Everyone will be rolling into your kitchen when they start smelling these Buttery Wheat Rolls! With a touch of honey, wholesome whole wheat, and butter, these rolls are soft and moist, and a perfect addition to any snack or meal.

Have you ever eaten a wheat roll that is so dry it takes a ton of butter and a full glass of water just to get it down? We all know that whole grains are good for us so we try to eat them whenever possible. However, wheat rolls often tend to be quite dry. 

Hold the Dry Bread

I spent a lot of time trying to understand what it would take to make a yummy, moist wheat roll that would keep me coming back for more. I had lymphoma in 2000-2001 and after chemotherapy and radiation to my neck area, my salivary glands were affected and I just can’t eat dry bread anymore. It became really important to me to create a recipe for a flavorful wheat roll that would also be moist.

These Buttery Wheat Rolls check all the boxes. They are moist, buttery, full of flavor, and contain a healthy dose of whole wheat. These are the kind of rolls everyone spends the whole baking time peeking in the oven, drooling at the smell, and can’t wait for them to be done baking. They are amazing fresh out of the oven. They are the kind of roll you’d be happy to slice in half the next day and make a turkey sandwich from the leftover turkey dinner. 

The Secret Ingredient in the Buttery Wheat Rolls

Whole wheat flour and honey love each other. You might say they are a match made in heaven, mother earth approved. Whenever I use whole wheat flour in bread dough, I like to also add a bit of honey. 

The problem with honey is that it can overwhelm a baked good if too much is added. It’s sticky and a little goes a long way. I found that if I combine honey and brown sugar in these Buttery Wheat Rolls, it adds the perfect touch of sweetness. 

Whole Wheat Tips

I grind my own wheat at home. It’s fun, saves money, and I can keep whole wheat in my food storage. It lasts much longer before it’s been ground so I don’t have to worry about it going bad. 

I use a mix of hard red winter wheat and soft white winter wheat in these Buttery Wheat Rolls. You can find both types in most grocery stores now. White winter wheat is nice to use because it has a softer texture, and you can hide it more easily in baked goods to sneak some whole grains into your kiddos. 

Vital wheat gluten is an important ingredient to make these rolls stretchy and soft. When using whole wheat flour, the dough develops less gluten and can be dry and crumbly. Adding wheat gluten helps add elasticity to the dough. It can usually be found near the flour in the grocery store. I store mine in the fridge next to my yeast. 

Pass the Butter, Please

The butter adds moisture, a bit more saltiness, and flavor. You could also skip the butter, roll the dough into roll-sized balls, arrange in a 9×13 pan, brush with an egg wash and sprinkle with rolled oats and any seed you want to make a nice wheat roll. You could also dip small dough balls or circles of dough in butter and put them into a bundt pan and let rise for an hour. Follow the directions for these Overnight Bundt Pan Potato Rolls to make a pull-apart loaf. You could roll out the dough and cut it into slices, then roll them up into rolls and bake in a muffin pan – but who wants to wash that after? These Buttery Wheat Rolls are easy and adaptable to whatever you need them for. I love to make them into croissant shapes because it adds a fancy flair to any meal. 

I hope you enjoy these wheat rolls. Enjoy the butter on them not because the dough is dry, but to kick up the flavor another notch! If you shape your dough differently, we’d love to see photos! Tag us on social media @tastebeforebeauty and leave a review below.