4 Ingredient Healthy Bread Rolls (No Yeast, No Knead)

Made with whole wheat flour, these healthy bread rolls are soft and chewy. They have a texture of traditional yeast bread rolls but they don’t contain any yeast. The bread rolls are easy to make and also don’t require any kneading.

I’ve received many requests to create a whole wheat version of my recent bread recipes. I don’t make whole wheat recipes often but I do like how these rolls came out. Using whole wheat flour gives these rolls a slightly sweet and nutty flavor.

Ingredients

• Whole Wheat Pastry Flour
• Salt
• Baking Powder
• Sparkling Water

Whole Wheat Pastry Flour: We tested these rolls with a few different whole wheat flours and our favorite version was whole wheat pastry flour.

• Whole wheat pastry flour: Whole wheat pastry flour is made from soft white wheat. It is also more finely ground so that the flour is lighter, finer and has less protein than regular whole wheat flour. It is still more nutritious than regular white all purpose flour because it is made from the whole wheat kernel. The bread will come out soft and light, similar to bread made with regular flour, except that the bread will have a nuttier flavor and will be light brown in color. We used Whole Foods 365 whole wheat pastry flour.
• White wheat flour: If you can’t find whole wheat pastry flour, the next best one to use would be white whole wheat flour. White whole wheat flour is made of hard white wheat instead of red wheat. It has a little less protein than whole wheat flour made with red wheat. Bread made with white wheat flour will be a little less soft and a little more hearty compared to the whole wheat pastry flour version. The bread color will also be a medium brown color. We tested these rolls with King Arthur white wheat flour.
• Whole wheat flour: The flour that is usually labeled whole wheat flour is made from red wheat. This flour is high in protein and will make the rolls very dense and dry. We don’t recommend using regular whole wheat flour.

Salt: Regular table salt is added to the bread dough to add some flavor. If you are on a very low sodium diet you can reduce or eliminate the salt, but it may make your bread rolls taste bland.

Baking powder: We recommend using aluminum-free baking powder. The rolls use baking powder to get their rise and since we are using a whole wheat flour, we do need to add more baking powder than what we usually use when making bread with regular white flour.

Sparkling water: Make sure to use a kind of sparkling water where the carbonation has been added in. The bread rolls do rely partially on the carbonation in the water so a natural mineral water will not work as well.

How to Make Healthy Whole Wheat Bread Rolls

• The flour, baking powder and salt are first whisked together. The sparkling water is then added in. Use a spatula to mix until all of the flour is incorporated. You may need to use your hands towards the end to fully incorporate the flour into the dough. Your dough should be a little bit wet and sticky.
• Cover the dough with plastic wrap and let it sit for at room temperature for about 3 hours. This allows the dough to ferment and develop more flavor and air bubbles. The dough will expand slightly and become a little wetter. If you look at the bottom of the dough, there should also be some air pockets in the dough.
• Add the dough to a lightly floured surface and divide it into 10 equal sized pieces. Roll each piece into a taut ball. Then place onto your prepared baking sheet.
• Bake the rolls until golden and done.

More No Yeast Bread Recipes

• 2 Ingredient Yogurt Bread Rolls
• 2 Ingredient Emergency Bread Rolls
• 3 Ingredient Honey Bread

4 Ingredient Healthy Whole Wheat Bread Rolls

Servings: 10 rolls

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes minutes

Course: Breakfast, Side Dish

Cuisine: American

These no yeast, no knead bread rolls are soft and chewy. Made with just whole wheat flour, water, salt and baking powder, they are healthier than regular bread rolls without sacrificing on taste and texture. These bread rolls are also very easy to make.

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Ingredients

• 3 3/4 cups (450 g) whole wheat pastry flour or 3 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour, see note
• 2 tbsp (22 g) aluminum-free baking powder
• 1 1/4 tsp (7 g) salt
• 12 oz (355 ml) sparkling water see note

Instructions

• In a large glass mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt. Whisk together until evenly combined. Pour in the sparkling water.
• Mix with a spatula just until all the flour is incorporated and a sticky shaggy dough forms. You may need to 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 let it rest at room temperature (between 3-6 hours). During this fermentation time the dough will expand slightly and become more wet and sticky. See photo in post for reference. If you take a peek at the bottom of your bowl, you should also see some air pockets in the dough.
• 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 10 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 25-30 minutes or until dark golden brown on the outside and fully cooked (mine took about 30 minutes). 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

• Whole wheat flour: In the post, I discuss in detail how the bread rolls will differ depending on the whole wheat flour type you use. Please read that section of the post before deciding which flour you want to use. We recommend whole wheat pastry flour. We used Whole Foods 365 brand whole wheat pastry flour.* If you do use whole wheat pastry flour, make sure it 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 you don't want.
• If you are using white whole wheat flour, you will need to add less flour. We used King Arthur Golden Wheat flour/White Wheat Flour (Amazon | Target | Walmart)*
• *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 surface when they are done baking and the splits in the bread rolls tend to be a little smaller and more off to the sides instead of along the center of the bread so the bread rolls have a smoother finish. If you don't have the egg wash the breads will still brown but not quite as dark and they will split more 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 lightly to break it apart. Then brush the top of the rolls with the egg white right before adding them to the oven.

Nutrition

Serving: 1roll, Calories: 150kcal, Carbohydrates: 35g, Protein: 5g, Fat: 1g, Sodium: 431mg, Fiber: 6g, NET CARBS: 29

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.

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