Original Soft 100% Whole Wheat Dinner Rolls

This dinner rolls recipe proves that soft, tender, bakery-style rolls can be made with 100% whole wheat flour, and they’re easier than you think! With hundreds of five-star reviews, these wholesome yeast rolls have become many family’s favorite for weeknights and holidays alike. With updated tips, questions answered, and a step-by-step tutorial you’ll be able to make the perfectly fluffy, slightly sweet dinner rolls you’ve been dreaming of – everyone will rave about these, I promise!

✩ What readers are saying…

baked rolls in glass pan

This is the best dinner roll recipe – truly. Originally published in the first year of the site (2009), this incredible all-whole-wheat dinner roll recipe remains one of my most popular recipes, which it deserves – I’ve actually had a friend tell me she dreamed about these rolls!

You’ll find both a picture tutorial and a video showing you all the steps below, so there are a couple of ways to learn how to make these soft dinner rolls even if you’ve never made bread before. And you’ll want to – they really are amazing! Be sure to check out the “your questions answered” section after the recipe card – it’s full of great information.

Some links in this article are affiliate links and if you click on them I will receive a small commission at no cost to you.

My family loves, like really loves this whole wheat dinner rolls recipe. Along with my 100% whole wheat sandwich bread, these sweetened-with-honey whole wheat rolls are what finally made me believe that “soft” and “whole wheat” could actually coexist in a bread.

Can you really have fluffy and soft dinner rolls that are 100% whole wheat?

Believe it or not – yes! Though, after tasting these rolls, many people have told me they don’t believe they are 100% whole wheat (and just plain old regular whole wheat at that). They think I’ve added at least some all-purpose flour.

But it’s true that these soft and fluffy dinner rolls are made with only regular “hard red” whole wheat (I’ve also made them with all spelt flour, and all whole hard white wheat too, with good results). It’s the eggs, butter, and honey that make these a so-good-you-can’t-eat-just-one type of roll. They are light and fluffy and almost don’t need any butter – but go ahead anyway.

If you bring (or serve) these rolls to any dinner, holiday or otherwise, everyone will be begging asking you for the recipe. And they’re easy, too, once you get the hang of working with a slightly wetter dough.

Don’t believe me? Follow along and I’ll show you all the steps, including what the dough should look like so you can see that it’s all true.

Be like the thousands of other people who’ve made these rolls and been the star of the party! (New for 2025: I’ve gone through all of the 1000+ comments and included lots of reader tips, variations, and questions answered below!)

Recipe Ingredient Notes

Over the years I’ve gotten a number of questions and comments about the ingredients and what has worked as far a substitutions. At various times I’ve said this recipe shouldn’t be cut in half (apparently it can!) and that I didn’t think you could substitute ingredients and still get the soft and tender roll (you can!). Here is what I’ve used and learned:

  • Yeast: I’ve used both active dry (the bulk yeast I mostly use) and instant yeast through the years without any changes to the recipe and it’s worked just the same. Many have questioned the amount, either wondering about how many packets (use 2) or that it’s too much (no mistake – it’s 2 tablespoons). You are free to experiment with the amount, but I can’t guarantee the results if you do.
  • Warm water: I’m listing this as an ingredient to mention that by “warm” I mean 90 to 110 degrees, usually what I get out of my tap. Some people don’t want to use warm tap water and that’s okay, you can heat up cold water, but do not go over 120 degrees as the yeast will be killed at that temperature.
  • Butter: I’ve recommended pure, salted butter which is what I’ve always used for flavor. However, there are many who can’t have dairy and who have successfully made them with oil in place of the butter.
  • Honey: Again, this is what I’ve always used and I enjoy the flavor of whole wheat with honey. There are some who don’t want to use honey for various reasons and have successfully substituted with maple syrup or regular cane sugar. You can also decrease the amount of any sweetener, but I’d always use at least 1 tablespoon to provide immediate food for the yeast to get a better rise.
  • Eggs: The recipe uses standard large eggs. Quite a few comments have said they’ve used the flax egg substitution with great success for those with egg allergies.
  • Lukewarm milk/buttermilk: I mostly use regular milk (1%, 2% and whole variously) and “lukewarm” should be slightly less than warm, about 95-100 degrees. Many commenters have used milk substitutes (coconut and almond) successfully which combined with oil instead of butter work for dairy free diets (and using these substitutions with flax eggs and sugar would make the rolls vegan). Some have just used water, too, and they liked the outcome.
  • Flour: The recipe uses regular “hard red” whole wheat which is usually the standard whole wheat found in stores. This is the whole wheat flour I use most often, and this is a lighter whole wheat flour that produces an even lighter roll. Readers have said it works well with sprouted wheat flour as well as freshly milled flour (see more on this in the FAQs). Note: I can’t recommend using whole wheat pastry flour – that is milled from soft red or white wheat and doesn’t contain as much protein (which is needed to help form gluten in yeast and sourdough breads).
  • Salt: The recipe measurement is for regular salt or sea salt, not for kosher or other coarse ground salt (you’d need more if using larger ground salt).

TIP: Using white (also called golden) whole wheat flour may help with texture if you find it’s “cornmeal like” as some comments have said with 100% whole wheat (this hasn’t been my experience with regular whole wheat, but everyone’s taste is unique).

Whole Wheat Rolls Video

Video Notes:

  • Water. For some reason the video makes it look like I’m using 1 cup of water – you only use 1/2 cup as listed in the recipe card (I do not remember why I had more water in the video – sorry for the confusion).
  • Half Recipe. Also, I mention that the recipe isn’t one to cut in half because of the three eggs and I always just freeze the rolls we don’t need for later. However, MANY people have successfully cut the recipe in half, though, either by using 2 small eggs or using 1 egg, beating another egg and then using just half of it, or using only 1 egg.
  • Substitutions. I say “this isn’t the time for substitutions” which in hindsight isn’t very thoughtful to people with allergies or health issues who don’t have a choice. Again, that wasn’t my intention, I was really only alluding to the butter vs. margarine debate (I don’t see margarine as real food so would only recommend an oil replacement for the butter now, if needed). I’m grateful for grace and that many people have tried other substitutions and found that lots more people are able to enjoy the recipe now!

Make Soft 100% Whole Wheat Dinner Rolls Step-by-Step

Note: This is a picture tutorial – for the full printable recipe, scroll to the bottom of the page.

Step 1: Dissolve the yeast in a 1/2 cup of warm, not hot, water. Just measure out the water in a glass measuring cup using warm tap water, add the yeast and stir it in with a whisk, and set it aside.

Mixing honey and butter for Soft Whole Wheat Dinner Rolls

Step 2: Add softened butter into the bowl of a stand mixer, add the honey and cream them together with the paddle attachment. (No mixer? You can use a hand-held mixer or mix by hand – see FAQs for more.)

Mixed honey and butter for Soft Whole Wheat Dinner Rolls

Step 3: Add the eggs and beat, scraping the butter from the sides. Pour in your warmed buttermilk (or milk) and the yeast mixture. Note: It will not be smooth, as this picture above shows- it’s OK to see lumps of butter floating around.

Mixing flour into liquids for whole wheat dinner rolls.

Step 4: Mix in 4-1/2 cups of whole wheat flour and 1-1/2 teaspoons salt (trust me, you don’t want to leave the salt out- I speak from experience), and mix well.

Kneading Whole Wheat Rolls

Step 5: Change to the dough hook and knead for only a minute or two – we’re just trying to lose the extreme stickiness here, not really to develop gluten. Add only a couple more tablespoons of flour, if needed.

TIP: If you add flour and keep kneading, the flour will absorb and the dough will stick to the bowl again. You should knead only a minute or so, adding a small amount of flour and scraping the sides, just until it’s not tacky when touched.

Testing the dough for Whole Wheat Rolls

Step 5b: This was hard to photograph, but a finger touched on the surface should not come away with any dough on it, even though the dough looks sticky. In the photo above, the dough is still sticking to the bowl (good), but not to my finger, so it’s ready to rise.

Soft Whole Wheat dinner roles

Step 6: Leave it in the mixing bowl, cover it with a towel and let sit at room temperature for an hour. Above is the dough after the first rise. As you can see, it has risen some, but is not really “doubled.” It’s OK, they will rise more in the pan.

NOTE: This is where the video may really help explain better if you’re wondering what the dough should be like (the #1 problem people have is adding too much flour and coming out with dense, heavy rolls).

From what the dough should look like, to equipment, to adding too much flour – I try to address the most often asked questions and comments in this video. (Again, even though it looks like 1 cup of water in the video, it’s only 1/2 cup like in the printable recipe ingredients below.)

Gently kneading Soft Whole Wheat dinner roles

Step 7. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead with hands a few times, then cover it with a towel and let rest for 3 minutes.

Buttering baking dish for whole wheat dinner rolls

Step 8. While the dough is resting, pull out a 13×9-inch pan and butter (or oil) it generously on the bottom and sides.

TIP: If you don’t have a counter to use for rolling out breads, try a lightly floured, clean tea towel for easy clean-up, plus it helps use less flour.

Cutting whole wheat dinner roll dough

Step 9. Cut the dough into 24 even (or as close as you can get) pieces. Flatten it out into a rectangle shape and use a knife to cut it into 24 pieces. As you can see above, the middle pieces are bigger than the corner ones, so I just cut some off the middle pieces and add them to the corners.

shaping whole wheat dinner roll dough balls

Step 10. Shape the dough pieces into balls. To get nicely rounded rolls you need to create a bit of tension. I like to push a dough piece through my thumb and fingers up through the middle, turn the newly created dough ball over and pinch the ends together. You can also roll the dough into balls on an non-floured marble-like surface, pulling them towards you to shape and create tension.

whole wheat dinner roll dough balls in baking pan

Step 11. Place the balls seam side down in the buttered dish (four balls across and six down). They should be touching in the pan in order to make all the soft sides everyone loves (the center ones are my favorites…).

Risen dough balls for whole wheat dinner rolls

Step 12. Cover the pan (shake off the towel if you used one to cover or use a reuseable cover), and let rise for another hour. Above is what they will look like after 1 hour of rising. They are not spilling over the pan, but all the sides are touching now.

TIP: Set the timer for 45 minutes to remind you to turn the oven to 350 degrees to preheat and then set it again for the last 15 minutes of the rising time.

baked and buttered rolls in glass pan

Step 13. Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown. I rotate them after 10 minutes for even browning.

TIP: Brush the tops with softened butter when they come out of the oven (just do it – you’ll be glad you did). Some have also brushed with an egg wash before baking (sometimes sprinkling with sesame seeds, too).

section of rolls pulled apart to show inside

As soon as they are cooled a bit, pull them out of the pan and separate the rolls to serve. 

inside of whole wheat dinner roll

Look at that texture- no heavy whole wheat rolls here. These are so good I hope you give them a try!

To Make Ahead

1. My preferred method is to bake fully first (I did test freezing before baking but could tell a difference in the texture, and a bit with refrigerating before baking):

  • Bake these up to 4 months in advance, let the cool in the pan, remove them as one piece, separate into 2 sections of 12 rolls and place each section of rolls into a gallon sized freezer baggie. Freeze until needed.
  • When ready to serve, take them out in the morning to thaw, wrap the 12-roll section in tin foil and heat in a 300-350 degree oven for 15-20 minutes or until warm.

2. Overnight refrigeration technique (from Aiden Hutchinson, NFL Lion’s defensive end!): “I ‘blast-chilled’ the full case of biscuit-soft babies in the chest freezer for seven minutes prior to overnight refrigeration. I figure that they will need an extra 30 minutes to rise from 40 degrees F.”

Storage

  • Counter: Store at room temperature, covered, for 1-2 days.
  • Refrigerator: Keep in an airtight container for 2-3 days (bread notoriously goes stale faster with refrigeration).
  • Freezer: Wrap airtight and freeze up to 4 months. Thaw and reheat as explained above.

Reader Raves

UPDATE: The recipe below now includes grams (measured when making the rolls last) in addition to volume measurements. Please still use the visual cues I give you, since there is so much variation in weather, flour, and temperatures for each of our kitchens. Also note that the automatic increase buttons will not double or triple the gram amounts, only the volume measurements.

I hope you love this whole wheat dinner roll recipe as much as we do – be sure to leave a comment and rating to let me know!

Want to save this?

Enter your email below and you’ll get it straight to your inbox. Plus you’ll get easy new recipes, gardening tips & more every week!

Save Recipe

Buttered tops of freshly baked whole wheat dinner rolls
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
4.96 from 656 votes

Soft 100% Whole Wheat Dinner Rolls Recipe

The softest 100% whole wheat dinner rolls recipe that turns out tender and fluffy yeast rolls everyone will ask for!
Prep Time2 hours 30 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Total Time2 hours 55 minutes
Yield: 24 rolls
Author: Jami Boys

Equipment

  • stand mixer or a hand-held mixer with dough hook or by hand
  • 1 13×9 inch baking pan
Click for Cook Mode

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons (20g) active dry yeast* (instant works, too) OR 2 packets of yeast
  • 1/2 cup (120g) warm water (90 to 110 degrees)
  • 1/2 cup (113g) butter, softened (can use oil)
  • 1/4 cup (88g) honey (can use cane sugar or maple syrup)
  • 3 large eggs (comments have said flax eggs work for those with allergies)
  • 1 cup (245g) lukewarm buttermilk or milk (or milk substitute), 95-100 degrees
  • 4½ to 5 cups (630g) whole wheat flour** (regular red hard wheat – hard white or golden wheat works, as well as spelt)
  • 1 ½ teaspoons (10g) sea salt (regular grain salt, not kosher or coarse grind)

Instructions

  • Dissolve the yeast in the 1/2 cup warm water in a glass measure and set aside.
  • Cream the butter and honey in the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment (or with a wooden spoon by hand). Add the eggs and mix, scraping the sides. Add the warmed milk along with the yeast mixture.
  • Add 4½ cups of flour and the salt, mixing until combined. Change to dough hook and knead about 2 minutes only, just until no longer tacky, adding a tablespoon or two of flour at a time, if needed. (Do not add too much – KEY.) Alternately by hand: Knead a minute or two on a lightly floured surface just until smoother and still a bit tacky. Just be very careful not to add too much flour.
  • Let sit in bowl, covered, to rise for one hour. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead a couple of times, then let rest 3 minutes.
  • Divide into 24 equal pieces, shaping each into a ball and placing in a buttered or oiled 13×9-inch baking dish with the pieces touching.
  • Let rise, covered for 1 hour, until the rolls have filled in a are up to the top of the pan to about an 1/2 above the pan (if it's warm, you may need less time – do not let them overproof).
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. TIP: Set timer for 45 minutes to start oven preheating and then set for the last 15 minutes.
  • Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.

Notes

*Scant tablespoons, meaning not rounded, just under the top. This recipe is a low-knead bread, so it calls for more yeast than normal. However, you can use less – 1-1/2 to 1-3/4 tablespoons is about the amount in 2 packages of yeast. Some commenters have used 2 teaspoons to 1 tablespoon and thought they were fine. Experiment at your own risk.
**I scoop and level to measure flour. The weighed grams is for 4.5 cups of flour, add extra at 10g (tablespoon) additions as needed for dough to not be tacky when touched.
Make Ahead:
  • Freeze: Make these up to 4 months in advance, let the cool in the pan, remove them as one piece, separate into 2 sections of 12 rolls and place each section of rolls into a gallon sized freezer baggie. Freeze until needed.
  • Reheat: When ready to serve, take them out in the morning to thaw, then wrap the 12-roll section in tin foil and heat in a 300-350 degree oven for 15-20 minutes or until warm.

Nutrition

Serving: 1roll | Calories: 135kcal | Carbohydrates: 19.7g | Protein: 3.6g | Fat: 4.7g | Saturated Fat: 2.7g | Cholesterol: 31mg | Sodium: 144mg | Fiber: 0.8g | Sugar: 3.5g
Did you make this recipe?Mention @anoregoncottage or tag #anoregoncottage!

Your Questions Answered

Can I use freshly ground wheat?

Yes, it works with fresh ground wheat as written. Tip from a comment: Fresh milled flour is very thirsty so you have to work extra hard to not put too much flour. It’s very sticky after the 3 min with dough hook but absorbs water as it sits. I put a little oil on my hands when I form the rolls.

How many packets of yeast would I use? Can I use Instant yeast?

Two packets will work for the recipe.
Yes, I’ve used both the active dry and instant without any changes and they come out the same.

Can I decrease the honey? Leave it out? Use sugar? Use maple syrup?

You can use less honey, down to 1 tablespoon but I don’t suggest leaving it out completely for two reasons – the sweetener feeds the yeast immediately so you get that good rise and also honey really helps compliment the whole wheat flour.
Yes, you can use sugar or maple syrup in place of the honey.

Can I use half whole wheat and half all-purpose flour?

I’ve had many people tell me this works. I would just watch the rise time – you may need less time when including the lighter all-purpose flour.

Can I halve the recipe? How to do it with 3 eggs?

I never have (since it takes the same amount of time, why not have some waiting in your freezer for another time?), but a number of commenters have said they’ve successfully halved the recipe. Some have used 2 small eggs, but it seems most use 1.5 eggs by whisking the second egg and then just using half of it (an egg is generally 1/4 cup whisked, so 2 TB would be half).
Some people have made 1/3 of the recipe to make 8 rolls baked in a loaf pan, too.

Can I make the dough in a bread machine?

Yes, many have left comments that they let the bread machine knead the dough for 10 minutes, let it rise for an hour before shaping into rolls, and then let it rise again in the pan before baking. Some specifics from readers:
“I added all the “wet” ingredients to the bread machine then added the flour and finally I put the salt and yeast on top (I don’t ever “proof” yeast). The dough was beautiful!”
“[I used the] dough setting on the bread machine and two packets of quick rise yeast and it worked perfect” for the first rise.

Can I bake the dough in a loaf pan?

I haven’t tried that – I use this recipe for a soft whole wheat sandwich bread. However, some people have left comments that they have and they like it. One said the dough was too soft, though, to work like traditional sandwich bread.

How can I make this without a mixer?

Knead by hand a minute or two on a lightly floured surface just until smoother and still a bit tacky. Just be very careful not to add too much flour.
You can also use the dough hook on a hand mixer if you have one.

Can I shape these into buns for burgers, etc.?

Yes, there are comments that say this works and they rise “beautifully.” One person shaped the dough into 10, half burger buns and half sub rolls. You’ll want to adjust the cook time to make sure they are cooked through. You can use an instant read thermometer and bake until the internal temperature is 200 degrees and then make a note of how long it took to reach that for the next time.

How do you measure the flour?

I’ve always used volume measurements and a visual of what the dough should look and feel like (which is why I’ve included all the process photos). To measure cups of flour, I scoop and level with the back of a knife.

How to make sure the center rolls are fully cooked?

Use an instant read thermometer and insert it into one of the center buns to see the temp and bake until it’s about 200 degrees. Let the rolls cook until you get the right reading – if the outside rolls are browning too much, cover just the outside rows of buns with foil.

Why am I getting a “wet mess” of dough instead of what is pictured, even with more flour added?

I’m not sure why this has happened to some – it may have to do with humidity or the type of flour. Maybe the size of eggs? One reader said they were getting this too-wet dough, similar to a few other comments, and they tried this: In a bowl add 2 tablespoons of yeast and 1 1/2 tablespoon of organic sugar along with 2 cups of warm water – stir and cover it until the yeast raised (usually a few minutes). “And, that’s it… we followed the other steps in this amazing recipe” and they turned out.

More Ways to Use This Dough

  • I made a fun variation on this incredible roll which is nice for larger gatherings: Soft 100% Whole Wheat Crescent Shaped Rolls!
  • These make terrific whole wheat slider rolls, too – think of all the sliders you can make healthier now!
  • A number of commenters have used the dough to make whole wheat cinnamon rolls. If I was to try, my first guess would be to divide in 2 after 1st rise, roll out, apply filling, roll up filling, place in buttered baking pan, and repeat for 2nd half of dough.
  • They’ve also to made 12 larger rolls/buns by shaping into 12 buns and lay in a pan or cookie sheet 3 across and 4 down. Bake for about 23 minutes.
  • Alternate shaping: One person made the rolls a larger size and cut them with scissors on the top before baking to make it easier to open and butter later.
  • Alternate baking: Another person divided the rolls between two cast iron pans for baking at 375F.

More easy, never-buy-bread-again recipes

This recipe has been updated – it was originally published in 2009, updated in 2018 and 2025.

Disclosure: affiliate links in this article will earn commission based on sales, but it doesn’t change your price. Click here to read my full disclaimer and advertising disclosure.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




4.96 from 656 votes (384 ratings without comment)

1,188 Comments

  1. We had these rolls last night and the recipe will become a family favorite for sure. I didn’t think it was possible to make whole bread or rolls without adding white flour. Not only are these delicious but fairly simple too. I loved your pictures and tips. I could see your picture in my mind when I was touching the dough to make sure it was no longer sticky. You have another fan and I can’t wait to check out your other recipes. Thanks so much.

  2. Your pictures looked so good that I had to try these. I’ve never made dinner rolls before but they came out so well that I’m sure this is going to be a staple at home. Thank you!

  3. Fantastic recipe!!!! Just made my first batch and this recipe is definitely a keeper. Thanks so much posting this and the awesome detailed instructions 🙂

  4. thank you for this recipe! i have made this several times and they have all turned out fantastic. i did make some adjustments to fit our family. i use spelt flour instead of whole wheat, avacado instead of butter, almond milk instead of buttermilk, and i add a 1/4 teaspoon of vitamin C powder. it took me years to make good bread but my whole family loves this recipe. my aunt actually asked me where i bought my rolls at thanksgiving. she pinned this recipe on pinterest after i showed her. thank you!!!!

  5. These look delicious and I’ll be trying them soon. I buy my own hard wheat and grind it into flour. Is this any different than the flour you used?

  6. I have been eyeing this recipe for a while and finally built up enough courage to make them for dinner tonight. This was my first time making any bread from scratch and they were amazing! I LOVED how easy the directions were to follow and the pictures for every step along the way were so helpful. Thanks so much for that! My rolls turned out perfectly round, soft, fluffy, and very light! I served them with homemade honey butter…they are without a doubt the best rolls I’ve ever had, homemade or otherwise. You are my new best friend, haha. My sister is a bread fanatic so I’m going to surprise her with some this weekend. Thanks so much for sharing this awesome recipe! 🙂

  7. OH my gosh. These came out AWEsOME. I used bread machine yeast and just added it to the dry ingredients. I did add the water that was supposed to be used for the yeast to the wet ingredients and had to add some extra flour. It was sticky like you said but didn’t stick to my finger. The bread machine yeast takes the guesswork out of the water being the right temp. oh and I didn’t have buttermilk so I added 1 tbsp lemon juice to the milk. GREAT RECIPE. Thanks for sharing!!!!!!!!

  8. Absolutely delicious. Hands down the best whole wheat rolls I have EVER made. I loved how easy, light and fluffy they are.
    Thank you!!!

  9. Made the super tasty rolls at my parents for Christmas and left a few in their freezer.
    My dad just called to find out what to do to eat them tonight… I see that they’re freezable, which is why we put them in the freezer, but now we don’t know what to do. Please advise…

    PS at MY house, we’re having a fresh batch… just don’t tell my dad 🙂

    1. Hi, Dawn – I’m glad your family enjoyed the rolls! I defrost them like any other bread – leave out for a few hours – and then cover with foil and reheat in the oven or toaster oven.

      Enjoy your new batch!

  10. I’ve lost track of how many times I’ve made these rolls since Thanksgiving. They’re a huge hit with my family! I use white whole wheat and they turn out soft and delicious. So different than the bread bricks I’ve made in the past. I’ve used this recipe in a variety of ways, excellent every time. Thank you for sharing!

  11. I have made these a few times, and have really enjoyed them. I have to bake them for 30 min at least or else we have some soggy, doughy centers and can’t even eat the outer edge of the outer buns. i have also used margarine instead of butter and it’s not shown any difference. I have a batch to come out in one hour and will rub honey on top instead of butter!! should be great!

  12. Well, I tried this recipe and must have did something wrong somewhere because my rolls did not come out light and fluffy at all. They actually came out like whole wheat snowballs. I used all the ingredients you listed. My dough didn’t rise at all and it took a while too. Don’t get it. Oh well. 🙁

      1. Well, it was in one of the packets and I bought it a week prior. I don’t know but I was very sad. I used warm water for the yeast and let it sit.

        1. I don’t know what to offer, Nadine, other that to try again – I made many breads that were not great before getting the hang of it. In fact my sister made these twice without success until she tried again this year and made a great batch, so there is hope. 🙂

          1. Sounds like the kitchen was too cold. I live in a basement that always hovers under 70 degrees.

  13. I just took these out of the oven. I don’t know what happened but I came up three short. Seriously, I ate three before I knew it. Truly delicious. Will have to make another batch to wow the book club members on Saturday.I am so glad I found your recipe.

  14. I really was excited to make this recipe, but it jus did not work out 🙁 It rose beautifully the 1st time, but then when I was to take it and knead it and shape them it was way too sticky to do anything with! I used 5 c of flour, so I don’t know what I should have done. I didn’t know if I could add more flour after the 1st rising so it went in the garbage. Maybe I’ll try these another time, but for now it’s too late.

    1. Kelly, I’m so sorry! There are so many factors when dealing with yeast breads – the weather/humidity, type of flour, measuring of water – you have to get a feel for what the dough should look like. That’s why I took so many pictures, as it should be sticky (moisture = soft and tender finished product), but whole wheat absorbs moisture differently. Don’t be afraid to add more flour to be able to work the dough – I pour it out onto a floured towel and flour my hands and dough as I knead the few times and shape, as they will still stick a bit. So the balance is to try and keep them as moist as possible, but still be able to shape them. Hope you give them another try!

  15. hi,

    i’m french si please, pardon me my bad english/american : i do want to make this recipe, but just about the amount of yeast (in France we use kilograms and grams and not cups and spoons), is that “teespoons” or “tablespoons” ?

    thanks for your answer !:D

    1. That’s Tablespoons, Maman D! I hope you know how to convert it, though – wonder if there is an app for that? 😉 Glad you found us!

      (oh, by the way, in American recipes, a capital T, TB, tbl. or even tb. always means tablespoons and lowercase t, tsp. or tp. mean teaspoons).

  16. Over the last 3 1/2 months I have lost 70lbs and learned to eat a lot healthier. Thanksgiving around home is never always a hugh meal. I was searching for ways to make our meal healthier and thought about making whole wheat rolls. I’ve done quite a bit of baking over the years and when I found this recipe I knew I would have to try it. I love the fact that there is no bleached flour or sugar. I going to try my hand I them tomorrow if my wife will let me in the kitchen long enough to get them done. Wish me luck and I’ll let you know how they turn out.

    1. Whoa, Dan, that’s quite an accomplishment! And I thought my measly 20 lbs was a big deal. 😉 Sure hope you found your way into the kitchen!

      1. They tasted great but didn’t turn out very fluffy. I didn’t miss anything. I think maybe it was using stone ground whole wheat flour from a local meal. I going to try it this weekend again with regular whole wheat flour and well post the results.

  17. I just pulled these out of the oven and they smell and look wonderful! I do not have a fancy mixer and tried to make do with my food processor to mix these up, which was okay but not large enough. Then I tried to used a hand mixer, well duh that would not work with thick dough. Somehow the dough made it through my mistakes and was mixed well… however, I totally forgot the salt!!! I must have read the instructions 5 times and in my worry to get the dough incorporated well, I totally forgot the salt. I didn’t have time to start over, so I kept on and the result is alright. I tried one and it was fluffy and good, but I can definitely tell I’m missing the salt. I’m taking these to my Mom’s for Thanksgiving, so hopefully we can compensate for my mistake with salted butter or honey on these. Thanks for the recipe!

    1. Oh, gosh, Savannah, I’ve done that, too! Boy did we miss the salt – amazing what 1 1/2 tsp. of salt can do, huh? Lots of butter was the answer for us. 🙂