You can make yeast rolls ahead of time and put them in the freezer.  It is really handy to have the dough already made where all you have to do is take out the rolls and let them rise.  Here’s how easy it it…..

  • First, you make up your yeast roll dough using the recipe you like.
  • You should add about half again the amount of yeast your recipe calls for to make up for yeast that doesn’t survive the freezing process. So if you use 2 1/2 teaspoons in your recipe for example, you’d add another 1 1/4 teaspoon of yeast to this freezer recipe. My recipe follows this post.
  • Then you allow it to rise one time in the pan.
  • Next, make the rolls. Make small rolls, about1 1/2 inches in diameter.
  • Place the rolls on a cookie sheet and put them in the freezer. Freeze til hard.

Take all the frozen rolls off the cookie sheet and put them in a ziptop bag. That way you can take out how ever many you need. Put them back in the freezer til time to use them/

dough

To use:

Place rolls on a baking stone or in a greased baking sheet about 1/2 inch a part.
Cover the rolls with a clean cloth and set the pan where it is out of the way of drafts.
Allow the rolls to rise for 6-8 hours. Just before they are ready to bake, preheat the oven to 400* F.
Bake for 15-18 minutes or until golden brown.

Too short of a rising time will cause the rolls to be dense, so allow plenty of time to rise.

If you want them to rise faster, heat the oven to 200*F. Once heated, turn the oven off. Place the rolls on the baking sheet in the oven and place a pan of boiling water on a lower rack in the oven.

Allow the rolls to rise. It will take about 2 hours with this method.

Aunt Eura’s Yeast Rolls
3 pkgs yeast or about 7 teaspoons loose yeast (OR if you won’t be freezing the dough use 2 pkgs or 4 1/2 teaspoons of yeast)
1/2 cup warm water
1 tsp sugar
2 c warm water
1/2 cup melted lard or butter or shortening
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons salt
6 c plain flour

Yeast rolls

Melt the yeast in 1/2 cup warm water and 1 teaspoon sugar.
Mix all ingredients; add yeast and sifted flour until dough handles well. You may not need all the flour. The dough should be somewhat sticky so that your rolls will be light and fluffy.

Knead dough until elastic ( Aunt Eura beat the dough 100 times with a rolling pin)
Put into a well greased bowl and allow to rise til doubled.
Punch down and make into rolls.
(at this point you will freeze the rolls)
If you choose to go ahead and bake them, allow the rolls to rise again til double. Bake at 400* F til golden brown.
Makes 3 dozen rolls.
Doubles easily.

There you go!  If you use this method, I’d love to hear from you.