Quick Yeast Dough

This recipe has been my single greatest find on Pinterest.  Thank you, Plain Chicken, for bringing me your Weeknight Dinner Rolls.  I love, love, love this recipe.  And it's way more versatile than for just dinner rolls.  I use it for bread sticks, pizza dough, loaves, etc.  It's great and has turned out every single time.  I have a couple minor changes to the original recipe and I do recommend using a stand mixer with a bread hook but it's not essential.

Quick Yeast Dough

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons warm water
1/4 cup sugar
2 packets quick-rise yeast (or 2 tablespoons)
1/3 cup oil
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 1/2 cups flour (bread flour if you have it)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

In the bowl of a stand mixer with the dough hook attached, combine water and sugar.  Stir to dissolve sugar.  Sprinkle yeast over water and stir slightly.  Let stand for 15 minutes or until yeast has activated.  Add in remaining ingredients and mix on medium speed for about 2-3 minutes or until the dough is smooth, elastic, and pulls away from the side of the bowl easily.  With floured fingers, remove dough from the mixing bowl to a cutting board.

Dinner rolls:  Divide dough into either 12 or 15 portions and roll each into a ball.  Place in a greased 9x13-inch baking pan.  Bake for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown.

Bread sticks: Divide dough into 12 portions and roll each between your hands until you have a rope about a foot long.  Holding the center of the rope fold it in half and give it a few twists.  Place in a greased 9x13-inch baking dish.  In a bowl beat one egg and 1 tablespoon water.  Brush egg wash over bread sticks evenly.  Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Pizza dough:  Divide dough into two portions either press into the bottom of a greased pizza pan or press into a flattened circle on a baking sheet.  Top with favorite pizza toppings and bake for 15-20 minutes or until cheese is melted and edges of dough are a golden brown.

Loaf: Place dough into a greased loaf pan.  Turn oven on to lowest setting for about 2 minutes.  Turn off.  Cover dough with a sheet of parchment paper or a loosely fitting greased piece of plastic wrap.  Allow to rise in slightly warm oven for about 20-30 minutes or until doubled in size.  Remove from oven.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees and bake loaf for approximately 20 minutes or until evenly browned and hollow sounding when tapped.

Click HERE for a printable version of this recipe.