Quick Whole Wheat Rolls

Sweetened with molasses and perfect for breakfast and dinner, these quick Whole Wheat Rolls are soft, flavorful, and a wholesome addition to any bread lover's recipe collection.

Are you a begginer bread baker? I have a list with my best bread hints and tips for you to get any recipe right the first time!

Ingredient and Substitutions

Molasses. You can swap the molasses for honey for sweeter rolls. I use molasses for its earthy richness, but honey adds a mild sweetness that’s also delicious. You can try this recipe with my apple vegan honey for a twist.

Butter. I use unsalted, melted butter for this recipe. You can substitute with any vegetable, sunflower or canola oil. Olive oil also works, but leaves a strong taste.

Milk. I use whole wheat when making these rolls, but partially skimmed and skimmed milk also work. You can substitute with any plant based milk for a dairy-free version.

Instant Yeast. You can substitute with active dry yeast, just make sure to activate it with some of the milk, warmed, and molasses, before adding to the dough.

How to make them

If bread baking feels daunting, whole wheat bread might seem even trickier. You can often get dense and tough rolls when trying whole wheat bread at home.

These rolls are different: they’re easy to make, and I’ve included a step-by-step video to walk you through the process. Baking is always easier with a bit of guidance, right?

Step 01. In a medium bowl, whisk together the lukewarm milk, molasses, melted butter, and the egg until the ingredients are well combined.

Step 02. In a large mixing bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer), combine the whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, salt, and yeast. Add the wet mixture, stirring until a shaggy dough forms.

Step 03. If using a stand mixer, with the dough hook, knead on low speed for about 6 minutes. If kneading by hand, work the dough on a lightly floured surface for about 12 minutes. The dough should feel smooth and elastic by the end.

Step 04. Cover the dough with plastic wrap or a damp towel, and let it rise in a warm place for about 1 hour and a half, or until it has doubled in size.

Tip: Try not to add more flour than the recipe calls for, especially if you're using the metric measurements. A wetter dough makes fluffier dinner rolls.

Step 05. After the first rise, divide it into portions based on your preferred roll size. For large rolls, divide into 8-9 portions. For medium rolls, divide into 12-14 portions. For small rolls, divide into 18-20 portions.

Step 06. Shape each piece into a ball by stretching the dough over itself and pinching the edges together. Place the rolls close to each other in a lined baking sheet, covering and letting them rise for 40 minutes to 1 hour.

Step 07. Preheat your oven to 350°F, and just before baking, in a small bowl, mix the remaining melted butter with 1 teaspoon of molasses. Brush this mixture lightly over the tops of the rolls.

Step 08. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the rolls are golden brown on top. Let the rolls cool for about 10 minutes before serving.

Expert Tips

• Resist adding extra flour: Stick to the recipe to avoid tough rolls. Only add more flour if your dough is too wet to work with. Watch the video for more visual guidance.
• Don’t let the rolls over-proof: keep the second rise to an hour or less.
• If the tops brown faster than you’d like, simply place a piece of foil over them to finish baking without over-darkening.

Storing and Freezing

Once cooled, keep the rolls in an airtight container at room temperature. Stored properly, they stay soft and fresh for 3 to 5 days.

These rolls freeze well. After they’ve cooled, place them in a sealed freezer bag, and they’ll keep for up to 3 months. To reheat, warm them in a preheated 300°F oven for 5 to 10 minutes, or in the microwave for about a minute.

More Dinner Rolls

Have you tried these Whole Wheat Rolls? Please leave a 🌟 star rating in the recipe card below, I'd love to know how it went!

📖 Recipe

Quick Whole Wheat Rolls

Tatiana Kamakura

Sweetened with molasses and perfect for breakfast and dinner, these Whole Wheat Rolls are soft, flavorful, and a wholesome addition to any bread lover's recipe collection.

5 from 13 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Saved!

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Additional Time 2 hours hrs 30 minutes mins

Total Time 3 hours hrs 10 minutes mins

Course Bread

Cuisine American

Servings 12 medium rolls

Calories 207 kcal

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Equipment

• ▢
  Baking sheet
• ▢
  Parchment paper

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

Dough

• ▢ 240 g whole wheat flour
• ▢ 210 g all-purpose flour
• ▢ 7 g fine sea salt
• ▢ 7 g instant yeast
• ▢ 236 g whole milk lukewarm
• ▢ 60 g molasses
• ▢ 1 large egg
• ▢ 45 g butter melted and unsalted

Wash

• ▢ 15 g butter
• ▢ 20 g molasses

Instructions

 

• In a medium bowl, whisk together the lukewarm milk, molasses, melted butter, and the egg until the ingredients are well combined.
• In a large mixing bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer), combine the whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, salt, and yeast. Add the wet mixture, stirring until a shaggy dough forms.
• If using a stand mixer, with the dough hook, knead on low speed for about 6 minutes. If kneading by hand, work the dough on a lightly floured surface for about 12 minutes. The dough should feel smooth and elastic by the end.
• Cover the dough with plastic wrap or a damp towel, and let it rise in a warm place for about 1 hour and a half, or until it has doubled in size.
• After the first rise, divide it into portions based on your preferred roll size. For large rolls, divide into 8-9 portions. For medium rolls, divide into 12-14 portions. For small rolls, divide into 18-20 portions.
• Shape each piece into a ball by stretching the dough over itself and pinching the edges together. Place the rolls in a lined baking dish.
• Cover the shaped rolls and let them rise for 40 minutes to 1 hour.
• Preheat your oven to 350°F, positioning a rack in the lower-middle of the oven.
• In a small bowl, mix the remaining melted butter with 1 teaspoon of molasses. Brush this mixture lightly over the tops of the rolls. If you prefer, save half to brush on after baking for extra flavor and shine.
• Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the rolls are golden brown on top.
• Let the rolls cool for about 10 minutes before serving.

Video

Notes

• Resist adding extra flour: Stick to the recipe to avoid tough rolls.
• Mind the second rise: Don’t let the rolls over-proof—keep the second rise to an hour or less.
• If the tops brown faster than you’d like, simply place a piece of foil over them to finish baking without over-darkening.

Follow the cups measurements of this recipe card, as the video has the wrong flour measurements for all-purpose and whole wheat flour. The correct is 2 cups of whole wheat and 1 ½ cup of all-purpose.

Nutrition

Serving: 1rollCalories: 207kcalCarbohydrates: 34gProtein: 6gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 29mgSodium: 275mgPotassium: 231mgFiber: 3gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 181IUVitamin C: 0.002mgCalcium: 51mgIron: 2mg

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