This simple German bread rolls recipe only requires four ingredients (and one of them is water!) These crispy rolls are great with bratwurst, sliced meat + cheese, or jam. And to get them looking like they just popped out of a German bakery, we'll score the tops and bake them in the oven with steam.
Brötchen Will Become Your New Go-To Dinner Roll
Growing up in Germany, I loved eating Brötchen stuffed with Bratwurst from food carts. And sometimes we'd grab a bag of fresh German breakfast rolls from the local bakery and enjoy them in the morning with ham and cheese. But they're honestly just as delicious as a sweet snack slathered in my whipped cherry butter.
Those traditional bread rolls were always perfectly crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside. So to recreate that nostalgic texture, I tested this recipe multiple times to get it juuuust right for you. Keep reading for all my tips + tricks to get your homemade rolls tasting just like the ones from German bakeries!
And for a tasty pretzel version of these rolls, try my Laugenbrötchen. Or if you're looking for pillowy soft German bread buns, try my Rosinenbrotchen with raisins or Zwiebelbrotchen with caramelized onions.
Ingredient and Notes
- All purpose flour - This flour creates light, simple bread rolls. Sometimes I swap in bread flour for a slightly chewier texture and darker crust.
- Salt - Table salt or fine sea salt add flavor to this simple bread recipe, while also regulating yeast activity and strengthen the structure of the dough.
- Instant yeast - I recommend using instant yeast instead of active dry yeast, since instant yeast doesn't need to be activated, and it requires less time to rise.
- Lukewarm water - Warm water from the tap between 98°F to 105°F will help create an ideal environment for the yeast. Cold water will slow down their activity, and hot water could kill your yeast.
Let's Bake Easy Bakery-Style Brötchen!
1. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and instant yeast.
3. Knead the dough on a work surface lightly dusted with flour.
5. Let the dough rise in a warm spot until it doubles in size after one hour.
7. Use a sharp kitchen knife to cut a slash about ½ inch deep along the length of the top of each dough roll.
2. Add the water and knead the dough in the bowl until it forms a shaggy bowl.
4. Place the dough ball back in the mixing bowl and cover it.
6. Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces. Roll the pieces into rounds.
8. Bake at 425°F for 18 to 22 minutes, until they're golden brown and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom.
Pro Tips to Make German Rolls
- Kneading the Dough: If your dough feels like it's seizing up and becoming too hard to knead, I find that letting it rest for a few minutes allows the gluten to relax.
- Perfect Rise: When letting the dough rise, I like to place it in then oven (turned off) with the oven light on. This provides a draft-free spot, and the small amount of the heat from the oven light helps to keep the dough warm.
- Smooth Surface: During recipe testing, I found that it's important to make the surface of the dough balls smooth to prevent any cracks, so tuck the edges of the dough underneath.
My Secret to Perfectly Crisp Crust
I tested different methods to add steam during baking for these rolls. And I found that adding ice cubes (or cold water) in a tray to the oven adds the right amount of humidity and steam during the initial stages of baking, which encourages the dough to rise quickly, and create an open, fluffy bread on the inside. Then as the rolls continue to bake at a high temperature of 425°F, they develop an authentic crusty, crispy exterior.
And to avoid all that work from going to waste, cool your buns on a wire cooling rack. If you cool them on a solid surface like your counter or in a container, moisture will soften its crust. (noooo!)
Light and Crispy German Bread Rolls | Traditional Brötchen
Ingredients
- 4 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt (use table salt or fine sea salt)
- 1½ teaspoon instant yeast
- 1¼ cups lukewarm water (ideally between 98°F to 105°F)
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and instant yeast.
- Add the water and knead the dough for a few minutes in the bowl until it forms a shaggy bowl.
- Place the dough on a clean work surface lightly dusted with flour, Knead by hand for about 5 minutes, until the dough is smooth, not sticky or dry. (The dough might be pretty firm and dry when you first start kneading it. Just keep kneading and after a few minutes, it will form a smooth dough.)
- Place the dough ball back in the mixing bowl and cover it with a clean kitchen towel. Let the dough rise in a warm spot until it has doubled in size, after about one hour.
- Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces. Roll the pieces into circles or ovals. Spread the top of the dough down the sides to create a smooth surface on top & tuck any edges of dough underneath. Place the dough pieces spread out on a baking sheet line with parchment paper.
- Use a sharp kitchen knife to cut a slash about ½ inch deep along the length of the top of each dough roll. Let them rest on the baking sheet while the oven preheats.
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Fill a baking dish or roasting pan with 2 large handfuls of ice cubes.Once the oven is preheated, place the baking sheet of dough rolls in the oven on a middle rack. Place the baking dish of ice on the bottom rack. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, until the rolls are golden brown and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom. Enjoy!!
Notes
- Kneading: If the dough feels like it's seizing up and becoming too hard to knead, let it rest for a few minutes so the gluten can relax. Then finish kneading the dough.
- Storing: These German bread rolls taste best when they're fresh, the same day they're baked. You can store extra rolls in a paper bag at room temperature for a few days.
I'm eggcited to hear from you :)