Guides
Sourdough Brötchen: fluffy weekend rolls
Soft, fluffy rolls leavened only with sourdough, ready for a weekend breakfast. They quietly disprove the idea that rolls need commercial yeast, as long as your starter is lively.
Knead a firm dough
Knead all the ingredients 5 to 10 minutes into a smooth, fairly firm dough. Add liquid a spoon at a time only if it's too dry.
Bulk ferment
Leave warm about 5 hours, with one stretch-and-fold partway through, until clearly risen and puffy.
Divide and shape
Divide into 12 pieces and shape each into a tight ball, then onto parchment. For the classic look, you can shape them slightly oval or snip the tops before baking.
Final proof
Proof about 30 minutes warm (or cold overnight in the fridge for a slow rise and Sunday-morning bake).
Bake with steam
Preheat to 210 C and create steam. Bake 18 to 24 minutes until golden, opening the oven briefly for the last 5 minutes to crisp the crust.
Rolls without the yeast crutch
Good Brötchen are all about a soft, fluffy interior under a thin crust, and you can get there with sourdough alone. The dough is a touch enriched with milk for tenderness and kept fairly firm so the rolls hold their shape. The one non-negotiable is a lively starter: if yours is sluggish, this is the recipe that will expose it.
What you need
Makes 12 rolls. Milk can be dairy or plant-based; total liquid lands around 320 to 350 g depending on your flour and starter.
Make it a weekend rhythm
These fit a weekend beautifully if you use the fridge. Mix and shape on Saturday evening, cold-proof the shaped rolls overnight, and bake them straight from the fridge on Sunday morning for fresh Brötchen with almost no morning effort. The warm same-day version below works too if you'd rather bake the day you mix.
FAQ
Frequently asked
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Written by
Julia Yukovich
Co-Founder + CEO
Julia is one of the Co-Founders. She handles design, development, product direction, and most of the support replies that arrive in the morning.
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