Rosinenbrötchen (German Raisin Rolls)

Nov 7, 2026 · By VanillaGoods

Baking Quick breads Easy

Soft, lightly sweet milk-dough rolls packed with plump raisins and glazed with egg for a shiny brown crust. They are the everyday German breakfast sweet roll, best split and spread with butter. Makes 12 rolls in about 3 hr 3 min.

Prep 25 min

Cook 18 min

Cooling 40 min

Total 3 hr 3 min

Yield 12 rolls

Ingredients

Adjust yield

rolls

1 cup (150 g)raisins
4 cups (500 g)all-purpose flour
¼ oz (7 g)instant yeast
¼ cup (50 g)granulated sugar
1 ¼ tsp (8 g)fine salt
1 cup (250 ml)whole milk, lukewarm, for the dough
1 (50 g)egg, room temperature
¼ cup (60 g)unsalted butter, softened
1 (18 g)egg yolk
1 tbsp (15 ml)whole milk, to finish

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Instructions

Cover the raisins with hot water and let them soak for about 30 minutes while you make the dough, then drain and pat dry.
Whisk the all-purpose flour, instant yeast, granulated sugar and fine salt in a large bowl. Add the lukewarm 250 ml whole milk and the egg and knead 3 minutes, then knead in the softened unsalted butter until smooth and elastic, 6 to 8 minutes more.
Knead in the drained raisins on low speed or by hand just until evenly spread, about 1 minute. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 60 minutes.
Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces (about 85 g each). Cup each piece under your palm and roll it on the counter into a tight ball, pushing back any raisins that poke out. Set the rolls 2 inches (5 cm) apart on the lined baking sheet.
Cover and let rise until puffy, about 40 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
Beat the egg yolk with the 15 ml whole milk and brush it over the rolls. Cut a shallow slash across the top of each roll with a sharp knife if you like.
Bake until shiny and deep golden and the bottoms sound hollow when tapped, 15 to 18 minutes. Cool on a rack at least 10 minutes before serving.

Tips

Soaking the raisins keeps them from pulling moisture out of the dough and from burning on the crust.
Add the raisins only after the dough is fully kneaded so they stay whole.
Weigh the pieces for even rolls that bake in the same time.
Good with butter with coffee or milky tea.

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Recipe FAQ

How long does it take to make rosinenbrötchen (german raisin rolls)?

Plan on 25 minutes of prep and 18 minutes of cooking, plus 2 hours 20 minutes to rise and rest. The recipe makes 12 rolls.

How should I store rosinenbrötchen (german raisin rolls)?

Best the day they are baked. Keep in a bag at room temperature up to 2 days, or freeze up to 1 month and refresh in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 5 minutes.

Can I make rosinenbrötchen (german raisin rolls) ahead?

It is at its best the day it is made; prepare it a few hours before serving.

Serve it with butter with coffee or milky tea.

Variations

Bite-size pieces: shape 24 small rolls of about 42 g and bake 11 to 13 minutes.
Orange and peel: add 1 tsp (2 g) finely grated orange zest and 1/4 cup (40 g) chopped candied orange peel with the raisins; bake time unchanged.
Currant rolls: use 1 cup (150 g) dried currants in place of the raisins; bake time unchanged.
Overnight: shape the rolls, cover and refrigerate up to 12 hours, then let them stand at room temperature 45 minutes before glazing and baking.

Estimated · per serving

Nutrition

Per serving = 1 of 12 servings this recipe makes.

268 Calories / serving

6.1g Fat

47.1g Carbs

6.3g Protein

12.9g Sugar

Whole recipe (12 servings): ~3216 cal · 73g fat · 565g carbs · 76g protein · 155g sugar

Estimated values per serving, calculated from standard ingredient data. Not verified Nutrition Facts; actual values vary with brands, measurements, and preparation.