Dairy-Free, Egg Free, Natural Yeast Dinner Rolls

I've been trying to figure out how to make soft, fluffy dinner rolls from natural yeast for over a year. All the recipes I've found call for milk, eggs and butter which are ingredients I try to avoid for those I know with food allergies. But it seems those were the only things that made the rolls truly light and delicious. Until Now! I experimented with coconut milk and a little extra sweetener. The flavor was perfect but the rolls turned out a little heavy. That's when I decided to try baking them on a cookie sheet instead of a muffin tin. Hallelujah! They turned out perfect! Here's the recipe.

Natural Yeast Dinner Rolls

1 1/2 C water
1 1/2 C coconut milk (I like So Delicious brand)
2 C natural yeast
2 C freshly ground hard white spring wheat
5 C plus 1 C unbleached unbromated white flour
2 teaspoons salt
4 Tablespoons coconut oil
1/2 C honey
2 Tablespoons maple syrup
optional 2 teaspoons baking soda to cut sourdough flavor

In a large mixing bowl or bosch combine the water and coconut milk. Add your natural yeast to the liquid. Then add the wheat flour and 5 cups of the white flour. Mix for a minute or two until ingredients are combined. Let sit for 5 min or so to autolyze.

Add the remaining ingredients including one additional cup of flour. Mix on a medium speed for 8 to 10 min. until the dough is sticky to the touch but not wet and has a good stretch to it. Place dough in a pre-greased large plastic bowl and cover with pre-greased wax paper and a towel. Leave on the counter for 6 to 12 hours depending on the temperature of your home. My home is about 67 degrees right now and the dough takes a full 12 hours to rise.

When the dough is ready divide into three separate sections weighing about 32 oz. each. Each of these sections should make 12 rolls weighing on average 2.5 oz. Knead each section of dough for a minute or two before cutting into smaller sizes for rolls. In the meantime keep the other sections covered.

There is a top and a bottom to your dough. the smooth side of each section is the top. This should be the top of your rolls also after they've been cut. Pull the top side down and tuck underneath forming a nice tight ball. Place each ball on a pre-greased cookie sheet and keep covered. Once all the balls have been formed let rise for one hour. I was able to fit 24 rolls onto a large cookie sheet. With my last section of dough I chose to roll it out and make one loaf of cinnamon raisin bread but you can also make 12 more rolls.

After the rolls have risen for an hour bake at 350 degrees for 20 min or until the reach an internal temperature of 180 degrees. As soon as they come out of the oven brush the tops with melted coconut oil or butter.

Let the rolls cool completely and then cover with a light towel until your ready to eat. Any leftover rolls should be placed in a plastic bag.