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closeup of franzbrötchen stacked on a plate
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5 from 5 votes

Authentic German Cinnamon Rolls (Franzbrötchen)

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.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Resting Time30 minutes
Total Time1 hour 5 minutes
Course: Breakfast, Brunch, Coffee, Kaffee, Snack
Cuisine: German
Keyword: German cinnamon roll recipe, German pastry recipe with cinnamon, German pastry recipe with plunderteig, German pastry recipe with strawberry, German pastry recipe with yeast dough, German pastry recipes, German plunderteig recipe, German strawberry roll recipe, plunderteig recipe, Spring pastry recipe, Strawberry yeast rolls recipe
Servings: 12 rolls
Calories: 437kcal
Author: dirndlkitchen

Ingredients

Plunderteig

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

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: 437kcal | Carbohydrates: 48g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 83mg | Sodium: 355mg | Potassium: 117mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 770IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 60mg | Iron: 2mg