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    Home » Bread & Rolls

    Granola Brötchen Rolls (Müslibrötchen)

    Published: Apr 19, 2020 · Modified: Feb 12, 2025 by dirndlkitchen · This post may contain affiliate links · 1 Comment

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    If you’ve ever visited a German bakery, you know that breakfast rolls (Brötchen) are a staple. These Müslibrötchen (Granola Brötchen Rolls) are hearty, slightly sweet, and packed with wholesome ingredients like seeds, nuts, and dried fruit. Perfect for a nutritious start to the day, they’re easy to prepare the night before so you can enjoy freshly baked German breakfast rolls in the morning with minimal effort.

    German granola rolls in a basket

    Why You'll Love These Müslibrötchen

    • Recreate an authentic German breakfast experience at home just like the ones you'd find in Germany.
    • Easy overnight preparation by making the dough ahead and baking fresh Brötchen the next morning.
    • Customizable by adding your favorite nuts, seeds, or dried fruit, or leaving some or all of them out for a more versatile roll.
    • Wholesome and hearty because you will use a blend of white wheat, whole spelt, and whole rye flours for extra nutrition and flavor.

    Bringing the German Bakery Experience Home

    One of the things I miss most from Germany is the amazing selection of fresh Brötchen and pastries. Whether it's crusty Weizenbrötchen (wheat rolls), soft Laugenbrötchen (pretzel rolls), Sonennblumenkernbrötchen (sunflower seed rolls) or these nutty Müslibrötchen, German breakfasts just aren’t complete without a basket of fresh-baked rolls.

    Since I will never visit Germany as often as I’d like, making traditional German bread recipes from scratch helps me stay connected to home. These Müslibrötchen bring that cozy bakery feeling right into my kitchen—and now, yours too! And the smells are just heavenly! Germans love some sweeter breakfast options like pastries too, and this Müsli roll is a nice not-so-sweet option.

    What Makes These Granola Brötchen Special?

    My version of Müslibrötchen combines a mix of white wheat, whole spelt, and whole rye flours for a wholesome base. The dough is then packed with pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, hazelnuts, and dried cherries for extra texture and flavor. Finally, they’re rolled in oats before baking, giving them a beautiful golden crust and crunch.

    Want a more neutral roll? Simply skip the dried fruit and nuts to create a more versatile seeded roll version that pairs well with both sweet and savory spreads.

    Ingredients

    These German granola breakfast rolls are made with a mix of flours, nuts, seeds, and dried fruit for a wholesome, bakery-style experience. Here’s what goes into them:

    • All-purpose flour – The base flour provides structure and a soft texture.
    • Dark rye flour – Adds depth of flavor and a slightly denser, heartier bite.
    • Whole spelt flour – An ancient wheat grain with a mild, nutty taste and great nutritional benefits.
    • Lukewarm water – Helps activate the yeast and bring the dough together.
    • Active dry yeast – Closest to German yeast and essential for leavening, giving the rolls a light and airy texture.
    • Salt – Brings out all the flavors and strengthens the dough’s structure.
    • Unsalted butter – Helps to create a softer crumb.
    • Malt syrup (optional) – A traditional ingredient in German bread baking that adds mild sweetness and enhances crust color. No malt syrup? Use brown sugar or maple syrup instead.
    • Pumpkin seeds – My favorite seeds! They provide a nutty note that I love so much.
    • Sunflower seeds – A classic addition to German-style breads, offering nutty flavor and texture.
    • Chopped hazelnuts (optional) – Adds a sweet, nutty crunch, though you can leave them out for a simpler version or in case you can't get them. Feel free to use other nuts like walnuts, pecans or almonds instead.
    • Dried fruit (optional) – Cherries, raisins, or cranberries add natural sweetness and chewiness.
    • Oats – Used to coat the rolls, giving them a rustic, bakery-style finish and extra crunch.

    How to Make Granola Brötchen

    Making these German breakfast rolls at home is easier than you think! The dough comes together quickly, proofs overnight, and bakes into golden, German bakery-style Brötchen with low, sleepy effort in the morning. I have detailed and printable step-by-step instructions for you in the recipe card below.

    1. Prepare the Dough

    The night before baking, toast the seeds and hazelnuts and knead the dough until combined. It will be a little sticky.

    2. First Rise & Overnight Proofing

    Cover the bowl and let the dough rest at room temperature for half an hour, then refrigerate overnight (about 15 hours) until doubled in size.

    3. Shape the Rolls

    Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and press it into a 1-inch thick circle. Use a sharp knife or bench scraper to divide it into 8 triangular pieces, like slicing a pie.

    4. Coat with Oats & Final Rise

    Coat the rolls with oats on one side, then let them rest for 30 more minutes before they're ready for the oven.

    5. Bake with Steam for a Crispy Crust

    Preheat the oven with a baking dish filled with water on the bottom rack to create steam. Before baking, make a shallow cut from the pointed tip down the middle of each roll. 

    6. Finish for Golden Perfection

    Remove the rolls and the baking dish from the oven. Lightly brush the rolls with hot water, then return them to the oven for another 5 minutes until golden brown.

    7. Cool & Enjoy!

    Let the Müslibrötchen cool slightly before serving. Enjoy them warm with butter, jam, honey, or cheese—just like a traditional German breakfast!

    German granola rolls in a basket

    Granola Brötchen Rolls (Müslibrötchen)

    Author: Sophie Sadler
    These German rolls with granola can be made using fruit and nuts, or leave them out for a more versatile roll. Prepare the rolls the night before your planned German breakfast, and in the morning, you're just one hour away from oven-fresh goodness just like from a German bakery.
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 30 minutes mins
    Cook Time 20 minutes mins
    Resting/Proofing Time 16 hours hrs
    Total Time 16 hours hrs 50 minutes mins
    Course Breakfast, Brunch, Coffee, Kaffee, Snack
    Cuisine German
    Servings 8 rolls
    Calories 355 kcal

    Equipment

    • 1 dough tools I love using this set of dough tools for all of my bread baking. It's great for transferring dough dividing dough and cleaning up after.,
    • reusable bowl covers

    Ingredients
     
     

    Dough

    • 50 grams pumpkin seeds
    • 50 grams sunflower seeds
    • 50 grams chopped hazelnuts optional
    • 250 grams all-purpose flour
    • 50 grams whole (dark) rye flour
    • 120 grams whole spelt flour
    • 280 grams water lukewarm (25 ℃ / 77 ℉)
    • 2 grams active dry yeast
    • 10 grams sea salt
    • 8 grams unsalted butter melted
    • 5 grams malt syrup optional
    • 50 grams dried fruit optional (I used dried cherries, but raisins, dried cranberries, dried dates or any other dried fruit works well, too)

    Coating

    • 50 grams oats for coating the rolls before baking
    Shop Ingredients on Jupiter

    Instructions
     

    • Prepare these the evening before your planned breakfast. Dry-roast the pumpkin- and sunflower seeds and chopped hazelnuts (optional) in a skillet. Allow to cool.
      50 grams pumpkin seeds, 50 grams sunflower seeds, 50 grams chopped hazelnuts
      roasting seeds and nuts for German breakfast rolls
    • In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the flour, warm water, yeast, salt, melted butter and malt syrup and knead on lowest setting for 10 minutes, then on the second setting for another 3 minutes. You should end up with a smooth, dense dough that still sticks to the bowl some.
      Lastly add the seeds, nuts (optional) and dried fruit (optional) and knead for 1 minute on low or until worked in.
      250 grams all-purpose flour, 50 grams whole (dark) rye flour, 120 grams whole spelt flour, 280 grams water, 2 grams active dry yeast, 10 grams sea salt, 8 grams unsalted butter, 5 grams malt syrup, 50 grams dried fruit
      Müslibrötchen dough
    • Cover the dough airtight and allow to rest at room temperature for half an hour, then transfer to the fridge for 15 hours.
    • Place a bowl or a baking dish filled with warm water on the bottom rack of your oven and preheat the oven to 445℉ (230℃).
    • On a floured surface and with flour-coated hands, spread out the dough into a 1 inch (2 cm) thick circle. Divide into 8 triangular 'pie pieces' using a knife or dough scaper/chopper.
    • Fill one small bowl with water and another with the oats (I also like using King Arthur's Harvest Grains blend in lieu of just oats). Dip one side of the roll into the water, then the oats, place them oat-side up on a parchment paper covered baking sheet. Cover and allow to rest for 30 minutes at room temperature.
      50 grams oats
    • Make a ½ cm or ¼ inch cut from the pointy corner down to the base of the roll using a sharp knife.
    • Bake on the middle rack for a total of 20 minutes.
      10 minutes into baking, open the oven door wide to release steam.
      For the last 5 minutes of baking, carefully remove the water bowl to achieve a thin and crisp, golden crust.
    • Allow to cool for 5 to 10 minutes on a cooling rack and enjoy while still warm. I love eating these rolls (especially if you add the dried fruit) with cream cheese and jam or apple/plum butter. Guten Appetit!

    Notes

    Storing and Reheating

    Store in tupperware or in plastic bag in the fridge for up to a week. To reheat, preheat oven to 200℃ / 400℉, run some cold water over the rolls, and place directly on oven rack for about 6 minutes or until the crust is crisp again.
    I also like freezing these rolls and warming them in the toaster for a quick, healthy breakfast. Before freezing, slice each roll in half like you would a bagel. Store in a freezer-safe bag or container and freezer for up to 3 months.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 355kcalCarbohydrates: 51gProtein: 11gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0.04gCholesterol: 2mgSodium: 496mgPotassium: 258mgFiber: 6gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 31IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 37mgIron: 4mg
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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    Sophie Sadler dirndl kitchen headshot

    Hallo! I'm Sophie Sadler, cookbook author of 'The German Home Kitchen', coming this September, and German food blogger at dirndl kitchen since 2015. I am so happy you’re here! 🥨

    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!

    🥐 Join Plunderteig 101, which is my German Pastry School!
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    📩 Subscribe to My Free Newsletter to get German food inspiration straight to your inbox!
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    Mit viel Liebe,
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