Weekend Cooking: Pull-Apart Butter Rolls

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This is a special edition of Weekend Cooking. My friend and frequent WC participant Trish is hosting a very cool challenge. The idea is to get us to use all those recipes and projects we've pinned to our Pinterest boards. (Click on the button to read all about it.)

The day before Thanksgiving, I was all set to make challah until the latest newsletter from King Arthur Flour appeared in my inbox. It had a photo for the most mouth-watering butter rolls, and I knew I had to make them. They were delicious and easy to make and were a huge hit. I retrospectively pinned the recipe, which makes me a big-time cheater for Trish's challenge, but there you have it.

In case you are unfamiliar with King Arthur Flour, you might want to check out a vintage Weekend Cooking post titled "Say Hello to King Arthur." Oh, and for those of you who were intrigued by the Vanilla cookbook I reviewed a few weeks ago, I had an email yesterday alerting me to a vanilla sale at King Arthur Flour. (I have no affiliation, just a happy customer and willing to share news of a sale.)

Without further ado, here's the butter roll recipe. If you compare my photos with the ones on the KAF website, I think you'll agree that I did a pretty good job.

Note that KAF suggests brushing the finished buns with melted butter, but because I made these the night before, I skipped that step. They were still wonderful. Oh and if you check out the KAF blog, you'll find photos and videos associated with this recipe.

Golden Pull-Apart Butter Buns
Makes 16

• 3½ cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
• 2 teaspoons instant yeast
• 2 tablespoons potato flour or 1/4 cup instant potato flakes
• 3 tablespoons Baker's Special Dry Milk or nonfat dry milk
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1½ teaspoons salt
• 4 tablespoons soft butter
• ⅔ cup lukewarm water
• ½ cup lukewarm milk

Combine all of the dough ingredients in a large bowl, and mix and knead—using your hands, a stand mixer, or a bread machine set on the dough cycle—to make a soft, smooth dough.

Place the dough in a lightly greased container—an 8-cup measure works well here. Cover the container, and allow the dough to rise for 60 to 90 minutes, until it's just about doubled in bulk.

Gently deflate the dough, and transfer it to a lightly greased work surface.

Divide the dough into 16 equal pieces, by dividing in half, then in halves again, etc. Round each piece into a smooth ball.

Lightly grease two 8" round cake pans. Space 8 buns in each pan. Can you use 9" round cake pans, or a 9" × 13" pan? Sure; the buns just won't nestle together as closely, so their sides will be a bit more baked.

Cover the pans, and allow the buns to rise till they're crowded against one another and quite puffy, about 60 to 90 minutes. Towards the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 350°F.

Uncover the buns, and bake them for 22 to 24 minutes, until they're golden brown on top and the edges of the center bun spring back lightly when you touch it. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the middle of the center bun should register at least 190°F.

Remove the buns from the oven. After a couple of minutes, turn them out of the pan onto a cooling rack.

Serve warm. Store leftovers well-wrapped, at room temperature.

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