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    Home » Pastries

    Authentic German Cinnamon Rolls (Franzbrötchen)

    Published: Mar 16, 2021 · Modified: Apr 1, 2024 by dirndlkitchen · This post may contain affiliate links · 2 Comments

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    Franzbrötchen are a croissant-style, German cinnamon roll pastry that have reached cult status across Germany. Made from German croissant dough called Plunderteig, they may be the BEST pastry you’ve ever tasted.

    Originally from one of my favorite German cities of Hamburg, if you're lucky, you can find Franzbrötchen at bakeries throughout Germany. A friend of mine who has spent lots of time in Hamburg said my Franzbrötchen were the best he has had! I agree!

    closeup of franzbrötchen stacked on a plate

    What are Franzbrötchen?

    Franzbrötchen are a flaky, German cinnamon roll pastry that have reached cult status across Germany. Originally from one of my favorite German cities of Hamburg, if you're lucky, you can find Franzbrötchen at bakeries throughout Germany.

    They are more common in the north of Germany, which explains why I rarely came across this pastry when I grew up in Trier (in the southwest of Germany). And what a shame that is! Franzbrötchen are so delicious!

    cutting and shaping German cinnamon rolls

    How are German cinnamon rolls made?

    Traditionally Franzbrötchen are made from German croissant dough called Plunderteig filled with a cinnamon sugar mixture. How does that not sound delicious? In their birth city of Hamburg, many variations of the fillings ranging from chocolate to apples and hazelnut are also popular.

    The German cinnamon rolls start with a German croissant dough called Plunderteig that is filled with a butter-cinnamon mixture. It's then rolled up, cut and shaped using a wooden stick (I used the handle of a kitchen utensil) into the signature 'smushed' shape. Unlike American cinnamon rolls, there is no added glaze or frosting on top after baking.

    Where are Franzbrötchen from?

    Franzbrötchen translates to 'Franz rolls,' short in German for French rolls (Französiche Brötchen). They are a specialty pastry from Germany's harbor city of Hamburg.

    A few rumors exist about how they were invented. One popular story mentions that when Hamburg was occupied by the French in the 19th century, bakeries started baking French bread and one baker, in search for a new pastry recipe, or maybe just by mistake, baked some French bread in a skillet with butter, cinnamon and sugar.

    franzbrötchen with cinnamon sugar filling and with chocolate filling in the back

    Another rumor presents the idea of the French demanding croissants and the bakers of Hamburg decided to smush them, expressing their resistance. There are even books about Franzbrötchen!

    However Franzbrötchen were invented, they are the flakiest and BEST cinnamon rolls I've ever had! I can't wait for you to try them and let me know what you think!

    Ingredients for German Cinnamon Rolls

    The ingredient list for these authentic German cinnamon rolls is short, so it's all in the quality of the ingredients! The major difference between Franzbrötchen and American cinnamon rolls is that the dough of Franzbrötchen is flakier and there is no frosting/glaze.

    ingredients for franzbrotchen German cinnamon rolls
    • Croissant Dough. To make authentic Franzbrötchen, make a batch of my German croissant dough called Plunderteig. It's the basis for many German pastries and German croissants. It is a bit less time-consuming as making French croissants, as it does not have quite as many lamination layers built into the dough. The dough can be made ahead of time and frozen, ready to thaw, fill and bake when you are.
    • Butter. I use grass-fed butter that I rub onto the rolled-out dough.
    • Brown Sugar. It has a warmer taste than plain cane sugar, although cane sugar works well as a substitute if you don't have brown sugar.
    • Ground Almonds. Use either almond flour (skins removed) or ground almonds (skins on).
    • Cinnamon. This gets mixed in with the sugar and almonds to create the Franzbrötchen filling.
    • Egg Yolk. Create an egg wash from egg yolk and water and brush it onto the Franzbrötchen before baking. This gives them a nice shine.

    Video

    To help you understand how Franzbrötchen are made, I created this short video for you.

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    closeup of franzbrötchen stacked on a plate

    Authentic German Cinnamon Rolls (Franzbrötchen)

    Author: Sophie Sadler
    These flaky, homemade cinnamon rolls are addictive! This German version is called Franzbrötchen and uses a German croissant dough (Plunderteig) for its base. It's a danish specialty from Germany's harbor city of Hamburg.
    5 from 7 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 20 minutes mins
    Cook Time 15 minutes mins
    Resting Time 30 minutes mins
    Total Time 1 hour hr 5 minutes mins
    Course Breakfast, Brunch, Coffee, Kaffee, Snack
    Cuisine German
    Servings 12 rolls
    Calories 437 kcal

    Equipment

    • Rolling Pin
    • Baking Sheet
    • Pastry Brush
    • Parchment Paper
    • Silicone Baking Mat

    Ingredients
     
     

    Plunderteig

    • 1 kilogram croissant dough make an authentic German croissant dough called Plunderteig here (1 batch)

    Franzbrötchen Filling

    • 60 g butter I use grass-fed butter
    • 100 g brown sugar I use light brown sugar
    • 50 g ground almonds either ground almonds (with skin on) or almond flour (with skin off)
    • 1 ½ tablespoon cinnamon

    Egg Wash

    • 1 egg yolk mixed with equal parts water to brush on before baking
    Shop Ingredients on Jupiter

    Instructions
     

    Prep the Plunderteig (Croissant Dough)

    • I often work ahead and make the croissant dough (Plunderteig) ahead of time, roll it out (60 by 28 cm or 24 by 11 inches) and freeze it. Transfer to the fridge 1 day before using, then proceed with the steps below.

    Make the Filling

    • Combine the brown sugar, cinnamon and almond flour and set aside. Bring the butter to room temperature and set aside (I heat it in the microwave in 5 to 10 second increments if I run short on time).

    Make the Franzbrötchen

    • Spread the room temperature butter onto the dough (I just use my hands). Then evenly distribute the brown sugar-cinnamon-almond flour mixture. Roll up longwise.
    • Using a knife or dough cutter, cut into 12 rolls at a slight angle, alternating the angle every time. This is to achieve each roll having a short side and a wide side.
    • Turn each roll with the wide side facing the bottom. Now dust the tops with a bit of flour and using the stick of a cooking spoon, push the narrow top side down, forcing the cut sides to tilt towards the top.
    • Preheat oven on the convection setting to 350 Fahrenheit / 180 Celsius. Place the rolls onto a baking sheet prepped with parchment paper or a reusable silicone mat. Cover them loosely with a kitchen towel, and allow to rise another 30 minutes while the oven preheats.
    • Give the baking sheet a gentle shake. If the rolls are jelly-like and wiggly, they're good to go into the oven. If they are not yet, let them rest and rise some more.
    • Brush on an equal mixture of egg yolk and water.
    • Bake on the middle rack for 13 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Enjoy either warm or cold.

    Video

    Notes

    The final rise: since the dough will be cool, you'll want the filled, unbaked Franzbrötchen to have one final rising period before baking. How long this will take really depends on how warm the room is you're in. I would plan for 30 minutes to an hour. When you give the baking sheet a gentle shake, the rolls should wiggle slightly. That means they're ready for the oven.
     
     

    Nutrition

    Calories: 437kcalCarbohydrates: 48gProtein: 8gFat: 24gSaturated Fat: 13gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 83mgSodium: 355mgPotassium: 117mgFiber: 3gSugar: 18gVitamin A: 770IUVitamin C: 0.2mgCalcium: 60mgIron: 2mg
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      5 from 7 votes (6 ratings without comment)

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Tiffanie

      December 28, 2024 at 2:03 pm

      5 stars
      Hello! I made your chocolate version of these, and they looked great when shaping, and when they baked in the oven some of them, they puffed up but then just started falling over and becoming not symmetrical. do you know why this is?

      I made the cinammon version and that didn't happen!

      Reply
      • dirndlkitchen

        February 12, 2025 at 10:38 am

        It could be that the Franzbrötchen over-proofed right before baking. You could try pushing down the middle again right before baking, which should help them stay in place. I hope this helps!

        Reply

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    I moved from Trier, Germany to the U.S. in 2009 and soon terribly missed the flavors of home. Crusty German bread, flaky pastries, afternoon Kaffee & Kuchen, and, of course, Döner Kebab and pretzels! So, I started sharing my love for German food and traditions with fun, easy-to-follow recipes. Stay a while, bookmark some recipes, and let’s cook together!

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