Is Dinner Rolls supposed to be a ‘Roll’? I would say no. When we say dinner rolls, the first thing that comes to mind is the traditional small roll of individual bread. If you stick to the name itself, for me it does sounds limiting. Dinner … Rolls. But dinner rolls are not only meant to be served for dinner, you can definitely use it for breakfast, lunch, snack and dinner. And it doesn’t really need to be shaped round. It could be oblong, disk, twisted, etc. But it is what it is. But if you look at it in a broader sense, it is just a bread (Yes, traditionally round) that is serve as accompaniment to any meal. So I personally like to call it bread rolls. You can even have it filled with cheese, meat, veggie and jams.

I make homemade bread almost once a week. I thought I would share with you different ways you can shape a roll to make it more interesting and more appealing to the eye. You can use any bread dough, but for this demonstration I used my whole wheat dough. Whole wheat bread/rolls are often avoided by some people because of its different texture. Plus, sometimes it does look boring with. So to fix that boring issue, I am going to show you 6 different ways that you can shape a bread roll. 6 is just few of the many ways you can do it, these 6 so far are what I used quite often when making bread rolls.

There is more to shape than round. Let’s be creative and have fun

Bread shaping is where the magic happens! It’s not just about dough turning into bread; it’s about turning bread into art. There are so many ways to shape your bread, from a simple round loaf to a fancy braid. And guess what? You don’t need to be a pro baker to do it! With a little practice (and some flour-covered hands), you can shape bread that looks as amazing as it tastes.

In this blog, I’ll dive into some fun and easy ways to shape your dough, 6 for now. Whether you’re making rolls for dinner, a rustic loaf for soup, or a show-stopping braided bread for a party, there’s a shape for every occasion. Let’s get rolling—and twisting and tucking! It’s time to give your bread some personality. Ready to get those hands doughy? Let’s do this!

Round Twist

This is quite easy and fun to do. Simply Create a rope shaped dough, about 8-inches or more and then twist it and

3 Braid

3 braid is the easiest braid so far. This is great fo small or big braided loaf, or if you are making a braided babka this is a great idea.

Musical Note

Not so ordinary, but I like the unique shape of this bread.

Cinnamon Roll

This makes an easy single stayle cinnamon roll if you do not want to make the traditional way of rolling cinnamon roll.

Mickey Ears

Mickey ears! Simply put 3 small ball sahped dough together to make this Mickey ears 🙂 Leave it plain or top it with anything you like. Grated cheese is always my favorite.

6 Petals Flower

This gives a more Asian flair to me, not sure why. I used this when I made the Purple Yam Flower Bread.

Tips for a Successful Soft Homemade Bread

• Liquid Temperature – Yeast grows in temperature between 105 – 110F, so its important to have the water that you are using to “proof” it in this range. If you go lower or higher, the yeast might not proof properly. That means the bread will not rise as much, resulting to a flat and tough bread. 
• Check Yeast Expiry a Date – you might be wondering how come the bread did not rise when you followed exactly the recipe. Well, first thing first, make sure the yeast is not yet expired. Expired yeast is the common reason for flat and dense bread. If your bread did not expand or rise during the rest period, it is most likely that the yeast is not fresh or the water temperature is too hot or cold.
• Amount of Yeast – Just because you want a tall bread doesn’t mean you have to put as much yeast in the mixture. Sometimes adding too much yeast can cause the bread to collapse during the rest period. Just imagine putting more air than what is needed in a balloon, the balloon will explode. The same case with bread. 
• Right Type of Yeast – We’ve discussed the 3 types of yeast above. Make sure to use the right one for your recipe, and make necessary adjustments if you want to swap one from another. 
• Rest Period – Yeast bread needs time to rise. There are bread that uses less yeast but requires more rest time, the likes of No Knead Bread or Artisan Bread which usually require 8- 16 hours rest period to get the volume and to develop the flavor. There are 1 hour bread like my Rosemary Dinner Rolls which used this same bread dough. The point is, give it time to rest, don’t touch it just leave it in a warm place. The first rest period will normally tell you if your dough is good or not. If it rise and almost double in size, then your on the right track.  
• Expiration and Quality of the Flour – The quality of the flour greatly affect the texture of the bread. All-purpose flour could differ from country to country although they are all called as all-purpose flour. Sometimes it depends on the brand too. The closer the flour to expiration date or if it is already expired, the flour could tend to be drier, which means it would require more liquid than mentioned in the recipe. This is a common issue of way sometimes the dough tend to be tough and dry. This is why sometimes you have to add few more tablespoon from the suggested flour measurement to get the right texture. The dough should be soft, smooth and elastic. If it is too wet, add a bit more flour until it is no longer to sticky to handle. If it is too dry, a small amount of liquid helps provide moisture to the dough. A clean side of the bowl, with the dough slightly sticking at the bottom, a soft, smooth and elastic dough is what You are aiming for.

How do I Know if I Made the Bread Dough Correctly?

• Activating the Yeast –  This is the first thing that you should get right, otherwise do NOT proceed. After 5 – 10 minutes you should see a foam forms on top of the water, this is an indication that the yeast is alive. If you do not get this, either the yeast is old or the liquid temperature is too hot or cold. The temperature should be 100F, lukewarm but not hot.
• Clean Bowl After Kneading – The sides of the bowl should be clean, while the bottom is slightly sticking to the dough. This means that amount of liquid to the flour is correct. Enough to make a clean bowl and still make a slightly wet dough.
• Soft Dough – Soft dough means the amount of flour to liquid is enough. Too much flour could make the bread dense and heavy, and too much liquid could make it too wet. Both will affect how the bread rise in the rest period. Try to push your fingers in the dough, it should leave a “dimple” on the dough and should gradually disappear.
• Smooth Dough Surface – Again, this is a sign of correct flour to liquid ratio. A “bumpy” surface could mean that the dough is dry and tough.
• Elastic Dough – A soft dough is usually elastic. If your dough is dry and tough, it wouldn’t be as elastic when you pull it apart.
• First Rest Period – The dough should almost double in size. This is a sign that the activation of the yeast work which is crucial to making a soft and fluffy bread. This also means the yeast is alive (not yet expired) and the liquid temperature is correct. I always use baking thermometer to check the temperature of the liquid.
• Second Rest Period – The bread dough should be really puff up. This is crucial and the final state of the bread before baking. If you are able to make it puff-up, that is a good sign that there are air trapped inside which will make the bread fluffy.

Why is My Dough too Wet or too Dry?

Don’t get frustrated if your dough did not turn out immediately as what you see in the photo or video. Most likely It is not because you did not follow the recipe. When it comes to bread making, the amount of flour and liquid is not always 100% precise. This is why often times you will encounter recipes that says, if your dough is dry, add a bit more liquid. If your dough is too wet, add a little bit more flour. This instructions are not meant to confuse you, they are meant to guide you on how to adjust as you work through your dough. The reason for this is that  although the measurement of water and flour are specified in the recipe, it still could slightly vary depending on many factors. For instance, all-purpose flour could very from country to country, or even from brand to brand. Don’t be surprise if you find that some brand tends to require a bit more liquid as the others. On top of this, the amount of liquid is also affected by the state of your flour. How old is the flour that you are using? Older flour nearing expiry tends to be drier and this requires more liquid. Humidity also affects baking. The more humid it is, the more likely the dough will be sticky and wet. Bread making requires patience, and practice. Once you learn how to feel the right texture of the dough, everything will be quick and easy. You can instantly tell if you need to add more water or flour to get the dough in right state.

You can use any bread dough for this. It is about shaping the bread more than the bread itself. The recipe here is just a suggestion, as this is what I used for this demonstration.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp warm Full Fat Milk (110F) – microwave 30 seconds
• 3 tablespoon Brown Sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon granulated Sugar
• 1 1/4 teaspoon Active Dry Yeast or 1 teaspoon Instant Yeast
• 1 large Egg – room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups Whole Wheat Flour
• 2/3 teaspoon Salt
• 2 tablespoon softened unsalted Butter

Instructions:

1. Activate the Yeast: Pour the milk is the mixing bowl. Add 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar and stir. Add active dry yeast, stir and leave for 10 minutes to bloom.
   • If using instant yeast, mix the yeast with the dry ingredients. No need to activate it.
2. Add Wet Ingredients: Add the egg and brown sugar to the yeast mixture.
3. Add Dry Ingredients: Add the flour and salt onto the yeast mixture.
4. Knead the Dough (Speed 2) for 15 minutes
5. Add the softened butter and knead for another 15 minutes. When you add the butter, you will notice the dough will break apart and it will look like it is too wet. Do not panic, this is expected. Continue mixing (even if longer than 15 minutes) until the dough comes together completely (it will), the side of the bowl is clean and the dough is slightly sticking at the bottom of the bowl. Do not stop mixing until you get to this stage. It takes time to fully incorporate the butter to the flour mixture, be patient.
   • To Check: The dough should be smooth, soft, elastic and slightly sticking to the bottom of the bowl
6. Let Rest: Transfer in a greased bowl. Cover and then let rise in a warm place for at least 60 – 90 minutes, or until doubled. (Rising time is dependent on the temperature of the room; let rise until the dough is doubled).
   • Trick: Pre-heat the oven to 110F then turn it OFF. Put the covered dough inside
7. Shape: Remove from the bowl and transfer in a floured surface. Divide into 6 (for large rolls) or 8 for medium rolls. Now, choose how you want to shape the bread rolls. Watch the video for a visual demonstration or refer to the photos above.
8. Second Rest Period: Once done, shaping, arrange the bread rolls in a parchment lined baking sheet. Cover and let rest for another 60 minutes.
9. Egg-wash: Brush top with egg wash and sprinkle toppings as desired, or leave it plain.
10. Pre-heat the Oven: Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350F in the last 15 minutes of rest time. If you are using the oven to rest the dough, do NOT forget to take the dough out before pre-heating.
11. Bake at 350F for 15 minutes. Do not over bake as whole wheat bread tends to dry easily.
12. Cool: Let cool at least 15 minutes before serving. Brush top with butter as soon as you take it out from the oven
13. Brush Top: Dust the top with flour or icing sugar. You can also use egg wash ( 1 beaten egg + 1 teaspoon water)
14. Bake for 15 minutes, until deeply golden brown.
15. Let Cool completely to allow the bread texture to get better

Makes 6 pieces

Shaping bread takes practice. Don’t stress if your first few attempts look a little wonky—they’ll still taste amazing!

Enjoy! If you make this, share and tag me in Instagram #SweetNSpicyLiving. I would like to see your creations too.

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