This sliders recipe is a big hit when grilling out! I grew up eating them in Germany as a side with grilled bratwurst, meat, and salads. I love the versatility of topping these slider buns with different seeds or cheese before baking. This wayeveryone can easily find their favorite roll… but who am I kidding. Nobody stops at one roll.
This dough is a great base for German bread rolls, you can cluster them together like I did for a party-appropriate wheel or bake them as separate rolls for a German breakfast.
Germans don't usually eat meat on buns when grilling at home unless it's a party. However, it's a common sight to see meat on buns at German food trucks or when taking food on the go.
You can buy a Brötchenrad or Partyrad at bakeries during the summer months in Germany and I missed them so much, I had to recreate the recipe in the United States.
What to eat with German sliders
The most classic combination of course are grilled meats such as Bratwurst and potato salad or this classic German noodle salad. My favorite Bratwurst is this authentic one from Schaller and Weber, a German-style butcher in NYC that ships across the entire USA. Get 10% off your entire order by using code DIRNDL10 at checkout.
These sliders would be perfect for Frikadellen (German hamburgers) or sandwiches for a picnic. Or try making them to serve with a charcuterie board. On that note, check out my popular pretzel beer bubble bread, too! OR make these German ham and cheese sliders for the next watch party.
You could also bake them individually for a German breakfast. Please see notes in the recipe card below.
Ingredients
You don't need any fancy ingredients to make these German pull-apart sliders.
- All-purpose flour. I use all-purpose flour for almost all of my baking. The kind I buy has a higher-than-average gluten content.
- Yeast. I use active-dry yeast for all of my baking, as it's closest in taste to German yeast. I keep my yeast sealed airtight and in the fridge, so it lasts longer.
- Salt. I use a fine mineral salt for my baking and cooking.
- Sugar. You'll use just a little bit of sugar in this sliders dough and I use pure cane sugar.
- Olive oil. A little oil goes in the dough and it helps the rolls be fluffy and extra delicious.
- Egg. You'll use one egg to create an egg wash for dipping the rolls in before letting them rise.
- Toppings. I used poppy seeds, pumpkin seeds, and gruyère cheese to top my rolls, which are pretty common toppings for these German sliders. Feel free to use whichever toppings you like. The sky is the limit.
How to make Geman sliders
Combine the ingredients for the simple yeast dough and knead for a few minutes until the dough is smooth. It should not stick to the sides at the end of the kneading period.
Shape 15 small rolls and dip in egg wash and the toppings.
Place on a baking sheet prepped with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper, leaving about ½-inch gaps between each roll. Cover loosely with a clean linen towel and let rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
Preheat oven while the rolls are rising. When ready to bake, place on the middle rack, and using your hands or a food-safe spray bottle, spray generously with water. Then close the oven door and bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Transfer to a cooling rack after baking. Enjoy with some grilled Bratwurst like my favorite German-style Bratwurst from Schaller and Weber, creamy German potato salad, or use as slider buns for sandwiches or Frikadellen.
For the detailed recipe, see the recipe card below.
German Sliders Recipe (Partyrad)
Equipment
Ingredients
German Sliders Dough
- 200 milliliters Lukewarm water
- 7 grams active dry yeast 1 pouch
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 300 grams all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
Toppings
- 1 egg size US large
- pumpkin seeds
- poppy seeds
- gruyère cheese
Instructions
- Combine the dry yeast, sugar, and lukewarm water in a bowl and allow to sit for 5 minutes until bubbly. In the bowl of a stand mixer, sift together flour and salt. Add in the oil and water yeast mixture. Using the dough hook, knead on the highest setting for 5 minutes (or knead for 10 minutes using your hands). The dough should be smooth and not stick to the sides of the bowl or your hands. If too soft, add more flour. If too tough, add more water.200 milliliters Lukewarm water, 7 grams active dry yeast, 1 teaspoon granulated sugar, 300 grams all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- Shape into 15 small rolls. To do this, I like to first shape an even-thickness log, then cut into thirds and cut each third into 5 pieces. The seam should end up on the bottom of the roll.
- Prep a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Beat the egg with equal parts water, now dip the top of each roll into the egg wash, then into the seeds, and assemble on the baking sheet.1 egg
- Dip the top of each roll in the egg wash, then in your topping of choice. This works well with seeds, but you may need to sprinkle shredded cheese on top instead of dipping the roll upside down.pumpkin seeds, poppy seeds, gruyère cheese
- Place on the baking sheet, leaving about ½ inch or 1 cm gaps between the rolls. Cover loosely with a clean linen towel, and allow to rise in a warm spot in your home until doubled in size. This should take about 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 190 degrees Celsius or 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Once the oven has reached temperature, place the rolls (still on the backing sheet or cake pan) onto the middle rack. Sprinkle generously with cold water. Immediately close the door to trap the steam and bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown. After baking, transfer to a cooling rack. Enjoy with some grilled Bratwurst like my favorite German-style Bratwurst from Schaller and Weber, creamy German potato salad, or use as slider buns for sandwiches or Frikadellen.
Pat Dyer
Sophie:
They look absolutely delicious, but I have reservations in making them since they haven't any butter in the dough and just a minimal amount of olive oil. Are they not dry and even dryer the next day if there are leftovers ?
dirndlkitchen
Hi Pat! Store your Brötchenrad sliders airtight if keeping them overnight. I ran a bit of water over them, then reheated at 350 Fahrenheit for 5 to 8 minutes, or until the top is starting to turn crispy again. They are not dry, although I would not call them moist. Brötchen-like quality! I hope you try the recipe soon!