Breads · Taste of Home
Grandma’s Yeast Rolls
Soft, lightly sweet knotted dinner rolls made with applesauce and egg whites — a handmade basket for the holiday table.
Recipe adapted from Taste of Home — view original recipe (opens in a new tab).
Directions independently written by Local Loop; not tested in our kitchen. AI-generated illustrative photo, not the source’s photo.
The recipe
2 dozen rolls- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Rising
- 90 min
- Total
- 125 min
Ingredients
0 of 7 checked
For the rolls
Equipment
- Large mixing bowl
- Instant-read thermometer
- 2 baking sheets
- Wire racks
Allergen note: Contains milk, eggs, and wheat.
Instructions
Mix the dough
Dissolve the yeast in the warm milk. Add the sugar, applesauce, egg whites, salt, and 2 cups of the flour and beat until smooth. Stir in enough of the remaining flour to make a soft dough.
Knead and rise
Knead on a lightly floured surface 6–8 minutes, until smooth and elastic (it will stay a little sticky). Place in a bowl coated with cooking spray, turn to coat, cover, and let rise somewhere warm until doubled, about 1 hour.
Shape the knots
Divide the dough into 24 pieces. Roll each into an 8-inch rope and tie it in a knot. Arrange on two sprayed baking sheets.
Second rise and bake
Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes. Bake at 375°F for 12–16 minutes, until golden. Move to racks to cool.
Kitchen notes
- Milk hotter than about 115°F can kill the yeast — check it with a thermometer.
- Rising time shown is the source’s approximate 1 hour plus 30 minutes; warm kitchens may be faster.
Storage & make-ahead
The source does not give storage guidance. Local Loop note: keep cooled rolls in an airtight bag at room temperature up to 2 days, or freeze for longer storage.