Bread Machine Whole Wheat Rolls

I’ll be honest with you, if I lived alone, I’d mix this recipe with some white flour. But a certain child of mine will only eat her sandwiches on whole wheat, so here we are. After many attempts, these bread machine wheat rolls turn out soft and fluffy every time and are made with 100% whole wheat flour.

Bread machine recipes are simple, and they are a low-stress way to make fresh dinner rolls. They also freeze really well if you like to batch prep and plan ahead.

Ingredients and Tools You’ll Need

Don’t go substituting the honey on me. It helps you get the best rise and browning. Plus, it helps the rolls hold moisture and stay tender. You won’t taste the honey, but you’ll notice the difference in its texture.

Make an extra batch to freeze for later. You can make adjustments in the recipe card at the bottom of this post by clicking on the 2x or 3x button.

Equipment

• Bread machine

Ingredients

• 1 cup warm water, about 110°F
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 tablespoons softened butter
• 1 ½ teaspoons salt
• 3 cups whole wheat flour (you can swap up to 1 cup of the whole wheat flour for rye or spelt flour)
• 2 ¼ teaspoons instant yeast (can be mixed directly with the dry ingredients)
• 3 tablespoons vital wheat gluten, optional for softer rolls

How to Make Bread Machine Wheat Rolls

If you don’t have a bread machine, use a stand mixer with a dough hook for 8-10 minutes.

Step One: Load Ingredients

Add everything to your bread machine pan in the order your machine recommends (usually liquids first). That’s warm water, honey, butter, salt, flour, and yeast. If you’re using vital wheat gluten, add it on top of the flour.

Step Two: Start The Dough Cycle

Set your machine to the dough cycle and start it. Check it after a few minutes – you want a soft, smooth ball of dough. If it’s too dry, add water one teaspoon at a time. If it’s too sticky, add flour one tablespoon at a time.

Step Three: Rise

The machine will knead and rise the dough for you. When the cycle finishes, your dough should be doubled in size.

Step Four: Shape The Rolls

Turn the dough onto your counter and divide it into 12 pieces. Shape each piece into a ball by tucking the edges under and pinching the bottom closed.

Step Five: Second Rise

Place the shaped rolls on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover with greased plastic wrap and let them rise for 30-45 minutes until puffy.

Step Six: Bake

Preheat your oven to 350°F during the last 10 minutes of rising. Bake the rolls for 15-18 minutes until they are golden brown and they sound hollow when you tap them. Move them to a wire rack to cool slightly before serving.

Storing & Serving

For dinner, serve them warm with butter beside any of these winter squash recipes, or use them for hearty sandwiches.

Store your rolls in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the fridge for up to 5 days.

You can freeze them for up to 2 months and reheat them in the oven or microwave before serving. I often make a double batch and freeze half for busy weeks.

More Bread Machine Recipes

• This white bread is the easiest way to start making your own bread.
• Make this honey wheat bread for the kid who will only eat whole wheat.
• These sandwich rolls are made the same way but with all-purpose flour.

Troubleshooting

Printable Recipe