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    Home » Bread

    Whole Wheat Breakfast Rolls (with video!)

    Published: Jun 4, 2020 · Modified: Aug 29, 2023 by Milk and Pop · 18 Comments · This post may contain affiliate links

    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video

    Soft, flavorful rolls that go fantastic with everything and are the perfect bread for having with jam or butter: that’s probably the best description for my whole wheat rolls. Made with molasses, half whole wheat half all-purpose flour, these rolls are a great addition for your recipe book.

    • five whole wheat rolls
    • roll brushed with butter and molasses

    How to make these rolls

    Bread is difficult, you might be thinking. Bread made with whole wheat flour is even worse: they’re tough, dense and hardly pleasant to eat when home baked. Not this one! They’re simple to make, and if you have doubts about any step, just watch the video I made for this recipe. Baking bread together is always easier, right?

    These rolls will need some knead, and that’s the hardest part. If you have a mixer, you’ll hardly break a sweat with this, but if you don’t, knead until dough is smooth, elastic, and barely sticky.

    After the first rise, it’s time to portion the dough and shape the rolls for the second rise. You can now choose witch size you want your rolls to be. I like mine big, so I usually divide the dough in 8 pieces, and shape individually each one.

    For shaping these rolls, some like to roll the dough at a surface until ball-shaped. I prefer to shape it by folding its edges and pinching to seal them shut - you can see me doing both ways in the video, choose what’s best for you.

    When baking time comes, these whole wheat rolls are usually ready in less than 30 minutes. I let mine bake until golden on top.

    • dough before the first rise, resting by the sun
    • dough by the sun after the first rise

    Tips for getting them right the first time

    • Try to resist adding more flour than what’s asked in the recipe, or you’ll risk getting tougher rolls;
    • When butter washing your rolls, don’t overdo it using more than the recipe calls for, or you risk compromising the rise of your rolls and getting a denser roll at the end;
    • Don’t let your rolls rise for over 1 hour in the second rise, or you may risk over-proofing them.
    • About ingredients substitution, you can substitute molasses for honey and have a similar result. I use molasses because I find it bring more the flavors of the whole wheat. Rolls made with honey taste a bit risk, but are equally good;
    • If your rolls are darkening on top beyond what you like, just place a piece of foil over the top and continue baking.
    • rolls just shaped
    • close up on baked rolls

    How to store them?
    After cool, keep your whole wheat rolls into a bread keeper or any airtight container, room temperature. They’re good and soft for 3 to 5 days if stored right. 

    Can I freeze whole wheat rolls?
    Yes, and I usually do it myself: wait for it to cool, then place it in a ziplock bag and close it well before storing in your freezer. To unfreeze, 6 to 10 minutes in the oven on medium will usually do for me. You can also unfreeze in the microwave, 1 minute is usually enough. They’re good for up to 4 months in your freezer.

    • whole wheat rolls just out of the oven
    • inside of a whole wheat roll being pulled apart by hands

    If you're a coffee lover, this roll is fantastic to have along your homemade cold brew. Are you looking for something crustier? I have the perfect recipe for a crusty sandwich roll, check it out!

    📖 Recipe

    close up on whole wheat roll

    Whole Wheat Breakfast Rolls

    Milk and Pop
    Made with molasses, half whole wheat half all-purpose flour, these whole wheat rolls are soft, flavorful and a great addition for your recipe book.
    4.60 from 10 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Saved!
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time 30 minutes mins
    Additional Time 2 hours hrs
    Total Time 2 hours hrs 40 minutes mins
    Course Bread
    Cuisine American
    Servings 12 medium rolls
    Calories 177 kcal
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 â…” cups whole-wheat flour
    • 1 â…“ cups all-purpose flour
    • ½ tablespoon salt
    • 2 teaspoon instant yeast
    • 11/4 cup whole milk lukewarm
    • 3 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon molasses
    • 1 large egg room temperature
    • 3 tablespoon unsalted butter melted

    Instructions
     

    • Add whole-wheat and all-purpose flour, salt and yeast in a large bowl (or the bowl of your stand mixer). Whisk to combine.
    • Whisk lukewarm milk with molasses, 2 tablespoons of melted butter and egg until molasses has dissolved.
    • Add the liquid mixture to the flour mixture and mix until dough starts to form and no dry flour remains. If kneading with a stand mixer, do it on low speed for 6 minutes. If doing it by hand, knead for about 10 minutes. In the end, dough will be smooth and elastic.
    • Cover the dough with plastic wrap or a damp towel and let rise for one hour or until doubled in size.
    • After the first rise, divide the dough into 8 (large), 12 (medium) or 18 (small) pieces. Shape each one into a ball by stretching dough over itself and pinching the edges together, and place them into a lined baking dish.
    • Cover and let the rolls rise for 40 minutes to 1 hour.
    • Preheat oven to 350 °F and place a rack on lower-middle position.
    • Mix the remaining butter with 1 teaspoon of molasses and use it to brush gently your rolls. If you prefer, use only half the mixture before baking, and brush the whole wheat rolls with the remaining half after baked.
    • Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until rolls are golden brown on top.
    • Wait 10 minutes before serving.

    Video

    Notes

    Try to resist adding more flour than what’s asked in the recipe, or you’ll risk getting tougher rolls.
    Don’t let your rolls rise for over 1 hour in the second rise, or you may risk over-proofing them.
    About ingredients substitution, you can substitute molasses for honey and have a similar result.
    If your rolls are darkening on top beyond what you like, just place a piece of foil over the top and continue baking.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 177kcalCarbohydrates: 26gProtein: 6gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 29mgSodium: 322mgFiber: 2gSugar: 3g
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Ivy Wong

      July 29, 2021 at 10:51 pm

      May I have the measurements in gramme instead of cup please?

      Reply
      • Milk and Pop

        August 30, 2021 at 8:00 am

        Sure Ivy!

        230g whole-wheat flour
        180g all-purpose flour
        7g salt
        6g instant yeast
        295ml whole milk, lukewarm
        60g plus 6g molasses
        1 large egg, room temperature
        45g unsalted butter, melted

        Happy baking!

        Reply
    2. Ray

      January 22, 2021 at 7:12 pm

      They are absolutely delicious

      Reply
      • Milk and Pop

        January 24, 2021 at 1:35 pm

        Glad you like them, Ray!

        Reply
    3. Leslie

      June 14, 2020 at 7:46 pm

      I'm glad this is an easy recipe...I struggle with bread sometimes! haha. I appreciate this so much!

      Reply
    4. Denise

      June 13, 2020 at 9:25 am

      They look perfect! I am saving this recipe to try, you can not go wrong with home made rolls!!

      Reply
      • Milk and Pop

        June 22, 2020 at 10:27 am

        You can't, right? 😀

        Reply
    5. Jen

      June 13, 2020 at 4:52 am

      Love baking with molasses. It gives the rolls an incredible flavor. Wasn't sure about how the roll texture would be but it was perfect.

      Reply
      • Milk and Pop

        June 22, 2020 at 10:28 am

        Glad you like it! I love baking with molasses as well! The flavor it gives is just amazing 😀

        Reply
    6. Elaine

      June 13, 2020 at 3:28 am

      This is THE way rolls should be. Delicious, easy to make and so puffy. I would love to create a big batch of these over the weekend and enjoy throughout the week!

      Reply
    7. Tammy

      June 12, 2020 at 6:21 pm

      I loved watching you make these! Beautiful dinner rolls...I've been really into bread making lately...these came out so perfect and soft! 😀

      Reply
    8. Veronika

      June 12, 2020 at 12:04 pm

      Love this recipe! I can't believe they are so easy to make! They will be perfect for breakfast or a mid-day snack!

      Reply
    9. Anna

      June 11, 2020 at 6:42 am

      Love how light and fluffy these rolls look! So much better than any shop-bought ones! A question, can I replace molasses with anything else?

      Reply
      • Milk and Pop

        June 12, 2020 at 8:58 am

        Hi Anna! You can replace it with honey and get a very similar result!

        Reply
    10. Loreto and Nicoletta Nardelli

      June 10, 2020 at 6:18 am

      So many great tips for making bread (especially whole wheat)! Love the texture of your breakfast rolls!

      Reply
      • Milk and Pop

        June 12, 2020 at 8:59 am

        Thank you! I'm so glad you both like it 😀

        Reply
    11. Lori | The Kitchen Whisperer

      June 09, 2020 at 10:02 am

      Mmmm look how billowy and soft these rolls look!!! I can almost smell them. I'll take 2...no, make it 3 with some honey butter! Pinning so I can make these later! Thank you SO MUCH for sharing!

      Reply
      • Milk and Pop

        June 12, 2020 at 9:00 am

        I hope you like them! They're fantastic to have at breakfast 😀

        Reply

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    Hello! I'm Tatiana, self-taught baker, coffee lover and food photographer. Here at Milk and Pop, I'll share with you my favorite bread, baking and breakfast recipes.

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