Golden Whole Wheat Rolls – Soft but Sturdy (Bread Machine)
Sneak Preview: These soft and sturdy whole wheat rolls use half white whole wheat flour and half bread flour. Perfect for sliders, sandwiches, or dinner rolls. Your bread machine does the mixing—just shape, proof, and bake!
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Dinner rolls made with 100% red hard whole wheat(the cheapest whole wheat flour in the grocery store) are a hard sell with my family. They want soft and fluffy, so I make compromises.
Instead of red whole wheat, I tried white whole wheat flour (or “golden,” as King Arthur calls it.) Instead of only whole wheat flour, I use half whole wheat and half bread flour. Maybe someday we’ll get to 100% but we’re not there yet.
My grandkids dive right into these rolls without realizing they are eating something on the healthier side. (The lighter color helps.) I’m guessing the people you share these with will react similarly.
Ingredients and Substitutions
WATER: Tap water is fine. No need to heat it unless it is icy cold.
EGG: One large egg (50g ±); room temp not required.
SALT: Use table salt or sea salt. If using Kosher salt, add ¼ teaspoon extra.
HONEY: Adds subtle sweetness. Swap for sugar or maple syrup if preferred.
OIL: Choose a light-flavored oil like avocado or vegetable oil.
FLOUR: A 50/50 mix of white (golden) whole wheat flour and bread flour boosts structure. Subbing all-purpose flour may slightly reduce rise.
VITAL WHEAT GLUTEN: Optional, but helps create a lighter texture.
YEAST: Use bread machine or instant yeast for best results.
Step-by-Step: How To Shape Golden Whole Wheat Dinner Rolls
⬇️ Jump to the recipe below for exact amounts and detailed instructions.
?Tips That Make a Difference
- Skip the Gluten: If you don’t have vital wheat gluten, you can still make these rolls—they’ll just be a touch denser.
- Use a Quick-Read Thermometer: Rolls are perfectly baked when the center hits 190°F (87°C).
- Cover Rising Rolls with cheap shower caps to help create a perfect proofing environment.
- Want buns? Make 8 instead of 16 for perfect burger buns!
Golden Whole Wheat Rolls (Bread Machine)
Video
Ingredients
- ¾ cup (170 g) warm water
- 1 large (50 g) egg
- 1¼ teaspoon table or sea salt
- 3 tablespoons (63 g) honey
- 3 tablespoons (37 g) oil
- 1 ½ cup (180 g) bread flour
- 1 ½ cup (170 g) whole wheat flour
- 1 tablespoon vital wheat gluten (optional but makes rolls softer and rise higher)
- 2 ¼ teaspoons instant or bread machine yeast
Instructions
- Mix: Add 3/4 cup (170 g) warm water, 1 large (50 g) egg, 1¼ teaspoon table or sea salt, 3 tablespoons (63 g) honey, 3 tablespoons (37 g) oil, 1 1/2 cup (180 g) bread flour, 1 1/2 cup (170 g) whole wheat flour, 1 tablespoon vital wheat gluten, and 2 1/4 teaspoons instant or bread machine yeast, to bread machine in order listed.Set for the DOUGH cycle and press start.
- Check Dough: After 1 minute, lift the lid to be sure the paddles are turning and the dough is clumping. After 15–18 minutes, check again. The dough should stick briefly to the pan, then pull away cleanly. If too wet, add flour 1 tablespoon at a time. If too dry, add water 1 tablespoon at a time. Wait 1–2 minutes between additions so the dough can adjust.New to bread machines? Check out this picture tutorial for a visual guide!
- Rise: At the end of the DOUGH cycle, the dough should be doubled in size. If not, leave it in the machine until it rises sufficiently.
- Shape: Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface. Cut in half, then divide each half again until you have 16 equal portions (or 8 for larger buns). Shape each piece into a ball by pinching the seams underneath.
- Proof: Arrange 8 dough balls in each greased 8-inch pan (or use a larger pan). Cover and let rise until almost doubled. Rolls should be puffy and just touching. Rising may take 30 minutes to 2 hours, depending on room temperature.
- Bake: Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 15–18 minutes, or until golden brown and the center reaches 190°F (87°C).
- Finish: Remove from pans and cool on a wire rack. Brush with butter if desired and serve warm.
Notes
1️⃣ Add ingredients to the bowl in the listed order.
2️⃣ Mix on LOW until moistened, then knead on speed 2 or 3 with a dough hook for 5-10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
3️⃣ Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled.
4️⃣ Gently deflate and shape as directed in the recipe. ? By Hand:
1️⃣ Mix all ingredients into a shaggy dough ball in a large bowl.
2️⃣ Turn onto a floured surface and knead for 10-20 minutes until smooth and elastic.
3️⃣ Place in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise until doubled.
4️⃣ Gently deflate and shape as directed. ? Yeast Tip: Using active dry yeast? Increase by ¼ teaspoon. It no longer requires dissolving, but you can if preferred.
Equipment
Nutrition
All images and text ©️ Paula Rhodes for Salad in a Jar.com
FAQ About Whole Wheat Rolls
Yes. Freeze baked rolls once cooled, then thaw at room temp or warm briefly in the oven.
Keep in a bread bag or airtight container at room temp for up to 3 days.
Store in the fridge or freezer for longer freshness.
Yes, but they’ll be denser. Adding vital wheat gluten helps lighten the texture.
Final Thoughts:
These whole wheat rolls are soft, sturdy, and family-approved! Whether you’re making sliders, sandwiches, or dinner rolls, they’re an easy win with your bread machine. If you try this recipe, I’d love to hear how they turned out! Leave a comment and rating below so others can find and enjoy this recipe too.
Need help troubleshooting? Please email me: Paula at saladinajar.com–photos welcome!
Can you use 100% whole wheat?
Hi Clifford,
I would expect your rolls to be fairly dense, but if you’re OK with that, give it a try. Be sure to check the texture of the dough as you mix it in the bread machine to see if you need to add more flour or water. This can change depending on the brand and freshness of your flour. Let me know how they turn out.
The rolls taste great! There aren’t any left when I make them for family dinners.
Hi Jill,
No leftovers mean you are doing it right! Good job. Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment.
I’ve had so many issues making buns before this, but this recipe was super easy to follow and it finally worked! Will definitely make again
I’m so glad to hear this, Andrea. I hope there will be many more homemade buns in your life from now on. Thank you for the 5-star review.
Hi Paula, I wonder if this recipe is for a 1 pound or two-pound loaf. I know this recipe is for rolls/sliders. But I need it for a large crowd for a Thanksgiving football get-together. I am talking about 50 people. My bread machine is for a 1 lb, 1.5 lb, or 2 lb loaf. I know how to double it but I am unsure if I would be better off making two batches at a 1.5 loaf setting. Thank you for any response and help. I love your bread machine recipes. I have already used the bread bowl recipe. They came out great.
Hi Christina,
Almost all of my recipes are 1.5 pounds or smaller. 3 cups of flour usually equates to 1.5 pounds of bread.
Fifty people is a lot. In my experience, most people eat at least two rolls–teenagers, even more. I generally make 16 rolls with 3 cups of flour, but you could make the rolls bigger or smaller. If I were baking for 50 people, I would probably triple the recipe. That means I would mix and knead the dough for one batch, then remove it to another bowl to rise, etc. I would start the next batch and do the same. If you do this immediately, one after the other, it will only take an hour to get all the dough mixed and kneaded. If you want to get some of this done ahead of time, see this recipe for instructions. Homemade Brown-and-Serve Rolls That Help Me Sleep Better
Has anyone tried using this recipe to make a loaf in their bread machine?
I made these last week. So good and the recipe ingredient amounts are perfect. Thanks again for a wonderful recipe. My grandson loves them!
5 ⭐️
Hi Lois, Don’t you love it when you find something the grandkids love to eat?
I would like to freeze the raw rolls and bake at a later date. Should I let the rolls rise then freeze?
Hi Sandra,
It’s better to let the rolls rise after you take them out of the freezer. It also takes less room in your freezer to do it that way. Be sure to allow extra time for the rolls to thaw.
Do you have a suggested recipe for a dinner roll for Thanksgiving meal (turkey, etc)? Thanks
I will be making this one. It’s a plain dinner roll (although sometimes I add Cheddar cheese to them as I shape them) that goes with any menu. My second choice would be these rolls–also a plain dinner roll and a family fave. The latter recipe is a touch easier.
Great recipe ~ I use it often and very happy with the outcome
Oops, I just added bread flour instead of AP flour to the wheat roll recipe! What will happen?
They will still taste good but they might not rise quite as much as you hoped. I would proceed and hope for the best.
@Paula, I am confused. Your recipe calls for bread flour not all purpose flour. Is this right?
I like to use bread flour when baking with whole wheat–makes a lighter roll. But you could use AP flour if that’s all you have.
How long would I bake this if I wanted to make a loaf of bread instead of the rolls?
Hi Debi,
Good question. I haven’t tried it. However, I would start here: Bake 30-40 minutes in an oven preheated to 375˚F. Test with quick-read thermometer and make sure the internal temperature comes to 190-120˚F. I’m guessing it will be delicious. Here is another recipe from this website that is similar and set up to be baked as a loaf. https://saladinajar.com/recipes/honey-whole-wheat-bread/
Ketchup…
Catchup…
Catsup…
We call them TOMATO SAUCE in Malaysia ???
Yes. The is a normal amount of time for the DOUGH cycle. It surely wasn’t kneading all that time. Kneading and mixing only lasts 20-25 minutes. The rest of the time was allowing your dough to rise in a nice warm place. Hope you love the rolls!
My Bread Machine’s dough mode takes an hour and 30 minutes is that a normal amount of time to knead the dough?
The rolls look great and can’t wait to try!
Did you ever substitute anything for the vital wheat gluten? I just googled it and saw that 1 tsp Xanthan gum is equivalent to 1 Tbsp VWG, but was curious if you had ever tried it. I have the XG on hand, but didn’t find the other yet.
Thank you,
Leigh Ann
Hi!
Your site is great! I have been wanting to start making my own bread and was really interested when I saw that you had a whole wheat bun!
But I just have one question, in the ingredients you use both whole wheat flour and all purpose, unbleached flour, so doesn’t that mean that the buns are not actually whole wheat? I am just wondering because I try to stick to completely whole grains in my diet and just wanted to make sure.
Thanks!
Aila,
Just because something is called whole wheat does not necessarily mean it is 100% whole wheat just as banana bread is not 100% bananas. 100% whole wheat rolls can be tricky for the home baker because they need longer rising times and different handling. Adding a yeast enhancer is also desirable. Since I’m not a lover of whole wheat, I have not gone down that road. If you want a recipe for 100% whole wheat, you might check King Arthurs website.
i love your site! i bought a bread machine 2 years ago . we use it daily but i was a bit tired of the same mixes considering we eat that much breath. ive tested 4 recipes so far and all of them are a success! i now have a shortcut to your website directly from my phone homepage… I love it that much ❤️
Silvia, You’re so sweet to say that. I’m thrilled that you are loving and using your bread machine. Thank you for coming here to say so.
That was from all about ketchup
http://www.globalgourmet.com/food/sleuth/0799/
Thanks!
Jan, Thanks for the information. How interesting!!
Ketchup or Catsup?
When Heinz introduced commercial ketchup to American kitchens it became so popular that other manufacturers rushed to catch-up to the ketchup craze. Soon there were Ketchup, Catsup, Catchup, Katsup, Catsip, Cotsup, Kotchup, Kitsip, Catsoup, Katshoup, Katsock, Cackchop, Cornchop, Cotpock, Kotpock, Kutpuck, Kutchpuck and Cutchpuck. All were tomato based and bottled and vied to become a household word. Only 3 major brands remained to steal the spotlight…Heinz Ketchup, Del Monte Catsup, and Hunts, who could not decide on a spelling and bottled under the names Hunts Catsup (east of the Mississippi), Hunts Ketchup (west of the Mississippi), and Hunts Tomato Cornchops (in Iowa only). In the 1980’s ketchup was declared a vegetable by the government for school lunch menus. Suddenly Del Monte’s Catsup, because of its spelling, was not on the approved list. Shortly afterward Del Monte changed the product’s name to Del Monte Ketchup. So ketchup it is.
I love recipes that I have everything already on hand for! I also LOVE bread machine dough recipes, such a time saver. Can’t wait to try these! Thanks!
I made the rolls last night – they’re really good and Allen liked them! Thanks for the great recipe!
Strange… I ALMOST bought a can of Manwich last weekend at the store… thinking “I haven’t had sloppy joes since I was a kid”. Glad I didn’t…. this looks exquisite (if sloppy joes CAN look exquisite)! Just making the joe mix would be terrific! I’d have to really schedule time for the rolls…. but they DO look incredible I must say! Beautiful photography and styling! Dickinson’s…. a favorite!
Yum! Thanks for the recipe – I’ll have to try it soon!
These look great! I’m ashamed to admit that I’ve always used the sloppy joe packet mix :-/ Might just try this!