Golden Chai Walnut Rolls
There’s something about chai spice that just feels like warmth in a bite — cozy, sweet, and comforting all at once. These Golden Chai Walnut Rolls are soft and fluffy with a gooey, caramelized walnut bottom that turns into the perfect topping when you flip them out of the pan.
I used my basic dough recipe (shared below), but for this batch, I milled a mix of 1 cup hard red wheat, 1 cup hard white wheat, and 1 cup einkorn berries. It gave the rolls such a beautiful texture and depth of flavor — hearty, yet light enough for those warm chai spices to really shine.
⸻
Sauce for the bottom of the pan
• 2 tbsp coconut oil
• 4 tbsp maple syrup
• 1 tsp chai masala spice (This is the mix I use here)
• 1 tbsp arrowroot powder
• 5 tbsp coconut sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon
Bring everything to a low simmer and stir until smooth and combined.
Layer the bottom of your pan with chopped walnuts (I like to crunch mine up a bit). Pour the sauce over the walnuts and stir gently to create an even layer across the bottom.
Tip: Feel free to change it up! You can easily swap the walnuts for pecans if that’s what you have on hand — both turn out deliciously caramelized and toasty.
⸻
Filling for the rolls
• ¾ cup coconut sugar
• 2 tsp chai spice
• 1 tsp cinnamon
Mix together and set aside while you prepare your dough.
⸻
Dough
Dry:
• 3 cups hard wheat berries. (Roughly 4 1/2 to 5 cups of flour)
(I typically use all hard red wheat for its hearty flavor. But if I want the flavor to be a little lighter—like when I’m adding spices or sweet flavors—I’ll do 2 cups red and 1 cup hard white wheat. For this recipe, though, I used a mix of 1 cup hard red, 1 cup hard white, and 1 cup einkorn berries, and it turned out so soft with the perfect flavor!)
• 2 tbsp sunflower lecithin
Wet:
• 1 cup hot water
• 2 tsp salt (stir into the hot water to dissolve)
• ½ cup additional water (for a total of 1½ cups water)
• ⅓ cup organic olive oil
• ⅓ cup honey
• 1 egg (optional. For this recipe I did without)
Yeast:
• 1 tbsp yeast
⸻
🥣 Instructions
• Grind the Wheat: Mill 3 cups of hard wheat berries into fresh flour. (For this recipe, I used 1 cup hard red, 1 cup hard white, and 1 cup einkorn berries.)
• Mix the Dry Ingredients: In a bowl, combine the fresh flour and 2 tablespoons of lecithin. Stir together and set aside.
• Prep the Wet Ingredients: In another bowl or measuring cup, pour in 1 cup of hot water and stir in the 2 teaspoons of salt to dissolve. Then add another ½ cup of water. Combine ⅓ cup olive oil and ⅓ cup honey (tip: add the oil first so the honey slides right out). Add 1 egg if you’re using it, and whisk everything together until well combined.
• Layer into the Bread Machine:
If you’re using a bread machine (like I do), remove the bread pan from the machine.
• Pour in all of the wet ingredients first.
• Then pour the flour + lecithin mixture over the top of the liquid (do not mix).
• Use your finger or a spoon to make a small well in the center of the flour and add 1 tablespoon of yeast into that spot.
• Let the Machine Do the Work:
Set your bread machine to the dough setting. It will mix, knead, and take the dough through its first rise. After that, I usually remove the dough, shape it, and let it rise again before baking.
⸻
To bake the rolls
• Roll out your dough and spread the chai filling evenly over the surface.
• Roll it up tightly and cut into about 15 rolls.
• Place the rolls on top of the walnut sauce layer in a greased 9x13 deep pan.
• Brush the tops with an egg wash before baking.
• Bake at 350°F for about 30 minutes, or until golden on top.
• Let cool for a few minutes, then flip the pan over onto a parchment-lined cutting board or tray (be careful—this part can get a little sticky, but it’s so worth it!).
Makes about 15 rolls.
⸻
As they bake, your whole kitchen will smell like warm chai and maple — sweet, nutty, and cozy all at once. These are best enjoyed fresh out of the oven with a cup of coffee or chai tea. And don’t be afraid to make them your own — that’s half the fun.