Simple No-Knead Crusty Bread Rolls Recipe

Warm, crusty bread roll, fresh from the oven, perfect for a slow weekend breakfast or perhaps lunch with guests.

What if I told you that you could have exactly that – without having to get up extra early, without even kneading or shaping dough – all with just a handful of ingredients? Yes, it can be done!

This simple no-knead crusty bread rolls recipe is going to be your new favourite breadmaking trick for baking bread at home.

Ready to get started? You can watch the video below or read on for more information.

Why You’ll Love These Bread Rolls

These rolls are all about maximum reward for minimum effort. They’re: 

• Crusty on the outside with a satisfying crackle 
• Soft and airy on the inside 
• No-knead 
• Made with a few simple ingredients 
• Perfect for overnight (or during the day whilst you’re out) preparation 

Whether you’re hosting friends for brunch or just want something fresh and homemade for your family, this recipe is the one to try. 

Ingredients You’ll Need

You may already have some or all of these simple ingredients.

• 275g strong white wheat bread flour (or half and half with malted grain wheat bread flour for extra flavour)
• 2 – 3g instant easy bake active dried yeast (double this if using fresh yeast)
• 5g salt
• 250g cold water

This will make 8 – 10 rolls. You can double (or more) the amounts as needed to bake more rolls.

Your step-by-step no-knead bread rolls method

1. Mix It Up 

In a large bowl, mix your flour, yeast and salt. Then pour in the cold water. Stir everything together – it should look like a thick, sticky batter or loose porridge. 

No kneading, no fuss. Just mix until combined. 

2. Let It Rise 

Once your dough is mixed, cover the bowl and place it in the fridge for 8 – 12 hours. This slow, cold fermentation gives the dough a beautiful texture and flavour. You can prep it in the morning and bake in the evening, or mix it before bed and bake first thing. 

Bonus: You’re not doign anything during this time – your dough is doing the work! 

3. Shape (Sort of) and Bake 

Pre-heat your oven to 220C (430F) and line a baking tray or two. 

Grab two tablespoons and scoop out blobs of dough onto your tray. No need to shape them perfectly – just dollop them in small rustic mounds of dough. 

Bake for 15 – 20 minutes until they’re golden brown all over and sound hollow when tapped underneath. Your kitchen will smell amazing! 

Tips for Success

• Hydration is key: The dough will look very wet – don’t panic! The high water content is needed to allow the dough to easily expand and ‘knead’ itself as the yeast produces gas. 
• Use baking or parchment paper: The dough is very sticky, so line your baking tray well. 
• Customise your rolls: Add in malted grain wheat bread flour for extra nutty flavour, or top with seeds or oat flakes for variety. 

When to Serve These Rolls

These no-knead bread rolls are perfect for: 

• A cosy weekend breakfast with butter and jam 
• Dunking into stews or soups 
• Making sandwiches for lunch 
• Impressing guests without breaking a sweat 

They’re best enjoyed fresh but can be toasted the next day too. 

Let’s get baking bread

This recipe is perfect if you’d like to get started baking bread at home but you’re not sure about all the processes involved. Sit back and let the dough do the work!

Or you love to bake bread but you just need something simple and that takes virtually none of your time.

Bake these delicious no-knead rolls that are as simple as it can get, yet full of flavour and likely to be very popular when you serve them up.

Go and give them a try – and please do let me know how your rolls turn out. I love to hear what bread you’re baking at home.

Happy baking!