Whole Wheat Rye Rolls

I think I have found roll heaven.
The first time I whipped these up I was drifting in and out of cold-induced naps. I had made a hot and spicy vegetable soup for dinner to try to cure my cold and couldn't imagine eating it without some sort of delicious bread like substance.
These rolls were fairly quick to throw together, made me feel like I was make a slightly healthier choice than my usual rolls, and were darn tasty too.
I made these rolls for the second time yesterday and they were even more delicious than I remembered. I think it'll be hard to find a reason to make a white flour roll again after discovering these little gems.

Adapted from "The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook: The New Classics"

6 tablespoons melted butter
2 1/4 teaspoons yeast
1 cup warm water
1 tablespoon sugar
1 large egg, lightly beaten
2 teaspoons salt
1 1/4 cup rye flour
1 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup all purpose flour (plus more for work surface)
2 tablespoons caraway seeds (I used flax seeds instead, sesame would be nice too)
sea salt for sprinkling (optional)

Mix warm water, yeast, sugar, and 3 tablespoons of the butter together in a mixing bowl. Let sit for 5-10 minutes until yeast becomes foamy. Add egg, salt, flour and seeds. Either use the dough hook on a mixer or mix with a wooden spoon until dough comes together. Dump out on a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic (10-20 minutes). Place dough in an oiled bowl and toss to coat with oil. Let rise until doubled in size (will take an hour or two). Cut dough into 8-12 even pieces and roll into balls. Place on baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled again.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Bake rolls until golden brown (about 35 minutes) and transfer to a wire rack. Brush with remaining melted butter, sprinkle with salt if using and let cool.