▢3 cups warm water ▢1 tablespoon salt ▢1 tablespoon sugar ▢3 (0.25- ounce) packets active dry yeast ▢½ cup milk ▢2 eggs ▢9-10 cups all-purpose flour, We use about 9½ ▢⅔ cup sugar ▢¼ cup shortening ▢¼ cup butter, melted
In a large bowl, mix water and sugar. Sprinkle yeast over the top and let set for 10 minutes until yeast is foamy. Mix milk, eggs, and salt into yeast mixture using a whisk. In a separate bowl mix flour and sugar. Crumble shortening in and mix until it is barely noticeable.
Mix flour mixture into yeast mixture with a wooden spoon. Using your spoon, mix until dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl and ball forms around the spoon. Towards the end, we like to use our hands and mix by hand until dough is soft and just a little sticky.
Cover bowl with a tea towel and let rise in a warm spot. Cover until dough is doubled in size (about an hour). When dough has risen pour butter over it and knead with hands for 2 minutes. Let dough rest for a few minutes.
Roll dough out onto a floured surface to a 1-inch thickness. Using a pizza cutter, cut into 2-inch squares. Roll squares into balls, smoothing out on top and tucking seams under, and place into TWO greased 11×15 pans about 1 inch apart from each other (we did 5 rows of 4).
Cover with a tea towel and let rise again until dough has doubled in size (45 minutes to an hour). Preheat the oven to 375°F and bake for about 12-15 minutes. Butter the tops when they come out.