100% Whole Wheat Dinner Rolls Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Why is 100% whole wheat bread so heavy? ›

The reason why whole wheat loaves end up so dense is because whole wheat flour has very little gluten as compared to white all-purpose flour. Gluten is important for giving the dough – and final loaves – structure. Without it, loaves tend to end up flat and dense.

Germ and bran also add weight to the dough, which can impede its capacity to rise, leading to loaves almost as dense as French cobblestone.

Whole grains have been linked to numerous health benefits, including a decreased risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease . However, it's important to note that many manufacturers label breads “whole wheat” so that they appear healthier, even when they mostly consist of refined flour.

Whole Wheat Bread

The word "whole" is crucial here: It means that the bran, the germ, and the endosperm of the wheat kernel have all been left intact. The bread is made up entirely of wheat kernels (as opposed to being mixed with other grains). It is a healthier choice than wheat bread.

Wheat bread has more of certain nutrients

Whole wheat flour features nutrients you won't find in refined white flours—unless they've been enriched to add those vitamins and minerals back in. You'll see higher levels of magnesium, selenium, and folate in whole wheat bread.

This is a heavy whole grain dough, so it requires a good amount of kneading to help produce a more elastic structure. When kneading, avoid adding too much flour; a slightly tacky and soft dough is OK.

Because yeast has to work harder to make whole wheat flour rise, we'll use slightly more yeast in this dough compared to my regular pizza dough recipe. You need 1 Tablespoon (8.5g).

Whole Grain Bread

Thanks to their high fiber and nutrient content, breads made with whole grains, including whole wheat, are generally the go-to healthiest breads that dietitians recommend. “Most people need more fiber in their diets, so finding high-fiber bread is often a good idea,” Dodd says.

Is it okay to eat whole wheat bread every day? ›

Whole grains provide more vitamins, minerals, and fiber than refined. But overdoing whole wheat bread can add pounds, too. So account for it in your daily calorie budget.

The dough was under or over proofed. This is the most common reason for dense bread because it can be hard at first to determine when dough is ready to bake.

Avoid adding too much extra flour to the dough.

These ingredients slow down gluten development and can make the dough a little sticky. Your instinct might be to add extra flour; however, any extra flour will create a denser, tougher roll instead of the light, fluffy, soft dinner roll we want.

There may be several reasons for a dense, cake like texture in bread. It may indicate the kneading wasn't enough for the gluten to develop properly, or the dough was proved for too short a time or the dough may have been too dry. It is also worth checking the flour you used.

Most of the breads that I bake use a large proportion of whole grain flours - some are all whole grain. One technique that I use to help with gluten development and make for a lighter loaf is to incorporate an autolyse into the recipe.

Lack of gas and fermentation that makes the dough aerate results in dense and heavy bread. In these cases, it is either necessary to allow the dough to be proof longer or move it to the warmer room.

Including whole-grain bread in your diet can help support your weight-loss goals. But eating this carb won't guarantee that you will achieve your weight-loss goals in minutes. Whole-grain bread should be included as part of an overall balanced and healthy diet and lifestyle to support weight loss.

There may be several reasons for a dense, cake like texture in bread. It may indicate the kneading wasn't enough for the gluten to develop properly, or the dough was proved for too short a time or the dough may have been too dry. It is also worth checking the flour you used.