Whole Wheat Rolls

5 from 11 votes

This recipe for homemade rolls is made with 100% whole wheat flour and honey and results in soft, tender, incredibly flavorful wheat dinner rolls.

Prep Time20

Cook Time15

Dough Rising2

Total Time2 35

Course: Bread

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Calories: 140kcal

Author: Kristen Chidsey

Ingredients

For Rolls

¾ cup warm water 100-110 degrees F
2 teaspoons active dry yeast
3 tablespoons honey
2 to 2 ¼ cups 100% whole wheat flour
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon vital wheat gluten
1 tsp salt

For Topping

1 tablespoon butter or vegan butter melted
coarse salt

Instructions

Mix together water, yeast and honey, Set aside for minutes, or until the mixture gets creamy and a bit bubbly. If the mixture does not bubble, your water may have been too hot or cold or your yeast was bad and you must start over.
Once the yeast mixture has become foamy, add the oil to the water mixture.
In a separate large bowl, mix together 2 cups of flour, vital wheat gluten, and salt.
Make a well in the flour mixture and pour in the water mixture. Stir together with a wooden spoon or paddle mixer on a stand mixer until dough just comes together and easily pulls away from the edges of the mixing bowl. If you notice if the dough is too sticky, add 1 tablespoon more flour at a time, until the right consistency is reached.
At this point, change the paddle mixer for the dough hook and knead the dough for 5-7 minutes, or until the dough is soft and just pulls away easily from the mixing bowl. Alternatively, knead by hand until the dough is soft but not sticky.
Shape the dough into a ball and place it into an oiled bowl and cover it with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel. Let rise until doubled, about 1 hour.
Once the dough has doubled, turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Shape the dough into a rectangle about ½ inch thick and then cut into 12 equal rectangles. Shape each rectangle into a ball and place each ball into the greased or buttered 7x11 or 9x13 baking dish, evenly spaced apart.
Cover with a kitchen towel and let rise until doubled again, about 60-90 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Bake the risen rolls for 18-20 minutes or until browned and an internal temperature of rolls reads 190 degrees. Check on the rolls after 12 minutes of baking, and loosely cover with foil if browning too quickly.
Remove rolls from oven and place pan on wire cooling rack. Let cool for 5 minutes and then brush with melted butter and sprinkle with coarse salt if desired.

Video

Notes

Flour: Measure the flour by scooping your flour out into the measuring cup with a spoon instead of scooping the flour out directly with the measuring cup.

Water: Be sure the water is between 100-110 degrees F. Too cold the yeast will not activate, and too warm the yeast will be killed.

Storage: These rolls will keep for 2 days at room temperature, up to 5 days in the fridge, and up to 1 month in the freezer.

Bread Machine Directions: Add the warm water, followed by the oil, honey, flour, salt, and wheat gluten to the bread pan fitted in the bread machine. Make a well in the ingredients and add in the yeast. Set to the dough setting. Once the cycle is complete, shape the dough into a rectangle and cut it into 12 rolls. Allow the rolls to rise for the 2nd time and then bake according to the recipe.

Freezing Rolls: Prepare up to shaping into rolls. Once shaped, freeze on a sheet pan until frozen solid. Then place your frozen rolls into a freezer-safe bag and freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to eat, remove the rolls from the freezer. Place on a baking sheet and cover with a plastic wrap or a kitchen towel and allow to thaw and rise until double in size before baking--this will take 5-8 hours.

Nutritional information is without the addition of melted butter.

Nutrition