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4.50 from 2 votes

4 Ingredient Healthy Whole Wheat Bread Rolls

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.
Servings: 10 rolls
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
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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 metal 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.
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. This is not a comprehensive list of all the nutrients in the recipe (i.e., does not include vitamins, cholesterol, etc). I am not a certified nutritionist. Please consult a nutritionist or doctor for accurate information and any dietary restrictions and concerns you may have.
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