Franzbrötchen

The Franzbrötchen is a sweet cinnamon-and-sugar pastry that is popular at bakeries in Hamburg, in northern Germany. It is known for its crumpled shape, made by pressing a rolled-up dough outward from the center. The buttery dough gives off the sweetness of baked sugar and the aroma of cinnamon.

Roll, Press and Bake

The dough is Plunderteig, a yeast dough that rises while butter is folded into it many times. It is rolled out thin, spread with cinnamon and sugar, rolled up and cut, and then pressed in the center to open up the layers. The folded dough forms layers as it bakes, and on the surface the sugar melts into a glossy, toasty finish.

In the process at a bakery presented by the City of Hamburg, the dough is shaped into a square block, rolled thin by machine, scattered with sugar and cinnamon, and rolled up from one edge. Each cut piece is pressed and twisted with a metal rod, and after baking it is brushed with a sugar glaze for shine. This bakery does not simply slice the rolled dough into rounds. Its shape comes from pressing each piece to spread the layers.

On the other hand, the head of production at a pastry shop, interviewed by a tourism organization, says they handle each piece by hand according to the condition of the dough. Even for the same cinnamon pastry, shops differ in which steps they do by machine and which they finish by hand.

For Hamburg Mornings

Many people buy them for breakfast or as a snack during the day. According to Norddeutscher Rundfunk (NDR), some versions add raisins, chocolate, apple or other ingredients. Alongside the traditional squashed shape, a shape with a more pronounced twist has also become common in recent years.

This sweet bun goes well with coffee and is eaten both at the breakfast table and during breaks.

Several Theories About Its Name and Origin

There are several theories about its name and origin. One says it developed from a French-style bread, another links it to a “French baker” in Altona, and others consider a connection to Nordic cinnamon pastries. Norddeutscher Rundfunk and Hamburg’s tourism organization both say that its origin is unclear. Its French-sounding name and its resemblance to similar pastries are not enough to identify a single inventor or a single history.

Glossary