Waste Not, Want Not: Schoolhouse-Style Dinner Rolls

I’m currently in the middle of making a three-layer brownie and ice cream dessert (post to come!) but had to take some time out to talk about my new favourite dinner roll recipe. Have you heard of Schoolhouse Rolls? Or Schoolroom Buns? Until recently, I hadn’t. But I was googling ways to use up milk powder, and  came across very similar recipes for said rolls/buns.

Apparently in the U.S. a few decades ago (readers of a certain age will remember, I’m sure), school cafeterias used to make fresh rolls for the school lunches. There are many recipes out there claiming to be the one definitive schoolhouse roll recipe, but what they have in common is the use of milk powder as an ingredient.

And milk powder is something I have lots of! My mother-in-law made some delicious hand-made milk candies for our wedding a year and a half ago (Time! It doth fly!), and we still have TONS of milk powder leftover. I never use milk powder, but I hate wasting food, so I had to find a way to use it all up. And this recipe is the best way ever!

I started out with some of the recipes found online but modified them to what I had in the house. I ran out of white sugar and shortening, so I subbed in icing sugar and butter. And while the buns were great, it made for a verrrry light and squooshy dough, so I added in an additional cup of flour.

I made them and told the DH that I had made some changes. His reaction, verbatim: “I don’t know what you did, but they are SOOOOO good!” Further evidence of deliciousness. I had made a pan of these and left them out one evening to cool. The next morning I got up and half the pan had disappeared.

Want to make some easy rolls yourself? Let’s!

Schoolhouse-Style Dinner Rolls (makes one dozen buns)

• 2 1/2 tsp. (traditional) yeast
• 1 c. warm water
• 2 tbsp. icing sugar
• 1/4 c. milk powder
• 1/4 c. butter
• 3 c. flour
• 3/4  tsp. baking powder
• 3/4 tsp. salt

Butter pan. Mix yeast with warm water and wait 10 minutes until foamy. Mix in rest of ingredients with a dough hook (because it’s easier than by hand). Form into 12 equal rounds. Place in buttered pan and let rise in warm place until double in size. Bake in a 425 degree oven until tops are golden and crusty (about 20 min, give or take). Enjoy!

The buns freeze and defrost well, and have a lovely light crumb despite being nice and dense. You can do an egg wash on top, although usually I don’t bother. If you modify the recipe, let me know what you come up with!

Next Post: More French Foodie Fun with Fruits!