Soft Honey Wheat Rolls

Note from my kitchen: Let me tell you a secret about getting fluffy bread with whole wheat flour: stop using all whole wheat flour. If you are trying to get soft, light, and fluffy pieces of bread, it will be much easier if you mix in white flour. This recipe is ⅔ white flour and 1/3 whole wheat, but you can tweak and adjust this, adding more whole wheat flour as necessary.

The deeper color of these rolls gives them a fall feeling, and I make them every Thanksgiving. They are one of those things that only come out of the oven at certain times of the year, even though we like them. They just go with soups and cooler weather to me. So when that first chilly morning hits, pull out this recipe and get baking.

What You’ll Need

• 2 teaspoons instant yeast
• ¾ cup water (may need up to 1 cup; add slowly if dough seems dry)
• 2 cups all-purpose white flour
• 1 cup whole wheat flour (more whole wheat will make denser rolls)
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons honey (any type is fine; darker honeys give a stronger taste)
• 1½ teaspoon salt

Instructions

Step One: Mixing

You can mix in a bowl and then transfer to a machine or counter for kneading, or just dump everything into th bowl of your mixer and adjust as needed.

Remember that when there’s butter in your recipe it will take awhile to mix in, so don’t rush too soon to add water.

You want the dough slightly sticky, but not sticking to your hands and making a mess. Think of the sticky part of a Post-it note.

Step Two: Kneading

When you knead the dough, you want to make sure there is enough liquid in it. I always put a range of liquids in my recipes because it will vary depending on how you measure your flour and the brand of flour you are using. With whole wheat rolls, I find that I end up adding a greater amount of liquid a lot.

Make sure your dough clears the sides of your bowl and looks smooth. You know it’s ready when you can see translucent areas in the dough when you stretch it out and hold it up to the light. If it’s tearing too easily and no translucent areas appear, keep kneading!

Step Three: First Rise

Doughs made with whole wheat will often take a little longer to rise. It’s important to wait until the dough is really fluffy.

Step Four: Divide and Shape

When you are shaping the rolls, handle them as little as possible. Don’t squish it down and don’t roll them into balls. Divide it with a sharp knife and pinch the bottoms to shape.

I always dust with flour and slash, then let them do their final rise. Once they have done the final rise I like to keep my hands off as much as possible to keep them fluffy.

Step Five: Second Rise

Cover the shaped rolls with greased plastic wrap and place in a warm spot, like a turned-off oven. Check them after 30 minutes and then preheat the oven to 350. (Be sure to take the rolls out first!)

Step Six: Bake

These will take anywhere from 15-18 minutes. Look for dark bottoms and rolls that feel light for their size.

Make sure you bake thoroughly, they can be deceptive because they start out dark due to the darker whole wheat flour.

Storage Instructions

To store your rolls, place them in an airtight container or bag and store them in the refrigerator. They should stay fresh for up to five days.

More Recipes to Use Up Your Whole Wheat Flour

Don’t let it go to waste, but don’t suffer through dense loaves either!

• If you, like me, love a good soft roll, you’ll love these, even though they’re 100% whole wheat.
• Those of you who appreciate a decent grocery store honey wheat sandwich loaf will love this one.
• And for the sourdough bakers, a loaf with whole wheat and honey and no yeast.

Printable Recipe