5 from 1 vote

This incredibly simple German bread rolls recipe only requires four ingredients (and one of them is water!) It creates the perfect crispy rolls for serving 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.

German Bread Rolls in a basket next to one roll sliced in half and covered in butter.

Types of German Bread Rolls

The word "Brötchen" translates to English as “small bread”. "Brot" in German means "bread" and "-chen" can be added to a word to indicate that it's cute and small, like this lil' rolls.

Now listen, I love German bread because of its endless variety. In fact, there are sooo many types of German bread rolls that it'd take a very long time to try them all! (Challenge accepted.)

Depending on which region of Germany you visit, these rolls may be called Weck, Semmeln, or Schrippen. And for a tasty pretzel version of these rolls is called Laugenbrötchen. Or if you're looking for pillowy soft German bread buns, try my Rosinenbrotchen with raisins or Zwiebelbrotchen with caramelized onions.

Eight German Bread Rolls in a round basket.

Traditional Brötchen

Growing up in Germany, I loved eating Brötchen stuffed with Bratwurst from food cart vendors on the street. 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.

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!

Flour, water, salt, and instant yeast laid out on a wood surface.

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 the yeast.

Let's Bake Easy Bakery-Style Brötchen!

1. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and instant yeast.

A hand kneading German Bread Rolls dough.

3. Knead the dough on a work surface lightly dusted with flour.

A risen bread dough in a glass mixing bowl.

5. Let the dough rise in a warm spot until it doubles in size after about one hour.

Brotchen on a baking sheet slashed across the top.

7. Use a sharp kitchen knife to cut a slash about ½ inch deep along the length of the top of each dough roll.

A shaggy bread dough in a glass mixing bowl.

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.

Eight unbaked German Bread Rolls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

6. Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces. Roll the pieces into rounds.

Eight baked Brotchen on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

8. Bake at 425°F for 18 to 22 minutes, until they're golden brown and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom.

A stack of German Bread Rolls on a wooden cutting board.

Pro Tips to Make German Bakery-Style Rolls

Kneading the Dough: If your 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 until it's smooth and elastic.
The 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: The smoother the surface on your dough balls, the smoother they'll bake. Try to tuck any seams or edges of dough underneath the ball. If they aren't smooth on the tops and sides, they could come out of the oven with cracks. They'll still taste great, but they just won't look like the ones in German bakeries.

How to Get the Perfect Crispy Crust

By adding ice cubes in a tray to the oven as the bread bakes, we add 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.

Pro Tip: If you don’t have ice cubes, fill a baking pan with two cups of cold water instead.

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!)

Suggestions for 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 recommend to slice leftover rolls in half and toast them to get them warm again.

You can use leftover rolls that become hard and dry to make homemade croutons, or pulse them in a food processor to make breadcrumbs.