These healthy yogurt bread rolls are soft, chewy and tangy. They need only 4 ingredients and are easy to make. They don’t require any yeast or kneading.
These bread rolls have a wonderful flavor to them. The yogurt adds a tanginess and the wheat flour adds a slight nuttiness and sweetness to them.
Ingredients
- Whole Wheat Pastry Flour
- Baking Powder
- Salt
- Plain Yogurt
Whole Wheat Pastry Flour: There are a few different whole wheat flour options and for this bread, it is important to use whole wheat pastry flour. You can also make these with regular all purpose flour if you don’t mind using a flour that isn’t whole wheat. Whole wheat pastry flour is whole wheat flour made from a soft white wheat which results in a flour with less protein compared to other whole wheat flours. It also has a finer consistency so that it works well in baked goods like this bread. We do not recommend using the other wheat flour varieties like white wheat flour or regular wheat flour. Because the bread also contains yogurt which contains protein, the combination of wheat flour and yogurt can make the rolls very dense. If you want a recipe that uses another wheat flour other than whole wheat pastry flour, I recommend checking out my 4 Ingredient Wheat Bread Rolls which uses sparkling water instead of yogurt.
Baking Powder: This recipe uses a large amount of baking powder so we highly recommend using an aluminum-free baking powder so there is no potential metallic aftertaste. Baking powder is used to help the bread rise in place of yeast.
Salt: Salt is added purely to add flavor to the bread. If you are on a low sodium diet you can reduce or eliminate the salt, but just be prepared that your bread may taste a little bland.
Plain yogurt: I’ve made this with whole milk yogurt and low fat yogurt. It is important that you use regular yogurt and not a high protein yogurt or a thick yogurt like Greek yogurt which also contains a lot of protein. Too much protein will make the bread very dense.
How to Make Healthy Yogurt Bread Rolls
- The flour, baking powder and salt are first whisked together until evenly combined. The yogurt is then added and mixed in until a dough forms.
- Cover the dough and place into the fridge for at least 3 hours. This allows the dough to ferment and develop some air pockets which helps with flavor and texture.
- The bread is then divided into 12 pieces and rolled into balls. The bread rolls are then ready to be baked.
Bread Texture
These bread rolls have a more hearty texture because they use whole wheat flour, but they still have a texture like traditional bread made with yeast. The outside has a crusty exterior and the inside is soft and chewy. The yogurt adds a tanginess to them that makes them taste a little like sourdough. I really like the addition of the yogurt flavor in these rolls.
More Bread Roll Recipes
4 Ingredient Healthy Yogurt Bread Rolls
Ingredients
- 4 cups (508 g) whole wheat pastry flour see note
- 3 tbsp (34 g) aluminum free baking powder
- 1 1/2 tsp (8 g) salt
- 2 1/3 cups (560 g) plain yogurt see note
Instructions
- In a large glass mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt. Whisk together until evenly combined.
- Add in the yogurt. Mix with spatula until the yogurt is fully incorporated. Then use your hand to incorporate the last bit of flour into the dough. Be careful not to overwork the dough. You just want to incorporate all the flour into the dough and not have any dry spots on your dough.
- Tightly cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place the bowl into the fridge to rest (between 3-6 hours). During this fermentation time the dough will get more wet and sticky.
- About 30 minutes before baking, preheat your oven to 425°F (218°C). Add a large cast iron skillet (or large baking dish that is oven safe at 425°F) to the bottom rack of the oven while it preheats. Adjust the rack that the bread will bake on to just above the bottom rack (You want the bread to bake as low in the oven as possible so the surface doesn't get too dark). Bring a tea kettle or large pot of water to a boil.
- When your dough is ready, generously flour a work surface with more whole wheat pastry flour. Carefully transfer the dough onto the floured surface. Use a bench scraper or lightly floured hands to rotate the dough towards yourself on the floured surface, until you form a round, taut ball.
- Use a bench scraper or sharp knife to divide the dough into 12 equal portions. I recommend weighing the dough to make sure all the rolls are the same size.
- Shape each piece into a ball by pulling the edges to the center and pinching to seal. Place seam side down on your work surface and roll under your hand to create tension and form a round, taut ball.
- Place the rolls on a parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing them about 1.5 inches apart. If desired, you can brush tops of the bread rolls with egg white wash (see note). This will give them a little darker and slightly smoother finish. You can also not add any egg wash and the bread will have a more rustic finish. See notes for more details.
- When your oven is preheated, carefully pour boiling water into the cast iron skillet/baking dish.
- Then quickly add the baking sheet of rolls into the oven and bake for about 30-35 minutes or until dark golden brown on the outside and fully cooked. The rolls should also have some cracks on the surface (the cracks are more pronounced if you don't have an egg wash finish on top). To check if bread rolls are done, you can tap the bottom and they should sound hollow. If you still aren't sure if the bread rolls are done, you can break one open to check. Let the rolls cool for about 30 minutes before serving.
Notes
- We recommend whole wheat pastry flour for these rolls (or regular all purpose flour). White whole wheat flour and regular whole wheat flour will make the rolls very dense. We used Whole Foods 365 brand whole wheat pastry flour.* Make sure your brand of whole wheat pastry flour has 3 grams of protein per 1/4 cup serving. Most whole wheat pastry flours should have this lower amount of protein but I did come across a few brands like Bob's Red Mill which has a higher amount of protein which will likely make the rolls dense.
- Yogurt: Make sure to use plain regular yogurt and not Greek yogurt or any other high protein yogurt. The high protein will make your bread very dense. I tested this bread successfully with plain whole milk yogurt and plain low fat yogurt. I used Stonyfield yogurt which contains 6 grams of protein per 3/4 cup for the whole milk version and 7 grams of protein per 3/4 cup for the low fat version (Amazon | Target | Walmart)*.
- I used Whole Foods 365 aluminum free baking powder.* Some other brands that making aluminum free baking powder are Argo and Bob's Red Mill.
- *These product links are affiliate links. This means I earn a commission from qualifying purchases.
- Optional egg wash finish: We added an egg wash on top before baking but it is optional. It gives the bread a slightly darker, shinier and smoother surface when they are done baking. If you don't have the egg wash the breads will still brown but not quite as dark and they will have bigger splits along the center surface of the rolls. It's a more rustic appearance but it still looks nice.
- If you want the bread rolls to have an egg wash finish, add the egg white of a large egg into a small bowl and whisk it to break it apart. Then brush the top of the rolls with the egg white right before adding them to the oven.
Nutrition
The nutrition information provided are only estimates based on an online nutritional calculator. I am not a certified nutritionist. Please consult a professional nutritionist or doctor for accurate information and any dietary restrictions and concerns you may have.
