Vegan Yeast Dinner Rolls

Ingredients

• 3 + 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
• 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon instant yeast
• 2 teaspoons brown sugar (or granulated sugar)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 + 1/2 cups lukewarm water

Instructions

1. 1

   Activate yeast: In a small bowl, mix the lukewarm water, sugar, and instant yeast. Let it sit for 5–10 minutes until foamy.

2. 2

   Make the dough: Gradually add the flour to the yeast mixture, mixing with a spoon until a shaggy dough forms. Once the dough starts pulling away from the sides of the bowl, transfer it to a lightly floured surface. Knead the dough by hand for about 5 minutes, forming a smooth and elastic ball.

3. 3

   First rise: Lightly oil a bowl and the surface ofthe dough to prevent sticking, then place the dough back into the bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and a clean kitchen towel, and let it rise in a warm place for 1–1.5 hours, or until doubled in size.

4. 4

   Shape the rolls: Gently punch down the dough anddivide it into 10 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a ball and place them in a lightly oiled 8-inch round baking pan.

5. 5

   Second rise: Cover the rolls loosely with a kitchen towel and let them rise for another 20 minutes, until puffy.

6. 6

   Bake: Adjust the oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 480°F (250°C). Bake the rolls for 10 minutes, then lower the oven temperature to 300°F (150°C) and continue baking for another 15 minutes.

7. 7

   Cool: The rolls will be quite firm when they come out of the oven, so immediately wrap them in a clean kitchen towel to soften. Let them cool on a wire rack or wooden surface for at least 20 minutes.