Homemade Hoagie Rolls
Homemade Hoagie Rolls are delicious, soft-baked rolls made out of the best bread dough. This simple, 6-ingredient recipe makes the BEST sandwiches and can be stored in the freezer for several months!
Hoagie Roll Recipe
There really is nothing better than homemade bread and rolls. My momma gave me the baking gene, and I love both the process and the end result. Baking bread has always calmed me, and I can remember several occasions when I baked when I felt sad. So whatever it is, find that something that you enjoy as much as I love to bake bread!
This recipe is a perfect one to make and freeze for later. In fact, make a double batch and wrap them up in cling wrap (one at a time) and then in freezer bags.
Why This Recipe Works:
- SIMPLE RECIPE – This simple recipe requires just six ingredients plus an egg wash. We keep all of these stocked in our pantry and refrigerator all the time.
- SOFT AND CHEWY – These sandwiches are chewy on the outside and soft in the middle. A perfect combination of textures.
- MAKES THE BEST SANDWICHES – These truly make the best sandwiches – deli sandwiches, meatball subs, Cuban sandwiches, beef au jus, and anything you can think of!
- FREEZE WELL – We keep these in our freezer for random sandwich cravings.
Ingredients needed for Homemade Hoagie Rolls:
- Yeast – I use Red Star Active Dry Yeast. (This is a very large amount. I keep a bunch in the freezer, and it lasts a long time.) We have perfect bread-making weather here in Texas, and my bread always rises pretty quickly. You may need a Quick Rise Yeast, depending on where you live.
- Sugar – Just a little bit of sugar is needed to help activate the yeast.
- Milk – It’s very important to use warm milk. I recommend using a digital thermometer to make sure it’s warmed to between 100-110 degrees F.
- Salt – I use kosher salt in most of our baking recipes.
- Flour – For best results, use all-purpose flour.
- Unsalted Butter – We use a little butter for extra richness.
Note: You can definitely make this recipe by hand instead of using a mixer. It will take a little bit more time and some arm strength, but you can do it.
How to make Homemade Hoagie Rolls:
Step 1
Activate the yeast. Using a large standing mixer, combine the yeast, sugar, and warm milk. Take a spatula, and stir it around a couple of times. Then let it sit for about 10-15 minutes so that the yeast activates. You should see a bubbly mixture when it’s ready. See below.
Step 2
Add flour to desired consistency. Start by adding about four cups of flour plus kosher salt to the mixer. Let the mixer run, and occasionally scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula. Then add another cup of flour and the cubed softened butter and mix again until butter absorbs.
Gradually add more flour until you get a nice dough consistency. It should be slightly sticky, but easy to handle.
Step 3
Let the dough rise. Grease a large bowl with oil. Remove the dough from the mixer, and form it into a ball. Then place it in the bowl and cover it with a clean dishtowel. Place the bowl in a warm corner of your kitchen and let rise until approximately doubled in size. The rise may be different each time and will vary depending on several factors.
Step 4
Form hoagie rolls. Once the bread rises, it’s time to form the dough into desired shapes. Prepare two large baking sheets with parchment paper. (See below for my favorite pans.)
Add a little oil to a pastry mat or a large flat surface (a cutting board works too), and form sections of dough into oblong shapes for rolls. Make sure you place the seems down with the ends tucked in. Place rolls along the center of the pans (six in each pan) relatively close together.
I normally use a digital scale to weight each section to get approximately same sized hoagies. For me, each hoagie was about 110 grams.
Step 5
Let rise again. Cover rolls with clean dish towels, and let rise again until almost doubled in size.
Step 6
Prepare for baking. Use a sharp serrated edge knife to cut a few deep slits along the tops of each roll. Beat one large egg with a bit of water, and use a pastry brush to spread a thin layer over the tops of the rolls.
Step 7
Bake. Bake hoagie rolls in a preheated 350-degree oven, until done, approximately 15-18 minutes. The bottoms should be slightly browned. Remove rolls to wire cooling racks.
Storing and Freezing:
- Storing Tip: These rolls are best fresh the first day! It can be stored in airtight bags on the counter for 2-3 days.
- Freezing Tip: You can freeze these hoagie rolls in freezer bags for up to three months. I recommend wrapping each hoagie roll in cling wrap and then place in freezer bags.
Recipe FAQs:
Yes, you can use bread flour in this recipe. Bread flour yields a slightly chewier texture while all-purpose flour makes them a bit softer.
The time needed for the bread to rise will determine on the climate and warmth of your kitchen. At our house, it takes about 45 minutes for the first rise and 30 minutes for the second rise.
I recommend placing the dough rolls somewhat closer together on the pans. That way, the rolls will bake into each other and will poof up slightly (instead of flattening).
It’s optional, but brushing with an egg wash (1 egg + 1 tbsp water) gives a shiny, golden crust.
Active Dry Yeast vs Instant Yeast:
As a rule, I only use Active Dry Yeast in my bread baking. You can use Instant Yeast as well, but will need just a little bit less. Instant Yeast also requires less time to rise, but since I live in a fairly warm, humid climate (Texas), I’ve never had a problem with my bread rise.
- Active Dry Yeast – A type of dry yeast that’s granular, similar to cornmeal. This yeast is a living organism that’s dormant until proofed, requiring a small amount of lukewarm water and a pinch of sugar to activate.
- Instant Yeast – Also known as quick-rise, rapid-rise, or even bread machine yeast. This yeast is milled into smaller particles so it doesn’t need to be dissolved into water. The dough rises faster with this yeast because enzymes and other additives are included to make this happen. You don’t ever need to do more than one rise with this yeast.
Ways to use hoagie rolls:
- Pressed Cuban Sandwiches
- Beef Au Jus Sandwiches
- Roasted Vegetable Pesto Panini
- meatball subs
- deli sandwiches
Kitchen Tools used for this recipe: (Affiliate Links)
- This Bosch Universal Mixer is the bomb of bread mixers! My Mom had one sitting on her counter for as long as I can remember. She used it so often that she literally wore the first one out and bought a second one after she and Dad moved into an apartment. Mike bought me one for Mother’s Day several years ago and I love it. It doesn’t do the work FOR you, but it can handle a lot of bread making (speaking from experience!) and the lid prevents the dough from falling out of the mixer when making large batches of bread. However, a KitchenAid mixer with a dough hook works great too, OR make it by hand.
- 16-3/4 by 12-Inch Jelly-Roll Pan, Set of 2
- Parchment Paper Sheets for High Heat Baking
xoxo ~Sue
Homemade Hoagie Rolls Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon active dry yeast – I use Red Star
- 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 1/2 cups 1% milk (562 grams) – warmed to 100-110 degrees F
- 1/4 cup softened butter
- 5 ¾ cups all-purpose flour (690 grams) – or until right consistency
- egg wash
Instructions
- Activate the yeast. Using a large standing mixer, combine the yeast, sugar, and warm milk. Take a spatula, and stir it around a couple of times. Then let it sit for about 10-15 minutes so that the yeast activates. You should see a bubbly mixture when it’s ready. See below.1 Tablespoon active dry yeast, 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar, 2 1/2 cups 1% milk (562 grams)
- Add flour to desired consistency. Start by adding about four cups of flour plus kosher salt to the mixer. Let the mixer run, and occasionally scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula. Then add another cup of flour and the cubed softened butter and mix again until butter absorbs.Gradually add more flour until you get a nice dough consistency. It should be slightly sticky, but easy to handle.5 ¾ cups all-purpose flour (690 grams), 2 teaspoons kosher salt, 1/4 cup softened butter
- Let the dough rise. Grease a large bowl with oil. Remove the dough from the mixer, and form it into a ball. Then place it in the bowl and cover it with a clean dishtowel. Place the bowl in a warm corner of your kitchen and let rise until approximately doubled in size. The rise may be different each time and will vary depending on several factors.
- Form hoagie rolls. Once the bread rises, it’s time to form the dough into desired shapes. Prepare two large baking sheets with parchment paper. (See below for my favorite pans.) Add a little oil to a pastry mat or a large flat surface (a cutting board works too), and form sections of dough into oblong shapes for rolls. Make sure you place the seems down with the ends tucked in. Place rolls along the center of the pans (six in each pan) relatively close together.I normally use a digital scale to weight each section to get approximately same sized hoagies. For me, each hoagie was about 110 grams.
- Let rise again. Cover rolls with clean dish towels, and let rise again until almost doubled in size.
- Prepare for baking. Use a sharp serrated edge knife to cut a deep slit along the tops of each roll. Beat one large egg with a bit of water, and use a pastry brush to spread a thin layer over the tops of the rolls.egg wash
- Bake. Bake hoagie rolls in a preheated 350-degree oven, until done, approximately 18-20 minutes. The bottoms should be slightly browned. Remove rolls to wire cooling racks.
What if you don’t have a bread mixer??
You can make the recipe by hand. Use a large mixing bowl and plenty of elbow grease!
These were great! I used half whole grain flour and they turned out fine. We used them for beef dip sandwiches. Yum!
Sounds like a great idea, Tabitha!
These are delicious !! I am making a second batch today!
Made these for “bratwurst sandwiches”, fun and easy recipe for a beginner baker like myself!
You’re doing great!
LOVE these rolls, so easy and sooooo good!
I bake all the time and decided to give a new recipe a try and it was a flop. They rose all through the proper stages but were like little breadsticks after baking. It’s a disappointment since they were for our sandwiches for the zoo tomorrow.
Are they sweet at all, or can be made slightly sweet?
They are not sweet, but you could add extra sugar to make them sweeter.
So easy to make! I’m about to pop them in the oven and enjoy them with some brisket.
Oh great! We love them too. 🙂
Such a perfect sandwich roll!