These whole wheat dinner rolls are tender, light, and buttery because of the buttermilk in the recipe. If you love the regular buttermilk dinner rolls but want more whole grains in your diet? This is the roll for you.
One of the standard items on the table, no matter which meal it is, has got to be bread in most parts of Texas. It might be a slice of fresh, fragrant bread, a flaky, light biscuit, or hot dinner rolls with butter melting into them but one thing is certain – there will be bread. Homemade rolls make any dinner special.
It is so easy to make excuses as to why you can’t serve rolls with dinner but the truth of the matter is that these dinner rolls are easy and relatively quick to make – plus you can take them out when they are just baked through but before they brown and freeze them. You’ll have your own brown and serve rolls whenever you like. Adding a pinch of ginger to your yeast and water mixture helps the yeast to be more active – resulting in lighter bread.
The buttermilk gives these a tender crumb and the whole wheat gives them that hearty country flavor. I like these whole wheat dinner rolls with a pat of butter and a drizzle of honey but they are good with jam as well. For some reason my kids like to hollow them out and fill them with mashed potatoes – talk about your high carb dish!
Keep in mind that homemade rolls go stale very quickly so be sure to eat or freeze them the day they are made. I honestly can’t remember where I got this recipe, or when. I have been baking yeast breads since I was 14 and I am almost 53 so do the math. I am sure these must have come out of one of the first vintage cookbooks I bought way back when.
One thing I do love about yeast baking is that there is something about kneading a loaf of bread that creates a connection with the past. Generations of women have pushed and pounded dough, shaped it, and baked it. Sometimes it was baked over crackling campfires, other times it was baked in a convection oven but it always makes me feel connected to all of those generations before me. Make these whole wheat dinner rolls and pump up any meal.
Country Style Whole Wheat Buttermilk Dinner Rolls
Print Add to CollectionIngredients
- 2 tablespoons yeast
- 1/2 cup warm water, (about 110F)
- Pinch of ginger
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, , melted and cooled
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 3 eggs, , room temperature
- 1 cup buttermilk, , warmed to about 110F
- 4-1/2 to 5 cups whole wheat flour
- 1-1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/3 cup melted, , unsalted butter for brushing the rolls
Instructions
- Dissolve the yeast and ginger in the 1/2 cup warm water.
- Let the yeast activate for about three minutes or so.
- Mix 2 cups of the flour, salt, brown sugar, and baking soda in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook.
- Mix the buttermilk and yeast together.
- Beat the eggs until well blended.
- With the mixer on low add the buttermilk, beaten eggs, melted butter and the yeast mixture.
- Add the remaining flour mixture a little at a time.
- Continue beating on low until the ingredients are well mixed.
- Change the speed to medium and knead the dough for three minutes.
- Turn dough out onto a counter dusted with flour and knead for a couple more minutes – the dough will be smooth and just a little sticky.
- Put into a greased bowl. Grease the top, and then cover the dough with a clean towel. Put in a warm spot to rise for about one hour.
- It is ready when it has doubled and if you push your finger into the dough the indentation remains.
- Knead for a minute or so and then cut the dough into 24 equal pieces.
- Let rest for five minutes.
- Shape each piece into a ball and place it in a buttered 13 x 9-inch pan. You can also drop each ball into a greased muffin tin.
- Brush with melted butter.
- Let rise for 45 minutes while you preheat the oven to 350F.
- Brush gently with butter again and bake for 20 minutes, or until golden brown.
- Remove from oven and brush once more with butter.
- Serve hot.
- For brown and serve rolls only bake for 15 minutes and take them out when they are cooked through but not brown.
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We’ll never share your email or send you spam. Pinkie swear.If you like Country Style Whole Wheat Dinner Rolls you may also like…
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Jamie Nunes
Hello, I think the recipe doesn’t say when to add the melted butter except for dusting so I didn’t add any! Is the 1/2 cup of butter supposed to be mixed in to the dough before the first kneading? I hope mine turns out ok!
Marye
You add it with the buttermilk. I’m sorry! I’ve added it in now. Your rolls will be fine – although they won’t be as rich and buttery.