Golden Knots

This recipe is from Taste of Home magazine around 1998. These rolls are seriously the best, easiest, softest roll ever. They always rise, always. One of my co-workers told me that his mother made the best rolls, that his wife makes the best rolls, but that mine are better than theirs. I don't need the yeast to make my head swell!

2 packages (1/4 ounce each) active dry yeast

1 cup plus 2 T sugar, divided

1 ½ cups warm water (110 to 115 degrees), divided

1 cup milk

½ cup butter or margarine

2 eggs

2 t salt

8 ½ to 9 cups all purpose flour - can use 5 cups of this as whole wheat flour

Melted butter or margarine

In a saucepan, heat the milk, butter and 1 cup water to 110-115 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, dissolve yeast and 2 T sugar in ½ cup water. Add milk mixture to yeast mixture. Add eggs, salt, 5 cups flour and remaining sugar; beat until smooth. Add enough of the remaining flour to form a soft dough, (I usually end up adding all of the flour). Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. Punch dough down. Divide into thirds; roll each portion into a 14-inch roll. Divide each roll into 14 pieces. Roll pieces into 9-inch ropes and tie into knots. Place the rolls 2 inches apart on greased baking sheets. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Brush with melted butter. Yield: 3 ½ dozen

My method:

** I mix it in my bread mixer with the dough hook. My mixer has an auto knead button and I push that and let it do its thing, I don’t have to knead it manually.

** I never use butter, always “Real” margarine, that isn't the butter "spread".

*** I use 2 T of yeast from my big Mason jar and I proof it with 1 T sugar in a small bowl.

** I heat the margarine and milk in a saucepan until the sides start bubbling and then I remove the pan from the stove and add the 1 cup of water to kind of cool down the milk and margarine. I put the dry ingredients in the bowl, mix them for a second with the dough hook, then add the milk/water/butter mixture, even though it’s still quite hot, then I add the yeast mixture and the rest of the ingredients. 

** I discovered that if I use my kitchen scale, each roll can be 2 oz, and they are perfect.
** I don't brush the rolls with the melted butter because they don't need it, they are yummy without it. 

Print it, it's worth the ink, promise:
Golden Knots