This recipe proves that soft, fluffy wheat rolls do exist! Made with 100% whole wheat flour and kissed with honey, this easy whole wheat roll recipe yields homemade rolls are that are irresistibly good.
Nothing beats soft, warm homemade rolls! But finding whole wheat rolls that aren't dense or tough, can prove to be a challenge.
Not with this recipe! Inspired by my recipe for Honey Whole Wheat Bread, this easy recipe for for whole wheat rolls yields soft, tender wheat rolls that are kissed with honey. They are easy to make and incredibly delicious.
Reasons to Love Whole Wheat Rolls
- Easy Recipe. Whether made by hand or in a bread machine, you don't need to be an experienced baker to make these wheat rolls.
- 100% Whole Grain, Yet Soft and Flavorful. Making soft whole wheat rolls can be a challenge. But this recipe uses just enough olive oil and honey to keep these rolls light and flavorful, yet still made with 100% whole grains!
- Naturally Sweetened. Instead of being made with refined sugar, these rolls are made with honey. The honey adds incredible flavor to the rolls as well.
- Dairy-Free & Egg-Free. A lot of dinner roll recipes are made with a combination of butter, eggs, and/or milk. This recipe leaves out all dairy and eggs, yet they are still richly flavored.
- Perfect for Any Occasion. Whether served at a holiday meal alongside Pineapple Glazed Ham or a Roasted Turkey, or served with Instant Pot Beef Stew or Broccoli Cheese Soup, these homemade wheat rolls complement any family meal.
- Make-Ahead Option. The wheat rolls can be frozen before baked and frozen to enjoy at a later time. This is great for a holiday or just simply to enjoy warm rolls any night of the week.
Notes On Ingredients
- Whole Wheat Flour: You can use 100% whole wheat flour or whole white wheat flour, which is still 100% whole grain.
- Water: The water must be between 100-110 degrees F. If the water is colder the yeast will not activate and if any warmer and the yeast will be killed.
- Olive Oil: Be sure to use extra virgin olive oil for the best flavor.
- Honey: The honey will help to flavor and sweeten the rolls and activate the yeast.
- Vital Wheat Gluten: This may sound like an oddball, but trust me it makes a WORLD of difference when making whole wheat bread and wheat rolls. Wheat flour does not have the same amount of gluten that white flour has, and without the addition of vital wheat gluten, whole wheat rolls can become very dense and heavy. This ingredient makes all the difference!
- Yeast: Be sure to use active dry yeast, not instant or quick-rise yeast. And it is always a good idea to check to see that it is not expired.
- Topping (optional): Brushing the rolls with a bit of olive oil (or melted butter) mixed with honey and then sprinkling with flaky salt is not necessary, but does add a nice restaurant-quality flavor to the rolls.
How to Make Whole Wheat Rolls
The following tips are provided to help you achieve perfect results. You will find the detailed instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Step One: Bloom the Yeast. Blooming the yeast, simply means to activate the yeast. It is done by combining the honey, water, and yeast together and letting it sit until foamy.
If for some reason your mixture does not foam, start the process over again. It may be that your yeast was expired or the water was too hot or too cold.
Step Two: Prepare Dough. In a large mixing bowl or bowl of a stand mixer, combine 2 cups of flour, salt, and vital wheat gluten. Add the olive oil and yeast mixture and mix with a wooden spoon or dough hook on a stand mixer, until the dough comes together and easily pulls away from the edges of the mixing bowl. If you notice that the dough is too sticky, add 1 tablespoon more flour at a time, until the right consistency is reached.
Step Three: Knead the Dough. To help activate the gluten, this dough needs to be kneaded until smooth and elastic. You can do this by hand on a floured surface or using a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook.
Step Four: Proof the Dough. Cover with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and let rise until double. This can take anywhere from an hour to ninety minutes, depending on the temperature and humidity of your house.
Step Five: Shape Rolls. Once the dough has risen, remove it from the bowl and place it on a lightly floured surface. Roll the dough out into a rectangle and then divide that into 12 sections. Gently roll each section into a ball to form a roll-like shape.
Step Six: Let Rise. Place the rolls onto a baking sheet spaced 2 inches apart or you can place the rolls into a greased 7x11 pan, spaced out evenly. Personally, I prefer using a 7x11 baking dish as placing the rolls into a small space causes them to push themselves upwards as they rise, keeping them a bit lighter in texture. Cover and let rise until doubled in size.
Step Seven: Bake. Bake until the rolls are golden and the internal temperature of the rolls reaches around 190 degrees F. It is best to check on the rolls mid-way through baking, if you notice the rolls are browning on the top too quickly, cover them loosely with foil to prevent over-browning.
Directions for wheat rolls using a bread machine
- Add the warm water, oil, honey, flour, salt, and wheat gluten to the pan fitted in the bread machine, in the order suggested per your model.
- Make a well in the ingredients and add in the yeast.
- Set the bread machine to the dough setting.
- Once the cycle is complete, shape the dough into a rectangle and cut it into 12 rolls. Cover the rolls with a clean towel and let them rise until doubled in size.
- Bake according to the recipe directions.
∗ tips to prevent dense wheat rolls ∗
The number one complaint about whole wheat rolls is that they can be dense. But if you follow my recipe and these tips, you will NOT have dense rolls.
- Measure the flour correctly. It is best to spoon the flour into a measuring cup instead of scooping the flour out directly with the measuring cup. Scooping the flour from the bag or canister with a measuring cup can result in an extra tablespoon or two of flour per cup.
- Use vital wheat gluten. The addition of vital wheat gluten is a game-changer when it comes to creating light wheat baked goods.
- Do not overwork the dough. You want to knead the dough until it just comes together, but is no longer sticky. If you knead the dough too long, you will develop too much gluten and that can result in tough rolls.
- Give the dough time to rise fully. The dough for homemade rolls needs to rise twice before baking. Each time the dough should double in size. While I can give you an estimated amount of time it takes to rise, it will vary based on the environment in your kitchen. Be sure to wait until the dough is fully doubled before proceeding with the next step.
Storage Instructions
- Storage: Because these rolls are made with 100% whole wheat and no preservatives, they will only keep at room temperature for 2 days. Let them cool fully and then place them into a storage container, removing any excess air.
- Freeze: Allow the rolls to cool fully. Once cool, freeze them in a freezer-safe bag, removing all excess air, for up to 1 month. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator before enjoying.
- Reheat: To enjoy warm rolls, place them in a baking dish, cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees F until warmed through, about 10 to 15 minutes. Alternatively, wrap individual rolls in a moistened paper towel and place on a microwave-safe plate. Heat for 10-15 seconds, or until warmed through.
Make-Ahead Instructions
- Prepare rolls up to through shaping.
- Once the rolls are shaped, place them onto a baking sheet lined with parchment and freeze until solid. This will keep the rolls from sticking together in the freezer.
- Once the outside of the rolls is frozen solid, place them into a freezer-safe bag or container and freeze for up to 3 months.
- To prepare rolls from frozen, remove as many rolls as desired from the freezer. Place them on a baking sheet, cover them with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap, and allow the rolls to thaw and rise until double in size. This will take 5-8 hours depending on the temperature of your house.
- Once doubled in size, bake as recipe directs.
More Homemade Bread and Dough Recipes
- Homemade Whole Wheat Pizza Dough
- Homemade Italian Bread
- Whole Wheat Cinnamon Raisin Bread
- Honey Whole Wheat Bread
- Homemade Garlic Toast
- Cranberry Walnut Bread
If you enjoyed this recipe for whole wheat rolls, I would love for you to leave a comment and review below.
Whole Wheat Rolls
Ingredients
For Rolls
- ¾ cup warm water 100-110 degrees F
- 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 2 to 2 ¼ cups 100% whole wheat flour
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon vital wheat gluten
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
For Topping (Optional)
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil or melted butter
- 1 teaspoon honey optional
- coarse salt
Instructions
- Mix together water, yeast and honey, Set aside for minutes, or until the mixture gets creamy and a bit bubbly. If the mixture does not bubble, your water may have been too hot or cold or your yeast was bad and you must start over.
- Once the yeast mixture has become foamy, add the oil to the water mixture.
- In a separate large bowl, mix together 2 cups of flour, vital wheat gluten, and salt.
- Make a well in the flour mixture and pour in the water mixture. Stir together with a wooden spoon or paddle mixer on a stand mixer until dough just comes together and easily pulls away from the edges of the mixing bowl. If you notice if the dough is too sticky, add 1 tablespoon more flour at a time, until the right consistency is reached.
- At this point, change the paddle mixer for the dough hook and knead the dough for 5-7 minutes, or until the dough is soft and just pulls away easily from the mixing bowl. Alternatively, knead by hand until the dough is soft but not sticky.
- Shape the dough into a ball and place it into an oiled bowl and cover it with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel. Let rise until doubled, about 1 hour.
- Once the dough has doubled, turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Shape the dough into a rectangle about ½ inch thick and then cut into 12 equal rectangles. Shape each rectangle into a ball and place each ball into the greased or buttered 7x11 or 9x13 baking dish, evenly spaced apart.
- Cover with a kitchen towel and let rise until doubled again, about 60-90 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350℉.
- Bake the risen rolls for 18-20 minutes or until browned and an internal temperature of rolls reads 190 degrees. Check on the rolls after 12 minutes of baking, and loosely cover with foil if browning too quickly.
- Remove rolls from oven and place pan on wire cooling rack. Let cool for 5 minutes. If desired, combine the honey and oil (or melted butter) and then brush over the warm rolls and sprinkle with coarse salt if desired.
Mel
These were so yummy and easy to throw together!
Sara R
These came ut so light and fluffy! We love the honey touch too. I am making them again Sunday for Easter.
Kristen Chidsey
They will be perfect for Easter! Enjoy and thanks for taking the time to share a review 🙂
Krissy Allori
The instructions were so easy to follow and they turned out perfectly! Will be making these rolls a lot in our future!
Sandra Alfano
This is my go-to recipe for rolls, everyone loves them! They come out fluffy every time. Thank you for this perfect recipe!
Lily
I served these rolls with gravy and they were perfect so light and airy, I loved this recipe, the perfect guilt-free dinner roll recipe!
Barbie Ensor
I really like the taste of these rolls. I forgot to make the temperature of the water 100-110 degrees and my rolls didn't rise as they should have (and i had to add more flour) but the taste was out of this world. These are my new dinner rolls - healthy and relatively easy to make! Thanks for the recipe! Barbie
Kim
Hi. I'm not a big fan of rolls that are too fluffy, what do you suggest I doo when I make these to make them a bit more dense??
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Kim! I would leave out the vital wheat gluten--that should help get the texture you are looking for.
Kim
Hi Kristen,
Thanks for letting me know. However I've just discovered I only have wholemeal self raising flour and normal all purpose flour, do you think I could still make these?
I have dried yeast and as you suggested above I will leave out the vital wheat gluten as I cant find that here in Melbourne Australia anyway.
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Kim! I would use all-purpose flour--that will work perfectly. Enjoy
Mayanka Khetarpal
Hi,
Can I omit the honey ?
Thanks
Kristen Chidsey
Yes you can!
Renee Goerger
These are beautiful rolls. Soft and pillowy. Everyone in my family loves them!
Kristen Chidsey
YAY! That makes me so happy Renee! I am so glad you all enjoyed
Kelly Anthony
There is nothing better than a soft and fluffy roll! I've only ever made white dinner rolls, but were so yummy!
Kristen Chidsey
I am so glad you enjoyed Kelly!
Shirley Hendley
I don't want whole wheat, can I substitute bread flour?
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Shirley, I have not tried this recipe with all purpose flour. I would assume it would work, but you will not need vital wheat gluten and you may need slightly more flour. If you try it, please let us know how it goes.
Van
Hi there... wondering what to use other than vital wheat Gluten?
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Van! You can use 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice for similar results.