It is with a heavy heart, but many happy memories, that I share this recipe for Sam’s Homemade Hot Rolls.
Sam Cross, my father, passed away in March, but the love and kindness he gave to everyone that knew him, will live on forever. Sam’s Homemade Hot Rolls are a part of his legacy.
This recipe was one that my dad made for years. He was famous for his fried chicken and hot rolls. He made these rolls for any family dinner or special occasion. The recipe was given to him in the early 1960’s from an elderly lady that had a farm down the road from his.
I have eaten these rolls for so many years, but never attempted to make them myself. I am NOT a bread maker!
Last July, dad was diagnosed with mesothelioma, and given a poor diagnosis.
One weekend a lot of our family was there to visit and even that day, he made the rolls.
My beautiful niece, Rebekah, asked him to teach her how to make these rolls.
I loved watching him give her instructions and sharing special tips. I don’t think there was a dry eye in the house. The aroma of the rolls baking was amazing. We all ate at least 3 smothered in butter and homemade jam.
On a visit in early March, dad got out of bed at 5:45 a.m. the day we were coming, and fixed fried chicken, as well as his famous hot rolls for us. Rachel fixed a potato casserole and baked a delicious cake.
We enjoyed the visit and the food so much. We all knew how tired he was after doing that, but it meant everything to him to be able to do it. I did get his recipe on this visit. This was the last time I saw him alive. He passed away 3 weeks later.
I am sharing Sam’s Homemade Hot Rolls recipe as a tribute to him and to carry on this family specialty.
Here are some pictures of my attempt to make them.
Still need some practice!
I know that our family has many wonderful memories of enjoying these special hot rolls and wanted to share his recipe with everyone. Love to all.
This post was shared on Week-end Potluck party
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Ingredients
- 2 (1/4 oz) packages Fleishmann’s Active Dry Yeast
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1/2 cup warm water (110 degrees)
- 6 cups all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 Tablespoon salt
- 1 heaping Tablespoon Crisco shortening
- 2 1/2 cups warm water (120 degrees)
- Flour to sprinkle on surface
- Butter
Instructions
- In a small measuring cup, dissolve the yeast and sugar in the water; set aside.
- Sift together the flour, sugar, and salt into a large mixing bowl. Cut in the Crisco,using a pastry cutter or fork. Using an electric stand mixer, with dough attachment, beat in the yeast, gradually adding the remaining warm water. Beat about 2 minutes on medium speed, or until all ingredients are combined. Dough will form a ball.
- Sprinkle flour lightly onto a flat surface. Knead dough until smooth and elastic, about 6 minutes.
- Spray a large mixing bowl with no stick cooking spray. Place the dough into bowl, cover with a kitchen towel and place in warm area to rise. Allow to rise about 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or until double in size.
- Knead dough again on lightly floured surface. Divide dough and shape into balls, by pinching off pieces of dough to form balls. Arrange the rolls side by side in baking pans that have been sprayed with no stick cooking spray. We used glass baking dishes instead of metal or aluminum. Cover with kitchen towel and set in a warm area to rise. Allow to rise about 2 hours. (This time will depend on how warm the room is. On cooler days, the rise time may need to be increased.)
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Bake about 20-25 minutes, or until rolls are brown on top and center is done.
- Remove from oven to a cooling rack. Spread butter over tops of rolls. Cover with parchment paper and then a kitchen towel. Serve warm.
- Makes 24 rolls or would make 2 loaves of bread.
Ok I’m bawling. This is priceless
Oh I KNOW! I was crying while writing it and every time I had to work on it. It wasn’t enough but I could not say anymore.
I absolutely love this blog post! It sure takes me back to the many memories of recipes and cooking with my most favorite grandma and it is these memories what made me enjoy cooking and baking today. I will be sure to make these soon in memory of your Dad!
That’s so sweet Amber. Thank you. Many great memories made in the kitchen with people we love.
It was a perfect day for him. He wasn’t even thinking of his illness that day. He was just happy! Thanks, Pam, for making this so special for all the family. His rolls were so delicious!
It was a perfect day for him. He wasn’t even thinking of his illness that day. He was just happy! Thanks, Pam, for making this so special for all the family. His rolls were so delicious!
I agree. We will keep his recipe being passed along. Love you.
YUM! I can just smell ’em! My aunt used to make the best ones, so yummy! Shared your post x 4 ♥
Thank you for sharing this, it means a lot.
Looking at these rolls I can smell them baking. How wonderful that your Dad gave you the recipe. My great-grandmother made the most wonderful brown bread and none of us got the recipe. We have all tried to replicate her recipe to no avail. I am not a bread maker myself but I want to try these rolls.
I know what you mean…so many recipes that I never got from my mother! We just never think these people will be gone. Thank you for your kind words.
This is such a beautiful post. So much emotion and such a nice tribute to your Dad and his special baking talent. The recipes that are handed down like this are true treasures and should be treated as such. I am adding this recipe to my “to bake” list and when I do make them, I will raise one to Mr. Cross and enjoy it in his memory. Thank you for sharing … I’m sure it must have been very difficult. Hugs to you, my friend.
Oh Jannine..you are such a good friend & a caring person. I know that you deal with a lot of emotion things too. Love ya & thank you.
These look so delicious and I love the story behind it. TFS!
Thank you Amy.
Thank you so much for sharing this beautiful post, tribute and wonderful recipe with all of us at Weekend Potluck, Pamela.
Thank you Mary.
Oh, such a sweet, but heartbreaking story. Our parents leave us such legacies! I’ll remember you & your family in prayer, sweet Mary. Hugs across the miles!
Thank you very much Kathy. I only hope that I leave a good legacy for my children and grandchildren,
Thank you for sharing this beautiful story & memory of your Dad. I shall think of him when I make these rolls and the beautiful gift of love he shared with his family.
Awww thank you! What kind comments.
I teared up reading your beautiful post and seeing the pictures of your dad teaching your niece how to make the rolls. These look just like the rolls they used to serve in our high school cafeteria. I have been looking for a recipe like this for 40 years! I can’t wait to make them!
Thank you Diane..you are so sweet. He would have been humbled but so proud that people were giving such nice comments.
Sorry about the passing of your father but love the memories that you now have of him. I am currently making these now with my 3 kids helping me. We cannot wait to taste them. Thank you for sharing.
Oh my gosh! You are so sweet. Thank you for your kind words and for making these! I love it that your kids are helping you. The best memories ever are the ones we make in the kitchen with our children & grandchildren. Good luck & please let me know how they turn out. Some other people have made them and their pictures were so munch better than my own attempt at them. HAHA
Making these for the second time! They are so good! Would show you a picture if I could attach it here.
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! That is so sweet. I guess we can’t add pictures on the comments. Here is my Facebook page if you can put it on here…I never know how to do all of these things!! https://www.facebook.com/grandmahoneyshouse/
Thank you for sharing this recipe. My best friend’s mother use to make them and I’ve been looking for this recipe. They look exactly like hers. I am sorry for your loss.
Thank you so much. Hope the rolls turn out good for you.
Thank you so much for sharing such a precious memory. I plan to make these for Thanks giving and to share your story with my family.
Thank you very much. I’m going to attempt to make them for Thanksgiving myself! LOL This is the first year without him and those special rolls.
SUCH A BEAUTIFUL TRIBUTE TO YOUR FATHER HONEY…I AM DEFINITELY GOING TO TRY MY HAND AT MAKING ROLLS USING THIS RECIPE…THANK YOU FOR SHARING…THEY LOOK SO GOOD THAT I WOULD LOVE HIS CHICKEN RECIPE TO GO WITH THEM TO HONOR HIM AND YOUR FAMILIES BEAUTIFUL MEMORIES OF HIM
I’M SO SORRY FOR YOUR LOSS HONEY AND MAY HE REST IN ETERNAL PEACE WHILE SMILING DOWN ON YOU FOR KEEPING HIS MEMORY ALIVE IN SUCH A BEAUTIFUL AND TOUCHING WAY….GOD BLESS YOU ALL <3
Thank you Lori. You are very kind. I have never been a bread maker myself, but am going to give these a try for Thanksgiving. I did make them once this summer and they tasted good but sure did not look pretty! I am trying to find his recipe card file that had other recipes in it. I will share the chicken when I get it. Thank you
THANK YOU SWEETHEART, I HOPE YOU AND YOUR FAMILY HAVE A WONDERFUL THANKSGIVING AND A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS <3 <3 <3
I absolutely love how you celebrated your dad here. I hope you will consider having a chair at the table for him. He’s an angel among us. ❤️
What a wonderful way to think of it Lisa. Thank you.
What a loving tribute to your Dad. I’m so sorry to hear about your loss, but was glad to see your family got the recipe. It was comforting to me after my Mom passed to fix her beef stew recipe.
These rolls look beautiful and I’ll be thinking of you and your Dad when I fix them. Thank you!!
Thank you so much, Vicky. You are so kind. I can only imagine how good your mother’s beef stew recipe must be too.
My deepest sympathies for your family’s loss. From your post he will be sorely missed.
The roll recipe will live on and looks delicious. I DO bread though I used to be yeast phobic. Once I learned how to do a decent pizza crust I was off and running. I LOVE making cinnamon rolls too!
Thank you for your kind words. Oh I wish I could make good bread & pizza crust. My husband loves homemade pizza. I always seem to have good luck with the recipe from Pioneer Woman on cinnamon rolls. Now that you brought that up…I need to make some!!!
Sorry for your loss. I have been looking for a bread recipe like the one my best friends mom use to make. This look just like her bread. Thank you for sharing this recipe. I am looking forward to making this over the weekend. I have a question, if you make it as a loaf, how long would you bake the loaf?
Aww thank you. You are so sweet! I am terrible because I am not a very good bread baker. Several people told me they baked the recipe as loaves and they got 2 loaves. They baked them about 30-40 minutes. I looked again at the original recipe the lady gave my dad and it says recipe will make 2 loaves. How she did it was 400 degrees for 15 minutes, then 350 degrees for 10 minutes. That’s different isn’t it? I bet it does work though. Please let me know what you try and how it works. Thank you.