Boil a cup or so of the water and pour it over the rosemary to make “tea.” Let it steep at least 15 minutes.

Place the oats in your bread bowl, bring the remaining water to a boil, and pour about half of it over the oats. To the hot water left in your measuring cup, stir in the rosemary tea and the honey. Add this to the bread bowl and beat vigorously with a dough whisk as you also add in the butter, salt, eggs, whole wheat flour and yeast.

Gradually work in the white flour until the dough is soft but not sticky. Turn onto a floured board and knead until smooth and elastic, 5–10 minutes. Place the dough into an oiled bowl, turn it over, and cover with a clean tea towel. Let rise in a warm, draft-free spot until doubled, about an hour.

Punch the dough down, knead a few strokes, then roll out to half-inch thick. Cut in half, stack the two pieces, and roll a few strokes more. Cut the rolls with a biscuit cutter or knife. Place on parchment-lined baking sheets, one inch apart. Cover with tea towels and let rise again until almost double, about 45 minutes.

Bake in a preheated 350° oven until lightly browned, 12–18 minutes.

If you have extra time: For improved texture, use the smaller amount of yeast and allow a little more time for both risings.