Instructions

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  1. Weigh your flour; or measure it by gently spooning it into a cup, then sweeping off any excess. In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients, mixing until a rough dough forms. Cover the dough and set aside for 20 minutes to give the whole grains a chance to hydrate. 

  2. Knead the dough at low speed with a mixer for 6 minutes or by hand on a lightly floured surface for 8 minutes, until smooth and satiny. The dough should bounce back when poked. 

  3. Place the dough in a greased bowl, or in an 8-cup measure (so you can track its progress as it rises), cover and let it rise for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until nearly doubled.

  4. Gently deflate the dough, and divide it into 12 pieces (about 70g each) for sandwich-sized rolls, or 16 pieces (50g each) for dinner rolls. Shape each piece into a round ball. 

  5. Place the buns on a lightly greased or parchment-lined baking sheet, cover with greased plastic, and let rise for about 90 minutes, until puffy-looking. Toward the end of the rise time, preheat the oven to 350°F.

  6. Uncover the buns and brush the tops with the egg wash. Sprinkle with oats and/or flax seeds and bake for 21 to 25 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from the oven and transfer to a rack to cool. Serve warm or let cool completely to enjoy later. 

  7. Wrap completely cooled buns airtight, and store at room temperature for several days; freeze for longer storage.

Tips from our Bakers

  • Substitute an equal amount, by volume, of King Arthur Rolled Oats for the oats in this recipe. They'll add slightly more chew and heartiness (and also more protein!). 

  • Orange juice won't add its own flavor to the rolls, but will mellow any potential bitterness in the whole wheat.

  • Use the greater amount of water in winter or in drier climates; the lesser amount in summer, or in a humid environment.

  • These soft, tender buns feature some of Canada's most important grain crops: wheat, oats, and flax. The addition of canola oil adds another touch of the North: canola oil, made from rapeseed, was originally developed in Canada as a special, lower-acid vegetable oil. In fact, its name is an acronym: CANadian Oil, Low Acid.

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