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Franzbrötchen | Flaky German Cinnamon Rolls

Buttery and flaky, these franzbrötchen are made from a yeasted laminated dough that is rolled with cinnamon sugar and then shaped into fun little pastries.
Prep Time1 hour
Cook Time14 minutes
Resting5 hours 15 minutes
Total Time6 hours 29 minutes
Course: Afternoon Kaffee, Breakfast
Cuisine: German
Keyword: cinnamon sugar, laminated dough, puff pastry
Servings: 11
Calories: 495kcal

Equipment

  • Stand Mixer

Ingredients

Dough

  • 500 grams ap flour
  • 50 grams granulated sugar
  • 15 grams instant yeast
  • 1 egg room temperature
  • 60 grams butter room temperature
  • 250 ml milk luke warm

Butter Block

  • 200 grams butter room temperature
  • 50 grams ap flour

Filling

  • 40 grams butter melted
  • 200 grams brown sugar
  • 4 tsp cinnamon ground

Egg Wash

  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1 tbsp water
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Instructions

Dough

  • In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together the flour, sugar, and yeast.
  • Add in the remaining ingredients and knead the mixture with the dough hook on the stand mixer for 5 minutes on low to medium speed.
  • The dough should not be smooth but all ingredients should be mixed together.
  • Spread the dough on to a lightly greased sheet in a rectangle that is 25 cm x 15 cm. Cover with plastic and place in the fridge.

Butter Block

  • Tear off two pieces of parchment that are at least 30 cm in length. On one, draw a square that is 15 cm x 15 cm.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer mix the butter and flour on medium speed, using the paddle attachment, until smooth.
  • Spread butter and flour onto the back side of the parchment paper with the square, as evenly as possible within the lines.
  • Place the second piece of parchment on top and press down gently. Flip the stack over so that the square that you drew is visible again.
  • Use a bench scraper to push any excess/overflow butter into the the inside of the square. Place on a tray and place in the fridge for 45 minutes.

Laminating

  • Once chilled, roll the rectangle of dough into a 32 cm x 16 cm rectangle.
  • Place the block of butter in one half, leaving a small border around it on 3 sides.
  • Fold the other half of the dough over the butter and seal the 3 sides of dough so the butter is now sealed in.
  • Arrange the dough and butter block in front of you so that there is a seam edge at the top, bottom, and right side - and the left side has the folded edge.
  • Press the rolling pin into the dough and butter from the top of the rectangle to the bottom.
  • Use flour when needed and roll the dough out into a 30 cm x 40 cm rectangle.
  • Trim the two short ends to clean up and straighten the edges. Fold the dough, like a letter, into thirds, keeping the edges as even and straight as possible.
  • Wrap the dough in a piece of parchment and place in the fridge for 30-45 minutes.
  • Roll the dough out again, and repeat the process of trimming the ends and doing a letter fold. Then, chill for another 30 to 45 minutes. Repeat this process 2 more times.

Assembling

  • After the last set of folds, chill the dough for another 45 minutes.
  • Stir together brown sugar and cinnamon to create the filling, melt the butter, and line 2 baking sheets with parchment or silicone baking sheets.
  • Roll the dough out to a rectangle that is 30 cm x 60 cm. Trim the two short ends so they are straight and clean.
  • Brush the entire surface with the melted butter. Then sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar mixture.
  • Roll the dough up starting at one long edge. With the seam side of the roll down, mark 5 cm cuts onto the roll.
  • Slice the roll at each mark. Place 5-6 rolls on each baking sheet with the seam sides down.
  • Use the handle of a wooden spoon to press down in the center of each roll, parallel to the cut sides of the roll. Be careful not to press through the dough and break it.
  • Gently press each one down with the palm of your hand.
  • Cover the baking sheets plastic or a towel and place in an oven that isn't on and turn on the light or somewhere warm to rise for 45 minutes to an hour.

Baking

  • Preheat the oven to 400 F. Arrange two racks so that they divide the oven into thirds.
  • Make the egg wash by whisking together the egg yolk and 1-2 tablespoons of water.
  • Once the franzbrötchen have almost doubled in size, brush them with the egg wash, then bake for 8 minutes.
  • After 8 minutes, swap the baking sheets and rotate them 180 degrees to make sure they all bake evenly.
  • Bake for another 6 minutes, then the franzbrötchen should be a deep golden brown color.
  • After they are finished baking, remove them from the oven and place on wire cooling racks to cool for at least 5-10 minutes before serving.

Notes

These are best eaten right after they are baked. However, if you have leftovers place them in an airtight container at room temperature. To refresh them, place on a baking sheet and bake at 350 F for 5-8 minutes.

Nutrition

Serving: 1pastry | Calories: 495kcal | Carbohydrates: 63g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 94mg | Sodium: 218mg | Potassium: 138mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 24g | Vitamin A: 766IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 67mg | Iron: 3mg