This dinner roll recipe was destined to be shared. When I found this recipe among my great-grandmother's collection, I knew I had to give it a try just by the name alone!
This quick dinner roll recipe was originally published in a cookbook entitled “Great Neighbour Recipes” (sold for $3.95!) and reprinted in my great-grandmother's local newspaper in 1953. There's something to be said for recipes that get passed on.
I m not sure if they are “quicker'n scat,” but they do come together quickly and create fluffy dinner rolls.
I love older recipes, they come with a history and are made from scratch. Plus, how fun is it to say, I'll have these rolls ready quicker'n scat?
The original recipe calls for white bread flour, shortening, and sugar, but for a healthier option, they are delicious made with spelt flour, butter, and honey as well.
Dinner Roll Recipe Vintage 1950's Quicker'N Scat Rolls
- 2 cups buttermilk, scalded
- 1/4 cup sugar (or honey – decrease buttermilk by 1/4 cup)
- 2 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup shortening (or butter)
- 1 package yeast (2 1/4 tsp)
- 1/4 cup lukewarm water
- 4 1/2 cups flour
Measure sugar, salt, and shortening (or butter) into a large bowl.
In a saucepan over medium-low heat, scald the buttermilk by heating it until it just starts to bubble around the edges (about 180 degrees). Pour the hot milk over the sugar, salt, shortening mixture and stir to melt the fat and dissolve the sugar. Cool to lukewarm (about 105 – 110 degrees).
While milk mixture cools, soften the yeast in 1/4 cup water.
Once buttermilk mixture has cooled, stir in yeast, and add flour a cup at a time until the dough can be kneaded.
Knead dough until smooth.
With lightly flowered hands, shape dough into 12 balls and place on greased baking sheet. If you want soft-sided rolls, place your balls closer together.
Cover and let rise until doubled in size.
Heat oven to 425 degrees.
Once rolls have doubled, place in the oven and bake for 20 minutes. Brush melted butter on the tops while they are still hot.
Tip: The original recipe notes that you can double the yeast in the recipe for faster rising, making these quick rise yeast rolls.
Spelt is an ancient grain and one of my favorite flours to cook with. It has lower levels of gluten than modern wheat and higher protein levels, making it a healthier choice and tolerated where many people can't tolerate modern wheat.
Here's the adaptation to make these with Spelt flour.
Quick Spelt Dinner Rolls Recipe
- 1 1/2 cups Buttermilk
- 2 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/4 cup + 1 tsp honey
- 2 1/4 tsp yeast
- 1/4 cup lukewarm water
- 4 1/2 – 5 1/2 cups spelt flour
Heat buttermilk over medium-low heat until bubbles just start to form around the edges (about 180 degrees.)
While buttermilk heats, measure salt and butter into large mixing bowl.
Once buttermilk has come to temperature, pour over butter and salt and stir until the butter has melted. Stir in 1/4 cup honey. Let cool to lukewarm (105 – 110 degrees).
While buttermilk mixture cools, proof the yeast by mixing with 1/4 cup lukewarm water and 1 tsp honey. In about 10 minutes it should be bubbly and foamy.
Pour yeast mixture into buttermilk mixture and stir to combine.
Add flour 1 cup at a time until a kneadable dough forms. Knead the dough until smooth, adding more flour if necessary to keep the dough workable.
Form dough into 12 balls and place on greased baking sheet. For soft-sided rolls, place the balls closer together.
Cover and let rise until doubled in size.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Bake the rolls for 20 minutes. Brush the tops with butter while they are still warm.
Dinner Roll Recipe Vintage 1950's Quicker'N Scat Rolls
Ingredients
- 2 cups buttermilk scalded
- 1/4 cup sugar or honey – decrease buttermilk by 1/4 cup
- 2 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup shortening or butter
- 1 package yeast 2 1/4 tsp
- 1/4 cup lukewarm water
- 4 1/2 cups flour
Instructions
- Measure sugar, salt, and shortening (or butter) into a large bowl.
- In a saucepan over medium-low heat, scald the buttermilk by heating it until it just starts to bubble around the edges (about 180 degrees). Pour the hot milk over the sugar, salt, shortening mixture and stir to melt the fat and dissolve the sugar. Cool to lukewarm (about 105 – 110 degrees).
- While milk mixture cools, soften the yeast in 1/4 cup water.
- Once buttermilk mixture has cooled, stir in yeast, and add flour a cup at a time until the dough can be kneaded.
- Knead dough until smooth.
- With lightly flowered hands, shape dough into 12 balls and place on greased baking sheet. If you want soft-sided rolls, place your balls closer together.
- Cover and let rise until doubled in size.
- Heat oven to 425 degrees.
- Once rolls have doubled, place in the oven and bake for 20 minutes. Brush melted butter on the tops while they are still hot.
- Tip: The original recipe notes that you can double the yeast in the recipe for faster rising.
These look so good….would they make good hamburger buns? If not, how would you modify the recipe?
Hi Jeff, I think they would work for hamburger buns. They are the perfect size for my homemade hamburgers…if you tend to buy or make larger burgers, you could just make fewer (but larger) rolls.
These look lovely! The only problem is that Spelt actually has higher levels of gluten than wheat and it is a big problem for celiac, but might be better for someone with a wheat intolerance or sensitivity.
I love the taste of spelt, all nutty and yummy.
The gluten in ancient grains, like spelt and einkorn is a different type of gluten than found in modern wheat, which makes it easier for most people with sensitivities to tolerate.
Love your emails and everything you share. I have even done up a little book. Just love the old recipes much better than the stuff out there today.
Can you possibly do PDF’s so I can save the recipes that way? Would be so much easier.
Keep up the excellent work you are doing.
God Bless krys
Krys, the recipe has a print button so you can print it out for safe keeping.