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Sweet Molasses Brown Bread Rolls Recipe

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Sweet Molasses Brown Bread Rolls are soft and delicious. Molasses, honey and whole wheat flour give these rolls a mild sweetness and great flavor, especially when slathered with brown sugar butter!

Sweet Molasses Brown Bread Rolls recipeSome time ago I participated in a bread baking challenge group where we were given monthly challenge themes. This Sweet Molasses Brown Bread Rolls recipe was created during a challenge for “sweetbreads”.  There are tons of sweetbreads, but the intention was to make bread that requires yeast.  I love cinnamon rolls and those sweetbreads, but I wanted to try something just a little different.

I wanted to make a brown bread that can be served with a savory meal.  Such as those brown bread rolls that have a slight sweetness to it but isn’t all about the sweetness.  I found this recipe by “its always autumn”.  You really should check out her website.  This gal does it all!

Sweet Molasses Brown Bread RollsShe “claimed” that this bread was a knock-off of the Outback Steakhouse brown bread.  Well, I haven’t been to Outback for quite some time, but remember those rolls very well.  They serve it warm on a breadboard with their own whipped honey butter.  I had all of the ingredients, so that was the clincher.

When I had put my dough together, it was quite stiff.  I really wondered if this bread was going to be light and soft.  Well, I said I wasn’t a bread scientist because these rolls were all of that.Sweet Molasses Brown Bread Rolls

While my rolls were baking, I put a stick of softened salted butter in my food processor with 1/4 cup of brown sugar and a tablespoon of honey and whizzed everything together until it was creamy.  I then put it in a jar.  Oh my, I could slather that stuff on anything and go back for seconds!  Slathered on these rolls is something close to an out of body experience.

Don’t have time to make them now?  Pin it for later!

5 from 1 vote
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Sweet Molasses Brown Bread Rolls Recipe
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
22 mins
Total Time
37 mins
 

Soft Sweet Molasses Brown bread rolls are soft and delicious. Molasses, honey and whole wheat flour give these rolls a mild sweetness and great flavor, especially when slathered with brown sugar butter!

Course: Bread
Cuisine: American
Servings: 16
Calories: 163 kcal
Hostess At Heart: Hostess At Heart
Ingredients
Dough
  • 4 teaspoons active dry yeast
  • 1 cup warm water 110 degrees F
  • 1 egg room temperature
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 3 tbsp molasses
  • 2 tbsp cocoa I used dutch processed
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups whole wheat flour
  • Cornmeal optional
Brown sugar butter
  • 8 tbsp stick salted butter
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp honey
Instructions
  1. Combine warm water and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer and let sit for 10 minutes.
  2. Combine all remaining ingredients, except for the whole wheat flour and mix together using the paddle beater. Scrape down sides and mix until just combined.
  3. Change beater to the dough hook. Add one cup of the whole wheat flour and mix on low until combined. Gradually add another cup of whole wheat flour until dough starts to ball and leaves the sides of the bowl. Beat on low for 7 minutes, adding additional flour if necessary.
  4. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until tight and smooth, 4 to 5 times. Place in a large lightly oiled bowl, turning once to oil both sides of the dough ball. Cover and allow to rise until doubled in size, 90 minutes.
  5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  6. Punch down dough and form 16 rolls. Place in a greased 9X13 inch pan and allow to rise again for 1 hour.
  7. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with cornflour (optional)
  8. Bake for 22 minutes.
Recipe Notes

Adapted from Itsalwaysautumn.com

Nutritional value doesn't include brown sugar butter.

Nutrition Facts
Sweet Molasses Brown Bread Rolls Recipe
Amount Per Serving
Calories 163 Calories from Fat 9
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 1g 2%
Cholesterol 10mg 3%
Sodium 154mg 6%
Potassium 176mg 5%
Total Carbohydrates 34g 11%
Dietary Fiber 3g 12%
Sugars 10g
Protein 5g 10%
Vitamin A 0.3%
Calcium 2.1%
Iron 9.4%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

We really enjoyed these rolls, and even though I bake a lot of bread it reminded me that I need to make rolls more often.  Oh and that butter would be delicious on pancakes or waffles too.  I’m just drooling thinking about it.

I had a great time baking for this challenge.  Here are a couple more bread rolls that I really enjoyed and have baked several times.

Soft and Buttery Brioche Buns

Brioche Buns

Super Easy Potato Rolls

Potato Rolls

Cuban Medianoche Bread Rolls

Cuban Medianoche Bread

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Comments

  3. Definitely going to give this a try Julie. This is the type of bread that I can manage, I might even have all the ingredients on hand. Can’t wait to make that sweet butter too. You are definitely staying challenged with your breads aren’t you? 🙂

    Reply

    • Thank you Loretta! This was a new one for me and the dough was not soft. It was actually very dense but they came out soft and boy did my kitchen smell good! Please let me know what you think.

      Reply

    • Thank you Mimi! My husband can make one mean steak so between the sodium and fat in those commercial steaks we don’t do either. This bread was yummy though.

      Reply

  7. Your rolls looks so professional! Not to mention yummy! Wow, I wish I had been there when they came out of the oven! Recipe saved and I might even get over my “flour” phobia and give them a go, with that butter you made! 🙂

    Reply

    • Thank you Petra! Flour phobia? You aren’t a baker? These really aren’t difficult at all. Now that butter is just short of sinful. John wants me to make more but I think it’s best to wait a bit so the thighs can recover from the last jar. 🙂

      Reply

      • Well, I always seem to get more flour outside the bowl, on myself included so I tend to actually avoid it! A friend of mine calls it my “flour phobia”, she is of course an excellent baker, whilst I am not a great baker at all. I will give these a go and yes, yum, the butter! 🙂

        Reply

  11. Yum, yum, yum! I haven’t been to Outback in a gazillion years, but I do remember this bread … and I am totally going to make your version … with that butter too!

    Reply

    • Thank you Kimberly! My husband suggested that I leave lumps in the butter. I’m surprised he didn’t just dump brown sugar on the rolls! I haven’t been to Outback either. My husband makes to darned good a steak at home.

      Reply

  14. Ooh, good reminder about that slightly sweet, warm bread! I think I’ve seen that “it’s always autumn” recipe and bookmarked it somewhere; happy to have it back at the front of my mind. Also, that whipped sweet butter? Please! Sounds so dreamy.

    Reply

    • Thank you so much Chelsea for stopping by. I just love to bake bread and there is always that perfect bread for an occasion. The butter was definitely delicious. I think my husband is still licking the jar clean. 🙂

      Reply

  15. Julie – I love these rolls! They turned out great, I can’t wait to have them with my next steak meal and really get the full outback experience! 🙂

    Reply

    • Thank you! They were very easy to make, and I will definitely make them again. Their slight sweetness goes perfectly with a savory meal. I hope you will let me know how they turn out when you make them!

      Reply

  23. I’m thinking these rolls would be lovely to serve at a dinner party I’m having next week! I may have to sneak a couple just for me with that brown sugar butter…oh, my!!

    Reply

  28. I need some of these right now, Julie. I wish I acty have it in front of me. I have just made my coffee and now I almost lick the screen. 😀 Happy FF and thanks for bringing these beauties. Enjoy your weekend. 🙂

    Reply

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