These delicious and easy to make bread rolls are super versatile. Perfect for sandwiches or as burger buns, they're soft in the middle with slightly chewy crust. Yum!
You know how much I love homemade bread. Baking my own bread has become my second nature and no matter how busy I am, I will always find time to get something on the go especially that most of my recipes are really easy and don't require a lot of time and/or effort!
You love my bread recipes too as I've had lots of fantastic feedback from so many of you who tried them, thank you so much!
Today I'm sharing a recipe that I used to make with my mum and also on my own as I got more and more confident in the kitchen, the recipe for delicious bread rolls.
I have adapted it slightly to make it vegan friendly although if you're not following plant based diet, feel free to swap the ingredients accordingly to work for you. This recipe is super adaptable!
Why are these rolls so great?
- They are really easy to make and super delicious!
- Even though I usually make them in my stand mixer*, they're as easy to knead by hand as dough is really elastic and great to work with (no sticky mess here)!
- You can easily adapt these rolls to your needs. This recipe makes 8 large rolls but you could make them smaller if you need to feed the crowd (they would make really nice sliders - mini burgers).
- They hold their shape really well and take on any filling you throw at them without falling apart in your hands!
Are these rolls good as burger buns?
The best bit about this bread roll recipe is that it gives you incredibly versatile rolls. Think breakfast and blackberry jam or my delicious orange marmalade, lunch and your favourite sandwich filler (try my vegan egg salad) or dinner and mopping up juices of your favourite stew or indeed using them for burgers.
We've enjoyed them numerous times with my delicious Portobello Mushroom Burgers or even these Chickpea & Carrot Falafel Burgers (both vegan). Burger world is your oyster here!
One thing to bear in mind, these rolls are nothing like burger buns you buy in supermarkets. They're not sponge like, stick to the roof of your mouth type rolls (not that there is anything wrong with those if that's something you like).
These are nice and soft in the middle with slightly crusty top when they first come out of the oven. Their crust does soften as they cool down and stays a bit chewy with a really nice texture.
Do I need strong bread flour to bake these rolls?
I prefer using strong bread flour in this recipe but if you don't have any plain white (all-purpose) flour will work just fine here!
How long do they last?
They stay fresh for 2-3 days if stored in resealable plastic bag* in your bread bin. Make sure they are completely cool before putting them away.
If you like that freshly baked roll vibe you can always warm them up in the oven or your toaster (you will need to cut the roll in half for that).
They are also freezer friendly in case you'd like to keep your leftover rolls in the freezer. To defrost simply take them out onto the kitchen counter couple of hours before you need them.
Few helpful tips for when you're baking these bread rolls!
This recipe is really straightforward and once you make it you will have it all figured out but there are few things that are worth bearing in mind:
- When adding your dry ingredients to the mixing bowl make sure you keep salt and yeast separate to prevent salt from "killing" the yeast.
- Signs to look for when determining whether your dough had enough kneading are:
- the elasticity of the dough
- lack of stickiness
- the dough should spring back when you press it with your finger - Kneading dough by hand might take you even up to 10 minutes to get to this point whereas in the stand mixer* around 5.
- You shouldn't have to add any extra flour to your dough when kneading. However, flours do differ so in case your dough is still sticky and you're not getting anywhere with it after you've been kneading it for a while then add a little extra flour at a time. Try and keep it to minimum though.
- Ovens do differ a lot too and I know I say that a lot but it's an important bit. Baking time given in my recipe below is approximate. It takes 12-15 minutes to bake these rolls in my fan oven at 200C/400F. I find that sometimes I need to turn the tray with rolls around half way through baking time for even colour and so that the rolls closer to the back of the oven don't burn (the joys of my oven I'm afraid). You are the person who knows your oven best so make adjustments you think are necessary.
- The rolls are ready when nice and brown on top and sound hollow as you tap them on the bottom.
How to make bread rolls - step-by-step instructions
- Put flour, sugar, salt and yeast in a large bowl or a bowl of your stand mixer. Make sure you keep salt and yeast separate to prevent salt from "killing" the yeast.
- Give all the dry ingredients a gentle mix first before adding softened butter/margarine and oat milk (or any other milk you choose to use).
- Start kneading the dough using dough hook on your stand mixer or by hand until you get an elastic ball of dough which is not sticky and springs back when you press it with your finger. You shouldn't need to add any additional flour to come to this point but if you do (as flours do differ), try and use as little as possible.
- Once your dough is ready, put it in a lightly oiled bowl (I usually use bowl of my stand mixer), cover it with tea towel or reusable shower cap* and put somewhere draft-free to double in size (1-2 hrs).
- At this point use you fist to deflate the dough, turn it out onto the kitchen counter and give it a quick knead with your hands shaping it into a round.
How to shape bread rolls?
Shaping bread rolls isn't particularly technical and there really isn't any right or wrong when it comes to that.
Some people like to be very precise and weigh their dough to ensure that they rolls are perfectly even. I'm afraid I'm not one of these people but by no means do whatever works for you.
My bread roll shaping goes as follows:
- Using my trusty, plastic dough scraper* I roughly divide my dough ball into 8 more or less even pieces.
- To shape a roll I take one piece of dough and flatten it slightly with my fingers or the palm of my hand to create a flat triangle.
- Next, I start bringing pieces of dough into the middle, making my way around until I have a shape of a round roll which at this point will be a bit flat.
- I put the roll on the kitchen counter (smooth side up), cap it with my hand and start rolling it in place very gently using circular motion which makes it nice and round.
- Finally, I turn my roll seam side up and give it a little pinch with my fingers to hold it together and that's that!
Getting bread rolls ready for baking
- Line your baking sheet* with some baking paper and arrange the rolls on it ensuring you leave a little room in between each roll to allow for their expansion.
- Cover them gently with a clean tea towel and leave somewhere draft-free to roughly double in size (it will take around 1 hr).
- Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas Mark 6.
- Once the rolls had time to puff up prepare the glaze by mixing together oat milk and agave syrup and brush it over the rolls with pastry brush*.
- Sprinkle the top of the rolls with your choice of topping - I like sesame and poppy seeds.
- Bake your rolls in preheated oven for 12-15 minutes or until golden on top and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom.
- Cool on the cooling rack* and enjoy!
Have you tried my Easy Bread Rolls?
Please consider giving it ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating in recipe card below and share your views or tips in the comments.
More delicious homemade breads you might enjoy
Easy White Sandwich Bread (Soft-Crust)
Cinnamon and Raisin Bagels
Vegan Soda Bread
Easy Wholemeal Bread Recipe (No Knead)
Easy Flatbread (No Yeast)
Irish Soda Bread with Yogurt
Easy Naan Bread Without Yeast
Easy Yogurt Bread Rolls
Vegan Hot Cross Buns
Easy Breadsticks
📋 Recipe
Easy Bread Rolls
Equipment
Ingredients
- 500 g strong bread flour plain white (all-purpose) flour will also work here
- 2 teaspoon dry yeast (7g sachet)
- 250 ml oat milk or any other neutral tasting plant milk warmed up slightly
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 50 g caster sugar
- 40 g vegan block butter or margarine (softenend) or 2 tablespoon rapeseed/sunflower oil
Glaze
- ½ tablespoon oat milk
- ½ tablespoon agave syrup
- sesame and poppy seeds to top your rolls with
Instructions
- Put flour, sugar, salt and yeast in a large bowl or a bowl of your stand mixer. Make sure you keep salt and yeast separate to prevent salt from “killing” the yeast.
- Give all the dry ingredients a gentle mix first before adding softened butter/margarine and oat milk (or any other milk you choose to use).
- Start kneading the dough using dough hook on your stand mixer or by hand until you get an elastic ball of dough which is not sticky and springs back when you press it with your finger. You shouldn’t need to add any additional flour to come to this point but if you do (as flours do differ), try and use as little as possible.
- At this point use you fist to deflate the dough, turn it out onto the kitchen counter and give it a quick knead with your hands.
- Divide your dough into 8 round balls (try and keep them even in size as much as you can). Feel free to follow my roll shaping technique below or go with your own.
Shaping bread rolls
- To shape a roll I take one piece of dough and flatten it slightly with my fingers or the palm of my hand to create a flat triangle.
- Next, I start bringing pieces of dough into the middle, making my way around until I have a shape of a round roll which at this point will be a bit flat.
- Then I put the roll on the kitchen counter (smooth side up), cap it with my hand and start rolling it in place very gently using circular motion which makes it nice and round.
- Finally, I turn my roll seam side up and give it a little pinch with my fingers to hold it together and that's that. I repeat the process with the remaining rolls.
Baking bread rolls
- Line your baking sheet with baking paper and arrange your rolls on it ensuring you leave a little room in between each roll to allow for their expansion.
- Cover them gently with a clean tea towel and leave somewhere draft-free to roughly double in size (it will take around 1 hr).
- Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas Mark 6.
- Once the rolls had time to puff up prepare the glaze by mixing together oat milk and agave syrup and brush it over the rolls with pastry brush.
- Sprinkle the top of the rolls with your choice of topping – I like sesame and poppy seeds.
- Bake your rolls in preheated oven for 12-15 minutes or until golden on top and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom.
- Cool on the cooling rack and enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Nutritional values are approximate, per roll and should be treated as a guideline only.
- The rolls will stay fresh for 2-3 days if stored in resealable plastic bag in your bread bin. Make sure they are completely cool before putting them away.
- Freezer friendly.
- Signs to look for when determining whether your dough had enough kneading are:
– the elasticity of the dough
– lack of stickiness
– the dough should spring back when you press it with your finger - Kneading dough by hand might take you even up to 10 minutes to get to this point whereas in the stand mixer around 5.
- You shouldn’t have to add any extra flour to your dough when kneading. However, some flours do differ so in case your dough is still sticky and you’re not getting anywhere with it after you’ve been kneading it for a while then add a little extra flour at a time. Try and keep it to minimum though.
- Ovens do differ and I do say that a lot but it’s an important bit. The time given in my recipe below is approximate. It takes 12-15 minutes to bake these rolls in my fan oven at 200C/400F. I find that sometimes I need to turn the tray with rolls around half way through baking time for even colour and so that the rolls closer to the back of the oven don’t burn (the joys of my oven I’m afraid). Once you bake these rolls for the first time you’ll have better idea of timings for your oven.
- The rolls are ready when nice and brown on top and sound hollow as you tap them on the bottom.
Rosie Eccles says
Hi Jo,
I'm definitely going to make these rolls but as we don't always follow plant based, can regular butter and dairy milk be used instead of plant butter and milk? I'm also intending to try your easy no knead wholemeal loaf too next but would love a roll recipe that works for burgers etc mainly for my hubby
joskitchenlarder says
Hi Rosie,
You can absolutely use dairy milk and butter here. I hope both you and hubby enjoy the rolls, they are lovely as burger buns.🙂
Joan Wilshaw says
Hi Jo
Can you make the rolls using Wholemeal flour?
joskitchenlarder says
Hi Joan,
I've made these before with half white and half wholemeal and it worked nicely without being too heavy. Never used 100% wholemeal but you could give it a go although the rolls might be a bit denser. You might need a bit more liquid too as wholemeal flour is generally more "thirsty" than white but you will need to judge as you go. I hope that helps. 🙂
Joan says
Hi Jo
If I use half white and half Wholemeal, will I need you use extra liquid, and how much do you suggest.
This the the first time I will be attempting to make bread or rolls, so I’m keeping my fingers crossed.
Many thanks
joskitchenlarder says
Hi Joan,
For half and half wholemeal to white I would recommend starting with the amount of liquid as per recipe. If during kneading dough feels stiff or dry with some stray crumbs in the bowl, then work in a little bit more milk (tablespoon at a time). If by accident you overdo the liquid, simply add a bit more flour. The end result after kneading the dough should be smooth, elastic and not sticky. If you are kneading it in a mixer it will do all the hard work for you but if you're doing it by hand, don't get discouraged and keep on kneading until you reach the point when the dough springs back when pressed. I hope that helps. Good luck! 🙂
Joan says
Hi Jo
If I make these rolls with half white, half whole meal flour, will I need to use extra liquid, and how much more do you think I need to use.
Many thanks
joskitchenlarder says
Hi Joan,
For half and half wholemeal to white I would recommend starting with the amount of liquid as per recipe. If during kneading dough feels stiff or dry with some stray crumbs in the bowl, then work in a little bit more milk (tablespoon at a time). If by accident you overdo the liquid, simply add a bit more flour. The end result after kneading the dough should be smooth, elastic and not sticky. If you are kneading it in a mixer it will do all the hard work for you but if you're doing it by hand, don't get discouraged and keep on kneading until you reach the point when the dough springs back when pressed. I hope that helps. Good luck! 🙂
Sharon Hills says
Great recipe, thanks. I used leftover whey from yoghurt making instead of the oat milk and used 350g strong white bread flour and 150g wholemeal flour. All done in my Kenwood Chef K-mix. Hubbie says he’ll never eat another shop bought roll again.
joskitchenlarder says
Hi Sharon! I'm so pleased to hear you both enjoyed these rolls and that you made the recipe suit your needs too. The fact that your hubby won't eat another shop bought roll again, now that's what I love to hear lol! Thanks so much for your lovely feedback!
Colleen | Bakes & Blunders says
I absolutely love making bread! Normally, I use my stand mixer and finish by hand because I just love the feel of kneading dough. This recipe looks phenomenal and I've got to try it. Pinning for later!
joskitchenlarder says
Hi Colleen, I totally understand what you mean 🙂 I do love the feel of dough as well and this one is great being so easy to work with and elastic. Please do let me know what you thought about the rolls once you bake them. Thanks so much for stopping by!