You won’t believe these rolls are 100% whole wheat – and just plain old regular whole wheat at that. It’s the eggs and butter and honey that make these a so-good-you-can’t-eat-just-one type of rolls. They are light and fluffy and almost don’t need any butter – but go ahead anyway.
And if you bring (or serve) these rolls to any dinner, holiday or otherwise, rest assured people will be begging asking you for the recipe.
And they’re easy, too. Don’t believe me?
I’ll show you all the steps, including what the dough should look like so you can see that it’s all true.
OK, the first step doesn’t have a picture, but I’ll let you imagine: dissolve 2Tb. of yeast in 1/2 cup of warm water. Just measure out the water in a glass measuring cup (use warm tap water), add the yeast and stir it in with a whisk, and set it aside.
Then, put 1/2 cup of softened butter (no substitutes, please- now is not the time!) in the bowl of a stand mixer, add 1/4 cup of honey and cream them together with the paddle attachment.
Add 3 eggs and beat, scraping the butter from the sides. Add 1 cup of warm buttermilk (or milk) and the yeast mixture.
It will not be smooth, as this picture shows- it’s OK to see lumps of butter floating around.
Add 4-1/2 cups whole wheat flour and 1-1/2 teaspoons salt (trust me, you don’t want to leave the salt out- I speak from experience), and mix well.
Change to the dough hook and knead for only a couple of minutes- we’re just trying to loose the extreme stickiness here, not really to develop gluten. Add a couple more tablespoons of flour, if needed.
This was hard to photograph, but a finger touched on the surface should not come away with any dough on it, even though the dough looks sticky. The dough is still sticking to the bowl (good), but not to my finger, so it’s ready to rise.
Just leave it in the mixing bowl, cover it with a towel and let sit at room temperature for an hour.
As you can see here, it has risen some, but is not really “doubled” but it’s OK- it always looks like this for me. They rise more in the pan.
Turn the dough out onto a floured surface (I always use a clean towel for easy clean-up and less need for flour) and knead with hands a few times, then cover it with 1/2 the towel and let rest for 3 minutes.
Meanwhile, pull out a 13×9-inch pan and butter it generously on the bottom and sides.
The dough needs to be divided into 24 even (or as close as you can get) pieces. I flatten it out into a rectangle shape and use a knife to cut it into 24 pieces.
As you can tell, the middle pieces are bigger than the corner ones, so I just cut some off the middle pieces and add them to the corners.
Again this is just how I do it. There could be some great math-and-science way of doing this, but I just eyeball things. I’d love to know if there are other methods out there (other than weighing each piece- that’s a little too much for me!).
Here’s how I learned to shape dinner rolls when I volunteered at my kid’s summer camp: with your left hand (if you’re right-handed) make a circle shape with the thumb and fingers then take the dough in your right hand and push it up through the circle, pushing up in the middle of the dough to form a rounded top.
Whew- that’s hard to explain- thank goodness for pictures!
Then turn the dough ball over and pinch the ends in together. Place the seam side down in the buttered dish- four balls across and six down.
They should be touching in the pan in order to make all the soft sides (the center ones are my favorites…).
Cover (I shake off the towel I used to shape them, then cover with that), and let rise for another hour. Set the timer for 45 minutes, though, so you can turn the oven on to 350 degrees to preheat for the last 15 minutes of the rising time.
This is what they will look like after 1 hour of rising. They are not spilling over the pan, but all the sides are touching now.
Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown. I rotate them after 10 minutes for even browning.
Brush the tops with softened butter when they come out of the oven.
Just do it. You’ll be glad you did.
As soon as they are just warm, pull them out of the pan and pull apart to serve.
Look at that texture- no heavy whole wheat rolls here! These are so good, please give them a try…
Soft 100% Whole Wheat Dinner Rolls
Makes 24
- 2 Tb. dry yeast
- 1/2 c. warm water
- 1/2 c. butter, softened
- 1/4 c. honey
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup buttermilk or milk
- 4-1/2-5 cups whole wheat flour
- 1-1/2 tsp. salt
- Dissolve the yeast in the 1/2 cup warm water in a glass measure. Set aside.
- Cream the butter and honey in the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Add the eggs and mix, scraping the sides. Add the milk and yeast mixture.
- Add 4-1/2 cups of flour and the salt, mixing until combined. Change to dough hook and knead for 2-3 minutes only, just until no longer tacky, adding a tablespoon or two of flour, if needed.
- Let sit in bowl, covered, to rise for one hour. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead a couple of times, then let rest 3 minutes.
- Divide into 24 equal pieces, shaping each into a ball and placing in a buttered 13×9-inch baking dish with the pieces touching.
- Let rise, covered for 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.
-Jami
I believe a cottage can be anywhere or anything (condo, ranch, farmhouse) as long as you have a "cottage mentality" which puts people above things, celebrates imperfections, embraces simplicity, and finds joy in everyday life. Thanks for joining me!
These look delicious! Thanks for the recipe. My family requested Pumpkin rolls for Thanksgiving (from Tammy’s Recipes) but I will definitely try these for Christmas (or sooner!). Thank you for your great blog.
Did you use regular unbleached flour or bread flour? I get confused on when to use which flour!
These look fantastic, and you certainly came out with perfectly formed rolls, a challenge of mine.
I would like to reach in and eat one…
Anon-
These rolls use regular WHOLE wheat flour- not bread flour (which you could use, but it’s more expensive and they don’t need it), and not unbleached (which is just white flour without the bleaching process). You want the brown, 100% whole wheat flour.
Good luck!
I just dug this out of your archives on the hunt for a whole wheat roll recipe I could freeze. Have you ever tried freezing this? How would you suggest I do it? My husband loves bread but is trying to cut back on carbs, so I was hoping to thaw just a few rolls at a time, but I’ve never frozen bread before. Thanks!
Laura- They freeze beautifully! I just put them in ziplock freezer bags and have eaten them months later with no problems. You might want to package them up as you want to eat (say 4 to a package), then you won’t disturb the others.
And I’ve never really had any bread that didn’t freeze well- I freeze all our bread that we’re not eating and when it thaws is actually fresh tasting.
Oh, that’s great! Other recipes were telling me to “partially” bake them and then freeze them, but if DH had to wait for me to finish baking rolls before he dug into his soup, he’d be sneaking pieces of white bread! I’ll definitely be trying this recipe next week. Thanks so much for your advice! I really appreciate how you help along those of us who are, ahem, less accomplished homemakers….
Laura- You’re welcome! I’m happy to share.
I know youtalked about freezing after you baked them but could you freeze the dough? I would love to know how to do thaat. Our freezer is small. I use to buy the frozen dough but would rather make mine:0
Dna- I’ve never frozen the dough, but I’m sure it could be done. Here’s a good article about freezing dough using any recipe you want:
http://www.ehow.com/how_4554726_freeze-own-bread-dough.html
Good Luck!
Just wanted to say thanks for the tips about using a floured towel, cutting equal portions with a knife, and how to shape each roll – I’ve never had mine turn out so beautifully!!! Plus, I’m usually unenthusiastic about the dough/flour mess on my counters, but the towel method is awesome! Double batches for my family of seven. Yum!~
Oh, good Rebekah- thanks for letting me know! I never know how much info is too much.
Jami, I say the more the merrier
I had perfect rolls again last night and really, it’s your little tips that have made the difference . . . I wasn’t squishing my rolls close enough or able to get a smooth finished top on them. Sounds like little things, but I wish I had a picture to show you the blobby messes they were 
And again, the floured towel thing is a revelation! (no more scraping up dried dough off the counter with a spatula)
hi jami, i went to look at your updated bun recipe and this caught my eye. i will try this recipe soon, it’s a staple around here. thanks for sharing!
A very nice recipe. I made a half batch of these today, and they came out great–thank you!
Jami, I made these for a congregation meal last week and were they ever beeautiful! A lady said to me, “Those rolls you made – there are NO WORDS! Except – BUTTER!” And these were not even close to being warm. I’ve made good rolls before, with white flour, and I’ve got a really good recipe for a loaf with my freshly ground flour, but never in my wildest dreams did I ever think I’d find a recipe for rolls like that, with whole wheat flour!! Now I’m wondering if that recipe would make a good loaf as well. I don’t know a reason why not, do you?
And just like some others have mentioned, I loved the floured towel tip and how to cut the rolls and shape them. MY rolls were PERFECT! All the same size! And buttered on top! I’ve been thinking of them ever since, and when I can make them again. I’m planning to make them for my Mom’s birthday tomorrow; she always loves when I bring her some home-baked bread, but she’ll flip over these! Thank you so much. I love having great recipes like this one so I can make wonderful food for people I love.
Naomi- I’m so glad they went over well for you- thanks for letting me know, I LOVE it when someone has success with a recipe.
Hi,
I am like Naomi – have you tried it in a loaf form yet? Sounds great!
Thanks and looooove your blog!
Steph
Looks great! How far out do you make your rolls? Do you make them the day of or ahead of time? Did I read that correctly?-2 Tablespoons of yeast? That is more than two packets. I have the instant yeast. Is that what you use?
LOVE your blog.
Susan
I will be bringing these to our family Thanksgiving feast. Thanks for reposting in time for the holiday!!! They are exactly what I was looking for, and will be PERFECT to make tiny sandwiches for the roadtrip back home!
Susan- I usually make them a day ahead and reheat them (wrapped in foil) right before the meal. Sometimes I make them weeks ahead and freeze them and they are good too. Two packets will work fine- A packet usually holds a scant tablespoon (meaning just under). Yeah, it’s a lot of yeast- probably why they are so light even with the whole wheat.
And I use instant yeast, too. Technically you probably don’t have to “proof” it in the water first, but it doesn’t hurt it and I’ve never been willing to mess with the original!
Stephanie- Then we’ll both be eating these at Thanksgiving!!
Jami:
I just tried your recipe. I was preparing to make a different batch and had used 3 tsp of yeast and ground my whole wheat berries just before making the rolls but they looked heavy so I added 40% bread flour. Not only did they turn out fluffy but had a hearty crunch as well. Thank you for an easy tutorial and excellent product. We are having the rest of them for lunches with sliced turkey and pepperjack and have enough to share with our co-workers tomorrow. It’ll make a quick lunch as we’re moving offices and dont have time to take a lunch. Thank you so much.
Rebecca, North of Seattle.
These look so good, I can’t wait to try them!
hi. I have bookmarked this recipe for months now and I am only trying it today. I have both red star quick-rise instant dry yeast and active dry yeast. Which one should I use? I read that you used instant dry yeast. Is this the same with the quick rise instant dry yeast? Thanks in advance.
Chermaine
Actually, both should work fine, because the yeast is dissolved first. I use instant because that’s what I get in bulk and it works in traditional applications like this or being added to dry ingredients.
Oh, and instant is the same as quick-rise from what I’ve read.
Hope you like them- and hope I’m not too late with this response!
OMG!!! This is the best recipe ever! I have made other recipes that I got online and none of them comes close to this. It’s super fluffy and tender. I tweaked a little and added a tablespoon of vital wheat gluten. Thanks for this recipe. this is a keeper!!!!
Chermaine
best whole wheat rolls (or any kind of rolls) i’ve ever made, or eaten!! thanks for the recipe! my family loved agreed! i don’t know what it is, but this recipe turned out so light and soft… didn’t seem like 100% whole wheat!
So happy they turned out for you like mine- and I’m always amazed by them too, even after all these years! They really are soft and lovely.
I am trying to find a recipe for soft whole wheat bread and was wondering if you’ve ever tried this in loaf form? Also, have you tried it with both kind of milks and it turns out good both ways? Does the buttermilk give it a sour taste?
No, Veronica, I’ve never tried this as a loaf – with the butter and eggs, it’s a pretty rich bread.
And yes, I’ve used both regular milk and buttermilk – I’ve actually not noticed a difference (I never taste any sour when using buttermilk, actually), even though I’ve read that buttermilk makes things more tender. 
Will these still turn out right if you don’t have a standing mixer, paddle attachment, or a dough hook?
Thanks,
Brenda
I’ve never made them any other way – but that’s mainly because I’m lazy and don’t want to hand-knead.
That’s the way our grandmothers did, though, so I would assume you can and they will turn out! 
I make these without a standup mixer and do it by hand – they turn out great.
That’s good to know – thanks!
Hi Sherbear,
I don’t have a standup mixer and was wondering how many times you knead the dough or to what consistency you knead it.
Thanks!
Thank you for posting these rolls. I can not make whole wheat bread and I really just gave up. I saw your recipe today and decided to try one last time. Let me tell you that you were right. These are the best. So light and fluffy. I made 12 rolls and 1 loaf of bread out of one recipe.
Thank you!!!!
So glad you liked it, Carla! I’ve never tried making a loaf from it – I’ll have to remember that when I’d like a soft, rich loaf.
I am thrilled to have found this recipe that uses 100% WHOLE WHEAT flour. We all know that “enriched” is NOT as good for us as whole grains. Most of what I find in the grocery store either has “enriched” flour or white flour as the main ingredients for wheat bread. Yuck. So, I’m excited to make these. They look so soft and delicious!
Hi Jami-
Do you think these would work with freshly ground whole wheat flour and using a bread machine? Can’t wait to try them!
I don’t see why not – they’d probably be just as awesome! Though I haven’t used a bread machine and these really don’t take much kneading, I would think mixing and doing a bit of kneading in the machine would be similar to the mixer I use. Hope you enjoy them!
I entered your recipe in our County Fair. I made rolls and and 2 loaves of Bread. Won 4 1st place and qualified for our state fair competition. I am going to enter. The competition is next weekend. I will let you know how I do if you would like for me to.
Again, thanks for posting.
Carla
Wow, Carla, this is awesome! You’re the first person to tell me something like this – how fun.
Yes, do please let me know how they do at the state fair! Btw, what state are you in? Most state fairs I’ve heard about in the west are usually held the end of August – is yours usually in September after the kids have gone back to school?
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I live in Tecumseh, Oklahoma. Hope you don’t mind the pictures that I have sent you.Our county fair has always been in September. Our State starts today. I am really excited. I qualified last year. Won 2nd in the State last year. But, I know I have a really good chance with your recipe. so, wish me luck. Again,hope you don’t mind the pictures I sent you. I love your web-site, please, keep posting.
Carla
Oh, I see my pictures did not post. Just let me know if you would like to see I will try to send again.
Can you attach them to an email and send them that way? My info is on the contact page – it would be fun to see them!
I sent the picture’s on your facebook. Hope you enjoy.
Have a great weekend.
Carla
Jami, you are my hero- these are AWESOME and I’m going to make them for Thanksgiving! I’ve been searching for an awesome bread recipe, and this is SO EASY!! During my rise stages, I put my dough outside (it was in the high-80′s or low-90′s). It rose perfectly in the heat! Also, I used 3 packets of Red Star instant/fast yeast- i think that is about 2T + 3/4t. It was just easier than trying to measure from the packets into a spoon.
Thank you so much for this Godsend recipe! I can’t wait for tomorrow when I slather it in nutella!
Ya-hoo – you’re welcome! And your comment made smile, ’cause that’s pretty much how I felt when I found the original recipe all those years ago – so I’m HAPPY to share.
YOU DID IT! You created 100% whole wheat dinner rolls that are actually fluffy! I can’t tell you how many recipes I’ve tried. All dense and not fluffy. People, these are fluffy. Like the fluffiest I’ve ever had, including the ones made with white flour. I’m going to use spelt next time! Thank you so so much for this amazing recipe. I will never try another dinner roll recipe again.
Thank goodness for Pinterest! After 20+ years of housewifery, I have a favorite bread recipe, favorite chocolate cookie recipe, favorite sugar cookie recipe… but I never found THE roll recipe until now. Thanks for providing such a great one! I just tasted my first one and it was delicious. This recipe is a “keeper” for sure and will be made for many Sunday dinners.
What did we do before Pinterest? I’ve already forgotten…
I found this recipe just in time, Canadian thanksgiving is tomorrow and these are coming along. My husband came into the kitchen and asked me what they were for, he was very sad that he had to wait till tomorrow, lol.
YUMMY!!!
We did a quality test
Hi Jami,
I found your 100% Whole Wheat Dinner Rolls on Pinterest! I made these for my family today! They loved them! I followed the recipe exactly! They were great! My 7 year old grandson requested them for next Sunday. Thank you so much for sharing your recipe. These rolls are the BEST!
Yeah!!
Hello Jami!
I made these a few days ago and they were SO delicious! My hubby loved them too!
I was also wondering how to make it into a loaf because its just SO good! Do you know howling I would have to bake it for?
Thanks a bunch!
Zoya
You know, I never have baked as a loaf, but a reader above wrote that she did and that it’s good that way too. I’m assuming it would take what other loaves take – usually 30 to 45 minutes until browned and hollow sounding when tapped on the bottom. Give it a try!
*how long
Great, thanks!
Public service announcement – do NOT accidentally double the honey in this recipe – lol! Oh goodness. I couldn’t figure out why my dough was so wet. Eventually I got it to an okay consistency, went through all the steps, and baked them. Gorgeous and the smell was divine! Came back later and all the center rolls were deflating. Uh oh! We ate some of the outside ones (which were heavy but tasty), but the others had to be tossed because they were so thick and doughy. I’m a fairly practiced baker so I was so embarrassed. After dinner I sat down to reread the recipe and realized my error. I had half a cup of honey. Trying to do too much at once will do that to you:). I’m going to try again with the correct ingredients because I can imagine these are incredible when made correctly. What a day:)
Goodness! I never knew…
I have had many mishaps like that, though – always when I try to multitask. Most recent was too many eggs in cookies, sigh.
Thank you Tiffany. I was wondering what I did wrong. I did the same thing. Darn it. I’ll have to make another batch.
As a bead lover but not a bread baker…..I do not have a fancy Kitchen Aid mixer with attachments. Could I use my hands for these steps or does it just work better with the actual tools?
Since they don’t require a lot of kneading, Liz, I think they should work fine if made by hand. I’m just lazy
I found this recipe via pinterest and thought they looked delish. I made them today and they turned out perfectly! I even got uniform size and shape thanks to your wonderful explanations and pictures. We had them for lunch with home made chicken noodle soup and they were a hit. Thanks so much. I’ll definately be making these again and again.
So glad, Cheryl- you made my day- thanks for letting me know!
I am absolutely in love with these rolls! They are seriously the best whole wheat rolls I have ever found! Recently, I made these rolls and stuffed them with sausages for a make-ahead breakfast. Would you mind if I link to your blog for the roll recipe and then show what I did with it on my blog? Pretty please? I really am obsessed with these things!
Of course, Heather! I’m looking forward to seeing what you did – it sounds like a great idea.
Thank you so much! Check it out! http://greeneggsandgoats.blogspot.com/2012/10/sister-heathers-whole-wheat-sausage.html
I have been making your whole wheat sandwich bread for well over a month now and my family won’t eat store bread again! I am anxious to make the rolls but wanted to know if there is a good substitute for the milk as my oldest has severe milk allergies. Thanks!
When milk is called for in bread recipes, it’s to make a more tender crumb and soft breads usually benefit from the addition of milk (at least that’s my understanding…). That said, you can substitute water and see if that works for your family, Melissa – maybe you can let us know if they’re still as soft so others who can’t have milk will know it’s ok or not to use water? That would be great.
Just posted about wheat bread myself! And just pinned these so I can remember to try them. They sound and look amazing! WOW! Great rise and puff on a 100% W-W roll!
I made the rolls tonight…sooo delicious!!!! I just substituted water in place of milk and the rolls are still very fluffy and moist
hope this helps anyone else who can’t use milk!
Wow- great to know, Melissa! Thanks for updating us.
I am determined as a non-baker to perfect these rolls, my first attemp turned out a little like bicuits. I was waondering if you could reccomend a brand (or 2) of whole wheat flour? I think I may have chosen a course ground flour that left my “rolls” too heavy. Or maybe it is my baking abilities…regardless, I would like to try again based on the awesome reviews!
that is wondering….
King Arthur is the best whole wheat.
My non-baking sister has had a fail with this recipe, too, and the only thing I can think of is that there was too much flour added – the dough should still be a bit sticky and need the towel (or surface) to be floured. As for flour types, many folks find that whole wheat WHITE flour is lighter and their yeast products turn out better. While I can use regular ww flour and these always turn out, you might want to try the ww white flour to get them to work for you. Here’s hoping you get a good batch the next time!
Thankyou Jami! You are probably right about too much flour. I think I will try one more time with the ww flour Deb suggested (thanks Deb). Hopefully attempt #2 will equal success. Thanks again for the input.
Hi Jami, At 57 I have never made any kind of yeast bread products. Thanks to you for this wonderful recipe and greatly detailed tutorial, and Pinterest (which has brought out my inner-cook/dhef and out of hibernation for the past 20 years). Now, I and my siblings are all preparing Thanksgiving dinner and taking to our parents’ home as they are unable to travel or cook much anymore. I cannot wait to see how this turns out. Without a stand up mixer and having never made rolls before, I am anxious to try this great recipe .I will let you know. Happy Thanksgiving
P.S. Do you know if there is any adjustments to make for high attitude? I just thought about that… I’m living in the Denver Metro area now and still cannot get used to adjusting all my baking to high altitude
Shoot, I don’t know about high altitude, Diana – sorry. Maybe google baking yeast breads at high alt? Sure hope these turn out for you and your family’s Thanksgiving – if so, I’m sure you’ll feel like a rockstar!
Hi there,
These rolls look great! I am so happy to have found a recipe that uses whole wheat flour as opposed to that processed stuff. I was just wondering, did you use instant (quick-rise) yeast, or just traditional yeast?
-Thanks!
I’ve used both over the years (based on what was available in the bulk section) and the rolls always turned out.
I tried these yesterday and they were super good, but they came out a little dry for me. Does anyone happen to know what I might have done wrong or what I could try for next time?
I haven’t had that happen, Jasmine, but maybe you put in too much flour? The dough should still be a bit slightly sticky.
Regarding dry rolls… I haven’t yet made this recipe, but I’ve learned, when using whole wheat flour especially, to carefully spoon the flour into the measuring cup and sweep it level with the back of a knife to ensure I am not over-measuring the flour. If you dip your measuring cup into the bag or canister (and then sweep with a knife to level) you can compact the flour into the measuring in the cup and actually be measuring out way more than one cup at a time. It adds up in a recipe such as this where you use more than 4 cups of flour… just imagine if you were adding in a few extra teaspoons of flour to cup. Hope this helps.
YUMMY. These turned out great. I have been trying forever to make a good whole wheat roll or bread and I always fail. Finally got this one right. Can’t wait to make these again. Thanks for posting this awesome recipe.
Found this recipe on Pinterest, and I’m so excited to make these for Thanksgiving. Just one question–do you use salted or unsalted butter? Thanks so much!
You’ll love it, Annie! I always use salted, because that’s what I have.
I formed 12 large rolls opposed to 24 regular-size. Will this approach increase baking time?
Thank you for sharing this recipe! I have reached the second rise phase; so far so good!
I would assume so, since bigger things take longer to bake. But I haven’t ever made them bigger, so I don’t know how much time. Hope it works for you!
I assumed as much as well, but to my surprise the rolls only required an additional 5 minutes of baking (and these results from an oven typically on the cold side). They emerged from the oven beautiful; BIG, but beautiful.
Thank you again. 
I just made these and they were delicious! My husband and 1 year old daughter liked them too! However, Mine rose a lot faster and higher than yours, probably because I added 2 heaping tablespoons of vital wheat gluten (I have some and I never get to use it so I thought, why not?).
Thanks for the recipe!
~Melodie
Hello! I really want to make these rolls but… i dont have a stand mixer any suggestions on how to make without one. I do have a bread make with a dough cycle on it?!?!
Hi Briana! I’ve only made them with the mixer – have you looked through the comments? I know there are a lot, but I think someone said they made the dough in the bread machine and then removed them to shape them…? Sure sounds like it would work!
Can I double this receipe?
It’s a lot of dough, Melina. If you’re used to doubling bread recipes then go for it. I’ve actually never done that as it would overwhelm my mixer. I just make two batches.
I just pulled these out of the oven and they smell and look wonderful! I do not have a fancy mixer and tried to make do with my food processor to mix these up, which was okay but not large enough. Then I tried to used a hand mixer, well duh that would not work with thick dough. Somehow the dough made it through my mistakes and was mixed well… however, I totally forgot the salt!!! I must have read the instructions 5 times and in my worry to get the dough incorporated well, I totally forgot the salt. I didn’t have time to start over, so I kept on and the result is alright. I tried one and it was fluffy and good, but I can definitely tell I’m missing the salt. I’m taking these to my Mom’s for Thanksgiving, so hopefully we can compensate for my mistake with salted butter or honey on these. Thanks for the recipe!
Oh, gosh, Savannah, I’ve done that, too! Boy did we miss the salt – amazing what 1 1/2 tsp. of salt can do, huh? Lots of butter was the answer for us.
Over the last 3 1/2 months I have lost 70lbs and learned to eat a lot healthier. Thanksgiving around home is never always a hugh meal. I was searching for ways to make our meal healthier and thought about making whole wheat rolls. I’ve done quite a bit of baking over the years and when I found this recipe I knew I would have to try it. I love the fact that there is no bleached flour or sugar. I going to try my hand I them tomorrow if my wife will let me in the kitchen long enough to get them done. Wish me luck and I’ll let you know how they turn out.
Whoa, Dan, that’s quite an accomplishment! And I thought my measly 20 lbs was a big deal.
Sure hope you found your way into the kitchen!
They tasted great but didn’t turn out very fluffy. I didn’t miss anything. I think maybe it was using stone ground whole wheat flour from a local meal. I going to try it this weekend again with regular whole wheat flour and well post the results.
hi,
i’m french si please, pardon me my bad english/american : i do want to make this recipe, but just about the amount of yeast (in France we use kilograms and grams and not cups and spoons), is that “teespoons” or “tablespoons” ?
thanks for your answer !:D
That’s Tablespoons, Maman D! I hope you know how to convert it, though – wonder if there is an app for that?
Glad you found us!
(oh, by the way, in American recipes, a capital T, TB, tbl. or even tb. always means tablespoons and lowercase t, tsp. or tp. mean teaspoons).
I really was excited to make this recipe, but it jus did not work out
It rose beautifully the 1st time, but then when I was to take it and knead it and shape them it was way too sticky to do anything with! I used 5 c of flour, so I don’t know what I should have done. I didn’t know if I could add more flour after the 1st rising so it went in the garbage. Maybe I’ll try these another time, but for now it’s too late.
Kelly, I’m so sorry! There are so many factors when dealing with yeast breads – the weather/humidity, type of flour, measuring of water – you have to get a feel for what the dough should look like. That’s why I took so many pictures, as it should be sticky (moisture = soft and tender finished product), but whole wheat absorbs moisture differently. Don’t be afraid to add more flour to be able to work the dough – I pour it out onto a floured towel and flour my hands and dough as I knead the few times and shape, as they will still stick a bit. So the balance is to try and keep them as moist as possible, but still be able to shape them. Hope you give them another try!
I just took these out of the oven. I don’t know what happened but I came up three short. Seriously, I ate three before I knew it. Truly delicious. Will have to make another batch to wow the book club members on Saturday.I am so glad I found your recipe.
Ha – made me laugh out loud! Thanks, Jeanetta
Well, I tried this recipe and must have did something wrong somewhere because my rolls did not come out light and fluffy at all. They actually came out like whole wheat snowballs. I used all the ingredients you listed. My dough didn’t rise at all and it took a while too. Don’t get it. Oh well.
I’m so sorry. Do you know if your yeast was fresh?
Well, it was in one of the packets and I bought it a week prior. I don’t know but I was very sad. I used warm water for the yeast and let it sit.
I don’t know what to offer, Nadine, other that to try again – I made many breads that were not great before getting the hang of it. In fact my sister made these twice without success until she tried again this year and made a great batch, so there is hope.
Sounds like the kitchen was too cold. I live in a basement that always hovers under 70 degrees.
Just made these to go with dinner! Easy and fabulous ! Perfect with a bowl of soup!
I have made these a few times, and have really enjoyed them. I have to bake them for 30 min at least or else we have some soggy, doughy centers and can’t even eat the outer edge of the outer buns. i have also used margarine instead of butter and it’s not shown any difference. I have a batch to come out in one hour and will rub honey on top instead of butter!! should be great!
I’ve lost track of how many times I’ve made these rolls since Thanksgiving. They’re a huge hit with my family! I use white whole wheat and they turn out soft and delicious. So different than the bread bricks I’ve made in the past. I’ve used this recipe in a variety of ways, excellent every time. Thank you for sharing!
Made the super tasty rolls at my parents for Christmas and left a few in their freezer.
My dad just called to find out what to do to eat them tonight… I see that they’re freezable, which is why we put them in the freezer, but now we don’t know what to do. Please advise…
PS at MY house, we’re having a fresh batch… just don’t tell my dad
Hi, Dawn – I’m glad your family enjoyed the rolls! I defrost them like any other bread – leave out for a few hours – and then cover with foil and reheat in the oven or toaster oven.
Enjoy your new batch!
Made these. YUMMMMMMMM!!!!!
Absolutely delicious. Hands down the best whole wheat rolls I have EVER made. I loved how easy, light and fluffy they are.
Thank you!!!
OH my gosh. These came out AWEsOME. I used bread machine yeast and just added it to the dry ingredients. I did add the water that was supposed to be used for the yeast to the wet ingredients and had to add some extra flour. It was sticky like you said but didn’t stick to my finger. The bread machine yeast takes the guesswork out of the water being the right temp. oh and I didn’t have buttermilk so I added 1 tbsp lemon juice to the milk. GREAT RECIPE. Thanks for sharing!!!!!!!!
I have been eyeing this recipe for a while and finally built up enough courage to make them for dinner tonight. This was my first time making any bread from scratch and they were amazing! I LOVED how easy the directions were to follow and the pictures for every step along the way were so helpful. Thanks so much for that! My rolls turned out perfectly round, soft, fluffy, and very light! I served them with homemade honey butter…they are without a doubt the best rolls I’ve ever had, homemade or otherwise. You are my new best friend, haha. My sister is a bread fanatic so I’m going to surprise her with some this weekend. Thanks so much for sharing this awesome recipe!
Yeah – love to hear that, Tyler!
These look delicious and I’ll be trying them soon. I buy my own hard wheat and grind it into flour. Is this any different than the flour you used?
thank you for this recipe! i have made this several times and they have all turned out fantastic. i did make some adjustments to fit our family. i use spelt flour instead of whole wheat, avacado instead of butter, almond milk instead of buttermilk, and i add a 1/4 teaspoon of vitamin C powder. it took me years to make good bread but my whole family loves this recipe. my aunt actually asked me where i bought my rolls at thanksgiving. she pinned this recipe on pinterest after i showed her. thank you!!!!
Fantastic recipe!!!! Just made my first batch and this recipe is definitely a keeper. Thanks so much posting this and the awesome detailed instructions
I am making your whole wheat rolls for gameday! Will do full sized rolls for pulled pork sandwiches.
Your pictures looked so good that I had to try these. I’ve never made dinner rolls before but they came out so well that I’m sure this is going to be a staple at home. Thank you!
We had these rolls last night and the recipe will become a family favorite for sure. I didn’t think it was possible to make whole bread or rolls without adding white flour. Not only are these delicious but fairly simple too. I loved your pictures and tips. I could see your picture in my mind when I was touching the dough to make sure it was no longer sticky. You have another fan and I can’t wait to check out your other recipes. Thanks so much.
So glad to know, Marylee!
yumm……these rolls are simply delicious…and best of all, they are whole wheat….thank you so much for this recipe….*hugs*
Great recipe! Easy to follow directions and pictures! Thanks!!!!
Yum! These are definitely going in my recipe book permanently! Thanks! Will be making the whole wheat bread next.
These are wonderful. I did make a mistake and only used 2 teaspoons of yeast instead of 2 T and was worried that they might not turn out but they did! They are still over 2 inches tall! YAY for happy accidents. Thank you for this delish recipe.
I’ve never baked yeast bread before but I made these this past weekend and they turned out amazing! I used Red Fife heritage wheat, which is a stone ground hard spring wheat. I use it in a lot of my baking, and it generally creates a denser product (in particular it makes a thin crispy pie crust which I love!) however, no sign of denseness in these rolls! They somehow made the Red Fife wheat fluffy, which I didn’t think was possible! Thank you for the great recipe, I plan to repost it on my blog shortly with a link back to your site.
Can you freeze the rolls still connected in the pan? And then would you need to separate them to wrap them in foil for heating? Thaw first or heat the frozen rolls? 400 oven?
You can, Pat. I always take them out of the pan because it’s my glass 13 x 9 that I use all the time. I break the 24 rolls into two 12-roll sections and place each section (all still attached) into a ziplock freezer baggie – perfect fit. Remove the air and label. I thaw the section first, wrap in foil and stick in the oven to warm with whatever is cooking at that temp. If I were to have only rolls in the oven, I’d probably only heat to 350 degrees.
HELP ASAP! Can you freeze the rolls still connected right in the pan? Then do you have to thaw them, or can you heat them frozen? Do they need to be separated to thaw and heat? I want to make them today (Friday) for Easter dinner.
Sorry for the delay, Pat – we were out of town. I’ve never tried heating them from frozen, though you should be able to, though I would check and separate as they thawed so the center rolls warm, too. If you try it, let us know!
I tried the recipe by hand, and I did something wrong. I might have put too much flour in when I was kneading. It certainly didn’t look like your picture. You were so specific about having it still be a little sticky that it obviously was my fault. The first rising went well, too fast actually according to the directions. Then even though the dough seemed to be so smooth and unsticky, when I cut them out for shaping, they were not easy to handle at all. And in the oven, they hardly rose at all, and turned out to be just plain heavy. I should never have attempted a new recipe for Easter dinner! At least I tried it today, and have time to use a tested recipe for a replacement, and then you can be sure I am going to try yours again, and this time, really pay attention to the directions! Happy Easter!
Oh, sorry, Pat – I know first hand how frustrating that is.
I’m sure next time will work out!
Made my first batch and using a stand mixer for the first time. Oh my goodness they are so good!
These were gone-to-heaven delicious! My daughter ms picky eater gobbled them up faster than Ive ever seen her eat buns before. . And she is totally a bread girl! She closed her eyes while chewing lol. Thank you for sharing this recipe. I am waiting for tomatoes on sale to try your salsa.
These are amazing and so delicious – I made them for Easter dinner and people went nuts over them. I am going to try and make loaves today
Of course, I found this awesome WW Dinner Rolls on Pinterest and made them right away! I did one little change though, as I cannot stand the taste of honey, I used maple syrup instead and they came out insanely good. With two toddlers, I am always trying to use more WW flour and have being making breads and even flour tortilla wraps switching part of the white flour with WW with tremendous success, so I don’t really have to say how happy I was to find 100% WW dinner rolls, that would be light and fluffy, just as regular white rolls. And best of all, both of them love the rolls!! Thank you so much for sharing such a great recipe with pictures (that was so important!!) Thanks a million!!
I’m making these tomorrow. I grind my own hard red spring whole wheat berries for flour. I notice in the yeast proofing stage that it calls for simply yeast and water. Poor little yeast guys have nothing to eat so I’ll be adding some of the honey to help activate the yeast. And use patience and don’t rush the process. Bake with your eyes, not just a timer.
Oh, and a good instant read digital thermometer!
I want you to know, I’ve made it 4 times, by hand, using king arther ww, a coffee cup @ 1 c., Milk with vinegar for buttermilk, 1/4 c. and 1/2 c. Raw honey; let it rise on a warmed but off oven…. Even a pkg of yeast instead of 2 tbsp!
Its been too wet (high humidity here) too sticky (I ran out of flour the last time) and since our 9×13 pan broke, I’ve been using 2 square pyrex…
You can’t screw this up! Regardless of what your dough looks like, finish it, you will still get something far and above what you can buy! The last time it was so sticky I couldn’t make the shapes I was happy a lump of it fell from my fingers into the pan!
My fiance won’t buy bread anymore. He does the shopping most times, and he always makes sure to ask me if I need anything for the bread. buys things specifically to go on the bread he never thought of when we were eating store bought!
Made these today! Wow are they delicious! Will def be my “go to” roll recipe. Thanks Jamie
Woot!
These are gorgeous looking rolls. I can’t wait to try them!