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Crusty Portuguese Rolls, made with white bread flour, instant yeast, and a splash of oil
Crusty Portuguese Rolls Made the Traditional Way
Traditional Portuguese rolls with a crisp crust and soft center, made at home with simple ingredients and clear steps.
Why You Will Love and Enjoy Crusty Portuguese Rolls
You’ll love these rolls for their crackly crust, soft interior, and bakery-style appearance, all without complicated steps. They’re perfect for sandwiches, soups, or tearing apart while still warm.
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Crusty Portuguese Rolls
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Proofing: 105 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours 25 minutes
- Yield: 9 depending on size 1x
- Category: Bread Recipes
- Method: Easy
- Cuisine: Portuguese
Description
These are classic Portuguese-style rolls with a crackly crust and a soft, chewy interior that you want for sandwiches or tearing apart while still warm. They look fancy, but honestly, once you get the shaping right, they’re very doable at home.
Ingredients
- 330 g white bread flour
- 6 ml (1 tsp) salt
- 10 ml dry instant yeast
- 10 ml (2 tsp) sugar
- 25 ml (1 3/4 Tbsp) vegetable oil
- 340 ml (1 1/2 cups) lukewarm water
- Extra flour for dusting
- Milk, for brushing
Instructions
- Add 330 g white bread flour, 1 tsp salt, 2 tsp dry instant yeast, 2 tsp sugar, and 1 3/4 Tbsp vegetable oil to a large mixing bowl. Pour in 1 1/2 cups lukewarm water.
- Mix using a stand mixer with a dough hook for about 10 minutes until the dough is smooth, elastic, and slightly tacky but not sticky.
- If it feels too wet, dust in a little extra flour, a teaspoon at a time.
- You’re looking for full dough development here. If you stretch a small piece gently, it should form a thin window you can almost see through without tearing.
- Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, turn it once so it’s coated, then cover with plastic wrap.
- Let it rise for about 1 hour, until doubled in size.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured counter.
- Divide into 9 pieces, about 86 g each. Pre-shape each piece into a loose ball, cover with a tea towel, and let them rest for 15 minutes. This makes shaping way easier, don’t skip it.
- Take one piece at a time and roll it into a smooth ball.
- Flatten it gently with your hand. Using the side of your hand, make a deep indent down the center, then fold it in half so it looks like kissing lips.
- Prepare a large baking tray by dusting it generously with flour.
- Place each roll indent side down, leaving space between them for rising.
- Pinch and twist the ends slightly with your fingers to form a small pointed tip.
- Cover loosely with a tea towel and let proof for 30 minutes, until slightly puffed but not over-risen.
- Preheat the oven to 260°C or 240°C fan-assisted. Place an empty metal tray on the bottom rack to heat up.
- Once proofed, carefully flip the rolls so the indented side is facing up.
- Brush lightly with milk and sprinkle a little extra flour over the tops.
- Just before baking, pour a cup of hot water into the empty tray at the bottom of the oven to create steam. Work quickly and close the door.
- Bake for 13 to 15 minutes, until deep golden brown with a crisp crust.
- Cool slightly on a rack, then try not to eat three in a row. No promises.
Notes
Created, prepared, tried, and tested Gail
Simple pantry ingredients, big bakery-style payoff.
Crusty Portuguese Rolls offer the kind of texture that makes homemade bread feel worth the effort. The method is clear, the dough is forgiving, and the result is a roll that fits easily into everyday cooking while still feeling special.
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