Tessa’s Recipe Rundown
Taste: Surprisingly flavorful for bread made without some sort of starter or pre-ferment. Texture: Clearly the best part! Crunchy and crusty on the outside, soft and airy inside. Ease: Just 4 ingredients and no-kneading. The hardest part is working with the sticky dough. Appearance: I could stare at bread all day long. Is that weird? Pros: Easy recipe for a special dinner or holiday occasion. Cons: None!! Would I make this again? Yes.This post may contain affiliate links. Read our disclosure policy.
4 ingredients. 5 minute prep time. Can be made ahead. SUPER CRUSTY.
This crusty bread roll recipe is truly a beautiful thing. I have tried a lot of recipes for crusty bread rolls but most require time-consuming or complicated pre-ferments, starters, or rising instructions. That’s all fine for me because I spend so much time in the kitchen, but I know most of you need recipes that are as quick and easy as possible. Especially around the holiday season when there’s so much else to make and do.
Be sure to check out the video below so you can see exactly how these rolls come together. I also share some of my favorite baking tips and explain how to achieve that crusty texture. I’ve included different make-ahead options within the printable recipe too.
Crusty Bread Rolls
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups (11.3 ounces) bread flour
- 1/2 teaspoon instant yeast
- 1 teaspoon fine salt
- 1 1/4 cups (10 ounces) lukewarm water
Instructions
- In a large bowl combine all the ingredients. Stir until the mixture is thick and sticky. No kneading is necessary!
- Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until puffy and bubbly on top, about 3 hours. MAKE AHEAD: Alternatively, you can also let the dough rise overnight in the fridge.
- Using a scraper, fold the dough over about 12 times, adding enough flour so that it doesn’t stick. Use the scraper to cut the dough into 8 equal pieces. Flour your hands before shaping each piece into a ball.
- Place the dough balls on a parchment-lined baking sheet and cover with a clean towel. Let rise until puffy, about 35 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 450°F.
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve warm.
- MAKE AHEAD: Store bread rolls in a container at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month and re-crisp in a 325°F oven for 5 minutes from room temperature or about 15 minutes from frozen.
Throwing out my other bread recipes. This one works. I have missed Spanish bread since I left there 17 years ago. This tastes just like it. Gracias.
So happy to hear that! De nada!
I made these last weekend to pair with some soup and they turned out great! Super easy recipe. Thanks! 🙂
Awesome!! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Hi, thanks so much for sharing, However bread flour is not available from where I am, however can I substitute All purpose White Whole wheat flour. Is there any instructions on using that. Cuz I love to give this a try.
Thanks so much
I am a fan of Laheys no knead bread and this is going to be a keeper. First time making them and I would offer:
1) not using parchment paper here so I Pam’d a cookie sheet.
2)when covering for the 35 min rise, spray a piece of wrap (I cut a plastic veggie bag along a seam) with Pam then if you want, cover with a towel. My exeperience with this sticky dough is it will stick like glue to anything put on it (plastic or towel) hence the Pam on plastic wrap.
3)Make sure your initial rising room temp is about 70o or it’ll take longer than 3 hr to get the required initial rise. I use my oven with the interior light on and it does pretty good as a proofing box. Especially in fall/winter temps, my house temp is a bit lower than summer temps.
I’ve never had success with crusty bread before, but I followed your recipe exactly and the rolls came out perfect! The video was extremely helpful…I’m sure I would have over-floured if I hadn’t seen how sticky your dough was! Thanks for a great recipe.
So glad to hear it, Sandra!
I have stayed clear of those long rising crusty bread recipes. Just because I don’t have the time and patience. I will definitely give this one a try.
I made them yesterday and they are really easy to make although the dough is sticky as ****. I just worked with it, added only a tablespoon of additional flour and used a wet spoon to make them a little rounder. They are tasting really good, but I didn`t like the texture in the middle, they were a litttle pappy. But this morning they were amazing! I don´t know what happens with the gluten wile they are cooling down, but the texture inside gets really great- like italian Ciabatta. Today I will make them again for thursday breakfast. Thank you so much!
VERY sticky dough! I added additional flour (about 1/2 – 3/4 cups) after the second rising. It was still very soft. . . .
Thank you for this easy roll recipe; my family will love them!
Do you think these will work with half bread flour and half white whole wheat? I am searching for a crusty bread/rolls recipe made with whole wheat flour.
Thank you
It’ll work but the texture will be noticeably denser.
I’ve never actually made my own bread! Can you believe that?! But the crustier the bread, the happier my heart, so clearly I need to get on the bread train and make THESE.
I made your recipe for whole grain oat rolls and posted – they are amazing! Can’t wait to try these, too! The pumpkin rolls are adorable too. Perfect projects for this weekend. Thanks you for sharing!!!