Description
Vanilla Pan de Mallorca Rolls are soft, sweet, and fluffy Puerto Rican breakfast bread rolls infused with warm vanilla and coated in butter and powdered sugar. These homemade rolls are perfect for enjoying with coffee or making sweet sandwiches, offering a deliciously tender texture and subtly rich flavor.
Ingredients
Scale
Dough Ingredients
- ¾ cup whole milk, warm
- 2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast (1 packet)
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
- ½ teaspoon salt
Topping
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted (for brushing)
- Powdered sugar, for dusting
Instructions
- Activate Yeast: In a small bowl, combine the warm milk, yeast, and a pinch of sugar. Let it sit for 5–10 minutes until the mixture becomes foamy, indicating the yeast is active.
- Mix Dough: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, remaining granulated sugar, melted butter, and vanilla extract. Add the activated yeast mixture and stir until fully combined.
- Add Flour and Salt: Gradually add the flour and salt to the wet ingredients, mixing until a soft dough forms that pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
- Knead Dough: Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 8–10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Alternatively, knead using a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment on medium speed for 5–6 minutes.
- First Rise: Place the dough into a greased bowl, cover with a clean towel or plastic wrap, and let it rise in a warm place for about 1 hour until doubled in size.
- Shape Rolls: Punch down the risen dough and divide it into 8 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a long rope approximately 12 inches long, then coil each rope into a spiral shape.
- Second Rise: Place the shaped rolls on a parchment-lined baking sheet, cover, and allow them to rise again for 30–45 minutes until puffy.
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) during the second rise.
- Brush and Bake: Brush the tops of the rolls with melted butter and bake for 15–18 minutes or until the rolls are lightly golden brown.
- Finish and Serve: Remove the rolls from the oven, brush again with melted butter, and generously dust with powdered sugar. Serve warm or at room temperature for the best flavor.
Notes
- For a sweeter dough, you can add 1–2 tablespoons of honey to the recipe.
- These rolls pair wonderfully with coffee and can also be used as sweet sandwich buns.
- Ensure the milk is warm, not hot, to properly activate the yeast without killing it.
- Use a kitchen towel or plastic wrap to cover the dough while rising to maintain moisture.
