These flaky German cinnamon rolls called Franzbrötchen, are the perfect mix between buttery croissants and spiced cinnamon rolls. And if you're intimidated by laminated dough, don't worry, because I've broken down the steps & included lots of helpful tips and process photos!
The brown sugar and cinnamon swirl of these pastries look like German cinnamon roll buns called Schnecken. But the dough is made from a German laminated yeast dough called Plunderteig.
The dough is rolled into swirls just like cinnamon rolls. But then the rolls are turned on their side and squashed in the middle, to create their characteristic flat appearance.
For more German cinnamon roll recipes, try chocolate cinnamon rolls, raisin cinnamon rolls, and hazelnut cinnamon rolls.
Growing up in Germany, we’d ride our bikes to the neighboring town of Bierstadt and grab a breakfast pastry. My Dad said these Franzbrötchen are just like the ones in German Bäckerei (bakeries)!
Where are Franzbrötchen from?
Hamburg was the birthplace of these delicious cinnamon pastries, but now you can find them all over Germany. According to foodie folk lore, during the French occupation, French soldiers wanted flaky bread reminiscent of their home.
These flaky German cinnamon rolls were created in part to satisfy the French’s craving for buttery pastry, and in part due to some mistakes in the kitchen.
Whatever is the true origin story of these pastries, once you try them, you’ll fall in love with them too!
Ingredients
Dough
- Milk - Both dairy and non dairy milk work to add moisture to the dough and make it softer. I usually use oat milk or almond milk.
- All purpose flour - Provides the perfect base structure for the soft and elastic yeast dough.
- Active dry yeast - Leavens the dough to make it rise. I recommend using active dry yeast instead of instant yeast, because mixing it with warm milk and sugar lets you know within 5 minutes if your yeast is active.
- Granulated sugar - Provides a food source for the yeast, and makes the dough more tender and soft.
- Salt - I recommend using non-iodized table salt or fine sea salt instead of kosher salt, for the best distribution in the dough.
- Eggs - Allow your eggs to sit out at room temperature for 30 minutes. This will create a more cohesive dough. Cold eggs straight from the fridge could slow down the yeast's activity.
- Unsalted butter - Allow your butter to soften to room temperature, which makes it much easier to mix and incorporate into the dough.
Butter Block
- Unsalted butter - Keep the butter cold in the fridge, or else it could soften and you won't get the flaky layers in your baked pastry.
Filling
- Brown sugar - Both light brown and dark brown sugar work. I don't recommend substituting granulated sugar, which won't caramelize as much in the oven.
- Ground cinnamon - Provides the essential warm spiced flavor in German cinnamon rolls.
- Unsalted butter - Allow your butter to soften to room temperature so it's easier to spread onto the dough.
How to Make this Recipe
1. Warm milk in the microwave for 60 seconds.
3. In a large mixing bowl, beat the milk and yeast mixture, salt, eggs, and softened butter with a whisk.
5. Lightly dust a clean work surface with flour, and knead the dough by hand for about 5 to 8 minutes.
7. Let the dough rest and rise in a warm place for 1 to 2 hours, until it doubles in size.
9. Cover the butter with more parchment paper. Use a rolling pin to beat the butter into a square block, about 9x9 inches, or about ¼ inch thick. Store in the fridge.
11. Place the cold butter block on top of the dough, so the butter block is sitting on a diagonal to the dough’s edges.
13. Roll the butter-filled dough into a rectangle about 9-inches wide by 15-inches long.
15. Wrap the dough in plastic cling wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
17. Mix the brown sugar, cinnamon, and softened butter in a bowl until it forms a thick paste. Set aside.
19. Gently spread out the filling in an even layer on the dough.
21. Slice the dough log into 12 even pieces. You can either cut parallel to the dough log, or at a diagonal. I prefer to cut parallelto get even pieces.
23. Use the palm of your hand to firmly flatten the rolls, so the spirals show more from the top.
25. Bake for 20 to 25 min at 350°F, until they’re puffed up and golden.
2. Add the yeast and sugar. Set aside for 10 min.
4. Mix in the flour with a large spoon. Knead the dough in the bowl until it forms a sticky dough.
6. Shape the dough into a ball and place it back in the mixing bowl. Cover with a kitchen towel.
8. On a large piece of parchment paper, place the two sticks of cold butter side by side.
10. Once the dough has doubled in size, lightly dust a clean work surface with flour. Roll out the risen dough with a rolling pin until it’s about a 14-inch by 14-inch square.
12. Fold the four corners of the dough over the butter to meet in the center of the butter block. Press down the seams.
14. Fold the two shorter edges in thirds towards the middle, like a letter.
16. Repeat steps 13 to 15 twice more, refrigerating the dough each time.
18. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to ¼ inch thick rectangle, about 12 inches by 18 inches.
20. Roll the dough into a spiral log starting at a long edge.
22. Place the rolls on their sides on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Use the handle of a wooden spoon to press down the center of each roll.
24. Cover the rolls with a kitchen towel. Leave them to rise for 30 min at room temperature.
26. Transfer to a cooling rack to cool. Then serve and enjoy!
Recipe Tips
- The dough will be wet and sticky at first. Only add a teaspoon of flour at a time as you knead the dough to prevent it sticking to your hands and your counter.
- Make sure the milk isn’t too hot, or else it could kill the yeast. It should be warm but not steaming.
- If your milk and yeast don’t become frothy, your yeast isn’t active enough to rise the dough. Either your milk was too hot, or your yeast is expired.
- If your butter for your butter block is ending up more like a circle than a square, use a knife to straighten the edges. Then add the cut-off butter pieces to the corners.
- When shaping Franzbrötchen, make sure you press down firmly with the spoon handle. You want it to go almost all the way to the pan.
- Press the hand of your palm firmly on each pastry, to flatten them. Otherwise they'll puff back up in the oven. They'll still taste amazing, but they won't have the same appearance and texture as traditional Franzbrötchen.
Recipe Variations
- If you don’t feel like making dough from scratch, you can use store-bought puff pastry dough, like my puff pastry chocolate twists.
- While cinnamon sugar is the traditional filling, you could swap it out for chocolate nut butter, fruity jam, or thinly sliced apples like apfelstrudel.
- Some recipes slice the rolled spiral log of dough at a diagonal, to get the swirls on the sides to show more. However, I find it difficult to cut the pieces evenly at a diagonal, which can lead to uneven baking.
- Instead of these croissant cinnamon roll pastries, you can make cruffins, which are a cross between croissants and muffins!
Storing
Store leftover cooled Franzbrötchen in a paper bag for up to 3 days. A paper bag allows some air circulation, so the pastries can stay crispy.
I don't recommend storing them in an airtight container, which could cause them to absorb moisture and become soft and soggy.
Reheating
To reheat, warm them in an oven at 350°F for about 5 minutes. This will help them get their crispy crust back if they’ve gone a bit soft.
You can also warm them in the microwave for about 15 seconds. Don't heat them for much longer in the microwave, or else they'll lose their crispy texture.
Making Dough Ahead
You can make the laminated yeast dough ahead of time, and store it in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw it in the fridge overnight, then allow it to warm up for just 20 minutes at room temperature before rolling it out.
Making Pastries Ahead
To freeze unbaked German cinnamon rolls, it's best to freeze them after rolling and shaping them, but before the final rise.
Place them on a baking sheet and freeze them until they're solid, after 2 hours. Transfer them to a freezer safe bag, or wrap each one individually in plastic wrap then in aluminum foil. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Thaw the frozen unbaked pastries at room temperature and allow them to prove for about 2 to 3 hours, until they puff up. Then bake them per the recipe instructions.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does “Franzbrötchen” mean?
Franzbrötchen is short for “Französiche Brötchen” which translates to English has “French bread rolls” since the pastry is similar to French croissant pastry.
What is Plunderteig?
Plunderteig is a German yeast pastry dough made with laminated butter. It’s similar to French pastry dough used to make croissants, but it requires a little less time and lamination.
How to serve German cinnamon rolls?
These pastries taste great for breakfast, just like American cinnamon rolls. Or enjoy them in the afternoon with coffee, chai, matcha, or tea for “Kafee und Kuchen”, which is a German coffee and pastry break.
What is "laminated" dough?
Lamination is the process of folding cold butter into dough repeatedly to create layers. These numerous butter-and-dough layers create a flaky exterior and airy interior.
What is the best butter to use in laminated dough?
Since a lot of butter is used in laminated dough, the quality of your butter can make a big difference. I recommend splurging on a European butter like Kerrygold, which has a higher fat content than American butter.
The higher fat content makes your pastries taste richer. And European butters are softer and more pliable, so your dough will be easier to roll out.
With all that said, I made these pastries with American butter, and they still turned out tasting fantastic!
German Cinnamon Rolls (Franzbrötchen)
Ingredients
Dough
- 1¼ cups milk (both dairy and non dairy milk work)
- 4½ cups all purpose flour
- 2¼ teaspoon active dry yeast (one whole packet)
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon table salt or fine sea salt
- 2 large eggs (at room temperature)
- 6 tablespoon unsalted butter (softened to room temperature)
Butter Block
- 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks, kept cold in the fridge)
Filling
- ½ cup brown sugar (both light brown or dark brown sugar work)
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 5 tablespoon unsalted butter (softened to room temperature)
Instructions
Make the Dough
- Warm milk in the microwave for 60 seconds, until it's like a warm bath when you put your finger in the milk.To the milk, mix in the active dry yeast and granulated sugar. Set aside for 5 to 10 minutes, until it becomes frothy on top.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the milk and yeast mixture, salt, eggs, and softened butter with whisk or an electric hand whisk, for about 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add the flour, and mix with a large spoon, then knead the dough in the bowl until it forms a sticky, shaggy dough, after 2 to 3 minutes.
- Lightly dust a clean work surface with flour, and knead the dough by hand for about 5 to 8 minutes, until the dough is smooth and springs back to its original shape when you indent it with your finger. Shape the dough into a ball.
- Place the dough ball back in the mixing bowl, and cover with a kitchen towel. Let it rest and rise in a warm place (like an empty oven with the light turned on) for about 2 hours, until it doubles in size.
Make the Butter Block
- While the dough rises, prepare your butter block. On a large piece of parchment paper, place the two sticks of cold butter side by side. Cover the butter with more parchment paper. Using something firm and heavy like a rolling pin, beat the butter into a square block, about 9-inches by 9-inches, or about ¼ inch thick. Refrigerate the butter block.
Laminate the Dough
- Once the dough has doubled in size, lightly dust a clean work surface with flour. Roll out the risen dough with a rolling pin until it’s about a 14-inch by 14-inch square.
- Envelope fold: Place the cold butter block on top of the dough, so the butter block is sitting on a diagonal to the dough’s edges. Fold the four corners of the dough over the butter to meet in the center of the butter block. Press the edges of the dough down to seal the seams.
- Lightly dust the top of the dough with flour. Roll the butter-filled dough into a rectangle about 9-inches wide by 15-inches long.Letter fold: Fold the two shorter edges in thirds, like a letter. Wrap the dough in plastic cling wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Letter fold: Dust your work surface again lightly with flour. Roll the dough into another rectangle about 9-inches wide by 15-inches long. Fold the two shorter edges in thirds, like a letter. Wrap the dough in plastic cling wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Letter fold: Dust your work surface again lightly with flour. Roll the dough into another rectangle about 8-inches wide by 12-inches long. Fold the two shorter edges in thirds, like a letter. Wrap the dough in plastic cling wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Shape & Fill the Dough
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Prepare the filling by mixing the brown sugar, cinnamon, and softened butter in a bowl until it forms a thick paste. Set aside.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to ¼ inch thick rectangle, about 12 inches by 18 inches.
- Use the back of a spoon to gently spread out the filling in an even layer on the dough, all the way to the edges.
- Roll the dough into a spiral log starting at a long edge. Slice the dough log into 12 even pieces.
- Place the rolls on their sides on the prepared baking sheet, so the swirl is on the sides. Use the handle of a wooden spoon to press down the center of each roll, so the swirls on each side press up. Then use the palm of your hand to firmly flatten the roll, so the spirals show more from the top. (See recipe photos for visual reference). *If the butter in your dough is starting to melt, place the buns in the fridge for 20 minutes, for the butter to cool and harden, before allowing them to rest and rise.*
Proof & Bake the Pastries
- Cover the baking sheet and rolls with a kitchen towel, and allow to rise for 30 minutes at room temperature.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until they’re puffed up and golden brown.Transfer to a cooling rack to cool, and enjoy!
Notes
- Make sure the milk isn’t too hot, or else it could kill the yeast. It should be warm but not steaming.
- If your milk and yeast don’t become frothy, your yeast isn’t active enough to rise the dough. Either your milk was too hot, or your yeast is expired.
- The dough will be wet and sticky at first. Only add a teaspoon of flour at a time as you knead the dough to prevent it sticking to your hands and your counter.
- If your butter for your butter block is ending up more like a circle than a square, use a knife to straighten the edges, and add the cut-off butter pieces to the corners.
- When shaping the Franzbrötchen, make sure you press down firmly with the spoon handle. You want it to go almost all the way to the pan.
- Press the hand of your palm firmly on each pastry, to flatten them. Otherwise they'll puff back up in the oven. They'll still taste amazing, but they won't have the same appearance and texture as traditional Franzbrötchen.
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It seems like you have a great deal of knowledge about this—almost like you wrote the book on it. Aside from that, I think you might add a few graphics to assist illustrate the concept a bit better. Still, this is a fantastic post that is well worth reading, and I will surely be back.
Carissa Erzen
Thanks! There are step-by-step photos in the post to illustrate the recipe. Let me know if you make these German cinnamon rolls!
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