Grandmother’s Refrigerator Rolls

At Jimmy Proffitt’s grandmother’s house, there was one thing you could always count on—fresh bread on the table. Her rolls weren’t just a side; they were a tradition, prepared with care and baked warm for every meal. She kept a batch of dough in the fridge, ready to pinch off and bake whenever needed.

Jimmy, The Old Mill’s historian, has spent years preserving the stories and traditions that make this place special. His deep knowledge of the past includes family recipes like this one, passed down through generations. Whether you bake them fresh for dinner or keep the dough on hand for the week, these rolls are a taste of old-fashioned hospitality—just the way Jimmy’s grandmother made them.

Sunday dinner at Grandmaw’s

"Sunday dinners at my grandparent's house are some of my favorite memories. Grandmaw would begin preparing Sunday dinner early in the morning. After we heard Granddaddy preach, grandmaw would pull the pot roast out of the oven, make the mashed potatoes and gravy from the pot roast drippings, and pop the rolls in the oven. She would make the dough days ahead, before we arrived for a weekend visit, and it kept in the fridge until she was ready to bake the rolls fresh and hot."— Jimmy

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Grandmother’s Refrigerator Rolls

Yield: Makes 4 to 6 dozen rolls

Ingredients

• 2 packages (.25 ounces each) dry yeast
• ½ cup warm water (100-110ºF)
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 ½ teaspoons salt
• ¼ cup vegetable shortening
• 1 ½ cups boiling water
• 1 egg, slightly beaten
• 6 to 6 ½ cups Miller’s Choice Unbleached Flour
• Melted butter for brushing

Instructions

1. Dissolve the yeast in the warm water and let it rest 5 minutes to get bubbly.
2. Place the sugar, salt, and shortening in a large bowl, and pour the boiling water over. Stir until the sugar is dissolved and the shortening melts. Let the mixture cool slightly.
3. Stir in the activated yeast, egg, and 4 cups of the flour until combined.. Add 1 cup more flour at a time, beating by hand or with an electric mixer, until the dough is easy to handle. Turn it out onto a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic. Use additional flour as needed to prevent it from sticking.
4. Grease a large bowl and place the dough in the bowl. Cover with a kitchen towel and place in a warm spot to rise until doubled, about 45 minutes. Punch the dough down and pinch off the dough into rolls and place in a well-greased shallow pan. Cover again and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes.
5. Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Bake until golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Cover with a sheet of foil the last 4 to 5 minutes if they are well-browned to prevent them from burning. Brush with melted butter and serve. Makes 4 to 6 dozen rolls, depending on the size.

Notes

Unshaped dough can be stored in the refrgerator for up to a week. Cover the dough with a damp towel and the bowl with plastic wrap. When needed, pull off and shape the dough you need and let rise in a warm spot until double. Bake as instructed.