Hi Barbara, we're sorry to hear that the half white whole wheat and half all-purpose flour version of this recipe didn't work as well for you this year, but hope your rolls still turned out delicious! Letting the ingredients sit for 20-30 minutes before kneading, especially when working with whole wheat flour, is helpful because this pause allows the flour to fully hydrate and the bran to soften. This can lead to a more productive kneading process and a better rise. It's fine to use flour on your work surface and on the dough, as necessary, to allow you to divide and shape the rolls. Just keep a spot on your work surface free of flour in order to tighten up the rolls; some tackiness on the bottom of the roll is required for this step. 

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