Skip to Content

Easy kaiser roll recipe : Homemade Kaiser Burger Bun

Easy Kaiser Roll Recipe will help you make the best homemade kaiser rolls in four simple steps.

Why you will love this easy Kaiser Roll Recipe

  • In this Easy kaiser roll recipe, we use only 6 basic ingredients
  • You don’t need to have any special equipments to make this kaiser burger buns
  • You can save a lot of your time and make the buns faster as you don’t need to double proof this easy kaiser roll dough
  • The kaiser rolls made with this easy kaiser roll recipe is super delicious and you can enjoy it with just a spread of butter.

What is a kaiser roll

A Kaiser roll is a bun with the top surface usually divided in a symmetric pattern of five segments, beautifully separated and folded like the petals of a flower; resembling a crown.

kaiser rolls recipe

Kaiser roll ingredients

  • Flour :550g or 4 and 1/4 cups (loosely packed)
  • Warm Water :300 ml or 1 cup + 1/4 cup
  • Honey or sugar :50 g (1/4 cup sugar or 1/6 cup honey)
  • Salt : 1 and 1/2 tsp or 10g
  • Yeast :1 1/2 tsp or 5g
  • Butter or oil :3 1/2 tbsp or 50 g

How to make a kaiser roll

Kaiser Rolls can be made in six simple steps

1.Prepare the kaiser bread dough

2.Divide and Shape the kaiser rolls

3.Final Proofing

4.Bake the kaiser knots

1.Prepare the kaiser bun dough

It’s so easy to prepare this kaiser bread dough.

Into a bowl pour in the warm water, salt, sugar, yeast and combine all together.

Add in the butter.

how to make kaiser rolls

Now add in the flour and mix it together to form a shaggy mass of dough.

Transfer the dough on to a clean work surface and knead the dough for 9-10 minutes.

kaiser roll ingredients

The dough may seem sticky at around 3 minutes of kneading and at this point we may get tempted to add more flour into this.But don’t do that .

Just continue to knead and you will see the extra moisture will get absorbed and the dough will change its texture at around 6 minutes of kneading.

If we use volume measurements instead of weighing the ingredients slight variation in the dough may occur.

The water absorbing power of different flours may also differ slightly, so slight variation in the dough texture may happen.That is okay and normal.

In that case, if you find the dough to be too sticky at around 6 minutes of kneading, you can add a few more(1 or 2) tablespoon of flour.If you find the dough to be dry then, we can add a few more (1 or 2) tablespoons of water.

After kneading for 8-10 minutes ,our dough will be soft and smooth.

kaiser roll

2.Divide and Shape the Kaiser Rolls

After kneading the dough, divide the dough into equal parts.

Here I divided it into 10 equal parts.So that we will get big and fluffy kaiser rolls.

Large kaiser buns turn more fluffy and soft compared to small kaiser buns.

We can eyeball it and divide the dough to equal parts.

I prefer to use a kitchen scale so that we can divide them accurately.

If they all are of same size, the kaiser rolls will look even more beautiful and they will get baked evenly in the oven.

Roll each portion into a round ball.

Keep the divided dough, covered for 8-10 minutes.

This will give some time for the dough to relax and which will prevent the tendancy to rebound back while we roll and shape the kaiser buns.

Shape the kaiser rolls

Roll out each dough ball and then shape it into an elongated cylindrical dough strip (around 15 cm )by rolling as in the video.

Place each of them on the counter until we finish the rest of the rolls.

And then take the first one, that we shaped.

shaping kaiser rolls without kaiser stamp

Elongate the dough strand by pulling the dough and then rolling.

When it gain a length of around 36 cm, we can shape them into kaiser rolls.

How to shape kaiser roll

With the long rope ,make a loose knot.

Now you will get “tails” on either side of the knot.

how to shape kaiser rolls

Begin with the tail on the bottom; wrap it over the knot, then push it through the hole (in the middle).

Bring the top tail down and join it with the end of the other tail underneath.

how to shape kasier roll

Don’t forget to pinch and secure the underside. This will prevent the dough from unraveling while it’s proofing as well as while baking.

Place the shaped kaiser rolls on to a parchment lined baking tray.

Repeat with remaining portions to form all 10 kaiser burger buns.

3.Final rising

Cover the tray with a plastic film and let the kaiser rolls rest and proof for 70-75 minutes.

bulky rolls

This proofing time also depend on the warmth of the environment.If your place is warm, they may proof at around 65 minutes or if your place is cold it may take 80 minutes.

We need to wait for until the kaiser buns get really puffed up.

Before taking the kaiser rolls into the oven for baking,I gave an “egg wash” on the top of buns.This can impart a golden brown color and shine to the kaiser rolls after baking.

egg wash for kaiser rolls

Then sprinkle the top of the rolls with some sesame seeds.You can use poppy seeds as well.

kaiser hamburger buns

4.Bake the kaiser rolls

Bake the kaiser rolls in a 356 F or 180 C preheated oven for 26-30 minutes or until the kaiser burger buns are golden brown in color .

Watch the video to see How easy it is to shape kaiser rolls

Frequently asked questions about making homemade kaiser rolls

Why is my kaiser burger buns dense

  • The most probable reason for dense bread is, dough that hasn’t risen enough. 

If the rising time is too short (second rising), the yeast won’t have a chance to create bubbles and Carbon dioxide to make the bubbles expand. 

  • Probably the yeast is not active. This may happen if the yeast is not within the expiry date.In this case ,try different yeast.Another reason is when the yeast cells are not alive or dead. Make sure the water added while preparing the dough is not hot and is only warm.Hot water can kill the yeast buds.
easy kaiser roll recipe

Why kaiser bun is burnt on the outside and raw and doughy on the inside

In this case, the kaiser bun has been baked in an oven that is too hot, allowing the outside to darken before the inside is fully cooked. Reduce the temperature to the next lower point (around 10 C) and bake.

How do I make my kaiser hamburger buns fluffy

  • To make kaiser buns fluffier, try not to add extra flour while kneading the dough.We want our bread dough to be soft and well hydrated to get a fluffy kaiser bread.
  • Knead properly for 8-10 minutes or until we get a soft ,smooth elastic dough.
  • Properly proof the shaped kaiser bread.Wait for until the shaped kaiser bread rise and get doubled in size before taking it into the oven.
  • Take care not to over bake the kaiser rolls

Why does my kaiser burger bun smells yeasty

  • Over-risen kaiser bread dough. Stop the rising when the dough has almost doubled in size.
  • Incomplete baking. If the kaiser bread is not baked properly in the middle ,the bread will smell “yeasty”

How to store homemade kaiser rolls

The kaiser hamburger buns can be stored at room temperature in a cool dry place for up to 2-3 days.Wrap it with plastic film or keep it in paper bag.

Heat and humidity causes bread to mold. So if you want to store it for longer, wrap it well and keep it in refrigerator.The bread will stay good for up to seven days in refrigerator.But the chance of bread getting dry is more if we keep it in refrigerator.

kaiser rolls

How to reheat this homemade kaiser hamburger buns

Thaw the kaiser rolls and then brush/spray some water on the kaiser rolls and place them into a 350 F preheated oven for 5 minutes.

The kaiser hamburger buns will turn out, soft and fresh and they smells too good.

How to serve Kaiser Rolls

Kaiser rolls can be served with soups of your choice or can fill in your favorite ingredients and can make wonderful sandwiches.

Depending on the individual taste or region, you can eat them with something sweet like jam or honey or you can put some cold cuts or a slice of cheese on it. 

Can I freeze this kaiser buns ?

Yes you can freeze kaiser bread rolls.Simply wrap the bread in plastic or aluminum foil to protect it from freezer burn and keep frozen for up to one month.

Take it out whenever you need and just put it in a toaster or in the preheated oven for 10 minutes, and you’ll get fresh soft kaiser rolls ready to eat.

How can use eggs in this easy kaiser rolls recipe

1 egg is equivalent to around 45 ml water by volume.

So if you want to add 1 egg ,add 1 egg to the recipe and just reduce 45 ml water from this easy kaiser roll recipe.

You don’t need to make any other adjustments in the recipe.

Addition of eggs, enrich the flavor and taste of yeast rolls and it gives an yellowish tint to the dough

What can I use instead of egg wash

Egg wash is that which gives a shine and golden color to the kaiser buns when baked.

If we use milk wash instead of egg wash,we cannot get that shine but it can bring a golden brown color with a kind of mat finish.

So if you don’t want to use egg wash, you can either skip adding egg wash or use milk wash instead of egg wash.

If we knead the dough really well, the dinner rolls will turn out beautiful with subtle shine and golden brown color even without egg wash.Here in our hamburger buns recipe you can see how beautiful they turned out without any egg wash.

kaiser rolls recipe easy

Alternative names for Kaiser rolls

These rolls are also known as:

  • Emperor roll
  • Hard roll
  • Semmel
  • Vienna roll
  • Wiener Kaisersemmel

Looking for more delicious bread recipes? Give these a try:

Quick and Easy Dinner Rolls 

Easy One Rise Cinnamon Rolls Recipe

Best Homemade Panini Bread 

kaiser rolls

Easy Kaiser Roll Recipe

Bincy Chris
Easy Kaiser Roll Recipe will help you make the best homemade kaiser rolls in five simple steps.
5 from 1 vote
Prep Time 35 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Proofing Time 1 hour
Total Time 2 hours 5 minutes
Course Breakfast, Side Dish
Cuisine German
Servings 10 Kaiser Rolls

Ingredients
  

  • 550 g Flour or 4 and 1/4 cups (loosely packed)
  • 300 ml Warm Water or 1 cup + 1/4 cup
  • 50 g Sugar (1/4 cup sugar or 1/6 cup honey)
  • 10 g Salt or 1 and 1/2 tsp
  • 5 g Yeast or 1 1/2 tsp
  • 50 g Butter or oil ,3 1/2 tbsp

Instructions
 

Prepare the kaiser bun dough

  • It’s so easy to prepare this kaiser bread dough.
    Into a bowl pour in the warm water, salt, sugar, yeast and combine all together.
    Add in the butter.
    Now add in the flour and mix it together to form a shaggy mass of dough.
    Transfer the dough on to a clean work surface and knead the dough for 9-10 minutes.
    The dough may seem sticky at around 3 minutes of kneading and at this point we may get tempted to add more flour into this.But don’t do that .
    Just continue to knead and you will see the extra moisture will get absorbed and the dough will change its texture at around 6 minutes of kneading.
    If we use volume measurements instead of weighing the ingredients slight variation in the dough may occur.
    The water absorbing power of different flours may also differ slightly, so slight variation in the dough texture may happen.That is okay and normal.
    In that case, if you find the dough to be too sticky at around 6 minutes of kneading, you can add a few more(1 or 2) tablespoon of flour.If you find the dough to be dry then, we can add a few more (1 or 2) tablespoons of water.
    After kneading for 8-10 minutes ,our dough will be soft and smooth.

Divide the dough

  • After kneading the dough, divide the dough into equal parts.
    Here I divided it into 10 equal parts.So that we will get big and fluffy kaiser rolls.
    Large kaiser buns turn more fluffy and soft compared to small kaiser buns.
    We can eyeball it and divide the dough to equal parts.
    I prefer to use a kitchen scale so that we can divide them accurately.
    If they all are of same size, the kaiser rolls will look even more beautiful and they will get baked evenly in the oven.
    Roll each portion into a round ball.
    Keep the divided dough, covered for 8-10 minutes.
    This will give some time for the dough to relax and which will prevent the tendancy to rebound back while we roll and shape the kaiser buns.

Shape the kaiser rolls

  • Roll out each dough ball and then shape it into an elongated cylindrical dough strip (around 15 cm )by rolling as in the video.
    Place each of them on the counter until we finish the rest of the rolls.
    And then take the first one, that we shaped.
    Elongate the dough strand by pulling the dough and then rolling.
    When it gain a length of around 36 cm, we can shape them into kaiser rolls.
  • With the long rope ,make a loose knot.
    Now you will get “tails” on either side of the knot.
    Begin with the tail on the bottom; wrap it over the knot, then push it through the hole (in the middle).
    Bring the top tail down and join it with the end of the other tail underneath.
    how to shape kaiser rolls
  • Don’t forget to pinch and secure the underside. This will prevent the dough from unraveling while it’s proofing as well as while baking.
    Place the shaped kaiser rolls on to a parchment lined baking tray.
    Repeat with remaining portions to form all 10 kaiser burger buns.
    how to shape kasier roll

Final rising

  • Cover the tray with a plastic film and let the kaiser rolls rest and proof for 70-75 minutes.
    This proofing time also depend on the warmth of the environment.If your place is warm, they may proof at around 65 minutes or if your place is cold it may take 80 minutes.
    We need to wait for until the kaiser buns get really puffed up.

Bake the kaiser rolls

  • Bake the kaiser rolls in a 356 F or 180 C preheated oven for 26-30 minutes or until the kaiser burger buns are golden brown in color .

Video

Keyword Easy Kaiser Roll recipe, kasier buns recipe, kasier burger buns
Recipe Rating




Richelle Sampy

Wednesday 6th of September 2023

Hi Bincy,

What type of yeast did you use? Would love to try the Kaiser Rolls. Enjoy your detailed videos which make it so interesting.

Bincy Chris

Monday 11th of September 2023

Hi Richelle, I have used Instant yeast (SAF instant yeast) I am so glad you are planning to make this rolls.Hope you enjoy!

Denise

Sunday 26th of February 2023

Absolutely perfect! It looked just like the picture and my very picky son loved it so much he only wants these instead of store bought! Thank you so much!

Bincy Chris

Monday 27th of February 2023

So happy to hear you made this kaiser rolls and your son loved it.Thank you so much for taking your time to write back me and for rating this recipe.