Honey Wheat Rolls

These homemade bread rolls are soft, fluffy, and lightly sweetened with honey. Made with a combination of whole wheat and bread flour, they have a deliciously hearty flavor while still being tender and pillowy. Perfect alongside a comforting dinner, holiday meal, or simply slathered with butter while they’re still warm from the oven.

Course Bread, Breakfast

Cuisine American

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 25

Rising Time 1 30

Total Time 2 15

Servings

Calories 400kcal

Author Imma

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.

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.

Nutrition