These walnut rolls are crusty on the outside, soft and airy on the inside, and superb in every bite! I absolutely adore these rustic bread rolls.
These delectable bread rolls boast a rich, nutty taste complemented by a light and savory dough that will dance in your mouth.
What’s more, they’re shockingly easy to prepare. You can enjoy them as a sweet with jam or nut butter. Or they can be savory as burger buns or sandwich bread.
I find myself reaching for this recipe on various occasions, from cozy weekend brunches with friends to special holiday gatherings with family.
Now I know you probably can’t wait to try it, let’s put on the aprons and get baking!
Rustic Walnut Roll – Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- This roll is easy to make at home.
- You can serve this during intimate dinners, or grand family gatherings.
- It’s great for pairing with soups or making sandwiches.
- Nothing can beat freshly baked homemade bread rolls!
Ingredients For Walnut Roll Recipe
Makes: 10 rolls, prep time: 30 minutes, rest time: 2 hours 15 minutes, bake time: 25 minutes. Total Time: 3 hours 10 minutes.
- 4 cups/480g all-purpose flour
- 2 ¼ tsp/7g instant yeast
- 1 tsp/6g salt
- 1 ½ cups + 1 tbsp/375ml warm water*
- 1 ½ cups/150g walnuts, coarsely chopped
How To Make
- In a large bowl, combine flour, salt, and yeast. Stir to evenly distribute. Then pour the water and mix until a sticky dough forms.
- Roll the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead using a stretch-and-fold method (you can use a rolling pin or knead by hand). The dough will be quite sticky but use as little extra flour as possible. Knead for 8 to 10 minutes or until the dough becomes smooth and elastic.
- Stretch the dough out one final time and sprinkle the chopped walnuts evenly on top. Stretch and fold the dough again until the walnuts are well distributed.
- Grease a bowl or container and place the dough inside. Cover it with a sheet of plastic wrap and place it in a warm area. Let the dough rise until it has more than doubled in size. This can take 1½ – 2 hours**.
- Once risen, turn the dough out on a lightly floured and cut it into 10 equal pieces.
- Tuck the edges of the flour dough towards the center and form each piece into a ball with the seams at the bottom. Try to make the filling stay at the center instead of protruding.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place the dough on it with at least 3”/7.5cm space between them. Cover and place in a warm area and allow to double in size again for 45 to 60 minutes.
- When the dough is almost full size, preheat the oven to 415 degrees F/210 C. Place the rack in the middle of the oven and place a baking pan or cast-iron pan on a lower rack (or the bottom of the oven) to heat. Using a sharp knife, slice a line on each dough roll deeply in a smooth line across the top.
- Have a few ice cubes ready and place the rolls in the oven. Then add the ice cubes inside the extra pan to create steam. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown and firm all around. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before eating.
Notes
Tips, Variations, And Substitutions
🍞 Granulated sugar – You can sprinkle a little of this either on top of the dough, add this to your filling, or mix the dough together for sweeter-tasting rolls.
🍞 Vegan butter – Brush melted butter on the dough at the last 5 minutes of baking to give it a shiny brown finish.
🍞 Ground walnut filling – For a finer walnut filling, you can chop the walnuts in a food processor. Note that using a finer filling will change the texture of the rolls.
🍞 Stand mixer – You can make the dough using an electric mixer if you have one at home. Just add the flour and other ingredients to the bowl of a stand mixer and mix until you get the dough to the right consistency.
Other Baked Goodies You Can Try At Home
If you love baking as I do but have difficulty looking for beginner-friendly recipes or simple baked goods that don’t require a lot of ingredients or time. Take a look at these:
🥖 Cornbread muffins – A classic example of soul food, these corn muffins are crumbly on the outside and easy to make. Great for starting bakers or professionals. https://joyfuldumplings.com/cornbread-muffins-without-eggs/
🥖 Vegan white sauce pizza recipe – It’s made with Lebanese bread and an array of tasty toppings which will make your meal times exciting. Best of all it’s made in 30 minutes!
🥖 Vegan garlic bread – No one can resist the combination of rich vegan butter and pungent garlic laid out on a crunchy and light slice of bread that’s perfect for starting your meal or as a side to your pasta and salad.
🥖 Gluten-free vegan bread – If you are on a dairy-free, egg-free, sugar-free, yeast-free diet and simply don’t have the energy or time to knead then this recipe is the answer to your prayers.
🥖 Vegan cinnamon rolls – Fall in love with our mouthwatering vegan cinnamon rolls. Delightfully fluffy, irresistibly cinnamon-y – a treat you won’t be able to resist, perfect for the holidays!
Frequently Asked Questions
You can use almonds, pistachios, peanuts, and cashews as well. You can also add sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, or even a combination of these. Use what you have in hand and what is available to you.
Proofing is the process of letting the dough rise and the yeast ferment while at rest.
This expands the dough and makes air bubbles inside, resulting in a fluffy and soft pastry.
Yes, you can. You can prepare this dough and put it in a freezer-safe resealable container and keep it in the freezer for up to 2 months. Allow the dough to thaw to room temperature before baking.
