of breads and rolls since then. This one is an adaptation of a recipe for oatmeal bread from the James Beard Foundation website, which I checked out after Stephanie Bourgeois’ cook spotlight. When I tried it, the subtle depth of flavor from the molasses really surprised me. Even if you aren’t an experienced bread maker, don’t fear. The steps are straightforward and the dough is a dream to handle (no kneading). It is also very flexible because the 1st rise in refrigerator can go as little as two hours to overnight. One of the changes I made is to really up the butter because I love buttery rolls! Rolling up each roll helps give a nice and shred-y texture when you pull the rolls apart. And don’t pass on brushing the baked rolls with butter after they come out of the oven. The smell of the hot rolls and butter is heavenly, hence the name. - monkeymom - monkeymom
Food52 Review: Monkeymom's supple, rich rolls have just a hint of sweetness to them -- they're chewy and tender and full of deep flavor from the molasses, but versatile enough to complement (rather than overwhelm) a variety of main dishes. We love the ease of the first refrigerator rise, and these are virtually guaranteed to come out looking beautiful, with their butter-slicked and oat-flecked tops. - A&M - A&M
Serves 8-12
- 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
- 1/4 cup lukewarm water
- 3/4 cups milk
- 3/4 cups rolled oats
- 1/2 cup butter cut into cubes
- 2 tablespoons molasses
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 egg
- 2 1/2-3 cups flour (unbleached all-purpose or bread flour)
- 2-3 tablespoons melted butter for brushing tops of rolls
- Dissolve yeast in 1/4 cup lukewarm water with a pinch of sugar. Let stand until bubbly. If it doesn’t get bubbly, throw it out and get some new yeast.
- Scald milk then add it to the butter in your mixing bowl. When butter has melted, add brown sugar, rolled oats, molasses, and salt. Blend thoroughly and cool to lukewarm.
- Add egg and mix well. Add the yeast and mix to incorporate it. Then mix in 2 ½ cups of the flour. Add what you need to of the remaining ½ cup of flour until the dough loses its sheen. Let rest for 10 minutes.
- Scrape the dough out of the mixing bowl and put it in a greased bowl. Turn to coat and cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for a minimum of two hours. It can sit overnight as well. It doesn't rise a lot.
- Turn out the chilled dough on a floured work surface and knead or fold and turn the dough slightly. Cut dough into 12 balls. Press each ball into a flat rectangle with your fingers, then roll up and tuck ends under. Place seam-side down in a well-buttered 9 inch round pan. Brush all over with ½ of melted butter and sprinkle with a little of the rolled oats. Let rise until doubled in size in a warm place, about two hours.
- Preheat oven to 350° F. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until rolls are nicely browned and sound hollow when you tap their tops. The internal temperature should be 190 degrees. Remove from the pans and brush generously with remaining melted butter. Let cool on a rack for 5-10 minutes.
- Serve warm…with salted butter!
- Your Best Dinner Rolls Contest Winner!
Tags: Holidays
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about 1 month ago Green Rider
This is going to be a delightful addition to our after Passover meal tonight!
about 1 month ago ChefWithAKnife
Make them. They are so awesome. You don't have to deviate from the recipe. It's pretty much perfect the way it is.
about 1 month ago littlesister
I made these last night to go with my Easter dinner and they were awesome. They reminded me of the yeast rolls I used to eat as a child - so good! And I can't wait to eat them with my leftover ham! I'll make these again.
about 1 month ago ChefWithAKnife
I now make these at least twice a week. I make them with half whole wheat flour. These are SO delicious! Thank you so much for a new recipe!!!!
about 1 month ago PritiA
This recipe looks yummy. Can I replace the egg with something else? Thank you.
about 1 month ago monkeymom
Hi there. You can leave the egg out. The bread will be less rich but still be good!
about 1 month ago Ceege
Since I found this recipe, I have made it many many times. The texture of these rolls are great and the taste is wonderful. I substitute one cup of whole wheat flour for some of the white AND I always use bread flour for the remaining flour. They are simple to make and I keep a bag in my freezer - just pull out one or two at a time, cut in half and run under the broiler for a minute or two. (Great this way for breakfast). Also, for a GREAT topping, mix 1/2 cup butter (no oleo) and 1/2 cup good honey. Have both ingredients at room temp. before mixing. This is one of the best honey butters that I have ever tasted. Anyone out there debating about making the rolls, I would say, get out the stuff and start baking them today. You won't be sorry. (P.S. After the first time, I decided to eliminate the oatmeal that goes on top of rolls as they just tend to fall off and make a mess of your dinner table)
4 months ago Margaux Meyer
Fantastic bread-- I've made it twice in the same week. Both times I've replaced about half the flour with whole wheat flour-- recipe is still delicious and palatable to my non-whole wheat friends. Highly recommend.
about 1 year ago Saccharine
Made this for my house-warming party the other day and all my guests love it! It's so easy to make (with the help of my kitchenaid of course!) and the rolls are so soft! Will definitely make it again and maybe a spiced version:)
about 1 year ago SaucySabrina
Delicious! Love the texture of oatmeal and the depth of molasses.
over 1 year ago pulcinella #1
Mine looked exactly like the photo. Could you have cooked them a little longer to make sure they brown on top? I especially love the texture of these rolls and the way they pull apart.
over 1 year ago Shannon829
I made these rolls that othe day. The flavor was good however the color of the rolls were very disappointing. The rolls came out very pale, just a hint of brown, not like the picture at all. I did brush the rolls with butter and made sure the oven temp was accurate. Thoughts as to why??? Did you also put an eggwash on top?
over 1 year ago monkeymom
Hi there. I do not put an egg wash on top. DIfferent types of molasses might affect how dark the dough is. I generally use Grandma's, which results in a dough about the color that is in the slideshow. The only problem I have with how the rolls turn out is when I've baked them in an aluminum pan....it never gets hot enough. So I generally do it in a dark heavy pan or a glass dish. If you like more molasses flavor you could also try 3Tbsp of molasses and reduce the brown sugar.
over 1 year ago Brenzo
Thanks! Mine came out a bit heavy, but I really enjoyed the flavors. Can't wait to try again.
over 1 year ago sygyzy
Is there any way to pre-make this and bake the next day? At which part would you refrigerate the dough? I am guessing before it proofs; the cold will stop it. Yes?
over 1 year ago monkeymom
Hi sygyzy. You can leave the dough in the refrigerator overnight then shape and rise the rolls the next day and bake. The interesting thing about this recipe is that the bread proofs just fine in the fridge whether it is for a couple of hours or overnight. It doesn't rise a lot but the final product is still light.
over 1 year ago pamelalee
For over 30 years I've been trying to make the perfect yeast roll. I knew it wasn't just about finding the perfect recipe because my mother-in-law's potato rolls were flakey and tender every time she baked them, but I could never achieve the same results. This afternoon I tried your recipe, and as soon as I pulled a roll apart and saw the shred-y texture and then tasted the buttery flavor, I knew my search was over. Thank you for an amazingly easy and delicious recipe!
over 1 year ago monkeymom
I'm so happy that you liked them! Thank you for letting me know.
almost 2 years ago mcs3000
I finally made these Friday morning before work - aaa-mazing. The dough came together beautifully. Can't wait to make them again. Thank you!
about 2 years ago Tashie
i just made these with 1.5 cup of KAF white whole wheat and 1 cup AP flour. it worked great. i love how rolling them turns them into little rolls that can be pulled apart. very satisfying.
about 2 years ago cheese1227
Everyone who comes in contact with these simply just raves.
about 2 years ago Kitchen Butterfly
I made these....took them in to the office to rave reviews. I loved learning to make soft bread rolls - something I haven't done before, so thank you!
about 2 years ago pulcinella #1
My husband is the bread baker in the house, and since these rolls do plenty of rising we had time for a wintry walk on the icy shore of Lake Michigan today. These rolls were a real treat, much better than any restaurant rolls I've ever eaten!
Did anyone else have to let these rise and bake in TWO 9" baking pans?
about 2 years ago monkeymom
Hi there. I often now make 16-20 rolls in a rectangular pan that is probably about 9x11 inches. It depends on how many folks will be eating whether I make the smaller rolls or the larger. So glad you like them and thanks for letting me know!
over 2 years ago hobbybaker
I made these rolls this weekend and LOVED them! Thanks for a delicious recipe!
about 2 years ago monkeymom
Happy they turned out well hobbybaker! Thank you for your lovely comment.
over 2 years ago monkeymom
Ha! I'm so glad you tried making it yourself! I was going to make it for you next time we had you over. I'll have to plan something else instead :)