If you’re looking for soft, flavorful rolls with a little extra nutrition, these bread rolls with freshly milled spelt are one of my absolute favorites. They’re soft and surprisingly easy to work with, and will make you feel like you're eating indulgent crusty rolls, not something extra healthy and tough.
In a bowl, combine the flours, water, sourdough starter, salt, honey or sugar, and olive oil (if using). Mix until a rough dough forms and no dry flour remains. Cover and let it rest for 30 minutes.
Do 2–3 sets of stretch and fold sessions over the next hour or two. To do one round, lift and fold the dough over itself, and repeat about 4-6 times. Cover the dough with a wet kitchen towel or a shower cap between rounds.
Let the dough rise for 3–6 hours at room temperature. It should look slightly puffy and airy, but NOT doubled in size. It shouldn’t be overly sticky anymore - you should be able to poke it with a finger and the dough shouldn’t stick to it.
Turn the dough out on a lightly floured counter, divide into equal pieces, and shape into loose rounds. You can skip using flour if you think the dough won’t stick. Let the balls rest for about 10 minutes.
Shape into round or slightly oval rolls, depending on what you prefer. Oval are a bit more traditional. To make them oval, flatten the dough a bit, and roll it up, then flatten it again.
Place on a baking tray, cover, and let rise for 1–3 hours. You can also refrigerate overnight and bake the next day.
Preheat the oven:- Conventional oven: Preheat to 220°C (425°F)- Fan (convection) oven: Preheat to 200°C (390°F) and place an empty baking dish on the bottom rack.Pour a cup of boiling water into the hot dish to create steam, score rolls in a way that you do a simple vertical line down the longer side, then place the rolls in the oven.Place the rolls in the oven and bake for:- Conventional oven: Bake 18–22 minutes- Fan oven: Bake 16–20 minutes
For those nicely opened tops, score the rolls a second time once they’ve been in the oven for a few minutes.Bake for 3–5 minutes, take the tray out, deepen the cuts, then return them to finish baking.
When they’re done, let them cool on a wire rack.
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Notes
Starter flexibility Your starter can be fed with spelt, wheat, or all-purpose flour. It just needs to be active.
Why add all-purpose flour It strengthens the dough and helps the rolls hold their shape.
Oil = softer crust → No oil: more crusty → With oil: softer and more everyday-friendly
Hydration feel The dough may feel soft at first. Let it rest before adjusting.
Sourdough timing Spelt ferments faster, so watch the dough closely.
Slight sweetness helps Improves browning and balances flavor.
If the dough feels sticky Do another fold before adding more flour.
Steam improves texture Helps with oven spring and crust, but not strictly required.
Flexible shaping You can shape these however you like.