This incredibly simple German bread rolls recipe only requires four ingredients (and one of them is water!) This foolproof Brötchen recipe will give you the perfect small rolls for serving with meat, cheese, or jam.
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 little rolls.
There are many variations of Brotchen throughout Germany. Depending on which region of Germany you visit, these rolls may be called Weck, Semmeln, or Schrippen.
For a tasty pretzel version of these rolls is called Laugenbrötchen. Or if you're looking for pillowy-soft German bread buns, try Rosinenbrotchen with raisins or Zwiebelbrotchen with caramelized onions.
Growing up in Germany, I can remember so many times eating Brötchen from Bratwurst vendors on the street. The bread was always crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. The roll would envelope a hot, spiced bratwurst, and we'd enjoy it standing on the streets of Wiesbaden.
Another common way these German bread rolls are enjoyed is at breakfast. Germans often get a bag of fresh rolls from their local bakery. They take them home to enjoy while they're still warm with meat, cheese, or jam with breakfast.
Ingredients
- All purpose flour - This flour creates light, simple bread rolls. There are other types of heartier rolls made with wheat flour.
- 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. 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.
How to Make Brötchen
1. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and instant yeast.
3. Place the dough on a clean work surface lightly dusted with flour. Knead by hand until the dough is smooth.
5. Let the dough rise in a warm spot until it doubles in size after about 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 with a clean kitchen towel.
6. Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces. Roll the pieces into rounds and place them on a baking sheet.
8. Bake at 425°F for 18 to 22 minutes, until they're golden brown and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom.
Recipe Tips
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- If you don’t have ice cubes, fill a pan with two cups of cold water instead.
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 or an airtight container 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 croutons. Or pulse them in a food processor or blender to make homemade breadcrumbs.
Frequently Asked Questions
I recommend using instant yeast instead of active dry yeast. Instant yeast doesn’t need to be activated, and it requires less time to rise.
Sometimes ingredients like barley malt flour are added to the dough to give the crust a brown color. But I wanted to keep this recipe as simple as possible, with just three ingredients plus water!
These rolls taste best on the day they're baked. You can freeze your shaped dough balls, and then bake them from frozen by adding a couple extra minutes to the bake time as needed. They may not rise as much, since the yeast could be affected by the freezing temperature.
Adding the ice into the oven is a trick that creates steam during the initial stages of baking. The humidity from steam encourages the dough to rise quickly, resulting in open, fluffy bread.
More German Bread Recipes
German Bread Rolls (Brötchen)
Ingredients
- 4 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon table salt or fine sea salt
- 1½ teaspoon instant yeast
- 1¼ cups lukewarm water (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.
- 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. 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
- 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.
- 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.
- When letting the dough rise, I like to place it in then oven (turned off) with the 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.
- 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 you don’t have ice cubes, fill a pan with two cups of cold water instead.
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