Sunday night dinner.
To me there is something so comforting and awesome about Sunday night dinner.
Especially during the months towards the end of summer and through fall, when school starts back up and routines begin to form. I love routines and it is probably the only thing I liked about the start of the school year.
Well, I did love back to school shopping.
New notebooks, pencils and general school supplies makes me very excited. I think it is the organization part to it, I love being organized. Which is honestly so ironic since over the past few months I have been so unorganized.
It’s terrible.
Anyway, dinner on Sunday night at our house pretty much always has bread.
Beer bread, sourdough bread, homemade pitas and these rolls.
Oh and Sunday night football. I really love Sunday night football. Seriously, I am so excited.
These light, buttery pull apart rolls are everyone’s favorite.
They are doughy, soft and so good fresh out of the oven with a pat of butter. It’s pure comfort and they are also so good dipped into soups or stews too. Perfect for all the typical Sunday night meals.
The best part is how easy they are.
Just mix the dough with your mixer or by hand with a wooden spoon. Let the dough rise 30 minutes and divide into nine dough balls. Let rise fifteen more minutes, brush with butter and bake twenty minutes.
Hot fresh homemade dinner rolls ready in under two hours with very minimal work. That is what we all want on a Sunday, so I say SCORE!
You can even double the recipe and place a pan in the freezer for another time. Then all you have to do is defrost on the counter before dinner. Then just bake as directed.
So easy.
Oh, and sometimes I like to brown the butter that goes into the dough. Ah huh, now that is crazy awesome too! Either way though, they are delicious and yes, everyone in your family will eat these. Even if they are whole wheat. Trust me, even my picky, picky brother requests these rolls almost every dinner.
They love them. I love them. You will love them!
Easy Fluffy Pull-Apart Whole Wheat Buttery Dinner Rolls
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour or white whole wheat flour
- 1 cup all-purpose four
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup very warm water divided
- 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 2 tablespoons honey divided
- 1 egg
- 4 tablespoons butter melted
Instructions
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Combine 1/4 cup warm water, the yeast and 1 tablespoon honey in a small glass bowl. Stir to dissolve and let site 5 - 10 minutes or until water has risen and is light and foamy.
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In the bowl off a stand mixer or other large bowl add the whole wheat pastry flour, all-purpose flour and salt.
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In another bowl add the remaining 3/4 cup warm water, 1 tablespoon honey, the egg and 2 tablespoons melted butter. Stir to combine.
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Add both water mixtures to the bowl with the flour. Using the dough hook (or a wooden spoon) knead the dough on medium speed for for about five minutes or until the dough comes together and begins to form into a ball. The dough will be very wet and sticky.
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Remove the dough from the bowl and either rub the bowl with olive oil or spray with cooking spray. Return the dough to the bowl, cover and place in a warm place for 25 minutes.
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After 25 minutes grease a square baking dish or pie plate (I used an 8x8 dish, but 9x9 would work too). Flour your hands and punch the dough down. Place the dough on a well floured surface and divide into 9 even balls. You may need to add more flour to prevent the dough from sticking, but try and use as little flour as possible. Place the balls in 3 even rows in the baking dish and cover the dish with with a damp towel or plastic wrap that has been sprayed with cooking spray (so the dough does not stick to the plastic wrap).
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Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
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Allow the rolls rise for 15 to 25 minutes or until the dough balls are round and popping out of the pan. Once the rolls are ready to go melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and carefully brush the tops of the rolls with the butter. Bake the rolls in the middle of the oven for 20 to 15 minutes or until lightly browned on top. Remove and serve immediately with a pat of butter.
You guys, they are so fluffy. My mom the bread lover, kept trying to get one before I finished shooting. Can’t say I blame her.
School shopping is my favourite too! Although I won’t be back to classes until middle-late september, so it’s going to be long until I get to buy some new school supplies :((
Anyway, these rolls look delicious. Super soft, fluffy yet wholegrain??? I must make these now! :–)
Thanks Consuelo!! You have to give these a try! You’ll love them!
These look similar to the texture of Kings Hawaiian bread. And that’s my fave! So, I know I’ll love these. 🙂
Thanks Madison! In my opinion these are better, so you have to give them a try!
Oh yes!!!! These do look tasty.
Thanks Charlotte!
Fresh, still warm, homemade rolls are the best!!
I could not agree more! Thanks Kevin!
Sunday night dinner is so special – these rolls would be the perfect addition! 🙂
I agree! Thanks Jennifer!
I still buy too many school supplies…and I don’t go to school or teach anymore. The 25 cent notebooks give me a thrill. 🙂 Just like these rolls – the best!
Hehe! I know what you mean! Thanks Dorothy!
These are so rustic and gorgeous, I mean wow. I love that they are in a small pan too!
Thank you so much, Cathy!
Nice recipe. Thank you.
Thanks so much, Liz!
Love the dinner rolls and I have so many dinner roll recipes but I always want to make more! I love that they’re pull apart and buttery and that you were able to work in some whole wheat flour and still get the nice fluffy action!
I love dinner rolls too, but you have me beat! All your recipes make me hungry for some rolls! LOL!
Thanks Averie!
As much as I love food, I’m convinced there’s nothing greater than freshly-baked bread. Can’t stop, won’t stop eating it. These look lovely!
I agree!! Fresh bread is the best!!
Thank you so much, Mary-clay!
Ooooo, I can smell them coming out of my oven. I’ll be making these for sure.
The smell is amazing! You have to make them!
Thanks Norma!
There’s nothing better than homemade dinner rolls!
Agree! Thanks Laura!
Tieghan, These look amazing! Can’t wait to try this recipe 🙂
Awe, thank you so much! You are so kind, Michelle!
I’m so scared of baking bread! But you make it sound so simple! I may have to give these a try… fresh baked rolls does sound pretty tempting. Pinned! 😉
Don’t be scared! I promise, these are so easy!! You will love them!
Thanks Allie!
Found your blog today! Have read your comments on many other sites. Did not know that you also had a blog. Your recipes look so interesting! Can’t wait to try. Thanks.
Awe, thank you so much! I am so happy you clicked over and thrilled to have you as a new reader!
Hope you love the recipes you try!
I can’t WAIT for Sunday night football! Making these for the first season game!
I know, I know! So excited! Thanks Mimi and I hope you love these!
They look undeniably fluffy Tieghan! And so soft! And buttery. I want to grab a handful of them and eat them all at once. There is nothing (nothing!!) better than homemade dinner rolls. Pinning these – like I do all your amazing creations.
Homemade rolls (or bread of any kind) is the all time best! Thank you so much for all the pinterest love! Trust me, I do the same for all your recipes. Seriously wishing I had some of those pumpkin cupcakes and with all the frosting too!! YUM!
These look awesome Tieghan! You named all my favorite breads when you mentioned your Sunday night meals… beer bread, sourdough, pita, and soft, fluffy rolls. They’re all on the top of my list! Buttery dinner rolls never get old. 🙂
Thank you, Alexandra! We kind of love good bread over here!
Sunday night dinners always make me feel so warm and cozy – reminding me of sun setting early as school started and having big family dinners together. These rolls look super yummy!! Do you have the recipe with the brown butter? I’d eat ANYTHING if it has brown butter on it or in it!
Oh my gosh! Lol! I actually did brown my butter for this batch, but I do not normally! I cannot believe I forgot to mention that! Yes, brown the butter! So good!
Looks great! I just got a bread machine, would I be able to make the dough in there?
Hmm.. I am not familiar with bread machines, but if all it does is mix the dough than I would think so.
Hope you those these ad thank you!
These look delicious! I love whole wheat dinner rolls. Now I have a new recipe to try out! Thanks for sharing.
Thank you, Theresa!
Hot buttery rolls – what’s better?! Yum!
I know, right! Thanks Kaitlin!
These would just make any dinner better!! Mmmmmm!
They truly do! Thanks so much, Jocelyn!
These look great! Is there any chance I could use all whole wheat flour instead of whole wheat and all purpose?
Hi Leah!
I would recommend doing half and half. If you use all whole wheat, the rolls with not be as fluffy and probably a little dense. You could try using all whole wheat pastry flour or white whole what flour. Hope this helps and I hope you enjoy these!
I made these tonight and they were AWESOME!! Super soft and fluffy and with a great wheat taste. These will definitely be my new go-to rolls since they’re so easy. Thanks!
YES!! So happy you loved these!! Thanks Mark!
I think my family would love these, too!
Thanks Melanie! I bet they would!
I’m so sad! I did this recipe exactly as written and my rolls won’t rise AT ALL! Not really sure where it got messed up 🙁
Oh no!! I am sorry to hear that! When you added the yeast to the warm water with the sugar did it poof up and have brown foam like stuff on top?
I was completely wrong! I just let it rise for literally another hour after I shaped the rolls, they rose to just about as high as my pan. After baking them they were HUGE! And probably the best rolls ever. I mean, my husband who hates anything wheat ate 4!
Oh yes!! So thrilled they worked out and so incredibly happy you loved them!!
Tina,
I agree. I am still waiting for mine to rise. It has been at least 45 min. Had to look to another recipe I’ve made in the past to get an idea of how long it took those to rise as they worked great. FYI – in the other recipe it was a full hour to rise.
They’ve risen a little but not much. I think there’s an error in the recipe or I did something wrong with too hot water. Yeast is not old. Hmmm…
Hi Genny, these will not double in size before baking, but will puff during baking. Sounds like everything is on the right track. Hope you love these and happy Easter!
Hi Genny, so sorry, I just relized I thought you where asking about another roll. These should have puffed up at least a little before baking. That said, they will rise while they bake so I do think you should still be fine. Sorry for any trouble!
It looks fluffy indeed and so temting to eat. Putting butter over it when eating is a very good idea as it is very tasty. I do that all the time. Thanks for sharing this recipe. Will try it soon.
Thanks Ana!
These were AHHH-some!!! I’ve NEVER baked bread and I was certain I’d screw this up but I didn’t! Everyone LOVED them! This is a recipe I will never lose! Thank you so much for sharing!
Oh yes!! I am so happy you loved these!! Nothing beats homemade rolls!!
Thanks Deanna!
I don’t think I can express to you how wonderful these look. Can’t wait to make, thanks!!
Thank you so much!! I hope you love them!
I baked these the other night and they were a big hit. They”re on the menu tonight to mop up a big beef and beer casserole… yummo! Thanks for the wonderful recipe!
OH yay!! SO happy you love these!! Thanks for making them and letting me know you loved them!
Made these tonight–so delicious and easy! Bread always scares me and/or I think it’s going to take too much time but these rose pretty quickly and baked up in no time. Thanks for a great recipe and teaching me that it’s really not that hard!
YES! So happy you love these rolls! 🙂
I just wanted to let you know I made these a few weeks ago and loved them so much I’m making them today for Thanksgiving. Great, great recipe! Thank you!
SO happy you loved the, Shannon! Thanks for making them and making the today!! I actually am too!!
Happy Thanksgiving! 🙂
I just made these tonight to go with our soup and they were DElicious. I literally wanted to eat the whole pan but for some reason my family wanted some as well 🙂
YAY!! So happy you loved these, Kate!
Thanks!
Made these a few times now and everyone loved it. Thanks so much for sharing the recipe!
YA! This makes me so happy! 🙂
I very rarely comment on recipes, which I know is terrible and I should… but these are FANTASTIC. So so easy. Hubs is pretty apathetic about food, but he said they were delicious immediately after the first bite and then thanked me for making them after he was done eating. So nice work on this one! Thank you!
Haha! Ya! This makes me so happy!! Thanks Emily!
Hey Tieghan!
These look amazing! Just a question….freezer space is limited in my house so would I be able to make these the night before and keep them in the fridge (not freezer) for like almost 20-ish hours?
Thanks!
Chi
HI! That should work fine. Hope you love these!
Hello, would it be possible to sub the dry yeast for fresh yeast instead or will the recipe completely change? Thanks 🙂
HEy Ella! Fresh will be fine, but the dough may rise a bit faster, so just watch it. Hope you love these rolls!
I’m trying this for Thanksgiving so I will need to double. Should I use a jelly roll pan? I also have whole wheat flour and regular white flour. Should I use half/half or all whole wheat? Thanks.
Made these for the first time this week. They turned out perfectly. I used the 8×8 pan and they were big and fluffy. If I doubled them, I’d use two pans to get the same results. I followed the recipe exactly. I’m wondering if they’d turn out as well with all regular white flour. But I’m not waiting for the answer because the first batch is gone and I’m ready to make another!
First time making a bread item and wow!! Simple and so yummy!! Thank you.
Did this today: first time making wheat rolls, they turned out awesome! Thank you. 🙂
So happy you loved these!! 🙂
Thanks you!
I made these tonight and was SO happy with how they turned out! Which is saying something because I have high standards for anything that I make. They were so easy, I didn’t even use a machine. Just mixed it all by hand. These rolls are HUGE, man! I was concerned that they wouldn’t turn out big and fluffy and now I’m having a laugh at myself. Biggest roll I’ve ever eaten lol. I think next time I’m going to make 18 rolls out of it instead of 9. My one year old, the ultimate taste tester, totally approved of her piece that I slathered with butter. Definitely going to make these again. Your recipe is the bomb!!
Seriously, if anyone is having doubts about making these…just do it. They’re awesome.
I would like to freeze before baking. You say to dreeze at atep sox but yoir steps are not numbered. Which step is #6. Btw i made these on the weekend and they turned out Amazing!! Than you
Love love love this recipe! It has definitely become a Sunday dinner staple in our home. I am bringing 2 dozen to Easter dinner tomorrow… can I do 2 batches in a 9×13 pan or will they bake unevenly? Also, since I’m making today, I can assemble in a pan, overnight in the fridge and let rise on the counter before baking, right?
These look delicious and ,oh, so simple!. I’ll be making these in a few weeks for a dinner party. I would appreciate some clarification regarding freezing. Where do I cut off step 6 and how to I pick it up again; what do I do about the covering?
I would imagine that I should cover with foil and plastic and freeze. Then, do I thaw them for 2 hrs. with this freezing cover or do I replace it with a damp towel or plastic wrap that has been sprayed with cooking spray for the rising? Seems like an important step and I don’t want to mess up.
Looking forward to adding these to a pasta dinner followed by lemon custard dessert. Thanks :)!
Hey Lisa!!
Great question! Remove the foil and replace it with a damp towel or plastic wrap that has been sprayed with cooking spray. That will work great! Hope you love these rolls and please let me know if you have other questions.
Tieghan!!
Can you double this recipe and bake in a larger pan? I’d like to make these for Thanksgiving but I need more than 9 rolls.
Yes. I typically do. I’ve also made with white flour and I always top with melted butter and poppy seeds before baking. They freeze well.
Hey!! Yes, that will be great! Hope you love these rolls!
Oh no! I was so looking forward to these rolls for tonight and Thanksgiving. But my rolls never popped out of the pan. My yeast was not expired but not sure if I got a bum packet as it has happened! I used my stand mixer to knead and it came together in about 4 – 5 minutes. What happened? Any tips? I baked them and they are fine but not super light and fluffy like everyone described.
Hey Lori!!
It sounds like either the yeas was bad or the water was too hot and it ruined the yeast. You want to use hot water, but hot water that you can touch. Hope that helps! Happy Thanksgiving!
These were so easy and delicious. Thanks! Perfect little roll for the kids’ lunch boxes this week!
These are easy, delicious and my go-to recipe. Turn out perfect every time! Thanks!
Hi,
Can I make without eggs or with something to replace eggs with?
Thanks!
I have never tried this without eggs or with a replacement, so I really cannot say how the end result would be be. Sorry I am not able to help more.
Hi! This is the first recipe of yours I plan to make even though I probably have half your index bookmarked lol. I was wondering if I could knead the dough by hand? I’ve never worked with whole wheat flour before.
Hi Sarah! Yes, you can kneed the dough by hand, that is no problem and working with the whole wheat flour is not too different. Let me know if you have any questions at all. Hope you love the rolls!
I made the rolls and I froze most of them but saved a couple just to bake and test out. I put them in at 400 for 20 minutes and when I took them out of the oven they were rock hard. What could I have done wrong? Maybe kneaded and played with it too much? O didn’t have anything to properly divide the dough so I just tore pieces off and rolled them into balls. I’m a little scared to thaw the others now. I’m if I can do anything to prevent this again.
Hi Sarah! Rock hard and only 20 minutes? that is very weird. did you do anything different in the recipe? it is hard to say what the problem might be since I am not sure exactly how you made the rolls. SO sorry for any trouble, hope I can help you solve the issue!
I was wondering if I could substitute the whole wheat pastry flour with just whole wheat flour. Would that make a difference? Or could I use all purpose flour? I love your site btw! Can’t wait to try these
HI! You can, but the rolls might be a little more dense. Still great though!
I made these last night (finally) along with my most favourite recipe of yours, the North Indian baked eggs in spicy tomato sauce.
Omgaaash, these rolls are sooo fluffy and amazing and I can’t get enough! Thanks for another great recipe 🙂
I’m thrilled you love these, and the eggs! Thanks so much Tanvee!
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe! These rolls are delish and easy. My son told me not to buy any more bread, just make these rolls. I used white flour only (discovered I had run out of wholewheat) but look forward to making them again with the wholewheat, think the wholewheat would taste even better. You are really talented Tieghan. Thanks again for sharing!
Ah so happy your making your own! its fun and delicious!
Thank you so much Rachel!