Honey-Wheat Yeast Rolls

I have a stand-by roll recipe I use when I'm making them for a crowd, and one I use when I'm just making them for the family. The recipe I'm sharing today makes about 36 rolls and when I make them for our Sunday night crowd there are typically just enough left over for Handsome to take to work for a snack the next day. Last night we had 3 left! They also polished off 2 slow cookers full of potato soup, but that's another post for another day! Anyway, I adapted the recipe from Taste of Home and I thought it was about time I wrote down how I actually do it instead of adjusting the recipe in my head every time.


Honey-Wheat Yeast Rolls

2 packages (1/4 ounce each) active dry yeast, (4-1/2 teaspoons)
2 cups warm water (110° to 115°) 
1/2 cup honey
1 egg 
1/4 cup canola oil 
2 teaspoons kosher salt 
3 cups whole wheat flour
3 to 3-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add the honey, egg, oil, salt, 1 cup bread flour and 3 cups wheat flour. Beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. You don't want it to be sticky, but too much flour will make the rolls dense. Start slowly (1/2 cup at a time) and don't forget that you're adding more flour when you knead the dough, and they'll be on a floured surface when you shape the rolls, too.

Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 3-4 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.  

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. I use a sharp knife to cut the dough into four portions, then eight. Each of those portions I just cut into "roll-size" blobs. You can roll them neatly into balls by cupping them in your palm; use the blobs as-is; or shape each blob into a rope, then tie it in a knot and tuck the ends underneath. However you do it, place them on a greased baking sheet. I like my rolls soft, so I place them with sides touching. Cover with plastic wrap sprayed with non-stick spray (or a kitchen towel) and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes.  

Bake at 350° for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool. I usually get about 3 dozen rolls out of this dough.