Whole Wheat Rolls

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Whole wheat rolls round out any supper and are especially great for dunking in soup. Fresh herbs add a boost of fragrant flavor to each bite.

This recipe has been retested and updated since first publishing February 2015.

Whenever it gets cold outside, all I want to do is crank up the oven and get to baking and cooking. It might be my Midwestern roots speaking, but casseroles, soups, stews, and plenty of baked goods have all factored into who I ended up as a cook.

For me, making what goes with soups and stews is just as important as the main dish itself. After all, it has to stand up to plenty of broth-dipping and sauce-swirling.

Growing up we often used smack-and-bake canned breads or brown-and-serve rolls from the grocery bakery, dunking the warm bread in bowl after bowl of stew or chili. These days, I prefer making my own.

Wholesome and nutty from whole wheat flour and fragrant thanks to fresh herbs, these whole wheat rolls are perfect alongside some chicken poblano soup or a classic beef stew.

Baking the rolls in a muffin tin gives you wonderfully browned edges all around, so they hold up to even the deepest of soup dunks. They’re a great option for the holidays too, so put this recipe in your back pocket.

Ingredients for whole wheat rolls

Full list of ingredients including quantities is located in the recipe card.

You’ll need:

Whole wheat flour – You can use white whole wheat flour, which is a bit lighter and fluffier, or regular whole wheat flour. 

All-purpose flour – This helps make the dinner rolls not be too dense. 

Instant yeast – Instant yeast does not need to be activated, so it’s easy to use for any baking project!

Thyme – I like adding herbs to my rolls. Both fresh or dried thyme will work. Remember that 1 tablespoon fresh thyme is about 1 teaspoon dried thyme.

Salt – For flavor

Buttermilk – Buttermilk adds a small amount of tangy flavor to the rolls. You can use regular milk if you prefer, but keep in mind you will likely also need to adjust the final amount of flour, since buttermilk is thicker.

Melted butter – I usually use unsalted butter, but salted will work as well. It adds just a slight amount of salt to the dough.

Honey – Sweetener helps the yeast work in the dough, and honey pairs well with whole wheat. Another good option is maple syrup.

How to make this recipe

Pour the buttermilk into a small saucepan and set over medium heat to warm. Don’t be tempted to walk away, because we’re only wanting the milk to get to 100-110°F. If it gets too hot, it will curdle and separate.

Once the buttermilk is to temperature, whisk in the honey and melted butter.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the whole wheat flour, 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, instant yeast, thyme (if using) and salt.

Pour in the warm buttermilk mixture and use a dough whisk or wooden spoon to mix together. Add more all-purpose flour, a little at a time, until you have a shaggy dough that is not overly sticky.

Dump the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 6-8 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic. It should feel supple and only slightly tacky to the touch.

Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place until doubled. This will take approximately 1 hour, depending on the temperature of your kitchen.

Once risen, gently deflate the dough. Divide into 24 equal portions. Pinch the edges under to form a ball.

Grease a 12-cup muffin tin and place two dough balls side by side into each well. Cover and let rise until puffy, 30-45 minutes.

Halfway through rising time, preheat the oven to 375°F.

Bake for 18-20 minutes, until golden brown. Let cool briefly and serve.

Recipe tips

If you don’t have or don’t like thyme, rosemary is a good substitute. Make sure whatever herb you use is fragrant, and keep in mind that the flavor won’t come through in small amounts. You can always leave the herbs out if you prefer.

Note that factors such as humidity levels, how you measure your flour, and the flour itself will all affect the amount of flour you will end up using. Making bread is more about feel than exact amounts, so take it slow when adding flour to the dough as you are mixing and kneading.

If you like, you can use just all-purpose flour for this recipe. This will make the rolls a bit lighter and fluffier.

You can use a stand mixer to mix and knead the dough for this recipe. Make sure you use the dough hook attachment and add flour as needed.

I like to use shower caps for covering my bowls of dough during the first rise. They fit perfectly around the bowl and keep the warmth contained. Of course, a clean kitchen towel works great as well!

You can shape the dough into cloverleafs by dividing it into twice as many pieces, then placing 4 dough balls into each muffin well. You can also just do 1 ball per roll, but I like to do 2 as it makes for perfect halves to butter and dunk!

Enjoy these whole wheat dinner rolls as part of your next soup night!