⚠️ Untested Recipe: This recipe hasn’t been tested yet. Measurements and instructions may need adjustment.
This is the basic recipe for breakfast rolls that can be varied endlessly. You can replace part of the flour with another type (for example up to half with whole grain flour). You can also sprinkle different types of seeds and kernels on top (like sesame seeds and sunflower seeds) - brush the dough balls with water first so they stick better.
Ingredients
Dough
- 3 g instant yeast (¾ tsp) or about 8 g fresh yeast
- 350 g cold water (3.5 dl)
- 450 g bread flour (7.5 dl) - all-purpose flour also works
- 8-10 g salt (1½-2 tsp)
Optional Toppings
- water for brushing
- sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, poppy seeds, or other seeds/kernels of choice
Instructions
Evening (Night Before)
- Mix all ingredients into a dough in a bowl. The dough doesn’t need to be kneaded, just mixed until it just comes together - either by hand or with a dough mixer. Cover the bowl with a lid or plastic wrap and let the dough ferment at room temperature for about 8 hours overnight.
Morning (Baking Day)
Scrape the dough onto a floured work surface and fold it into a package. Cover with a tea towel and let proof for about 40 minutes.
Set the oven to 250°C (480°F) well in advance, at least 30 minutes before baking.
Divide the dough into 9-12 pieces with a dough scraper or bench knife and place them on a baking sheet with parchment paper. Optionally brush with water and sprinkle with seeds. Bake the rolls in the middle of the oven until they have a nice color, about 15 minutes. Let cool on a rack.
Notes
Minimal effort: Rated 1 of 5 for effort - this is as simple as bread gets. Mix before bed, shape and bake in the morning.
No kneading: Just mix until combined. The long overnight fermentation develops the gluten structure without any kneading.
Endless variations: This is a base recipe you can customize:
- Replace up to half the flour with whole grain flour (whole wheat, spelt, rye)
- Add seeds to the dough itself
- Top with different seeds and kernels
- Experiment with different flour combinations
Whole grain option: You can replace up to 225g (half) of the bread flour with whole grain flour like whole wheat, whole spelt, or graham flour for more nutrition and flavor.
Seed topping tips: Brush rolls with water before sprinkling seeds - this helps them stick. Popular toppings: sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, poppy seeds, flax seeds, pumpkin seeds, or a mix.
Portion size: Make 9 larger rolls or 12 smaller ones depending on your preference.
Folding technique: When the recipe says “fold into a package,” this means doing a simple letter fold or envelope fold to give the dough some structure before the final proof.
High temperature: The 250°C (480°F) baking temperature gives the rolls a nice crispy crust while keeping the interior soft.
Storage: Best freshly baked, but keep well until the next day stored in a plastic bag. Reheat for a few minutes in a 200°C (400°F) oven to restore crispness to the crust. Freeze well.
Timing flexibility: If you need to adjust timing, you can ferment the dough in the refrigerator for a slower, longer fermentation (up to 12-16 hours).
Perfect for weekends: Mix the dough Saturday evening, wake up to fresh breakfast rolls on Sunday morning.
Source: Bröd, bröd, bröd: recept, råd och genvägar by Martin Johansson