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 Last year during November I recieved a lot of emails and comments full of ROLL questions. How could a person make them on Thanksgiving Day without taking up so much TIME and oven space, would they be good made the day before, would it be possible to freeze the dough and would it be possible for the government to end the war and get us out of this recession.
I can’t do much with that last question my friends…but my mind has been thinking and pondering and wondering how we might solve this Thanksgiving Roll dilemma. 
Since I have no idea how to improve the government. 
When I was growing up my mother frequently purchased some amazing frozen roll dough from a local bakery. The dough was stored in the freezer, then set out on the counter in muffin tins to rise for several hours, then baked. I remember them being absolutely fabulous, light, fluffy, buttery and wonderful. 
I’m pretty sure I also remember a certain younger sibling eating my roll right off my dinner plate, while I wasn’t looking.
You know who you are. 🙂

Anyhow…to make a long story short!
I have been working on a recipe for homemade frozen roll dough for a while now…eager to make sure it was just perfect before I posted. And I can assure you….
These rolls are wonderful. 
The dough only takes about 20 minutes to make. 
Freezing the dough is a must…the rolls don’t turn out as fluffy and heavenly if the dough hasn’t been frozen. (Go figure, right?)
It makes 24 rolls, but can be doubled if need be. 
It doesn’t have to be Thanksgiving for you to enjoy these rolls.
They work fabulously well on a Sunday or a Monday or a MotherIsImprovingHerMentalHealthByRestingDay.
Just take the roll dough out of the freezer, 
let it hang out for several hours…and bake. 
Martha Stewart would be so proud!
 
Let’s make them!
 
 
 
1. Pour the warm water into the bottom of your stand mixer and pour the yeast over the top. 
 
 
2. Add the 1/2 t of sugar and stir the mixture around a bit, allowing the yeast and sugar to dissolve. 
 
 
3. Let the mixture sit for five minutes, or until it starts to bubble up a bit. 
 
 
4. Add two cups of the flour,
 
 
the salt
 
 
the sugar
 
 
the eggs
 
and 4 T of the softened butter. 
 
 
5. Let the dough mix for about 1 minute. 
 
 
6. Heat your milk in the microwave for 1 minute and pour it into the mixer. 
 
 
 
7. Turn the mixer on and add the rest of the flour one cup at a time. 
 
 
You will know that you have enough flour when the dough pulls itself away from the sides of your mixer.
8. Once you have enough flour let the dough mix on medium speed for 5 minutes. 
 
 
9. Spray a large portion of your counter with cooking spray and set the dough onto it. Shape the dough into an oval. Let it rest for 5 minutes. This part is important…you won’t be able to roll the dough out well if it hasn’t had a chance to sit. 
 
 
10. Roll the dough into a large rectangle. 
 
 
11. Spread the remaining butter over the top.
 
 
12. With a pizza cutter, cut the dough into quarters. 
 
 
 
13. Cut each quarter into thirds. 
 
 
 
14. Stack the strips four deep.
 
 
 
15. Cut the stacks into chunks about 2 inches wide. 
 
 
16. Place a piece of parchment paper onto a large jelly roll pan, and spray it with cooking spray.  Set each little roll onto the parchment. 
 
 
17. Cover loosely with plastic wrap. Spray the top of the wrap with cooking spray…
 
 
then carefully turn it over so that the side you sprayed is touching the dough and wrap the pan securely. 
18. Put the pan in your freezer overnight. 
 
 
19. Once the roll dough is frozen you can remove them from the pan and place them in a freezer safe Ziploc bag, and then store it back in the freezer. 
 
20. When you are ready to use the dough, place as many rolls as you need in muffin tins that have been sprayed with cooking spray. Cover loosely with plastic wrap..spray the top of the wrap with cooking spray and then carefully turn it over so the side with the spray is touching the dough. 
21. Let the dough rise for about 3-5 hours.
or until the dough has risen about 1 inch above the rim of the pan.  The dough will rise faster if kept in a warm place.

22. Take the plastic wrap off and  bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes of until golden brown. 
 
Enjoy!!!!
Pinterest friendly image below…
Make Ahead Butterflake Frozen Roll Dough Recipe from Jamie Cooks It Up!

Butterflake Frozen Dough

Print
Serves: 24 rolls
Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat
Rating: 4.5/5
( 2 voted )

Ingredients

  • 2/3 C warm water
  • 1 T yeast (I use active dry)
  • 1/2 t sugar
  • 4 1/2-5 C flour
  • 2 t salt
  • 1/4 C sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 C butter, softened
  • 1 C milk

Instructions

1. Pour the warm water into the bottom of your stand mixer and pour the yeast over the top. 
2. Add the 1/2 t of sugar and stir the mixture around a bit, allowing the yeast and sugar to dissolve. 
3. Let the mixture sit for five minutes, or until it starts to bubble up a bit. 
4. Add two cups of the flour, the salt, the sugar, the eggs and 4 T of the softened butter. 
5. Let the dough mix for about 1 minute. 
6. Heat your milk in the microwave for 1 minute and pour it into the mixer. 
7. Turn the mixer on and add the rest of the flour one cup at a time. You will know that you have enough flour when the dough pulls itself away from the sides of your mixer.
8. Once you have enough flour let the dough mix on medium speed for 5 minutes. 
9. Spray a large portion of your counter with cooking spray and set the dough onto it. Shape the dough into an oval. Let it rest for 5 minutes. This part is important...you won't be able to roll the dough out well if it hasn't had a chance to sit. 
10. Roll the dough into a large rectangle. 
11. Spread the remaining butter over the top.
12. With a pizza cutter, cut the dough into quarters. 
13. Cut each quarter into thirds. 
14. Stack the strips four deep.
15. Cut the stacks into chunks about 2 inches wide. 
16. Place a piece of parchment paper onto a large jelly roll pan, and spray it with cooking spray.  Set each little roll onto the parchment. 
17. Cover loosely with plastic wrap. Spray the top of the wrap with cooking spray then carefully turn it over so that the side you sprayed is touching the dough and wrap the pan securely. 
18. Put the pan in your freezer overnight. 
19. Once the roll dough is frozen you can remove them from the pan and place them in a freezer safe Ziploc bag, and then store it back in the freezer. 
20. When you are ready to use the dough, place as many rolls as you need in muffin tins that have been sprayed with cooking spray. Cover loosely with plastic wrap..spray the top of the wrap with cooking spray and then carefully turn it over so the side with the spray is touching the dough. 
21. Let the dough rise for about 3-5 hours, or until the dough has risen about 1 inch above the rim of the pan.  The dough will rise faster if kept in a warm place.
22. Take the plastic wrap off and  bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes of until golden brown. 
 
Enjoy!!!!

About Jamie

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39 Comments

  1. I made this recipe for Christmas Eve to go with the crown pork roast my mom made. I was nervous about not freezing them, and making bread in general. I did NOT freeze them and they were delicious! Everyone loved that they peeled open to be slathered with butter. I made them again for New Year’s Eve. I made 24 for 10 people and they were gone before I got seconds. KEEPER!

  2. I made these rolls last night. I had no trouble rolling them out and probably rolled them out a mite to much because I had more than 24 rolls. The rolling out went easily and the dough felt amazing, just like the Pillsbury. My problem was the elasticity of the dough. When I took one strip to stack on another it stretched so much it went all the way down to the floor from my counter, I’d say the strip wound up about five feet long with the stretch. Of course it was tough to get that to fit onto the less than 2′ strip that was on the counter next to it so I wound up folding it three times to try to make it the same length. What do you think made my dough stretch like that, too much butter brushed on top perhaps? I managed to get them all stacked with much difficulty and put them in the freezer last night. This morning I took them out, put them in a baggie and left four out to rise and bake today.

  3. I’m making these for Christmas dinner. They look so good and the tutorial seems easy to follow. I’ll let you know how I do.

  4. Was so happy to find this recipe. My daughter remembers these from her childhood. Did have trouble stacking maybe because the dough got a little warm. thank you for the recipe and great pictures!