Dinner Rolls

Ah, can you smell that?  Well, maybe not yet, but when these are baking in the oven, you will!  That smell of yeast-based bread.  Hmmmm, there’s nothing like it.  Perfect for a special treat or serving company!

This is yet another new recipe originating with my newfound love for Otto’s Cassava Flour. The chemistry of this flour is unlike any grain-free flour substitute I’ve ever used and it has opened up a whole new world of possibilities for Paleo adaptations of my old favorites–even crazy unheard of things like  these perfect yeast-based dinner rolls! Yes, these are  grain-free, gluten-free, seed-free, nut-free, legume-free, coconut-free, refined sugar-free and they can be made dairy-free too!  Cassava flour is better at holding in the air created by yeast than any Paleo flour substitute I’ve ever used.  Oh, and just in case you’re wondering, yes baker’s yeast is Paleo.

Otto’s Cassava Flour is made using the entire cassava root (which is the same thing as yucca, yuca, manioc and tapioca root) minus the peel. Their processing method is to peel, wash, slice, press, bake and then mill. This ensures the potentially toxic cyanide in cassava is totally neutralized. This whole food flour is 80% starch and 7% fiber, which makes it an excellent all purpose flour. Cassava has a low Glycemic Index (46) and a moderate glycemic load (12), and because of its absorptive properties, recipes can typically get away with fairly low flour to liquid ratio, which is great news from a blood sugar regulation perspective.

Cassava flour is not the same things as tapioca flour or tapioca starch, which, while made from the same starchy root, is produced quite differently and is not a whole food. I have heard from other bloggers that other brands of cassava flour do not behave the same in baking, so I definitely recommend making this recipe with Otto’s Cassava Flour.

Both Barefoot Provisions and One Stop Paleo Shop carry Otto’s Cassava Flour.

These rolls have that perfect homemade bread texture.  I think they’re best warm and eaten the same day they’re made, but they work well once cooled completely too and will keep for a couple of days in an airtight container.

Note:  Cassava was originally reported to be a gluten cross-reactor by Cyrex Labs (unpublished, proprietary data), however published research has shown that it is not (see this article or this recent Facebook post). Although it can be a relatively common food intolerance, it is considered an autoimmune protocol-friendly food. While these rolls are grain-free, gluten-free, nut-free, seed-free, coconut-free and can be made entirely dairy-free, they are not AIP-friendly (due to the eggs).  However, I’ve already created an AIP version of these rolls and shared the recipe here.

Prep time: 15 minutes plus 1 hour rising time
Cook time: 20 minutes
Yield: 12 rolls

Ingredients:

• ½ cup warm water (100-110F)
• 1 Tbsp honey
• 1 Tbsp dry active yeast
• 4 eggs
• ¼ cup ghee or unsalted butter or lard, plus another 2 Tbsp, melted for brushing
• 2 ¼ cups Otto’s cassava flour
• 1 tsp salt

Directions:

1. Proof yeast by stirring into warm water with honey.  Let sit for 5 minutes until foamy.
2. Place eggs and ghee in a blender and blend on high for 1 minute, until light and foamy.
3. Combine cassava flour and salt in a mixing bowl.  Pour egg mixture and yeast mixture into the cassava flour.  Work into a stiff dough (if you’re dough doesn’t hold together, add another tablespoon of water; or if you’re dough is too sticky, add another tablespoon or two of cassava flour).
4. Divide dough into 12, and roll each part into a ball (about 2”in diameter).  Line a 9×9” baking pan with parchment paper.  Arrange rolls in baking pan, with about ½” space between them.
5. Place rolls in a warm corner (or if you have a warming/proofing feature on your oven, that’s even better!) and let rise for 1 hour.
6. Preheat oven to 375F.
7. Brush the top of the rolls with melted ghee, butter or lard.
8. Transfer rolls to oven and bake for 20-22 minutes.  
9. These rolls are great warm or room temperature!  Keep rolls in an airtight container on the countertop for up to a couple of days (they will dry out a bit over that time), or freeze for longer storage.  Enjoy!