Pull-Apart Rolls

Pull-Apart Rolls are eggless no-onion, no-garlic rolls made from scratch at home. You can use any filling of your choice in these.

I made them later into cheesy garlic sticks as well.

In the last 2 years almost every Indian blog I visited, had made the famous Eggless Garlic Pull-Apart Rolls and I craved to make my share too. But you know how very recently Yeast and I have become friends. We are still in the soul-searching stage – Best friends will have to wait!

Though I’ve been making 100 % Whole Wheat Bread almost every 7-10 days each time I proof yeast with bated breath – still not sure if we are friends, or probably frenemies??? Wish me luck guys, I need to win this little bugger for life!

I finally convinced V to have a refined flour bread/ rolls – these days he balks at anything refined. God save me from people wanting a perfect world. Phew!

I decided to make a big batch on a Sunday and invited our neighbor friend. Just as I was getting ready to tackle the dough with both my hands, I was saved by the bell! The builder’s man had come for tile replacement in the kitchen. Bye-bye kitchen for the next 24 hours. Sob, sob.. grin, grin! Don’t know what I was feeling. I guess I was relieved. I never enjoy making anything elaborate over weekends as there is too much chaos at my place those 2 days.

Finally, after 3 days of work, I got my kitchen free and clean. Tile work is a very messy affair after moving in. But we had little choice in this matter and now getting some odd jobs here and there done after moving in. What to do? Move on!

Almost all recipes on Eggless Garlic Pull-apart Rolls are similar which started with Suhaina posting the first one way back in 2010. I chose from Nagalaksmi of Edible Garden, for the simple reason that the clicks were too gorgeous.

I adapted it to suit my taste and the ingredients at hand. I doubled the recipe as I was planning to share it with neighbors. I increased the butter by roughly 50% and added fresh mint leaves, sesame seeds, and chili flakes in the filling. I slightly dry-toasted the seeds and mint leaves. The aroma of roasting seeds and mint was truly awesome.

The recipe gave me 16 mini-rolls. I added some onion seeds on top of the prepared dough. I baked in my Pyrex – 11 X 7 X 1 1/2 inch. I kept the oven temperature the same but increased the timing. Mine was baked in roughly 50-55 minutes. Though the recipe calls for adding yeast directly to flour, I have been proofing yeast so far and have done it here as well. I skipped the garlic completely.

Print Recipe

Pull-Apart Rolls

Eggless Herb Pull-Apart Rolls - perfect for dinner or snacking. Fresh mint leaves give the flavors a wonderful zing.

Prep Time1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Cook Time55 minutes mins

Total Time2 hours hrs 25 minutes mins

Course: Baking, Bread

Cuisine: Vegetarian

Keyword: Bakery, eggless

Servings: 2 dozen

Ingredients

for the dough

• 3 cup all purpose flour
• cup + 2 tbsp warm water
• 1 tbsp instant yeast
• 1½ tsp salt
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 2½ tbsp olive oil

for the herb spread

• 150 gram butter softened
• 3 tbsp fresh mint leaves chopped
• 1 tsp chili flakes
• 2 tsp sesame seeds
• ½ tsp nigella seeds onion seeds, kalonji

Instructions

for the dough:

• In a medium bowl, add sugar and warm water. Sprinkle instant yeast on top. Do not disturb and allow to proof for 5-8 minutes.
• In the meanwhile, mix flour and salt together in a large bowl. Add 1½ tbsp oil to the mixture.
• Pour in proofed yeast and mix in using a spatula. Coat your fingers with remaining oil and mix in the flour again using your finger tips. Knead well till the dough starts springing back upon pressing, about 5-6 minutes.
• Place the dough in a large oiled bowl and turn it over so that it is coated evenly with oil. Cover the bowl with cling film or wet towel. Allow it to rise in a warm place for about 45 minutes

for the filling:

• In a thick pan, slightly roast the sesame seeds. Add in mint leaves and just turn it around. Remove from flame.
• Add in butter and chili flakes and mix well. Do not add onion seeds in the filling.

for the rolls:

• Grease the Pyrex dish (11 X 7 X 1½ inch).
• Remove the dough from the bowl and punch it down. This is the fun part! Divide the dough into 4 equal portions.
• Transfer one portion of the dough onto a floured surface and roll it gently into a rough rectangle about ½ inch thick. Apply more flour but sparingly if the dough is sticky.
• Spread ¼th portion of the filling using the back of a spoon or a knife.
• Roll the rectangle from the shorter side gently but firmly. Seal the ends by pinching the roll together using your finger tips.
• Divide the roll into 4 equal parts. Repeat the process for remaining 3 portions.
• Place the dough into the prepared pan with cut side up.
• Spread little milk on top using a pastry brush. sprinkle onion seeds on top. If you have any filling leftover then spread that too on top.
• Allow to rise for second time for 20 minutes. In the meantime pre-heat the oven at 180 °C.
• Bake for 50-55 minutes till golden brown on top.
• Remove from oven. Serve hot. They store well and can be re-heated next day too.

Notes

1. You can skip proofing yeast and simply add sugar, warm water and yeast to flour like original recipe. In this case, you would omit the first step in Instructions.
2. Adjust baking time if using a diff size of dish. For a loaf pan, half the quantity and bake for 30 mins.
3. Play with any type of filling - jam, chocolate, garlic, whatever you like.
4. Adjust the amount of yeast if you do not like to have a strong flavor of yeast. Reduce the quantity of yeast and increase the rising time to 2 hours.
5. Amount of water will vary basis the type/ brand of flour you use plus humidity. It take me about 1 Tbsp more than required quantity due to Pune humidity.
6. Filling will stay well in air-tight container for atleast a week in refrigerator.
7. No need to roast the filling, you can simply mix all ingredients together like in original recipe.

The Herb Pull-Apart Rolls were a big hit with my kids as well neighbor’s kid. That’s the biggest compliment as our kids are quite fussy in trying new things. And V, conveniently forgot that he was eating refined flour and ate more than he should have. Should I tell the count???

The fresh flavor of mint, onion seeds, and sesame seeds gave the rolls a wonderful zing. The rolls keep well and taste very nice after being microwaved the next day.

I originally wanted to use some fresh basil but mint was such a surprise hit that I am using it quite often in my recipe now. I feel I’ve re-discovered the fresh mint leaves. Have you rediscovered an ingredient recently? Share with me, I would like to know.

Print Recipe

Pull-Apart Rolls

Eggless Herb Pull-Apart Rolls – perfect for dinner or snacking. Fresh mint leaves give the flavors a wonderful zing.

Prep Time1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Cook Time55 minutes mins

Total Time2 hours hrs 25 minutes mins

Course: Baking, Bread

Cuisine: Vegetarian

Keyword: Bakery, eggless

Servings: 2 dozen

Ingredients

for the dough

• 3 cup all purpose flour
• cup + 2 tbsp warm water
• 1 tbsp instant yeast
• 1½ tsp salt
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 2½ tbsp olive oil

for the herb spread

• 150 gram butter softened
• 3 tbsp fresh mint leaves chopped
• 1 tsp chili flakes
• 2 tsp sesame seeds
• ½ tsp nigella seeds onion seeds, kalonji

Instructions

for the dough:

• In a medium bowl, add sugar and warm water. Sprinkle instant yeast on top. Do not disturb and allow to proof for 5-8 minutes.
• In the meanwhile, mix flour and salt together in a large bowl. Add 1½ tbsp oil to the mixture.
• Pour in proofed yeast and mix in using a spatula. Coat your fingers with remaining oil and mix in the flour again using your finger tips. Knead well till the dough starts springing back upon pressing, about 5-6 minutes.
• Place the dough in a large oiled bowl and turn it over so that it is coated evenly with oil. Cover the bowl with cling film or wet towel. Allow it to rise in a warm place for about 45 minutes

for the filling:

• In a thick pan, slightly roast the sesame seeds. Add in mint leaves and just turn it around. Remove from flame.
• Add in butter and chili flakes and mix well. Do not add onion seeds in the filling.

for the rolls:

• Grease the Pyrex dish (11 X 7 X 1½ inch).
• Remove the dough from the bowl and punch it down. This is the fun part! Divide the dough into 4 equal portions.
• Transfer one portion of the dough onto a floured surface and roll it gently into a rough rectangle about ½ inch thick. Apply more flour but sparingly if the dough is sticky.
• Spread ¼th portion of the filling using the back of a spoon or a knife.
• Roll the rectangle from the shorter side gently but firmly. Seal the ends by pinching the roll together using your finger tips.
• Divide the roll into 4 equal parts. Repeat the process for remaining 3 portions.
• Place the dough into the prepared pan with cut side up.
• Spread little milk on top using a pastry brush. sprinkle onion seeds on top. If you have any filling leftover then spread that too on top.
• Allow to rise for second time for 20 minutes. In the meantime pre-heat the oven at 180 °C.
• Bake for 50-55 minutes till golden brown on top.
• Remove from oven. Serve hot. They store well and can be re-heated next day too.

Notes

1. You can skip proofing yeast and simply add sugar, warm water and yeast to flour like original recipe. In this case, you would omit the first step in Instructions.
2. Adjust baking time if using a diff size of dish. For a loaf pan, half the quantity and bake for 30 mins.
3. Play with any type of filling – jam, chocolate, garlic, whatever you like.
4. Adjust the amount of yeast if you do not like to have a strong flavor of yeast. Reduce the quantity of yeast and increase the rising time to 2 hours.
5. Amount of water will vary basis the type/ brand of flour you use plus humidity. It take me about 1 Tbsp more than required quantity due to Pune humidity.
6. Filling will stay well in air-tight container for atleast a week in refrigerator.
7. No need to roast the filling, you can simply mix all ingredients together like in original recipe.