These soft and fluffy 100% Whole Wheat Dinner Rolls are the perfect from-scratch baked good for your holiday table or a Sunday Supper. We love the pillowy soft texture and classic sweet buttery taste. You’d never guess that they are made without refined flour or sugar!

a pan full of whole wheat rolls browned and sprinkled with kosher salt

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Why We Love This Recipe For Whole Wheat Dinner Rolls

We are obsessed with these buttery soft wheat dinner rolls as the perfect complement to our Sunday Suppers! They taste like they should be a holiday treat, and they are, but you can also whip them up to use for something as casual as barbecue-pulled chicken sliders.

Our Whole Wheat Bread recipe is one of our favorites, because who doesn’t love freshly homemade bread that’s also healthy? But these quick and easy dinner rolls are moving up in ranking!

Recipe Highlights

  • Ready in less than 2 hours
  • 100% Whole wheat and still light and fluffy
  • Freeze well so you can make-ahead
  • Perfect for a holiday or Sunday meal
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Key Ingredients for this Soft Wheat Roll Recipe

the ingredients on a marble countertop with text overlay

Step By Step Instructions For This Wheat Rolls Recipe

melt butter and milk together and mix the dough

Step 1: Melt Butter and Milk Together

You can either melt your butter on the stovetop or in the microwave. If you’re using a saucepan on the stove, you can just throw the 6 tablespoons of butter in the pan along with milk and water. Allow it to melt together over medium-high heat. If you’re using a microwave, cut the 6 tablespoons of butter into 6 pieces, then add the pieces to a bowl with milk and water to microwave for approximately 1 ½ minutes on high. 

Step 2: Mix in Additional Ingredients

In the bowl of a stand mixer, add whole wheat flour, yeast, and salt, and then combine using a spatula. Add the heated milk and butter mixture, maple syrup, and eggs. Stir by hand until just combined. 

mix the dough and allow it to proof while covered with plastic wrap

Step 3: Mix Dough

Mix on medium-low speed with the dough hook until the flour is incorporated and a sticky dough has formed. This will take about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with the spatula and then test the texture of the dough. It should stick to the bowl and feel lightly tacky when gently touched with your finger. If the dough is too sticky, add a couple of tablespoons of flour at a time, up to ½ cup of additional flour. 

TIP: This is a very sticky dough. The whole wheat flour will absorb more moisture as it proofs, so resist the urge to add more flour.

Continue kneading, for about 3 minutes, until it starts to pull away from the bowl. Do not add more than 4 ½ cups of flour total, and do not knead for more than 6 minutes.

Food Science Alert: Be careful not to over-knead the whole-wheat roll dough as this will create a dense texture. Since whole wheat flour contains the bran of the wheat kernel, these super tiny slivers of wheat bran “cut” the strands of gluten when it is over-mixed. In other words, over-kneading will damage the stretchy gluten and will therefore inhibit its ability to rise. You’ll wind up with a dense and dry texture, rather than the light and fluffy rolls we want.

Step 4: Proof Dough

Take a sheet of plastic wrap and spray it with cooking spray before using it to cover the bowl of dough (just in case it sticks). Allow the dough to rise in a warm, draft-free location until the dough does not spring back when touched. This should take about 30 minutes. 

Meanwhile, set 1 tablespoon of the remaining butter at room temperature to soften. 

grease the pan and shape the dough into balls

Step 5: Prepare to Bake

Spread the softened butter onto the bottom and up the sides of a 13” x 9” baking dish or pan, and heat the oven to 350°F.

Step 6: Shape Dough

TIP: Move quickly as the dough will continue rising as you’re shaping. You don’t have to speed through this step, but definitely don’t take your time with it either.

Lightly flour your surface and turn the dough out. Pat the dough into a 12”x14” rectangle and divide the dough into 24 equal pieces, approximately 1 ¾ ounces each. Shape each piece into a ball by using your index finger and thumb to pinch one side of the dough piece and pull it under itself. Turn the dough and continue to pinch and pull until a round shape forms.

place balls in baking sheet and bake until the top is browned, then sprinkle with kosher salt

Step 7: Second Proof

Set the balls of dough in the prepared baking dish and cover it with sprayed plastic wrap while it rises until it’s doubled in size. This should take about 30 minutes. 

Step 8: Bake

Bake the rolls until golden brown for about 18-24 minutes. Melt the remaining tablespoon of butter in a small saucepan over low-medium heat and then brush the butter over the rolls. Sprinkle the top with kosher salt, if desired. Serve warm and enjoy!

close up shot of baked whole wheat dinner rolls
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FAQs and Expert Tips

Serving Suggestions

These rolls could work great for sliders or with Barbecued Pulled Beef. For a cold day when all you want is slow-cooker vegetarian chili, enjoy the hearty bowl with some whole wheat rolls. You can also serve your rolls alongside roasted pork loin or pan-seared salmon at Sunday supper! We always have homemade rolls at Thanksgiving, Easter and Christmas too.

Make Ahead Instructions

They’re best freshly baked, but they can be made up to two days ahead. Wrap them well with plastic wrap and keep them at room temperature. Then, wrap the rolls in aluminum foil and bake them at 350 for 15 minutes to warm through before serving.

Can these rolls be frozen?

Yes, they can be frozen for up to 6 weeks while wrapped in plastic wrap. Let them thaw at room temperature for a few hours and then reheated in a 300-degree oven for 5 minutes.

The Trick to Rapid Rise Yeast

Contrary to popular belief, the rapid rise instant yeast can be mixed directly with the rest of the ingredients. Make sure to heat the liquid to 120-130 degrees, but do not heat it above 140 degrees. The high temperature can kill the yeast.

Additional 100% Whole Wheat Recipes To Try

whole wheat banana pancakes stacked on a plate with banana slices and maple syrup drizzled on top

Whole Wheat Banana Pancakes

Whole Wheat Crepes
whole wheat french toast with fruit and maple syrup on plates

Whole Wheat French Toast
whole wheat yeast waffles topped with berries on a white plate with syrup being poured over

Whole Wheat Yeast Waffles
muffins in a metal bowl with a kitchen cloth

Healthy Cornbread Muffins (Whole-Wheat)
a baking dish full of whole wheat dinner rolls

Thanks so much for reading! If you are new here, you may want to sign up for my email newsletter to get a free weekly menu plan and the latest recipes right to your inbox. If you make this recipe, please come back and leave a star rating and review. I would love to hear what you thought!

Happy Cooking! ~Katie

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whole wheat dinner rolls browned on top and sprinkled with coarse kosher salt

Whole Wheat Dinner Rolls

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5 from 4 reviews

  • Author: Stephanie Olson
  • Total Time: 1 hour and 45 mins
  • Yield: 24 rolls 1x
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Description

These soft and fluffy 100% Whole Wheat Dinner Rolls are the perfect from-scratch baked good for your holiday table or a Sunday Supper. We love the pillowy soft texture and classic sweet buttery taste. You’d never guess that they are made without refined flour or sugar!

Ingredients

Scale
  • 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 4 – 4 1/2 cups whole-wheat flour, plus additional for dusting the work surface
  • 3 envelopes instant yeast or rapid rise yeast
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup or honey
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt, optional

Instructions

  1. Cut 6 tablespoons of butter into 6 pieces. Combine with milk and water in a 2 cup liquid measuring cup and heat in the microwave until very warm (120° to 130°F), approximately 1 1/2 minutes on high. (Alternatively, heat in a small saucepan over medium-high heat.)
  2. Place 4 cups whole wheat flour, yeast and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer. Combine using a spatula. Add the heated milk mixture, maple syrup and eggs and stir by hand until just combined.      
  3. Mix on medium-low speed with dough hook until the flour is incorporated and a sticky dough has formed, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with the spatula. Test texture of the dough. It should stick to the bowl, and feel lightly tacky when gently touched with your finger. If the dough is too sticky, add a couple of tablespoons of flour at a time (up to 1/2 cup additional flour.) Continue kneading until it starts to pull away from the bowl, about 3 minutes. Do not add more than 4 1/2 cups total flour and do not knead more than 6 minutes. 
  4. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a clean dish towel and let rise in a warm, draft-free location until the dough does not spring back when touched, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, set 1 tablespoon of the remaining butter at room temperature to soften. 
  5. Spread 1 tablespoon of the remaining softened butter onto the bottom and up the sides of a 13” x 9” baking dish or pan. Heat the oven to 350°F. 
  6. Pat the dough into a 12” x 14” rectangle on a lightly floured surface and divide the dough into 24 equal pieces, approximately 1 3/4 ounces each and shape into balls. Set in the prepared baking dish. Cover with plastic wrap or a tea towel and let rise until approximately doubled in size, about 30 minutes.
  7. Bake the rolls, turning the pan once, until golden brown, 18-24 minutes. Melt the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Brush butter over the rolls and sprinkle with kosher salt, if desired. Serve warm. 

Notes

Ingredient Note: Rapid-rise instant yeast can be mixed directly with the rest of the ingredients. Make sure to heat the liquid to 120-130 degrees. Do not heat above 140 degrees because that can kill the yeast.

Tip: This is a very sticky dough. The whole wheat flour will absorb more moisture as it proofs, so resist the urge to add more flour. Do not over-knead the dough as this will create a more dense texture.

To shape the rolls: Use your index finger and thumb to pinch one side of the dough piece and pull it under itself. Turn the dough and continue to pinch and pull until a round shape forms.

Make Ahead: Remove leftovers from the pan and wrap well with plastic wrap. Well-wrapped rolls can be left at room temperature for up to 1 day or frozen for up to 3 months. Let thaw at room temperature and reheat in a 300-degree oven for 5 minutes. Well-wrapped baked rolls can be frozen for up to 3 months. Let thaw at room temperature and reheat in a 300-degree oven for 5 minutes.

  • Active Time: 22 mins
  • Cook Time: 18-24 mins
  • Category: Side Dishes
  • Method: Oven

Nutrition

  • Calories: 134
  • Sugar: 4 g
  • Fat: 5 g
  • Carbohydrates: 18 g
  • Fiber: 3 g
  • Protein: 4 g

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