Easy Homemade Hoagie Rolls

Have you ever eaten sandwiches on hoagie rolls?  The first time our family enjoyed these soft buns was a few years ago when my youngest sister, Alex, was in preschool.  At the time, we were studying a new letter of the alphabet each week, and we liked to eat foods that started with that letter.  For letter "H," we ate hoagie sandwiches at dinner one night.  They were stuffed with meat and cheese and drizzled with olive oil.  They were so good, that my younger sister Beth and I still remember eating them!

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Questions

What kind of bread is a hoagie roll?

It's basically just a plain white bread with a soft texture and thin crust.  This roll is typically used for sub sandwiches in the New Jersey area.

How big is it?

A hoagie roll usually measures about 6 inches long, but they can be much bigger than that.  Catering companies often make 6-foot ones for special events.

Why is it called a hoagie?

The exact origin of the name is not quite clear, but it is most likely from the Philadelphia Hog Island dock workers.  The rolls were made into sub sandwiches called "hoggies," which was eventually changed to hoagies.

How to Make

• Mix the flour, salt, and yeast, then add the wet ingredients and stir to form a dough.
• Knead until the dough passes the windowpane test (see recipe card for details).
• Prove until it has doubled in size, about 1 hour.
• Punch down, divide into 6 pieces, and roll each piece into a sausage shape.
• Prove on a cookie sheet until the rolls are springy to the touch, about 45 minutes.
• Bake at 400 F until golden brown, about 15-20 minutes.

Pro Tips

• Use bread flour.  This ensures a high-rising, chewy result.
• Don't have lard?  Substitute with an equal volume of butter.  Just realize that lard produces a better texture.
• Knead until the dough passes the windowpane test, as described in the recipe card below.
• Don't make the rolls huge, because they'll roughly double in size as they rise and bake.
• Slow rising dough?  Place in a cold oven and put a pan of boiling water on the shelf underneath.

Other Savory Breads You'll Enjoy

• Ciabatta Rolls
• Blaa Buns
• Pretzel Buns
• Milk Bread Rolls
• Pumpkin Dinner Rolls

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Recipe

Easy Homemade Hoagie Rolls

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5 from 1 reviews

• Author: Emma
• Prep Time: 50 minutes
• Cook Time: 15 minutes
• Total Time: 2 hours 50 minutes
• Yield: 6 large rolls 1x

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Description

Easy homemade hoagie rolls are a soft, chewy white bread made by hand that’s perfect for Italian hoagie sandwiches!  You’ll love making this recipe for parties and family dinners.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 4 ¼ cups bread flour (500g)
• 2 ¼ teaspoons fast-action yeast (10g)
• 2 teaspoons salt (10g)
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar (12g)
• 2 tablespoons lard, melted (27g)
• 1 ½-1 ⅔ cups warm water (350-400 ml)
• Cornmeal or semolina flour for dusting

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Instructions

Making the Dough (25 min + 1 hr proving)

1. Melt the lard in the microwave or in a small saucepan.  Heat the water to 110-115 F.
2. Pour the flour into a large mixing bowl and add the salt and yeast on opposite sides of the bowl.  Stir in each one with your hand, then mix in the sugar.
3. Dump in the melted lard and half of the water.  Mix by hand, gradually drizzling in more water until all the flour is picked up from the bowl and a smooth, slightly sticky dough has formed.  You may not need all of the water.
4. Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured countertop and knead vigorously for 8-10 minutes, until the dough passes the windowpane test.  Test the dough by grasping a lump of dough between the thumb and forefinger of each hand and stretching it.  If it stretches until it's translucent, the dough is well kneaded; if not, knead for a minute longer and check again.
5. Shape the dough into a ball, place in a buttered bowl, and cover tightly with plastic wrap.  Let the dough prove until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

Shaping (10 min + 45 min proving)

1. Dust a large, rimmed cookie sheet with cornmeal or semolina flour.
2. Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface and punch it down all over to knock out the excess gases.
3. Divide the dough into six equal pieces, using a kitchen scale for accuracy.  Roll each piece into a log about 6-8 inches long and place them about an inch apart on the prepared tray.
4. Place the tray inside a large, clean garbage bag.  Inflate the bag and tuck the ends under the tray to seal.  Let the dough prove for about 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the dough springs back quickly when gently prodded with a fingertip.  They should be almost doubled in size.
5. About 10 minutes before the rolls are done proving, preheat the oven to 425 F.

Baking (15 min + 15 min cooling)

1. Once the oven has preheated, cut a lengthwise slit in each roll about ¼ inch deep using a bread baker's lame or a very sharp serrated knife.
2. Immediately put the tray in the oven and bake at 425 F for 15-20 minutes, until the rolls are a rich golden brown and have an internal temperature of at least 190 F.
3. Let them cool for 15 minutes on a wire rack before serving.

Notes

• Use bread flour, not all-purpose.  AP lacks the protein content necessary to build a strong gluten structure.
• No lard in the pantry?  Use an equal volume of butter instead, but realize that lard will give you a slightly different texture and flavor than if you use butter.
• Knead until the dough passes the windowpane test, as described above.  This ensures a good texture, high rise, and chewiness.
• Slow rising dough?  Place in a cold oven and put a pan of boiling water on the shelf underneath.
• Store leftovers in a plastic bag at room temperature.  For longer storage, freeze the rolls in a zip-top freezer bag.

• Category: Bread
• Method: Baked
• Cuisine: American

Keywords: how to shape hoagie rolls, soft hoagie rolls