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assembly of german cinnamon rolls
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5 from 11 votes

German Cinnamon Rolls - Franzbrötchen Recipe

Imagine cinnamon rolls and croissants had a baby, and you will have German cinnamon rolls aka Franzbrötchen! These buttery-sweet rolls are loaded with cinnamon and sugar and beautiful layers of pastry. Follow this vegan recipe to enjoy them at home.
Prep Time35 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Resting Time2 hours 30 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Course: Dessert, Sweets
Cuisine: Dairy-Free, Egg-Free, European, German, Vegan
Servings: 14 rolls

Equipment

  • mixing bowl, rolling pin, baking sheet, parchment paper, bowl cover,

Ingredients

Puff pastry dough (alternatively use store-bought puff pastry sheet)

Cinnamon sugar filling

Instructions

  • Prepare the flaxseed eggs by mixing the flaxseeds and water in a small bowl or cup. Let the mixture sit for 5 minutes. If you are using a store-bought puff pastry dough skip to step 3, then to step 8.
  • For the puff pastry dough, place the yeast, flour, sugar, and salt in a mixing bowl and combine well. Form a well in the center. In a separate bowl, mix the coconut milk and the prepared flaxseed egg. While stirring with a wooden spoon, pour the milk mixture into the flour well. Then cut the 65g of butter into coarse pieces and add it to the mixing bowl. Mix everything together until you have a rough dough. Transfer the dough to a clean work surface (no extra flour is needed) and start kneading for about 5 minutes until it is no longer sticky, it should be soft and gentle. If you have a kitchen machine, you can use it to knead the dough. Place the dough back in the mixing bowl and cover it. Place the bowl in a warm, non-drafty place and let the dough rise for 2 hours. During the resting time, you can prepare the filling and remaining butter.
  • For the filling, simply mix sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl and set it aside.
  • To prepare the butter: Cut the butter into cubes and place them on a piece of parchment paper to form a square. Now fold the baking paper around the butter and roll it out into a flat 14x14 cm square (5.5”x5.5” inches). Then put it in the refrigerator.
    how to make a butter rectangle
  • After 2 hours of resting the dough should have doubled in size. Take the prepared butter square out of the refrigerator so that it softens just slightly. Gently press your fist into the dough and use a dough scraper, or kitchen spatula, to scrape the dough onto a clean work surface (no extra flour needed). Knead it lightly, then roll it into a 35x20 cm rectangle (14”x8” inches). Then place the butter on one-half of the dough. Fold the other half on top. Press the edges firmly so that the butter is well folded in.
  • Now roll out the dough into a 50x20cm rectangle (20”x8” inches) by first pressing gently little with your rolling pin, then rolling it out. Make sure that the butter does not come out. Then put one side on ⅔ of the dough to the center, and put the other side on top, making 3 layers forming a "letter". Place the folded dough flat in the refrigerator for 20 minutes (cover the dough with parchment or plastic to prevent it from drying out).
    how to fold puff pastry for franzbrötchen
  • After cooling, repeat as before: roll the dough into a rectangle and fold it into a "letter", cover, and chill in the fridge for 20 minutes. Repeat the whole process a third time including chilling. 
    Do not skip cooling the dough, otherwise, you risk that the butter mixes with the dough. This is how the many layers are created later during baking. You can repeat the folding up to 6 times, but 3 times is quite enough.
  • To assemble the rolls, lay out parchment paper on a baking sheet. After the last chilling, remove the dough from the fridge. Roll out flat into an 80x50cm rectangle (32”x20” inches). Now sprinkle the dough completely (leave no border) with the cinnamon and sugar filling.
    Then starting on the long side roll up the dough and cut crosswise into 14 trapezoid-shaped pieces. Take a rolled-up piece and place it with one of the cut ends facing you. Place the handle of a wooden spoon across (parallel to the cut ends) the center of the roll and press firmly. The spoon will sink through the roll, causing the cut ends to bulge outward and upward. Stop the spoon just before it splits the roll in half. Then press with the palms of your hands on the two fanned-out sides to flatten the roll a bit. Do not flatten the roll completely! This may take a little practice at first. Repeat the process with the remaining dough pieces, spreading them evenly on the baking sheet. When all the rolls have been shaped, pressed, and squashed, cover them and let them rise one last time for 20 minutes. Preheat your oven to 200°C (400°F) top and bottom heat.
    how to fill and roll german cinnamon rolls
  • To bake the rolls, place the baking sheet with the risen buns in the oven and bake them for 20 to 25 minutes. They should be golden brown, risen, and flaky, with a caramelized bottom. Put the baked rolls on a cooling rack to cool, or enjoy slightly warm and enjoy.

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