These honey whole wheat dinner rolls are light and tender with great flavor!

These honey whole wheat rolls are light and tender, with great flavor!

I’ve come a long way when it comes to baking homemade rolls. I remember the first few batches I baked while figuring things out in culinary school— dense, unappetizing hockey pucks. I’ve come a loooong way since then.

These honey whole wheat rolls are the exact opposite of hockey pucks! They’re so very light and fluffy, and not at all weighed down by the whole wheat flour in this recipe. There’s just enough whole wheat flour to lend a subtle hearty flavor, but not so much that they lose their soft and tender texture. They’re exactly what every dinner roll should be, and they’re the best accompaniment to almost any meal.

Honey whole wheat dinner rolls in the making

These honey whole wheat rolls are just one of the many rolls recipes I have on my site! Looking for something a little different? You can’t go wrong with any of these—

Shaped honey whole wheat rolls

baking tip:4 ways to prepare rolls in advance

>> Rise the dough in the fridge overnight— Place kneaded dough in a greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Put in the fridge overnight. The next morning, shape into rolls, rise and bake.

>> Rise the shaped rolls in the fridge overnight— Place shaped rolls in a greased baking dish or pan lined with parchment paper and cover with plastic wrap. Put in the fridge overnight. The next morning bring it to room temperature for 1 – 1 1/2 hours until risen, then bake.

>> Freeze shaped rolls up to 2 months in advance— Place shaped rolls on a pan lined with parchment paper so they aren’t touching. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze for 1 hour. Transfer frozen rolls to a heavy duty ziplock bag and store for up to 2 months. When ready to use, place frozen rolls in a greased baking dish or pan lined with parchment and thaw at room temperature for a few hours, let rise, then bake.

>> Freeze baked rolls up to 1 month in advance— Bake rolls as normal and cool completely. Wrap in foil and then place in a ziplock bag. When ready to serve, remove from bag and loosen the foil a bit. Warm in a 300 degree F oven for 20-25 minutes until warmed through.

These honey whole wheat rolls are light and tender, with great flavor!

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These honey whole wheat rolls are light and tender, with great flavor!
3.50 from 2 reviews

Honey Whole Wheat Dinner Rolls

Servings: 12 rolls
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
These honey whole wheat rolls are light and tender with great flavor!

Ingredients
 

  • 3/4 cup milk (180 ml)
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter (56 grams)
  • 1/4 cup honey (85 grams)
  • 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour (170 grams)
  • Approximately 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (180 grams)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 envelope active-dry yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)
  • 2 large eggs

Honey butter glaze (optional):

  • 2 tablespoons butter , melted
  • 1 teaspoon honey

Instructions
 

  • In a small saucepan set over medium low heat, add milk, butter and honey. Heat until butter is melted and mixture reaches between 120°-130°F.
  • In the bowl of stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment (or in a large bowl if mixing by hand), combine all of the whole wheat flour, 1/2 cup of the all-purpose flour, the salt and yeast.
  • Add milk mixture to bowl and mix with a dough hook or spoon until combined to form a very wet dough. Add eggs and mix until incorporated.
  • With mixer running on medium speed, add remaining all-purpose flour a few tablespoons at a time until dough clears the sides of the bowl. You may not need all of the flour, you may need a little more. The dough should still be moist and sticky, but shouldn't come off and stick to your fingers when handled.
  • Knead dough with the mixer or by hand for another 3-4 minutes until smooth and elastic.
  • Cover dough with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.
  • Gently punch down dough and knead a few times, then portion dough into 12 rolls and smooth tops. (I use a scale to make sure all rolls are the same size.)
  • Place shaped rolls in a greased baking dish and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise until doubled again, about 30 minutes more. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350°F.
  • Bake rolls until tops and golden brown, about 20 minutes.
  • For the glaze, combine melted butter and honey brush onto rolls right when they are hot from the oven.
  • Rolls are best served when they are warm and fresh, but will keep at room temperature for several days.
Calories: 147kcal, Carbohydrates: 18g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 7g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Cholesterol: 44mg, Sodium: 229mg, Potassium: 94mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 7g, Vitamin A: 241IU, Calcium: 28mg, Iron: 1mg
Cuisine: American
Course: Side Dish
Author: Annalise
Have you tried this recipe?I’d love to hear about it! Leave a rating and review below, or take a photo and tag it on Instagram @completelydelicious with #completelydelicious.