These soft, homemade Honey Wheat Dinner Rolls are perfect for everyday or special dinners. Vary the amount of whole wheat flour to your taste and add a touch of honey—quick to make in about an hour.
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This is an easy recipe to adapt to your preference. Make it 25% whole wheat for a lighter wheat dinner roll and 50% for a nuttier but still soft roll. Or make 100% whole wheat rolls for the full nutty whole grain texture.
Knead by hand or fire up that stand mixer setting on your counter. Just follow the simple step-by-step photo instructions.
For other dinner roll recipes, check out Quick and Easy Yeast Dinner Rolls and Lunch Lady Rolls. Or try some simpler biscuits, like Healthy Zero-Fat Biscuits, Cornmeal Biscuits, or Cheddar Bay Biscuits (Red Lobster Copycat).
🌾Ingredients
- Flour—a combination of white (or bread flour) with whole wheat. Use the ratio you want with the flour you wish to—3:1 or 1:1 recommended.
- Milk or water
- Yeast—instant preferred
- Egg
- Honey
- Butter
- Salt
👨🍳How to Make Honey Wheat Dinner Rolls
- Melt butter with honey in the microwave and mix.
- Warm milk (or water) and add yeast—wait until bubbling (proofing).
- Mix and knead in a stand mixer or by hand.
- Divide into equal parts, place in a baking pan, cover, and allow to rise to double in size.
- Bake until golden brown—about 30-35 minutes.
This is a summary of the steps and ingredients. See the recipe card or the step-by-step photo instructions below for complete instructions.
Adjusting the amount of whole wheat flour
For a lighter wheat roll, use a 3:1 ratio of all-purpose (or bread) white flour to whole wheat flour. Most people will enjoy this lighter version. Using a 1:1 ratio will not need much accommodation other than more milk or water.
If you want 75-100% whole wheat, you may need a few teaspoons more liquid, and they will not rise quite as much. And doubling the butter will help the texture.
This dough should be wet and light, so use flour on your hands and surface. But if you touch the dough lightly, it should be slightly sticky.
Should I Use Milk or Water
Milk will make a somewhat silkier and softer texture. Either will be fine, but they need to be warm, about 105°, for the yeast. The type of milk does not matter.
What Type of Yeast to Use
Use instant, quick, or rapid dry yeast—they are basically the same. All dry yeast is the same organism, and the instant type has more live yeast than the old-fashioned active dry yeast.
It is a good idea to "proof" yeast before using it. This proves it is good before proceeding with the recipe. You have no control over the supply chain storage—even "in-date" yeast may be dead. Also, a lot of yeast is still good long after the expiration date.
How to store homemade honey wheat rolls
Your homemade honey wheat rolls have no preservatives, so they will only last 2-3 days, sealed at room temperature. I never like to refrigerate bread, but if you want, then refrigerate for up to 5 days.
Freezing is an option and will be good for 1-2 months only.
❓FAQs
Sure. Do some hand kneading. About 4-5 minutes should do it. But if you have the stand mixer, let it do the work.
Many ovens have a setting for this. For others, turn the oven on the lowest setting for a few minutes. Turn it off and rise your dough in the still-warm oven. Ovens vary a lot, so I can't be more specific.
This recipe is listed in these categories. See them for more similar recipes.
Step-by-Step Photo Instructions
Place butter and honey in a small bowl and microwave for 20 seconds. Mix the melted butter and the honey.
Measure ⅔ cup of warm water or milk (about 105°) and add the yeast.
For Stand Mixer: Add flour and salt to the stand mixer bowl and mix. Add all ingredients to the stand mixer after the yeast mixture starts to foam (about 5 minutes). Mix on 2 with the dough hook for about 8 minutes. After 2 minutes, stop and scrape down the sides if all dry is not mixed in. The dough should be wet and a bit sticky if you work it. You may need a few teaspoons of water or flour.
For hand Kneading, add flour and salt to a large bowl and stir with a wooden spoon. After the yeast mixture starts to foam (about 5 minutes), add all ingredients to the bowl and mix until everything is incorporated. Move the dough to a surface (I use a baking mat) and hand-knead for 6-8 minutes. The dough should be wet and a little sticky if you work it. You may need a few teaspoons of water or flour.
Turn dough onto a floured surface and roll into a 2-inch diameter roll.
Cut into six even pieces and roll into balls. Lightly dust with flour.
Place into a 9-inch cake pan sprayed with PAM and covered with plastic wrap. A 6X9 baking dish will also work well.
Place in a warm place to rise, about 30 to 35 minutes. Also, preheat the oven to 375°.
Bake until golden brown—16 to 18 minutes. Brush with butter and cool.
📖 Recipe
Honey Wheat Dinner Rolls
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups AP flour
- ½ cup whole wheat flour
- ⅔ cup water - or milk
- 2 ¼ teaspoons instant yeast - one pack
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoons butter
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Place butter and honey in a small bowl and microwave for 20 seconds. Mix the melted butter and the honey.
- Measure ⅔ cup of warm water or milk (about 105°) and add the yeast.
- For Stand Mixer: Add flour and salt to the stand mixer bowl and mix. Add all ingredients to the stand mixer after the yeast mixture starts to foam (about 5 minutes). Mix on 2 with the dough hook for about 8 minutes. After 2 minutes, stop and scrape down the sides if all dry is not mixed in. The dough should be wet and a bit sticky if you work it. You may need a few teaspoons of water or flour.
- For hand Kneading, add flour and salt to a large bowl and stir with a wooden spoon. After the yeast mixture starts to foam (about 5 minutes), add all ingredients to the bowl and mix until everything is incorporated. Move the dough to a surface (I use a baking mat) and hand-knead for 6-8 minutes. The dough should be wet and a little sticky if you work it. You may need a few teaspoons of water or flour.
- Turn dough onto a floured surface and roll into a 2-inch diameter roll.
- Cut into six even pieces and roll into balls. Lightly dust with flour.
- Place into a 9-inch cake pan sprayed with PAM and covered with plastic wrap. A 6X9 baking dish will also work well.
- Place in a warm place to rise, about 30 to 35 minutes. Also, preheat the oven to 375°.
- Bake until golden brown—16 to 18 minutes. Brush with butter and cool.
Your Own Private Notes
Recipe Notes
Pro Tips:
- I use 25 to 50 percent whole wheat flour. You can increase it to 100%—discussion in the recipe post.
- You will need more liquid with more whole wheat. The amount of liquid to the amount of flour varies by the "hydration" of the flour. Sometimes, you will need a bit more water or a bit more flour.
- If you go over 50% whole wheat flour, I suggest doubling the butter.
- White whole wheat flour is OK, as is bread flour.
- The dough needs to be moist and a bit sticky. It is easy to have this too dry to rise well.
- Cold weather option: turn on over to the lowest temp and heat until that temp is reached the turn-off oven.
- Use a 9-inch round pan or 6X9 baking pan.
- Double for 12 rolls and use a 9X12 cake pan.
- Good at room temperature for 2-3 days and can freeze for a few months, but I'm not a big fan of freezing or refrigerating bread.
To adjust the recipe size:
You may adjust the number of servings in this recipe card under servings. This does the math for the ingredients for you. BUT it does NOT adjust the text of the instructions. So you need to do that yourself.
Nutrition Estimate
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Editor's Note: Originally Published February 8, 2011. Updated with expanded options, refreshed photos, and a table of contents to help navigation.
Peter Beckles
Second batch was superb.
I will complain no more.
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan
Hi Peter,
Glad it is working for you now. After your last comment, I put it on my list to review my wording and technique. I will still do that.I was going to reply after that but it has been a very busy week here.
Thanks for the rating and have a great holiday. Don't forget to enter the cookbook giveaway.
Dan
Peter Beckles
Polarpegs mentioned eggs twice; you mentioned it once but didn't say where, what or how to use it. I'll jus throw itt in to see how it goes.
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan
Hi Peter,
It is covered in the step #3 with "all ingredients". So it goes in then.
Dan
Peter Beckles
According to the instructions: The dough should be sticky and wet. You may need a few teaspoons of water if the dough is dry.
Turn dough onto floured surface and roll into a 2-inch diameter roll. Cut into six even pieces and roll into balls. Lightly dust with flour . . . "
Why is it that this NEVER works? Its "sticky and wet" so it separates - can't say cuts - into six pieces and settles flat!
The baked product tasted OK but was a bit crumbly.
Valerie Michna
What if you don't have a stand mixer, can you use a cusinart or mix by hand?
DrDan
Hi Valerie,
A hand mixer just won't do it. You can mix it and hand knead it for about 10 minutes.
Dan
stacie
Can I use all purpose gluten free flour instead of all purpose regular flour
DrDan
You can try it but like a lot of bread, some gluten is almost required for texture. Gluten free cooking is a specialty and is much more than just using a gluten free flour.
Patricia Mason
This is the best thing to happen in my kitchen since I retired and we became a two person family again! I may try semi-baking and then freezing half of these since my resident diabetic has a problem with just one!
thank you so much.
Patricia
DrDan
Thanks for the note. These are very nice, I just forget about them sometimes. I need to move them up on my list.
DrDan
Dan Mikesell
Thanks, they are one of my favorites. I like the one pan thing also since they easy enough to make it worth doing just one pan.
Miranda
These rolls were delicious! I, too, swapped the ratio of whole wheat to regular flour. They were still light and fluffy, as the lady above said. Next time, I might try coconut oil instead of butter. I love that this recipe makes just one pan of rolls.
Dan Mikesell
Have at it... I always say it is fine as long as you use your pictures and words in the instructions.
Fiona Evil
They are absolutely delicious! I'm going to post the translated (German) recipe in my blog (linked of course!) if that is ok for you? I made them 3 times already and they get better with every batch. <3 Thank you so much or this wonderful recipe.
Baker Princess
What a great recipe! I just made these, switching the flour ratios, used an egg white (thanks polarpegs!), and subbed coconut butter for reg butter. They're great! light and fluffy, and nice and quick! Thanks so much!
polarpegs
Just have to come back and comment one more time. I have made these buns about 4 times since I found the recipe, using the alterations I mentioned above. The last 2 times I drizzled some honey on top, right before popping them into the oven, just to sweeten it up a bit for the kids. They loved them. Today I made them with about an hour and a half to spare before supper. I can't imagine anything yummier to have with supper than fresh buns hot out of the oven. Thanks again for this recipe.
Dr Dan
Great suggestions. I'll try them next time. Thanks DrDan
polarpegs
I doubled this recipe and reversed the ratio of whole wheat to white flour ( 1.5(3) cups of whole wheat and .5(1) cup of white) I then added egg whites instead of whole egg. They turned out light and fluffy and very yummy. I will definitely keep this recipe and use it again. May try modifying it further to reduce the sodium and fat content. But as far as quick and easy goes, this is exactly what I was looking for. YUM
Chris
I have been enjoying the fruits of our stand mixer but that is all my wife's doings. I haven't used it other than as a meat grinder.
Mary
These look and sound delicious. I'm new to your blog and have spent some time today browsing through your earlier entries. I really love your concept and the food and recipes you feature here. I definitely will be back. I hope you have a great day. Blessings...Mary