Start your day the German way — with freshly baked crusty bread rolls. Brötchen are the ultimate treat: crispy and crunchy on the outside, soft and fluffy on the inside — just like the ones from a traditional German bakery.
They’re a true German staple, often hard to find abroad — but now, you can make them yourself!
Brötchen and Pretzels are two of the things I missed most while living abroad.
I tried countless recipes before I found one good enough to share on my website. The biggest challenge? None of the bread rolls turned out fluffy enough—until I discovered this recipe.
Why Try This Brötchen Recipe?
- Perfect for beginners — no complicated techniques required
- Uses instant yeast - and I will give you tips how to make it work
- No-knead recipe — no need for a electric mixer
- Prepare ahead — enjoy fresh rolls the next morning
How to make the Brötchen
Check out my printable recipe below- which has exact quantities and detailed instructions.
You'll only need 5 core ingredients: flour, instant yeast, salt, honey and water. It's not the ingredients that make these
- Prepare the breadroll dough: Add the honey to lukewarm water and stir until fully dissolved. Then add the yeast and let it sit for about 10 minutes. In a large bowl, combine the flour and salt. Pour in the yeast mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until a thick, sticky dough forms. Place the dough in a lightly oiled container, and leave it to rest in the fridge 8-12 hours.
2. Shape the Breadrolls The next morning, preheat your oven. For best results, use a pizza stone, but a standard baking sheet will work too. Carefully turn the container upside down and let the dough gently slide out. Use a knife or dough scraper to divide the dough into 6–8 equal portions. Shape each roll by folding the corners into the center to form a round shape. Optional: If you'd like to add seeds (e.g., sesame, poppy, or sunflower), pour some onto a plate. Brush the top of each roll lightly with water using a pastry brush (affiliate link), then dip the damp surface into the seeds.
Bake the rolls until crusty: Place the rolls seam-side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet or pizza stone. Before baking, place an oven-safe bowl filled with water on the bottom rack of your oven. The steam will help create a beautiful, crusty exterior on the rolls. Bake for 20–25 minutes, or until the rolls are golden brown and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom.
My favorite German Bread Roll Toppings
Brötchen in Germany aren’t just for breakfast—they’re also a popular street food. These versatile bread rolls are often used for sandwiches sold by street vendors or in bakeries for a quick bite on the go.
Here are some of my favorite ways to enjoy them:
- Sweet - I love sweet toppings in the morning—just some butter and honey, or a good fruit jam. Another favorite is spreading quark on the roll, then topping it with plum butter or rhubarb compote.
- Savory- For a snack, I like slices of ham, salami, or pâté. Brötchen also pair perfectly with classic German salads like Fleischsalat, egg salad, or mackerel pâté. I especially enjoy Käsebrötchen (cheese rolls) with a slice of cheese and a spoonful of red onion chutney.
- With Meat and Sausages Brötchen are a popular side for sausages like Bratwurst, Currywurst, and Frankfurters. They’re ideal for soaking up all the delicious flavors.
- With Soups - Crusty German rolls are perfect for dunking into hearty soups like potato soup or goulash. They add just the right texture and heartiness to any warm bowl.
What to do with Stale German Rolls
Germans have plenty of ways to use up rolls. Bread was expensive, and so no crumb was wasted. Here are some ideas on how to use up leftover crusty rolls
- Make dumplings - Use leftover rolls to make traditional dumplings like Semmelknödel, Spinach Dumplings or Serviettenknödel These pair beautifully with anything saucy—think Jäger Sauce, Goulash, Rouladen or Sauerbraten.
- Turn Them into Bread Puddings - Transform your rolls into sweet comfort food like Kirschmichel (a cherry bread pudding) or Scheiterhaufen (bread pudding with apples and raisins).
- Make Breadcrumbs - Dry out the rolls completely and grind them into breadcrumbs. Perfect for coating Schnitzel, binding meat mixtures, or soaking up juices in dishes like apple strudel.
- Add to meat mixtures- Soak and crumble stale rolls to add to Frikadellen or Hackbraten. They give the dish a night and fluffy texture.
Storage
These Brötchen taste best on the day they are made, but they will keep for up to two days and can be toasted or reheated in the oven.
Store any leftover rolls in a paper or cloth bag, not plastic, as they need air circulation to stay crusty. A bread box is also a great option.
You can freeze leftover rolls while they’re still fresh. Wrap them individually in freezer bags. To enjoy later, defrost at room temperature, then warm them briefly in the oven for that fresh-baked feel.
Have you made this recipe?
Your feedback makes all the difference! Rate this recipe and drop a comment to help others enjoy it too
Recipe
Brötchen (Homemade German Bread Rolls)
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoon instant yeast
- 2 teaspoon honey
- 350 ml water
- 500 g all-purpose flour USA all-purpose flour, Germany Type 550, UK bread flour
- 1 ½ teaspoon salt
Optional Toppings
- 2 tablespoon poppy seeds
- 2 tablespoon seasame seeds
- 2 tablespoon sunflower seeds
Instructions
- Warm the water until it's lukewarm (about 100–110°F / 38–43°C). Add the honey and stir until fully dissolved. Then add the yeast and let it sit for about 10 minutes. You should see bubbles forming on the surface—this means the yeast is active and working.2 teaspoon instant yeast, 2 teaspoon honey, 350 ml water
- In a large bowl, combine the flour and salt. Pour in the yeast mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until a thick, sticky dough forms.500 g all-purpose flour, 1 ½ teaspoon salt
- Lightly oil a large container with a lid—rectangular containers work well for portioning later. Make sure there’s enough space for the dough to double in size. Transfer the dough into the container, cover it with the lid, and refrigerate for 8–12 hours or overnight.
- After this time, preheat your oven to 446°F (230°C). For best results, use a pizza stone, but a standard baking sheet will work too.
- Lightly flour your work surface. Carefully turn the container upside down and let the dough gently slide out. Avoid disturbing the dough too much—the air bubbles formed overnight will help give the rolls a soft, airy texture.
- Use a knife or dough scraper to divide the dough into 6–8 equal portions. Shape each roll by folding the corners into the center to form a round shape.
- Optional: If you'd like to add seeds (e.g., sesame, poppy, or sunflower), pour some onto a plate. Brush the top of each roll lightly with water using a pastry brush (affiliate link) (affiliate link), then dip the damp surface into the seeds.2 tablespoon poppy seeds, 2 tablespoon seasame seeds, 2 tablespoon sunflower seeds
- Place the rolls seam-side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet or pizza stone.
- Before baking, place an oven-safe bowl filled with water on the bottom rack of your oven. The steam will help create a beautiful, crusty exterior on the rolls. Bake for 20–25 minutes, or until the rolls are golden brown and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom.
Lu Schmidt says
I was surprised that the rolls don't need to rise after shaping. While my oven was getting up to temp, the chill of the refrigerator came off, before putting into the oven. I was surprised how well the seeds stuck, just painting it with water. I wouldn't say the outside came out crispy, but it was firm. Maybe all the seeds prevented this from happening. I'm thinking these might work as BBQ buns or elongated for brat buns. Care needs to be taken to not lose the bubbles formed in the refrigerator while making into long rolls, though. I'm wondering if an egg wash would make them brown a little more. I ate one with just butter. Great tasting. Not too filling. Would be good with cheese and sausage.
Marita Sinden says
Hi Lu, thanks so much for testing my recipe and givine me some feedback about it. I am glad you liked it. I am suprised your bread rolls did not turn crunchy on the outside. Did you put that bowl of water in the bottom of the oven. It's the steam that makes the crust. Best WIshes Marita