Parmesan-Ranch Pan Rolls

New Year approaching and I have complicated feelings about 2020 that boil down to: I want to be done with it and also I do not want to pretend I will forget it. This year was terrible in specific ways that I cannot bracket off from the rest of my life — it is now part of who I am, what I know, what I am capable of doing under pressure. I am a better teacher because of this year. I am a better cook, actually. I know more about what I can make from nothing. I know more about what actually matters when you strip away the plans.

New Year Eve is just us this year. I am making something nice: a proper French onion dip from scratch (actual caramelized onions, cream cheese, sour cream, not the Lipton packet, no offense to the Lipton packet which has its place) and a cheese board and sparkling wine and we are going to be in bed before midnight because Ryan has a shift on New Year Day and I do not have any particular attachment to watching a clock hit 12:00. The year will change when it changes.

The stand mixer has been in use daily. This week: potato rolls for the New Year table, the recipe I have been wanting to try forever. Mashed potato in the dough makes the crumb impossibly soft and pillowy. The KitchenAid handled the dough without breaking a sweat. I stood at the counter watching the dough hook go around and felt the same thing I feel when any good tool does exactly what it is supposed to do: gratitude for the right instrument.

Babcia Rose called Thursday to check in on the stand mixer usage. She said she called to wish me a happy new year. She asked about the mixer after thirty seconds. I said I had used it every day. She said that was probably too much. I said it was exactly the right amount. She made a sound that means she has opinions about this and is choosing not to share them, which from Babcia Rose is as close to approval as it gets.

The potato rolls I had been dreaming about led me straight to these — pull-apart pan rolls with Parmesan and ranch tucked into every layer, the kind of thing that belongs on a New Year’s Eve table next to a proper cheese board and a bowl of real French onion dip. The stand mixer made short work of the dough, and watching it work, I thought about what Babcia Rose always said about tools: you only think they’re too much until you actually need them. This is the recipe I landed on, and I’m glad I did.

Prep Time: 25 minutes | Cook Time: 22 minutes | Total Time: 2 hours 15 minutes (includes rise time) | Servings: 15 rolls

Ingredients

1 cup warm water (110°F)
2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast (1 standard packet)
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for kneading
1 packet (1 oz) dry ranch seasoning mix
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 large egg, room temperature
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (for finishing)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley (optional, for topping)

Instructions

Activate the yeast. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine warm water, sugar, and yeast. Stir gently and let sit 5–8 minutes until foamy and fragrant.
Build the dough. Add the egg and softened butter to the yeast mixture. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, ranch seasoning, garlic powder, and salt, then add to the mixer bowl. Using the dough hook, mix on low until the flour is incorporated, then increase to medium and knead for 6–7 minutes until the dough is smooth, elastic, and pulls cleanly from the sides of the bowl.
Add the cheese. With the mixer running on low, add 1/2 cup of the Parmesan and mix until just combined, about 1 minute.
First rise. Shape the dough into a ball and place in a lightly oiled bowl, turning once to coat. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rise in a warm spot for 60–75 minutes, until doubled in size.
Shape the rolls. Punch the dough down and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide into 15 equal pieces (a kitchen scale helps here). Roll each piece into a smooth ball and arrange in a greased 9x13-inch baking pan, spacing them evenly so the rolls are touching.
Second rise. Cover the pan loosely and let the rolls rise for 25–30 minutes, until puffed and crowding together.
Bake. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Bake rolls for 18–22 minutes, until the tops are deep golden brown and the center rolls sound hollow when tapped.
Finish. As soon as the rolls come out of the oven, brush generously with melted butter and scatter the remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan and parsley over the top. Serve warm, pulling apart at the table.

Nutrition (per serving)

Parmesan-Ranch Pan Rolls — The Right Instrument for the Right Moment