Hamburg pastry
Franzbrötchen
Crisp layers with a tender, caramelised centre.
Not an ordinary cinnamon roll, but Hamburg-style laminated yeast pastry: rolled tightly with cinnamon sugar and pressed deeply so the layers fan open on both sides.
The formula
Ten classic Franzbrötchen
Starting point: 10 pastries of about 120 g. The flour and butter include the butter block; brushing water and an optional egg-yolk glaze are not included.Active preparation: about 55 min · Baking: about 18–20 min. Proofing and chilling take additional time.
- Bread flour (total)
- 100%525.8 g
- Whole milk
- 45.5%239.3 g
- Salt
- 1%5.3 g
- Instant yeast
- 1.2%6.3 g
- Butter (dough + butter block)
- 50%262.9 g
- Sugar in the dough
- 10.5%55.2 g
- Cinnamon sugar
- 20%105.2 g
The filling
Cinnamon sugar
Mix the calculated sugar and cinnamon just before filling so it stays dry and spreads evenly.- Sugar
- 91%95.7 g
- Ground cinnamon
- 9%9.5 g
What this makes
Crisp edges, tender layers and caramelised cinnamon.
The butter block creates flaky layers; the deep press keeps each pastry low and pulls the cinnamon spirals visibly outwards.Whole milk
A firm dough that encloses the butter cleanly while you roll.
Total butter
For the dough and butter block together: rich, yet manageable to laminate.
Per pastry
Generous enough for a defined fan and a tender centre.
Oven
Hot enough to lift the layers and caramelise the cinnamon edges.
Why this is not just another cinnamon roll
Classic Franzbrötchen begin as laminated yeast dough: a cool, pliable butter block is folded into yeasted dough. The butter separates the layers in the oven, while yeast gives a softer bite than puff pastry.
All flour counts as 100%, including the flour in the butter block. The 50% butter is also the combined amount for dough and block. Cinnamon sugar is shown separately, so both pastry and signature filling scale cleanly.
Method
Work cool, make one sound turn, then press firmly.
Let the clock help, but trust butter that bends without breaking and dough that rolls without springing back.- Two portions ready
Divide the flour and butter
Reserve about 9% of all calculated flour and 73% of all butter for the butter block. The remainder goes into the yeast dough.
- Smooth, aerated and cool
Knead and chill the dough
Mix the larger flour portion with milk, yeast and the dough sugar. Add salt and the smaller butter portion, then knead until smooth and elastic. Let it grow by roughly 50%, then chill for 30 minutes.
- Bends without cracking
Make the butter block
Work the reserved flour briefly into the cold butter. Roll between baking paper to a rectangle about 25 × 30 cm and chill until firm but pliable.
- Neat, sealed layers
Lock in and turn
Roll the dough to about 40 × 50 cm, enclose the butter completely and seal the seams. Roll gently back into a rectangle, fold in thirds like a letter and chill for 45 minutes.
- A log about 50 cm long
Fill and roll
Roll again to about 40 × 50 cm. Brush with the thinnest film of water, scatter over all the cinnamon sugar and roll tightly from a long side. Chill the log for 15 minutes if it feels too soft to cut cleanly.
- Deep groove, broad fan
Cut and press the shape
Cut into ten pieces about 5 cm wide. Place each on its curved side, with the cut faces pointing left and right. Press a wooden-spoon handle almost to the tray through the centre, parallel to the cut faces, until both sides fan open.
- Golden, crisp edges
Proof and bake
Cover and proof for about 45 minutes. Brush lightly with egg yolk if desired and bake for 18–20 minutes at 210 °C conventional heat, until deeply golden with caramelised cinnamon edges.
When the layers or shape refuse to cooperate
The butter shatters into hard plates
Leave the dough packet for 5–10 minutes before rolling again. The butter was colder and harder than the dough.
Butter leaks while rolling
Stop immediately and chill the packet for 20–30 minutes. Continue with light, even pressure and only a minimal dusting of flour.
The fan closes during proofing
Press the spoon handle more deeply, almost to the worktop, and leave enough room between the pastries.
The outside colours before the centre is baked
Lower the oven by 10 °C and bake a little longer. Dark cinnamon sugar is welcome; a raw, compact centre is not.
Frequently asked questions
How are Franzbrötchen different from cinnamon rolls?
Classic Franzbrötchen use laminated yeast dough and are pressed deeply. That makes them flatter, flakier and more caramelised than a soft cinnamon roll.
Can I prepare the dough a day ahead?
Yes. Chill after the first rise, laminate with the butter and refrigerate the covered dough packet overnight. Fill, shape and proof the pastries the next day.
Can shaped Franzbrötchen be frozen?
Yes. Freeze them directly after shaping. Thaw covered overnight in the refrigerator, finish proofing at room temperature and bake fresh.
Can I use fresh yeast?
Yes. Use roughly three times the calculated instant-yeast weight and dissolve it in the milk.
Baking tools
Useful for this recipe
Three tools selected for this dough's shape, hydration or baking schedule.Choose when the bread should enter the oven and work backwards through levain, mixing, proofing, shaping and preheating.
Plan baking schedule →CalculatorI want to time my dough stagesRun several timers at once for autolyse, folds, fermentation checks and preheating the oven.
Start baking timers →CalculatorI have a different yeast typeConvert between fresh yeast, active dry yeast and instant yeast using practical ratios.
Convert yeast →Ready to laminate