Crusty bread rolls is an easy recipe with a rustic texture. If you love a crunchy crust bread roll then this is your bread rolls recipe. Perfect with your morning coffee, lunchtime sandwich, panini or a simple olive oil, salt and balsamic dressing! Oh that makes my mouth water instantly, so good.
Some phases are a roast meat phase, some are a salad phase and this has been a bread making phase! The only difference between this bread recipe and the other 100 is that this one made it to the blog 🙂
Just incase you're looking for more bread making tips and suggestions take a look at this Ciabatta Bread. Even this Easy No Knead Bread Recipe has more information.
Crusty Bread Rolls Ingredients
As with all simple bread recipes its the basic ingredients that can make beautiful loaves of bread for your family.
Flour If you can, go for unbleached flour. You can however use bread or cake flour.
Active Dry Yeast: I've never measured yeast here but for the purpose of this recipe I've measured ½ teaspoon. It was good for me to measure as opposed to eye balling it! To be honest, it works when you do it often enough. The thing is, it's such an easy good recipe that there are really no mistakes you could make here.
Salt: It's important to get the balance with the salt right and definitely don't leave it out. I've left it out a few times for my own small batch because I'm okay with no salt sometimes.
Water Warm water not too hot not too cold just hot water from the tap.
Method
This crunchy bread rolls recipe is very quick! You have minimum hands on with the exception of shaping them, all of a few minutes. That in exchange for homemade goodness!
Combine the ingredients In the bowl of a stand mixer or any other bowl combine all the ingredients. Add the water. If you're making them without a stand mixer use a wooden spoon to combine everything, there's no kneading.
You end up with a soft sticky dough and that's perfect.
Rising time This dough recipe takes less than 5 minutes to mix. Cover the bowl and leave it to rise for a couple of hours. Rising time is anything from 2 hours to 5 hours and I never see much of a difference.
Making the buns When the rising time is over, on lightly floured surface divide the dough into 8 parts. Roll each part into the shape of a ball / circle. It never has to be complicated just a round ball like a bun. To get the gist of how to shape the buns take a look at my hot cross buns video.
Preheat the oven Once the dough balls have been formed cover them and let them rise for 30 minutes. In that time preheat the oven. If your oven takes longer to preheat then start a few minutes before because it needs to be very hot.
Oven tray Use a non stick baking tray that's well floured. If your pan is not non stick then use parchment paper and flour.
You'll notice that the bread rolls are significantly bigger after the 30 minute rising time.
The dough rises double in size so first flatten it slightly and then cut into 8 parts. Shape each dough part into a ball. It really couldn't be easier.
Can You Freeze These Crusty Bread Rolls
I'm no expert on how long you can freeze bread as I've only ever frozen my bread for short periods. When I bake more than a loaf, I slice it and pack it away in the freezer. You can use those slices to quickly pop it into the toaster or toast in in the oven. Use the toast for crostini or croutons for salad but it doesn't last longer than 2 to 3 weeks. I would think much longer than that in the freezer bread would lose it's freshness and develop too much freeze?
Cooling Time
Transfer your baked crusty bread rolls from the oven tray to a cooling rack. They must cool down before cutting in. If you don't let them cool down you risk finding a damp / sticky inside.
Or you can cut into the bread roll and slather it in butter...…:) So good!
Baking Ahead of Time
Very easy to make ahead of time. Make the night before (or afternoon) following the recipe as it is just don't bake them. Leave them in the fridge and bake the next morning they come out perfect! They stop rising in the fridge. Just take them out while you preheat the oven in the morning and then bake and enjoy.
Other Bread Recipes
Crusty Bread Rolls
Ingredients
- 3 cups bread flour
- ½ teaspoon active dry yeast
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ cups hot water tap water
Instructions
- Add the flour salt and yeast into the bowl of a stand mixer or any mixing bowl.
- Pour the water in and mix until you have a soft sticky dough.
- Cover the bowl with a cloth and leave to rise on the kitchen counter top for 2 hours.
- Deflate the dough and get it onto a lightly floured surface.
- Cut the dough into 8 parts and roll each part into a ball.
- Place the dough balls onto a lightly floured baking tray and cover. Leave for the 2nd rise for 30 minutes.
- In this time, preheat your oven to 230 C / 450 F
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until a light golden brown on top.
Lee Grillo says
I made these about three weeks ago and they came out fantastic! So easy to make! Right out of the oven with butter, they were soft yet firm inside with a chewy, crispy crust. I froze them in a ziploc bag and take out what I need. I let them defrost on the counter or wrap in foil and warm in the oven. Either way, so far there's no dryness or weird flavor from the freezer. Putting them in the oven unwrapped makes a crispy crust, wrapped or defrosted on the counter, the crust is very chewy, which is great! Love these and about to make my second batch!
Miranda's Anosmic Kitchen says
Hello Lee, I am very grateful for your feedback and thank you for taking the time to make them and comment! I also love the rustic crusty texture they yeild. Loved your notes on freezing, thawing and reheating! All the best and happy cooking, Thanks again 🙂 Miranda xx