Breaking (and baking) bread for Thanksgiving: 5 Recipes for homemade rolls and bread

Nothing says “Please pass the butter” like homemade bread and rolls. When you smell the aroma of baking bread wafting through the house, you might not be able to wait for Thanksgiving dinner!

Whether you choose savory rolls or traditional loaves, bread is a perfect (and delicious) tool to help you sop up the gravy and scoop up the last bits of corn on your dinner plate! From gluten-free to those made in a bread machine, these Thanksgiving recipes for homemade breads and rolls are just what you need to help make Thanksgiving dinner even more special.

Sweet potato biscuits

These are a little out of the ordinary, but they bring a lot of delicious taste and color to the table! Soft and golden in color, these biscuits are the perfect complement to Thanksgiving dinner. This sweet potato biscut recipe is courtesy of Martha Stewart.

Makes 8 biscuits

Ingredients:

• 1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for kneading and shaping
• 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 2-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 6 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, cut into pieces, plus 1/2 tablespoon melted butter and more for the pan
• 3/4 cup sweet potato puree, chilled
• 1/3 cup buttermilk

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and baking soda. With a pastry blender or two knives, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse meal, with some pea-sized lumps of butter remaining.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together sweet potato puree and buttermilk; stir the mixture quickly into the flour mixture until combined, taking care not to over mix.
3. Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface, and knead very gently until the dough comes together but is still slightly lumpy, five or six times. (If the dough is too sticky, work in up to 1/4 cup additional flour.)
4. Shape into a disk, and pat to an even 1-inch thickness. With a floured 2-inch biscuit cutter, cut out biscuits as close together as possible. Gather together scraps, and repeat to cut out more biscuits (do not reuse scraps more than once).
5. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F., with rack on lower shelf. Butter an 8-inch cake pan. Arrange biscuits snugly in pan (to help them stay upright). Brush with melted butter and bake until golden, or about 20 to 24 minutes, rotating them once.

Cheese dill scones

Fresh-made bread, straight from the oven is the best! But if you’re pressed for time, these savory scones can be made and frozen in advance. For Thanksgiving dinner (or whenever you want them), simply reheat them at 350 degrees F. until they’re warm, and serve. This cheese dill scone recipe is courtesy of Sunset.

Makes 8 scones

Ingredients:

• 2 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons dry mustard
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into bits
• 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup (2 ounces) shredded Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup chopped chives
• 1/4 cup chopped dill
• 1/2 cup low-fat milk

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. In a large bowl, combine flour, mustard, baking powder and salt.
2. With your fingers or a fork, work butter into flour mixture until it resembles cornmeal studded with a few pea-size pieces. Stir in the cheeses, chives and dill.
3. Add the milk and stir to combine. Transfer the dough to a floured surface and gently knead two or three times until it all comes together.
4. Pat into a 1-inch-thick disk and cut it into eight triangles. Arrange the triangles about two inches apart on a baking sheet. Bake until golden brown and cooked through, about 20 minutes.

Double quick dinner rolls

There’s no need to knead these dinner rolls! Not only does this cut down on your time preparing the rolls, but it saves you time cleaning up, too! Quick and delicious are two ingredients you definitely want for preparing Thanksgiving dinner! This dinner roll recipe is courtesy of Betty Crocker.

Makes 12 rolls

Ingredients:

• 2-1/4 cups all-purpose or unbleached flour
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 package regular or quick active dry yeast
• 1 cup very warm water (120 degrees F. to 130 degrees F.)
• 2 tablespoons shortening
• 1 egg

Directions:

1. Mix 1-1/4 cups of the flour, the sugar, salt and yeast in large bowl. Add water, shortening and egg and beat with a spoon until smooth. Stir in remaining flour until smooth. Scrape batter from side of the bowl.
2. Cover and let the batter rise in warm place about 30 minutes or until it has doubled in size.
3. Lightly grease 12 regular-size muffin cups. Stir down the batter by beating it for about 25 strokes. Spoon the batter into the muffin cups. Let the batter rise for 20 to 30 minutes or until it rounds over tops of cups.
4. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Bake the rolls for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Honey wheat buttermilk bread (for the bread machine)

If you have a bread machine, you probably appreciate the convenience this valuable kitchen tool offers, especially at Thanksgiving! This is a great traditional bread recipe. Make the dough, allow it to rest and bake when you’re ready! This honey wheat buttermilk bread recipe is courtesy of MedicineNet.

Makes 1 loaf

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 large egg, beaten (egg substitute can be used)
• 1 cup low-fat buttermilk
• 1-1/4 cups whole wheat flour
• 1/4 cup ground flaxseed
• 1-3/4 cups white bread flour (unbleached white or all-purpose flour can be substituted)
• 1-1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
• 3 teaspoons active dry yeast (1 packet can be used)
• 1 teaspoon melted butter or canola oil (optional)
• 1 tablespoon oats (optional)

Directions:

1. Add all the ingredients to the bread machine pan in the order recommended by the manufacturer. The last ingredient added is usually the yeast and you make a well in the center of the flour and then add the yeast.
2. Set bread machine to the dough cycle (usually about 1 hour and 40 minutes) and press start.
3. When the bread machine is done, remove the dough from the pan and add it to a loaf pan coated with non-stick cooking spray. Cover with plastic wrap that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray (so it doesn’t stick to the dough) and place in the refrigerator to rise overnight or while you’re out during the day (or let it rise in a warm place until doubled in size).
4. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Gently brush the top of the bread loaf with melted butter or canola oil, and then sprinkle oats over the top of the rolls if desired.
5. Bake the loaf for about 35 minutes until it is golden brown.

Gluten-free cheese garlic biscuits

Thanksgiving dinner has something for everyone to enjoy! This gluten-free biscuit recipe, courtesy of Gluten Freely, is tasty and only requires about 15 minutes to make! Be sure to read food and food product ingredient labels carefully to ensure they are gluten-free.

Makes 10 biscuits

Ingredients:

• 2 cups Bisquick® Gluten Free mix
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 cup firm butter or margarine
• 2/3 cup milk
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese (about 2 ounces)
• 3 eggs
• 1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 425 degrees F. In a medium bowl, combine Bisquick mix and 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder. Cut in 1/4 cup butter, using a pastry blender or fork, until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs. Stir in milk, cheese and eggs until soft dough forms.
2. Drop dough by the spoonful onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake eight to 10 minutes or until lightly golden brown.
3. Mix 1/4 cup melted butter and 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder together and brush it on the warm biscuits before removing from the cookie sheet. Serve warm.

You can’t have Thanksgiving dinner without bread! Fresh, homemade bread couldn’t be better, and these recipes are so easy that you’ll be able to fix them without a fuss!

More bread and rolls recipes

Basic quick bread recipes
Sweet cinnamon bread
Homemade dinner rolls
Thanksgiving sage bread
Soft corn rolls