Crispy bottomed, hollow in the center, these delicious butter-filled rolls would be the perfect addition to a holiday meal. I always like to find ways to make things fast, easy, and efficient when I'm in the kitchen, and the way these can quickly be pressed and filled instead of rolling out is a definite time-saver. Enjoy!
Ah! Where's the butter?! Ha! They all end up like this. Which is kind of fun. The butter adds flavor inside the roll before oozing out and making the bottom of the roll crisp up in a delicious way.
You can make different shapes, but I prefer this cylindrical, or the round rolls, below.
Butter-filled Dinner Rolls
Makes ~35 small rolls (I like the small size for more festive meals)
Preheat oven to 425-450 F.
In a mixer, combine and mix thoroughly (it's important to mix dry ingredients first to avoid clumping in GF baking):
3 1/2 cups Kristin's Gluten-Free Flour Mix
2 tsp xanthan gum (in addition to the 1 tsp already in the flour mix)
1 tsp salt
1 Tbsp rapid-rise/quick yeast
(optional additions):
2 tsp garlic powder
1 Tbsp dried onion flakes
1 tsp freeze-dried cilantro
Add and beat 3-4 minutes, until nice and smooth. This will smooth out as it beats:
1 3/4 cup warm milk (lactose or dairy-free options work, too)
2 eggs
1-2 tsp apple cider vinegar
Get yourself a small bowl of water for dipping fingers. Lay a piece of plastic wrap on the counter. Lightly dampen the plastic wrap with water.
Cut ~ 3/4 - 1 c chilled butter into 1/3 - 1/2 Tbsp size pieces. (I just cut some to start and more as I go along)
Scoop onto a dampened 2 Tbsp size cookie scoop of dough. Flatten into a circle with fingers. Place 1/3 - 1/2 Tbsp piece chilled butter into the center of the dough.
You can either:
1. Pull the dough around the butter using the plastic wrap to help, rolling it gently into a ball
OR
2. Press in the sides of the dough onto the butter and then roll it up from one side, like a burrito.
Wet your hands in your bowl of water, as needed, to keep from sticking to dough. Every couple rolls, you can add a bit of water with your hands over the plastic wrap, to help avoid sticking.
Place the filled rolls on either hamburger tins, with each roll going in an individual tin, or onto a parchment lined baking tray. If you use a parchment-lined pan, it's helpful it you can bend the parchment up a bit on all sides to keep the butter from running under the parchment paper as it bakes.
Flattened and ready to fill.
Rolled up nicely, using the plastic wrap.
Round rolls, ready to rise.
Flattened and butter placed within.
Folding up the edges, ready to roll it from one side, burrito-style.
Rolled like burritos and ready to rest before baking.
Spray or gently wipe filled rolls with water. Let the rolls rise 30 minutes in a warm location.
Melt for brushing rolls:
3-4 Tbsp butter
Before baking, brush the rolls with melted butter.
Buttered and ready to bake. Note the sides of the parchment have been folded up. (These are on a smaller baking tin)
Bake at 425-450 F for ~15-17 minutes until nicely golden brown.
This recipe makes cute little rolls. Yes, you can make larger rolls, if desired, but increase the baking time accordingly. I would suggest 22-25 minutes for a roll with 3-4 Tbsp dough.
Fresh from the oven, some randomly rolled shapes - but baked in a hamburger tin, so the butter doesn't run everywhere.
The nice cylindrical burrito-style rolls. It's totally fine and expected for the butter to leak. This is what gives it the delicious crispy bottom on your roll.
Rolls cooling! Yum!
They'll all have these funny hollow centers because of the butter in the center.
