Old Fashioned Cloverleaf Rolls

Closeup of cloverleaf rolls in a muffin tin.

Old Fashioned Cloverleaf Rolls

Old fashioned cloverleaf rolls are tender and buttery with a sweet, light crumb. These are the homemade dinner rolls that your grandmother made! The number of rolls depends on the size of the muffin cups.

Course Bread

Cuisine Amercian Heritage, American - Vintage

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 15

Rising Time 1 45

Total Time 2 20

Servings

Calories 169kcal

Author Marye Audet-White

Equipment

Ingredients

2 packages yeast active dry yeast
½ cup water 110°F
1 teaspoon sugar
1 ½ cups milk 110°F
½ cup sugar
1 large egg room temperature
½ cup butter melted - divided use
2 teaspoons salt
5 ½ cups all-purpose flour

Instructions

In a small bowl or measuring cup dissolve the active dry yeast in the warm water with 1 teaspoon of sugar.
Set aside in a warm place for 5 minutes and allow to foam up. This is called "proofing".
Beat milk, ½ cup sugar, and egg in the large bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
Stir in ½ cup of flour.
Add the yeast mixture.
Add ¼ cup of the butter and the salt and mix well.
Add 1 ½ cups of flour and beat until smooth.
Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough.
Turn onto a floured surface and knead until smooth about 6-8 minutes or knead in your stand with the dough hook mixer according to manufacturer's instructions - usually about 2-3 minutes.
Put the dough in a greased bowl. Grease the top and cover it with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel or tea towel.
Allow to rise in a warm spot for about an hour, or until doubled.
Punch dough down.
Spray muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray.
Roll into 72 equal sized small balls for 24 rolls.
Dip the balls in the remaining melted butter and place three in each greased muffin cup.
Cover and let rolls rise in a draft-free place until doubled, about 45 minutes.
Bake rolls at 375 degrees for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown.
Brush the top of the rolls with melted butter.
Serve with butter or honey butter.

Notes

Watch the full length video on YouTube to see exactly how I make these homemade cloverleaf rolls!

Storage:

Homemade rolls are always best when they are fresh - straight from the oven or no more than 12 hours old.

You can store them for a day or two at room temperature in an airtight container. For longer storage I suggest you freeze them in a vacuum sealer bag or freezer bag. They'll be fine for 3 months or more.

Warm rolls back up in the oven at 325F for 5 minutes or so - just until heated through.

Tips:

Measure flour correctly: Too much flour can make rolls dense. Spoon flour into your measuring cup and level it off with a knife.

Knead the dough well: Knead until the dough is smooth, elastic, and springs back when pressed lightly. This helps develop gluten, which gives your rolls a soft, chewy texture.

Divide dough evenly: For uniform rolls, use a scale or eyeball to divide the dough evenly into balls. This makes for a professional-looking result and ensures even baking.

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