Authentic German bread rolls (Weizenbrötchen)

These authentic German bread rolls, called Brötchen, are a bakery staple part of an authentic German breakfast and for eating Bratwurst on the go! The crusty German rolls are also super versatile and popular at German fast food trucks called Imbissbuden. You're almost always guaranteed to get one when ordering and eating Bratwurst, Currywurst, Frikadellen, and more.

The baguette-like Weizenbrötchen are iconic for placing Schaumküsse in the middle. This is a childhood favorite way to eat them and a must-try for kids' birthday parties!

While this is the classic German Brötchen recipe, other favorite Brötchen to enjoy for a German Frühstück (breakfast) are Müslibrötchen (granola rolls) and Sonnenbluemenkernbrötchen (sunflower seed rolls).

Ingredients

You will likely have all the ingredients at home for making Brötchen, and we'll talk about them now.

• All-purpose flour. I use organic all-purpose flour for almost all of my baking. My flour has an 11.5% gluten content, which is slightly higher than the average all-purpose flour, and buy it at Costco. The higher-than-average gluten content makes the dough super smooth. You could use bread flour as well, which has a gluten content of closer to 13%.

• Sugar. There is a little bit of sugar in the dough (less than one gram per roll).
• Yeast. I use active-dry yeast for all of my baking as it's closest to German yeast. If using fresh yeast, use double the weight that is stated in the recipe.
• Milk. The lactose and fat in the milk help make the bread softer and smoother. If milk is an issue for you, you can substitute the milk with water, but if you do, I would add a tablespoon of soft butter or oil to the dough when making the main dough.
• Salt. I love using a mineral rock salt in baked goods. Sea salt is fine to use.

How to make Brötchen

The most important part of making Brötchen is remembering to make the pre-dough 2 to 3 days ahead of time. So if you want Sunday morning Brötchen, remember to make the pre-dough Thursday or Friday morning at the latest. The rest is easy and no special tools are required other than maybe a pastry brush or a food-grade spray bottle filled with water.

Combine your pre-dough 48 to 72 hours ahead of making your main dough. Simply stir all ingredients together in a bowl, cover airtight, and place in the fridge. I totally recommend making a double batch and freezing your baked rolls for a second German breakfast sometime down the road!

Add together the lukewarm water, sugar, and yeast for the main dough and allow the mixture to bubble up. This should take no longer than 5 minutes. If yeast scares you, here is a free yeast tips sheet you can download here that's normally found inside my German pastry baking online course.

Now mix together all ingredients and the pre-dough and knead until you have a smooth, elastic dough. Cover airtight until doubled in size. Now proceed with dividing your dough into 8 pieces and then shaping your rolls.

When shaping, work with the palm of your hand and pull dough underneath the roll to create a smooth surface.

Place on a baking sheet prepped with parchment paper or silicone baking mats (8 rolls should fit on one baking sheet). Cover with a clean linen towel and allow to rise again for about 45 minutes. In the meantime, preheat your oven and place a casserole dish with hot water on the lower rack or bottom of your oven to help create steam.

Spray or brush with water, score down the middle. Now make a clean, straight cut using a sharp knife or a baking lâme. Then bake the rolls for a total of 15 minutes. Carefully remove the water bowl from the oven, brush the rolls with water again, a place back in the oven for the last 5 minutes of baking or until the outer crust is a nice golden color. The final water brushing will create a shiny finish on the rolls.

Let cool at least 10 minutes before serving for a German breakfast or with some grilled Bratwurst or find more inspiration below.

How to eat crusty rolls

Crusty rolls called Brötchen are served throughout the day in Germany, especially at breakfast.

Brötchen for a German breakfast

In Germany, crusty rolls, called Brötchen (little breads), are traditionally eaten for breakfast. They are sliced in half and then topped with a variety of toppings from sliced meats and cheeses to butter, jam, Nutella, and more. You can learn more about German breakfast in this post.

Crusty rolls for on-the-go

They are also served with some fast foods at German Imbissbuden (the classic German food trucks).

When you order a Bratwurst, it is typically served on a Brötchen. If you're looking for the perfect German Bratwurst in the United States, you must give Schaller and Weber's Cooked Bratwurst a try. They are made in New York City using authentic German recipes and they are the best quality and so delicious!

When you order a Currywurst, it is often either served with a side of fries or a crusty bread roll. Frikadellen (German hamburgers) also come served on Brötchen when on the go.

Crusty rolls as a snack

If you have never tried smashing a Schaumkuss on a Brötchen, you must give it a try. You can buy them online here or make them! It was such a favorite way to eat them like this as a child growing up in Germany.

Brötchen as dinner rolls

Brötchen are also sometimes served with grilled goods, as they are lighter bread (compared to the seeded breads that are so popular in Germany) and don't overpower the flavor of grilled goods for dinner. I also love these German pull-apart slider buns called Partybrötchen for grilling and you must try my pretzel beer bubble bread at your next grill party too!