Honey Whole Wheat Sunflower Rolls

My family grew up devouring Great Harvest Bread Company’s Honey Wheat Sunflower Rolls EVERY SINGLE Thanksgiving and Christmas.

When Great Harvest stores left our neck of the woods, tragedy ensued at the holidays. We’d spent years enjoying these delectable honey-yeasted delights. There’s nothing like them, passed at the holiday table, even thrown to the newbies, and then slathered in Irish butter.

Without a nearby Great Harvest, I took it upon myself to create the rolls myself. I just had to this year. The past few years of puffy, tasteless frozen supermarket rolls simply did not fit my taste or style 👸🏼.

 

These rolls are so easy, so delicious, salubrious, and work as your late-night turkey sandwich or your several days later leftover sandwich with the “moist maker…” Do NOT forget that part!

Honey Whole Wheat Sunflower Rolls

1 Tbs. dry active yeast
2 ½ cups warm water
2/3 cup local honey
pinch of sea salt
4 Tbs. butter, room temperature
2 cups whole wheat flour
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sunflower seeds

In a ceramic bowl or stainless-steel bowl of a stand mixer, combine the yeast, warm water, honey, salt, and soft butter.

Allow to sit and let the yeast bloom for at least 10 minutes.

Using a stand mixer with the dough hook, add the flours and seeds and mix until well combined.

Loosely cover with a towel and allow the dough to rise for 3 hours.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and form 2-3” diameter balls of dough, spacing them out on a large parchment-lined baking sheet.

Preheat the oven to 350°F if you are baking the rolls right away.

Otherwise, freeze the rolls separated on a baking sheet until rock-hard. Transfer to a freezer bag and reserve until ready to bake – thaw and preheat the oven for that.

If baking immediately, transfer to the oven and bake for 25-35 minutes, until just beginning to brown.

Remove from the oven and serve with your Thanksgiving, Christmas, or ANY dinner, slathered in Irish butter.