Grandma’s Old-Fashioned Yeast Rolls

Our family has a custom of making this recipe. It’s not sure how old it is, but it’s definitely from the Depression Era (no eggs, no milk). It came from my grandmother, Pearl Nash. She always measured using her hands and memory rather than writing down the recipe. Not long before she passed away, in the early 1960. she was diagnosed with breast cancer. To ensure that the recipe would not be lost, my father requested her to measure out every ingredient. She carefully arranged the ingredients on newspaper paper after he carried her into the kitchen. To keep track of the proportions, my mom who my kids called Tutu, moved the ingredients into measuring cups and spoons.

Thirty minutes for preparation
Cooking Period:25 minutes
Extra Time: 1 hour and 45 minutes
2 hours 40 minutes in total
24 servings; yield: two dozen rolls

Ingredients For Grandma’s

Old-Fashioned Yeast Rolls

1. A half-cup of warm water
2. A tsp of active dry yeast
3. Half a cup of white sugar
4. One spoonful of salt
5. ¾ cup Crisco or other shortening
6. Seven cups all-purpose flour, split, or additional as required
7. ½ cup melted butter

Instructions For Grandma’s

Old-Fashioned Yeast Rolls

1st Step:

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, dissolve the yeast in the warm water. Add salt and sugar, stirring until foam starts to rise. Mix in 3/4 cup shortening and 3 cups flour, using the dough hook, until the mixture resembles thick pancake batter.

2nd Step:

Pour hot (not boiling) water into a pot.

3rd  Step:

Take out the mixer bowl and cover it with a cloth and some plastic wrap. Making ensuring the bowl’s bottom stays above the water, place it over the hot water pot. Let rise for 45 to 1 hour, or until doubled in size.

4th Step:

Reposition the bowl onto your stand mixer and gradually blend in the remaining 4 cups flour, adding up to 1 cup more if necessary, until the dough is smooth and elastic.

5th Step:
Grease two 9 by 13-inch glass pans thoroughly with shortening.

6th Step:

Make 24 balls out of the dough. Place 12 balls into each of the prepared pans; cover with plastic wrap and a towel. Let rise in a warm area until doubled in size, about 1 hour; balls will start out at about 1 1/2 inches in diameter but will rise and touch the sides of the pans.

7th Step:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

8th Step:
Bake rolls in the preheated oven until golden brown on top, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and brush melted butter over top.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

calories; 242

Fat:11 g

Carbs: 32 g

Protein: 4 g