If you're making rolls (or bread!) this Thanksgiving...

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... here are three tips:

1. Make your dough today and stash it in the fridge. Know you can do this with any bread or roll recipe you are following, and it is so nice to get this bit of prep out of the way.

• For rolls, shape them and get them into their buttered pan. Cover the pan tightly with plastic wrap, which I know is not ideal, but which will prevent the dough from drying out and forming a crust overnight.
• Tomorrow, about an hour before you plan on baking, remove the pan from the fridge and let it rise at room temperature.
• If you are making a loaf of bread, you can mix the dough and stick it in the fridge immediately or you can let it make one rise, deflate it; then transfer it to the fridge. The following day, proceed with the recipe.

2. If you have trouble shaping rolls, try this simple technique:

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I've added this video to this post: no-knead buttermilk pull-apart rolls. The key is to use only enough flour to prevent the dough from sticking to your hands. If the surface is too floured, you won't be able to create tension. Once you find your rhythm, the process moves quickly.

3. If time permits, weigh each dough portion. This is a little bit tedious, but there is something really satisfying about pulling a pan of 24 nearly identical rolls from the oven. With a good podcast streaming in the background, the process can be somewhat meditative, too.

Finally, if you are feeling overwhelmed by your to-do's for Thanksgiving day itself, bake the bread today! Transfer it to an airtight bag or container once it has cooled completely. Tomorrow, just before serving, transfer the bread to a 350ºF oven for 15-20 minutes. It will taste as fresh as ever!

Friends, I hope all of your thanksgiving prep is going well — I'm way behind 🤣 — and I am wishing you a happy happy holiday. Talk soon!

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PS: Four simple bread recipes you still have time to make:

1. ​My Mother's Peasant Bread​
2. ​Overnight Refrigerator Focaccia = The Best Focaccia​
3. ​No-Knead Buttermilk Pull-Apart Rolls​
4. ​No-Knead Thyme Dinner Rolls​

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Happy Cooking,

Alexandra Stafford



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