Buzz
Welcome to The Cheater's Guide to Thanksgiving. While many tips exist for those crafting homemade desserts and artisan loaves, The Cheater's Guide is for those seeking shortcuts—even from unconventional sources. Some may call it 'cheating' (as if that's a bad thing), but there's no shame in leveraging modern conveniences and supermarket solutions to help you create an unforgettable traditional meal—with much less work.
There's no need to bake bread from scratch for Thanksgiving dinner. You're already juggling plenty of tasks, and unless you're an experienced bread-baker, making fresh loaves or rolls can be a gamble. Rise times are unpredictable, shaping takes practice, and after all the effort, bread can still fail to turn out right. Thankfully, you can purchase bread in various stages of readiness—fully baked, partially baked, or frozen dough ready for the oven—at the grocery store. No matter which option you choose, here are simple ways to get them ready for the holiday table.
Add a butter glaze to your fully baked rolls
There are many good-quality rolls on the market. I'm particularly fond of King’s Hawaiian rolls—those little buns are irresistible. If you can't find them, any soft small buns, often labeled as slider buns, will do just fine. Since these rolls are already baked, the only things that can make them better are warmth to soften the fats in the dough and a generous spread of salty butter.
Unwrap your rolls and arrange them in a buttered casserole dish, making sure they fit snugly. If your casserole dish is too large, create a smaller space using foil. Melt a few tablespoons of salted butter in the microwave or on the stove, and brush the buns generously with the butter. Coat them thoroughly so the tops shine, then sprinkle with flaky salt. Bake them in a 350°F oven for five to seven minutes to warm through. After removing from the oven, let them cool slightly. If the rolls aren’t already separated, tear them into individual pieces. Arrange the rolls in a bread basket and cover loosely with a tea towel before serving.
Crisp and brown par-baked bread
Par-baked bread is a common arrival at grocery stores from larger commissary bakeries. This bread is almost fully baked—about 90% done—but taken out of the oven before the crust fully develops, leaving it pale and soft despite being fully risen with beautiful open score marks.
The purpose of this technique is so stores can receive bread that's nearly ready, freeze it, and then finish baking it in the oven without over-browning or burning the crust. You can ask your local bakery for par-baked bread, but many loaves at stores like ShopRite are already sold this way. This method is typically used for larger loaves, such as sourdough, olive batards, or farmhouse boules, though you may occasionally find par-baked rolls as well.
To finish baking your bread at home, preheat your oven to 400°F. Place the dinner rolls directly onto a baking sheet—no need to line it. Slide the sheet into the hot oven and let the bread crisp for 10 to 20 minutes, depending on how brown you prefer it. For a flavorful twist, I like to brush a salty water solution over my bread for a savory crust. To make it, dissolve a teaspoon of salt in a quarter cup of hot water. Use a pastry brush to apply the solution to the crust, then bake as instructed. The water will evaporate, leaving behind a thin, salty coating. Slice the bread and serve in a bread basket with soft, salted butter.
Proof and perfect frozen dough
If you explore the freezer section—or sometimes the standalone freezers in the aisles—you might find raw dough that’s already braided or shaped into neat loaves. These are similar to pizza dough, but they don’t need any shaping and are ready to bake. I often spot pre-braided challah loaves in aluminum tins at my local store, complete with instructions on how to thaw, proof, and bake them.
This type of bread is perfect for a sit-down dinner, like Thanksgiving, because it gives you the delightful experience of freshly baked bread aroma, which you miss with other types of store-bought bread.
Typically, you'll follow the instructions on the bread packaging. It should guide you through the second proof and indicate when the dough is ready to bake. After thawing, the dough usually needs 30 to 45 minutes at room temperature to proof. For soft breads like challah or brioche, brush the top with an egg wash just before baking. This will create a beautiful, shiny brown finish. Once baked, let the bread cool completely before slicing with a serrated knife.
