Why Warm Rolls?
Warm rolls can take any meal from ordinary to extraordinary. The aroma of freshly baked bread immediately makes everything on the table more appetizing. Warm rolls envelop the butter and soak up the juices from roasts or gravy from stews. The texture of a warm roll is soft and pillowy, soaking up flavors and contrasts nicely with other foods on the plate. Serving warm rolls to your family or dinner guests shows them how much you care about their dining experience.
While store-bought rolls simply heated up lack the appeal of homemade, you’ll still get that scent of bread wafting from the oven, hinting at the delicious meal to come. However, warming rolls brings the challenge of avoiding a dried-out, tough result. Follow these tips to gently reheat rolls and have them come out tasting freshly made.
Should You Use the Microwave or Oven?
The microwave or oven each have advantages and drawbacks when it comes to warming rolls:
Microwave:
- Quick – rolls can be heated in 1-2 minutes
- Convenient – especially for small numbers of rolls
- Can be hard to gauge timing and avoid toughness
- Doesn’t recrisp crusts
Oven:
- Takes longer – generally 8-10 minutes to preheat plus baking time
- Good for larger quantities
- Recrisps crusts
- Moreconsistent results
The oven is best for larger quantities of rolls while the microwave works for just a few. The oven also recrisps crusts better. However, the quickness of the microwave makes it a good choice if you’re short on time.
Tips for Warming Rolls in the Microwave
If you opt for the microwave to warm rolls, follow these guidelines:
- Use a lower power level – 50% or 60% instead of full power. This more gently reheats the rolls.
- Microwave in short increments, checking after 30 seconds and then again every 15-20 seconds. This allows better control to avoid overcooking.
- Wrap rolls in a damp paper towel or place a mug of water in the microwave when heating to introduce some steam. This keeps the outside from drying before the interior warms.
- Fluff up the rolls after microwaving to allow steam to escape rather than condense into the bread and make it soggy.
Here is a table with microwave power levels and approximate warming times for different quantities of rolls:
| Number of Rolls | Power Level | Warming Time |
|---|---|---|
| 1-2 rolls | 50% | 20-30 seconds |
| 3-4 rolls | 50% | 45 seconds, then 15 seconds more if needed |
| 5-6 rolls | 60% | 1 minute, then 20 seconds more if needed |
These times are approximations. Always check rolls early when microwaving.
How to Warm Rolls in the Oven
For warming larger quantities, the oven is preferred:
- Preheat the oven to 300°F.
- Place rolls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or lightly greased foil.
- Warm rolls for 8-10 minutes until heated through.
- For crustier rolls, warm at 325°F for 10-12 minutes instead.
- Brush with melted butter after warming if desired.
Tips for the oven method:
- Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of oven to heat rolls more evenly if you have them on two trays.
- Warm rolls wrapped in foil on a lower rack if you prefer a softer crust.
- Check rolls a few minutes early to avoid drying them out.
- Remove from oven when still slightly underdone as rolls will continue to cook from residual oven heat.
How to tell when rolls are properly warmed?
It takes practice to perfect the warming of rolls. Here are some signs to look for:
- Crusts feel firm but not hard.
- Rolls still look puffy, not sunken or dense.
- Interior feels warm throughout when gently squeezed.
- Crusts show some browning for rolls warmed uncovered.
- No dried or crunchy sections.
Err on the side of under warming and test a roll before removing from oven or microwave. Another minute or two can always be added if needed.
Storing Leftover Rolls
Have leftover rolls? They can be kept for a couple of days and rewarmed.
- Allow rolls to cool completely, then store in plastic wrap or bag.
- For best quality, reheat within 2 days.
- Freeze extras for longer storage. Thaw in fridge overnight before reheating.
- Microwave or oven can both be used to rewarm leftovers.
Staling happens more quickly with bread stored in the fridge so try to eat within a couple days. However, reheating restores some softness.
Making Rolls Ahead
For fresh, warm homemade rolls, make the dough ahead and bake just before serving.
- Prepare the dough 1-2 days in advance. Let it rise once in the fridge.
- Shape rolls and place on a baking sheet, spacing apart. Cover with plastic wrap.
- Refrigerate until 1-2 hours before baking.
- Remove rolls from fridge and let rise at room temperature until puffy, about 1 hour.
- Bake according to recipe directions.
The second rise develops flavor so don’t skip it. Rolls baked from chilled dough will be less crusty.
Freezing Unbaked Rolls
Dough can also be shaped into rolls then frozen:
- Shape rolls and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Cover with plastic wrap and freeze solid, about 2 hours.
- Transfer frozen rolls to a zip top freezer bag.
- When ready to bake, place on a baking sheet and let thaw and rise until puffy, 1-2 hours.
- Bake as directed.
This allows you to have homemade rolls ready when needed. The yeast will remain active even after freezing.
Conclusion
Warm rolls complete any meal. With some trial and error, you can learn to warm store-bought or homemade rolls in the microwave or oven and achieve rolls that are heated through with crisped crusts. Pay attention to quantity, moisture level, time, and temperature. Soon you’ll become expert at serving picture perfect rolls, straight from the oven.