Honey Wheat Rolls
Treat your palate with these easy, soft honey wheat rolls brushed with honey butter. The irresistible aroma wafting from the kitchen promises melt-in-your-mouth comfort food. Slather them with butter for a satisfying breakfast, snack, and side dish.
Cooking is my happy place. And there’s something about kneading bread that’s so relaxing and stress-relieving. Maybe it’s the punching it down, which is much better than punching someone else.
Besides, what smells better than baking bread? I wish we could bottle that smell for aromatherapy. After the coffee brews, the bread comes out of the oven, and I take that first bite, I’m in heaven.
Why Use Whole Wheat Flour in Rolls
White flour is softer, but it’s also more refined with less fiber. Whole wheat is heartier and more nutritious. It has a delicious nuttiness, and the complex carbohydrates make it denser and more satisfying.
Most whole wheat breads have some white flour to balance the density for fluffier results. However, a little more butter will make even 100% whole wheat bread soft and enjoyable. Feel free to play with the proportions and see what you like best.
How to Make Honey Wheat Rolls
- Make the honey butter, activate the yeast, warm the milk and butter, and add the egg and honey.
- Add the flour, knead well, and let it rise.
- Punch down the dough, form the rolls, brush them with the honey butter, and bake.
Recipe Notes
- For 100% whole wheat bread, replace the bread flour with the same amount of whole wheat flour for a total of 3½-4 cups of whole wheat flour. Start with less flour and add more as needed to get the right texture.
- We love doubling the recipe, leaving the dough in the refrigerator to rise for a day or two (up to a week), then making the rolls and baking them. The cold slows the yeast down, and the longer fermentation time develops more depth of flavor.
Making Ahead and Storage Instructions
Make the rolls, let them rise, then partially bake them. Let them cool, freeze them on a baking sheet until solid, then pop them into a freezer bag. Finish baking them from frozen for fast homemade bread rolls.
Leftover rolls will last 2-3 days at room temperature, up to a week in the fridge, and 4-5 months in the freezer.
Menu Ideas
These healthy dinner rolls are a great pairing for holiday meals. Roast turkey, mashed potatoes with gravy, and green bean casserole are a start. And you can’t go wrong with pecan or pumpkin pie for dessert.
More Easy Bread Roll Recipes
- Hawaiian Sweet Rolls
- Pani Popi Coconut Bread Rolls
- Easy Dinner Rolls
- Potato Bread Rolls
- Texas Roadhouse Copycat Rolls
Watch How to Make It
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This blog post was originally published in March 2021 and has been updated with additional tips, new photos, and a video.
Honey Wheat Rolls
Ingredients
Honey Butter
- ¾ cup (83ml) melted butter
- ¼ cup (85g) honey
Bread Rolls
- 2 tablespoons (30ml) lukewarm water, 105-115℉ (41-46℃)
- 1 tablespoon (10g) active dry yeast
- 1 cup (236ml) whole milk
- 6-8 ounces (170-226g) unsalted butter (cut into chunks)
- 1½ teaspoons (9g) salt
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup (170g) honey
- 2 cups (240g) whole-wheat flour
- 1¾-2 cups (210-240g) bread flour (all-purpose flour will work just fine)
Instructions
- Mix the melted butter and honey until smooth and set it aside (or refrigerate) until ready to be used.
- Combine the lukewarm water and yeast in a large bowl or stand mixer and let it sit until it dissolves and starts to bubble, about 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a microwave-safe medium bowl, combine the milk, butter, and salt. Microwave for about a minute and stir until everything is melted. You can also do this in a small saucepan on the stovetop. Let it cool to 105-115℉ (41-46℃) to prevent it from killing the yeast and curdling the egg.
- Lightly whisk the egg and honey into the milk, then dump everything into the yeast mixture.
- Mix on medium-high speed using a dough hook, if using a stand mixer, until all the ingredients are combined. Or mix by hand with a large mixing spoon until well combined.
- Mix in the whole wheat flour and a cup of all-purpose flour. Continue mixing the dough, adding more flour as needed, until the dough forms a soft dough and doesn’t stick to the sides of the bowl. The dough should be lightly sticky rather than stiff.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead it for 8-10 minutes. The more you knead it, the better it rises because the gluten develops. The dough will be smooth and elastic.
- Place it in a large greased bowl. Cover it loosely with a clean cloth and let it rise in a warm, draft-free place for about 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
- Punch the dough down, divide it into 12 equal balls (24 for smaller rolls), and shape them into balls. Place them in a greased 12-inch cake pan.
- At this point, the dough may be shaped into a greased loaf pan and placed seam side down in the pan, or divided into 12 equal pieces. Shape them into balls. Place in a greased 12-inch round pan.
- Brush with the honey butter mixture, cover lightly, and let them rise for 30-60 minutes, or until doubled in size.
- Preheat the oven to 350℉ (180℃). Bake the rolls for 20-25 minutes or until beautifully browned and they sound hollow when tapped.
- Remove them from the baking pan and let them cool for 20-30 minutes. Enjoy with more honey butter.
Tips & Notes:
- Make sure the water temperature isn’t more than 115℉ (46℃) because it will kill the yeast.
- Be patient and let the dough rise until doubled in size. How long it takes depends on the humidity, temperature, and altitude.
- To speed up the rising time, turn the oven on to warm it up for 10 minutes. Then, turn it off and let the dough rise in the oven (make sure to turn the oven off). You can also put it in a cold oven and put a bowl of hot water underneath it. The heat and humidity from the hot water will speed up the process.
- Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy. Please keep in mind that it is a rough estimate and not a guarantee.
Is 2TBSP the right amount for 1TBSP of yeast it seems a bit small?
Yes it is . You can add a tablespoon more if desired to make it fully dissolved .
I just made these today & they were amazing! My kids loved them! Thank you
Sin mas palabras que decir, espectacular, que delicia
Looks so good! I’ll definitely try it and send the feedback. Thanks a great deal.
Awesome! Can’t wait.
Hi dear, pls wats the measured of butter here in grams and the sugar measurement was not written tnks love to hear frm u
Angela, recipe has been updated- you do not need sugar,the sweetness comes from honey.let me know how it works for you.
Looks good. Will definitely try this one. ..
These am definitely going to try. Your Hawaiian rolls are delicious – my family can’t get enough. Thanks for the recipe
Sara, glad it was a hit with your family. Let me know how this recipe compares.
This may be a silly question, but what is vanilla honey? Lol
Sorry, typo :)!