Who doesn’t like a warm, fresh from the oven dinner roll? And I’m not talking about the pale, doughy brown-and-serve dinner rolls of my youth, either. Or the blah lukewarm things they give you in some restaurants. No, I’m talking about a roll with substance, one with character, and one with whole-grain nutritional tastiness.
Multi-Grain Seeded Dinner Rolls
For me, these rolls do the trick. They are just the ticket to accompany a meal for guests or a treat to go with a simple lunch salad for one (or two). And they freeze so well, there’s no reason not to enjoy them anytime you like. Just take one from the freezer, pop it in the microwave and in a few seconds you’ve got a steaming hot roll that tastes almost as good as the day you baked it.
rolls proofing on parchment paper
This recipe is a variation of my versatile Whole Grain Bread recipe. It features white whole wheat for a mild flavor, plus thick rolled oats. Millet, sunflower and sesame seeds also go inside to add some crunch. Right before baking, you brush on an egg white and water wash and add a mix of seeds on the outside.
rolls baking on pizza stone
A little bit of sourdough starter adds a lot of flavor, but if you don’t have any you can substitute some yogurt for a similar effect. Proofing the rolls on a sheet of parchment paper makes it easier to slide them onto a hot pizza stone. If you don’t want to use the pizza stone, just proof them on a baking sheet and slide it in the preheated oven instead.
dinner rolls cooling on wire rack
Using the dough cycle of the bread machine makes an easy job of these rolls. You can have them on the table in about three hours from start to finish, with maybe 20 minutes of active time. For a hard, crackly crust I use a steam treatment in the oven, but you can skip it if you want a softer roll. Use your choice of seeds or nuts on the inside and outside – they’re all good in these rolls!
Multi-Grain Seeded Dinner Rolls 
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A Happy Acres original
1 cup bread flour (about 4.25 ounces, plus additional as needed)
2 cups white or traditional whole wheat flour (8 oz)
2 tbsp vital wheat gluten
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup thick rolled oats
1/4 cup millet
2 tbsp sesame seeds
2 tbsp sunflower seeds (raw, unsalted)
1.5 tsp instant yeast
1-1/4 cups warm water (10 oz)
2 tbsp honey (or agave syrup)
1/2 cup sourdough starter (fed or unfed)*
1 egg white, beaten with 1 tbsp water
2 Tbsp seed mix (sesame, sunflower, poppy, millet, caraway, fennel, flax, charnushka, etc)
* you can substitute 1/3 cup of yogurt for the sourdough starter
1. Combine all dry ingredients in mixing bowl; mix well.
2. Add sourdough starter and honey to water; stir until well mixed and starter is dissolved.
3. Place all ingredients in bread machine and start dough cycle. Add additional flour if necessary to form dough, but avoid adding too much flour. Wetter is better when it comes to rolls.
4. When cycle is complete, remove dough to floured surface or silicone baking mat. Punch down to remove any air bubbles. Divide into 12 pieces.
5. Shape dough into balls, space evenly on parchment paper.
6. Cover with foil or plastic wrap and allow dough to rise until doubled, about 45-60 minutes.
7. Near end of rising time, place pizza stone or tiles in oven and preheat to 425°F for 30 minutes.
8. Before baking, brush tops of rolls with egg white and water mix. Sprinkle with seeds.
9. Slide parchment paper onto pizza stone, using inverted baking pan or cookie sheet.* Bake in 425°F oven for 15-20 minutes, until rolls are browned.
10. Remove from oven, cool on wire rack until thoroughly cooled. Freeze any leftovers for up to a month.
* If using steam treatment, pour 1 cup hot water in preheated oven-proof metal pan placed on bottom rack of oven.
Servings: 12
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition (per serving): 182 calories, 22 calories from fat, 2.6g total fat, 0mg cholesterol, 201.6mg sodium, 151.1mg potassium, 33.9g carbohydrates, 4.3g fiber, 3.1g sugar, 7.4g protein, 43.5mg calcium,
Yum. I made your rye sandwich bread the other day. It was delicious.
I’m glad the bread turned out well for you!
Can’t wait to try this recipe Like the fact I can use the yogurt since I do not have a starter. I am fairly new to bread making and just started using vital wheat gluten. Makes such a difference in the bread
I don’t have a bread machine, do you know what the instructions would be to make these without one?
You could follow the stand mixer instructions for Whole Grain Bread https://www.ourhappyacres.com/2013/07/whole-grain-bread/
Or knead by hand for 5-10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
Do you only let the rolls rise once or twice?
They do the first rise in the bread machine, and the second after they are formed.
Thanks – I’m not using a bread machine so I wasn’t sure where to pick up from the bread recipe. Looking forward to trying it out tonight!
I’ve made these several times. Great recipe! Thanks for posting it.
You are welcome Anne – I’m glad you enjoy them.