Lion House Rolls

 

I love rolls and these rolls are so good! They ended up being pretty large but they went really fast. I tried to give some away, but my hubby wouldn't let me!! These rolls are a pretty famous recipe that can be found in many different places, but I got my exact recipe from Mel's Kitchen Café, a food blog that I love.

Lion House Dinner Rolls
Source: Mels Kitchen Cafe

2 tablespoons active dry yeast

2 cups warm water

1/3 cup sugar

1/3 cup butter, softened

1 egg

2 1/2 teaspoons salt

2/3 cup nonfat dry milk

5-6 cups flour (see note)

 

1. In a large bowl, combine the yeast and water. Let stand 5 minutes (no need to do this if using instant yeast – just add the yeast and water together with the other ingredients). Add sugar, butter, salt, dry milk, 2 cups flour and egg. Beat together until very smooth. Add remaining flour gradually (about 1/2 cup at a time) until a soft but not sticky dough is formed. Knead the dough for at least five minutes if using an electric mixer and for at least 10 minutes if mixing the dough by hand. When the dough is smooth, supple and elastic, place it in a lightly greased large bowl covered with greased plastic wrap and let it rise until doubled.
2. Separate the dough into two portions. Roll each section out to an 11X14-inch rectangle. Brush the top with melted butter. Using a pizza cutter or sharp knife, cut the dough into two pieces, the long way (see photos below). Then slice the dough into five or six strips across so you end up with 10 to 12 small rectangles. Roll each small rectangle up like a snail and place on a silpat-lined or lightly greased baking sheet with the roll resting on it’s open edge. Repeat with the second portion of dough.
3. Cover the rolls with lightly greased plastic wrap and let them rise until doubled. Bake at 375 degrees for 12-14 minutes until they are nicely browned. Brush with melted butter while hot. Serve with honey butter or raspberry honey butter. Makes 1 1/2 to 3 dozen rolls, depending on shape and size of rolls.

Note: You can freeze shaped rolls for later use. Simply double the amount of yeast used when making dough. After the first rise, shape the rolls but do not rise again. Instead, place rolls on a baking sheet and immediately place in freezer. When dough is frozen solid, remove rolls from pan and place in a plastic bag, squeeze excess air out of bag and seal. Rolls can be frozen for 3 weeks.

Root Beer Float Cookies

These cookies are to die for. They are so delicious. I wasn't too sure how they were going to turn out when I made them, but they have easily become one of my favorites.

Root Beer Float Cookies

Source: Dessert Now, Dinner Later

 

Root Beer Cookie:

1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks), room temperature

2 cups light brown sugar

2 eggs

2 tsp McCormick Root Beer Concentrate

3 1/4 cup flour

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

 

Vanilla Buttercream:

6 Tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature

6 Tbsp solid coconut oil (or shortening/crisco)

3 cups powdered sugar

1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla

1 1/2 Tbsp milk

 

In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter and brown sugar with the paddle attachment. Add eggs and root beer concentrate. Mix and scrape the bowl well.

In a separate bowl, combine the flour, salt and baking soda. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture until combined. 

Scoop  about 1 1/2 Tbsp cookie dough, make balls and place them on a parchment lined baking sheet.  

Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 12 to 13 minutes (until the edges are set).

 

To make the buttercream: Place the butter and coconut oil in a large bowl. Using a hand mixer, beat the mixture until smooth. Add about half of the powdered sugar, and all of the vanilla and milk. Mix well. Then add the remaining powdered sugar. Mix until combined.

 Spread icing onto the bottom of a cookie, then top the buttercream with another cookie, forming a sandwich cookie. Repeat with the remaining cookies. Store in an airtight container.