Description
Craving a bakery-worthy Kaiser roll? This recipe yields six golden, crusty rolls with a soft, airy center—perfect for sandwiches or a buttery bite. Simple ingredients, a steamy bake, and that iconic star shape make it a must-try!
Ingredients
Scale
- Dough:
- 3 cups (360g) unbleached bread flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons instant yeast
- 1 ¼ teaspoons salt
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons (28g) unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup + 2 tablespoons (198g) lukewarm water
- Topping (optional):
- 1 tablespoon milk (for brushing)
- 1–2 teaspoons poppy seeds or sesame seeds
Instructions
- Mix the Dough: In a large bowl or stand mixer, combine the flour, yeast, salt, and sugar. Add the egg, butter, and water. Mix until everything comes together into a shaggy dough—about 1 minute.
- Knead: Knead the dough by hand (10 minutes) or with a mixer (5–7 minutes) until it’s smooth and slightly sticky. It should feel soft but not tacky.
- First Rise: Shape the dough into a ball, place it in a lightly greased bowl, and cover. Let it rise in a warm spot for 1–1 ½ hours, until it doubles in size.
- Divide and Shape: Punch down the dough and divide it into 6 equal pieces (about 90–100g each). Roll each piece into a ball, then flatten slightly. For that classic Kaiser roll shape, use a Kaiser roll stamp or fold the dough into a star pattern by hand (fold edges to the center 5 times).
- Second Rise: Place the shaped rolls, seam-side down, on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover and let them rise for 30–45 minutes, until puffy but not doubled.
- Prep for Baking: Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Brush the rolls with milk and sprinkle with seeds if desired—this gives that shiny, golden Kaiser roll crust.
- Bake: Pop the rolls in the oven and bake for 15–20 minutes, until they’re deep golden brown and sound hollow when tapped. For extra crustiness, add steam by tossing a few ice cubes into a hot pan on the oven floor right after loading the rolls.
- Cool: Let the rolls cool on a wire rack for at least 10 minutes before digging in—perfect for sandwiches or a buttery snack!
Notes
- Cholesterol: From egg (~30mg) and butter (~5mg).
- Fiber: Low (1g) due to bread flour; whole wheat would increase it.
- Trans Fat: 0g (no hydrogenated oils).
- Unsaturated Fat: From butter and egg (~1.5g).
- Saturated Fat: Mostly butter (~2g).
- Sodium: From salt (~480mg) and trace amounts in flour/egg.
- Sugar: From added sugar (2g total across 6 rolls).
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Bread
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Austrian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6 rolls
- Calories: 210
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 490mg
- Fat: 4g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 1.5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 36g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 6g
- Cholesterol: 5mg (from egg and butter)
Keywords: Kaiser roll, Kaiser bun, homemade bread, crusty roll, sandwich roll, Austrian bread, baking recipe
