INGREDIENTS

Makes 3 dozen.

• 2 packets (1/4 ounce each) active dry yeast
• 1 1/2 cups warm whole milk (115 degrees)
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted, plus more for dipping and brushing
• 6 T sugar
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 6 to 6 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled), plus more for work surface

DIRECTIONS

1. Brush a large bowl with butter; set aside. In a small bowl, sprinkle yeast over ¼ cup milk. Let stand until soft, about 5 minutes. In another large bowl, combine butter, sugar, salt, remaining 1 ¼ cups milk, egg and vanilla. Whisk to combine. Whisk in yeast mixture.
2. Using a wooden spoon, stir in flour, 1 cup at a time, until you have a soft dough. Turn dough out onto a floured work surface; knead until smooth and elastic, 5 to 10 minutes. Butter the inside of a large bowl; place dough in bowl, turning to coat. Cover bowl with plastic wrap; let stand in a warm spot until dough has doubled in size, about 1 1/4 hours.
3. Punch down dough. Cut into 2 pieces. Invert bowl over dough and let rest for 10 minutes. Working with one piece at a time, on a lightly floured surface, pull off a medium meatball-size piece of dough for each roll, forming into a ball with your hands. I use the same method to form each roll the same way I work pizza dough to form a ball.
4. Melt some more butter (about 1 stick). Dip each of the balls of dough into the melted butter and arrange dough balls in baking pans. Allow about ¼ inch of space between rows. Cover pans and let stand in a warm spot until rolls have doubled in size, about 20-30 minutes.
5. Preheat oven to 375 degrees, with racks in upper and lower thirds. Brush rolls with more melted butter. Transfer to oven and bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes, rotating pans back to front and top to bottom halfway through. Let rolls cool 15 minutes before serving.