Yes, I’ve got yet another sourdough recipe for you, friends! These High Altitude Sourdough Rye Pull-Apart Rolls are going to make your heart (and mouth) happy.
As we continue to live through COVID and its attending stressors (hello, contentious election), my brain, seeking hopeful thoughts, has turned to visions of holiday dinners. Although I’m still having a ton of fun experimenting with variations on my high altitude sourdough bread, I can guarantee these High Altitude Sourdough Rye Pull-Apart Rolls are going to be on our Thanksgiving table this year. Soft, fluffy, and full of tangy, buttery flavor, they’re miles above frozen grocery store rolls.
You know how sometimes you bite into what looks like a fluffy, delicious-looking roll only to find it … a little dry, with a starchy, cottony texture? Or even worse, completely devoid of flavor? For a bread lover, there’s nothing worse. This recipe is going to ensure you’re never the architect of such a tragedy.
These rolls take a little time, but they’re fun to make. And so worth the effort.
The first key to these fluffy pillows of yum is active sourdough starter. Nice and bubbly, just as you’d want it if making a loaf of artisan bread.
Secondly, the right mix of flours. All-purpose flour provides the basis for a nice, fluffy texture, while a little bread flour adds structure (particularly important at altitude). Rye flour, with its nutty, slightly sweet nuance, adds a lovely dimension and really elevates the flavor. Contrary to what many believe, by the way, rye flour does not taste of caraway. That’s an association with dark rye breads, which typically incorporate caraway seeds into the dough.
Making the Dough
This is a relatively simple dough. You simply mix the wet ingredients (starter, milk, eggs) together, then the dry ingredients, and then combine them in the bowl of a stand mixer with some butter. Make sure your butter is well-softened so it can be incorporated into the dough seamlessly. I strongly recommend using a stand mixer with a dough hook for the kneading. Manipulating this very sticky dough is a messy job.
Bulk Proofing
After allowing the dough a short rest, you’ll do a few rounds of stretching-and-folding. Simply scoop up dough from one side of your bowl, pull it up and fold it in on itself. Repeat this four times, turning your bowl a quarter-turn each time. That’s one “set” of stretching and pulling, and it’s how you develop gluten and structure in your dough. For this recipe, you’ll do it three times, with 15-minute rests between each set.
And then let it have a little nap for a few more hours as it proofs. At the end, it should look smooth and firm, like this:
Portioning and shaping the rolls
I use my trusty bench scraper for this, but a sharp knife will work just fine too. And because I stink at eyeballing equal portions, I weigh them. How many rolls you’ll make depends on the size of the pan you’ll be using. I determine that first, then divide the weight of the dough by that number. My 9″x13″ baking pan can fit 15 rolls, but you can also make 16 slightly smaller rolls and bake them in a square pan (or a round pan). This and this are my ride-or-die pans, by the way (and these, too). Best ever.
Once you’ve portioned the dough, form the rolls into little balls by bringing the sides of each piece into the middle and pinching them together. Same method you’d use if you were making a boule-shaped loaf of bread.
Then give each roll a little swirl between your palms, tucking under slightly with the edges of your fingers to ensure a nice tight skin. Although this part is a bit time-consuming, I find it oddly satisfying.
Arrange your rolls in a buttered pan, leaving just a little space between them. They’ll expand during the final proof.
Final Proof
At this point, if you want to bake the rolls the same day, let them rise at room temperature for a couple of hours. Alternatively, you can put the rolls in the refrigerator for a nice long cold ferment. I recommend doing this if you have time, as it contributes to the best possible flavor.
(*Note: if you refrigerate the rolls for their final proof, you’ll need to let them finish rising at room temperature before baking. In my experience, this takes 3+ hours, so plan accordingly!)
Either way, they should look like this once fully risen:
Ready, Set, Bake!
When you’re ready to bake the rolls, brush them with a quick egg wash (optional, but gives them a nice shiny finish). Then pop them in a hot oven and bake for about 40 minutes. Enjoy the unmistakable scent of buttery bread as it wafts through your house. And when the rolls are done, give them another brushing, this time with melted butter. This takes their flavor over the top and provides a little extra moisture.
You can serve the rolls immediately, or cover and serve later at room temperature. If you’re not serving them right away I do recommend a quick re-heat for optimal deliciousness.
Leftovers make great sandwiches, like this little impromptu pulled-pork slider I threw together for lunch the other day (yeah, I know it’s mostly bread. I have no problem with that).
Whether you make these High Altitude Sourdough Rye Pull-Apart Rolls for your holiday meal or as an election-stress escape project, I hope you’ll love them. Bread, it’s so soothing.
Want more sourdough? Try one of these:
- High Altitude Sourdough Bread
- High Altitude Sourdough Pizza Crust
- High Altitude Dirty Chai Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls
- High Altitude Sourdough Focaccia
High Altitude Sourdough Rye Pull-Apart Rolls
- Prep Time: 30 minutes active time, plus rise time
- Cook Time: 45 mins
- Total Time: 1 hr 15 mins, plus rise time
- Yield: 15–16 rolls 1x
Description
Fluffy and buttery, with tangy sourdough and nutty rye, High Altitude Sourdough Pull-Apart Rolls will be welcome at any table.
Ingredients
- 200 grams (~1/2 cup) active sourdough starter
- 3/4 cup whole milk
- 2 large eggs
- 375 grams (~2 1/2 cups) all-purpose flour
- 75 grams (~1/2 cup) bread flour
- 75 grams (~1/2 cup) light rye flour
- 50 grams (1/4 cup) granulated sugar
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 5 TB unsalted butter, softened, plus 2 TB melted, for brushing after baking
- (optional) 1 beaten egg, for brushing prior to baking
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mix the starter and milk until combined, then whisk in eggs. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flours, sugar, and salt. Add this to the milk mixture and stir until combined. Mix in the softened butter.
- Transfer the dough to a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, and set to low speed. Mix the dough for about 5 minutes, until the texture begins to transform from craggy to smooth and the dough starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl. It will still be very sticky.
- Lightly oil a medium bowl and scrape the dough into it. Cover with plastic or a damp towel and allow to rest at room temperature.
- After 15 minutes, perform one set of stretch-and-folds, lifting one side of the dough toward you and folding it back in over itself, then turning the bowl a quarter-turn and repeating this process three more times. Allow the dough to rest 15 minutes more, than perform another set. Do this one last time, for a total of 3 sets of stretch-and-folds over 45 minutes.
- Bulk proof: Allow the dough to rest an additional 3.5 – 4 hours, until its volume has increased by roughly 1/3 and looks smooth and firm.
- Butter a 9×13″ or 10×10″ pan. Tip the dough out onto a floured counter and, using a sharp knife or bench scraper, cut the dough into 15 (if using 9×13″ rectangular pan) or 16 (if using a 10×10″ square) even pieces. To ensure even size, you can use a kitchen scale to weigh the pieces.
- Form the rolls: for each piece of dough, fold the sides into the middle, creating a rough ball, and pinch it to seal. Flip the roll so it’s seam-side down and, keeping the seam on the bottom, gently spin it with your palms, tucking it under with the edges of your pinky fingers, to create a little surface tension.
- Place the rolls evenly in the prepared pan, leaving a little space in between each. Cover with plastic. At this point you can 1) allow the rolls to rise at room temperature for 2-3 hours until they have doubled and nearly reached the top of the pan, or 2) give them an extended/overnight rise in the fridge (recommended for optimal flavor development). *Note: If you choose the fridge option, be sure to allow around 3 extra hours the next day to let the rolls fully rise at room temperature once you remove them from the fridge.
- If you’re using the egg wash (which is not necessary but will give the rolls a nice, shiny finish), whisk your egg in a small bowl with a little bit of water. When the rolls are fully risen, lightly brush the tops. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- Bake at 375 degrees F for 35-40 minutes, until the rolls are deep golden brown. Let them cool slightly, then brush the tops with melted butter (again, not necessary but oh so delicious).
Wrap any leftovers tightly in plastic to avoid drying out.
Easy& delicious!
Thank you!
Hi! couple questions about the flours. The recipe says 375g bread flour and next line is 75g more bread flour.
Did you mean 375g AP flour and 75g bread flour?
Also — is that light or dark rye?
Thanks … really looking forward to making these!
A.
Sorry about that, Anna – I’ve corrected the amounts above. I use light rye for this recipe.
These turn out beautifully every time!! Thank you for the excellent recipe.
I’m so glad they work well for you!!
These came out great but really don’t have much of any rye flavor. We were wanting to use them for Reuben sliders so we were hoping for more flavor.
Any adjustments if you are not at high altitude?
I make these every year for Thanksgiving, they are delicious! Question for you, I normally make them at high altitude but this year am making them at sea level. Can you let me know what adjustments I should make please? Thanks!!
I don’t have a stand mixer, is it necessary?