13 German Breads You’ll Love

There’s no doubt about it, Germany is a bread-loving country. The country’s bakeries produce hundreds of different varieties of bread every day.

Luckily for us, we can make a lot of these breads at home.

However, making bread can be daunting. It requires a lot of time, patience, and a certain level of skill in the kitchen. This is part of the reason why pulling that first freshly baked piece of hot bread apart is so satisfying. 

Making German bread doesn’t have to be difficult though. Thanks to a wide range of easy-to-follow recipes, we can easily make a variety of German breads at home.

Today, we want to show you exactly what you can make.

In this post, you’ll find a list of 13 German breads you can make at home. We’re sure you’ll fall in love with the options we have for you. Let’s get started!

1. Bauernbrot (Farmer’s Bread)

We’ll kickstart with a famous bread otherwise known as Farmer’s Bread. Bauernbrot is a chunky bread made with caraway seeds and rye flour.

Thick, filling, and incredibly tasty, this bread has a rich flavor that goes beautifully with sharp cheeses. 

This recipe from Lemon Blossoms uses a sourdough starter to ensure the bread rises perfectly. You’ll find that this also gives the bread a slightly tangy flavor.

The end result is a dense and crusty bread that will fill you up.

2. Seele 

Seele translates to “soul” which is exactly what this bread has. Made using yeast, salt, flour, and water, it is believed that the name of this bread comes from All Souls’ Day. It is a complex bread to make but one you won’t regret making.

Requiring hours of kneading to reach the required texture, this bread turns golden brown and crusty when baked. Don’t worry, the insides of the bread stay fluffy and moist. In terms of flavor, this bread is rich and yeasty. Coating the bread with coarse salt is a neat touch.

3. Flammkuchen

If you love pizza, you’ll adore this next recipe. Flammkuchen is essentially Germany’s take on Italian pizza.

However, instead of using a round bread with tomato sauce and cheese, this German bread comes in the form of a rectangle and is topped with bacon, onions, and Creme Fraiche.

Traditionally made in a wood-fired oven, this bread only takes up to 2 minutes to cook. Loaded with flavor and texture, you can get creative with this recipe and add any ingredients you like.

4. Hornchen

Next up, we have Hornchen. Hornchen is more commonly known in France as a croissant. In Germany, this version of the croissant is very different.

They are much thinner and smaller than traditional French croissants, hence the name ‘little horn’.

Hornchen’s are usually prepared with a butter filling, chocolate, or cream. However, you can make the bread more unique and German by using local beer, poppy seeds, and cheese.

This recipe calls for milk and poppy seeds.

5. Driekernebrot (German Seeded Bread)

If you’re looking for an easier bread to make, but still want the very best of German bread, you should give this dreikernebrot recipe a try.

This Spruce Eats recipe shows you how to make a German seeded bread using wholegrains, sunflower, sesame, and pumpkin seeds. 

A whole-grain loaf, the recipe is easy to follow and doesn’t take that long to prepare. Once cooked, the bread is crisp on the outside and dense and moist on the inside. 

6. German Fladenbrot

This bread is widely regarded as being Turkish, however, it is incredibly popular in Germany. In fact, a lot of German bakeries put their own spin on this bread to make it more German. 

German fladenbrot is a white flatbread with a nigella seed topping. It has a rather particular taste you won’t find anywhere else.

It can be made elongated or round and is best served when served as a ciabatta. We love this bread served with a tzatziki sauce.

7. German Potato Bread

Another great German white bread is German potato bread. For this bread, the German and Irish cuisines cross paths to create a moist loaf made from the starchiest of ingredients.

Using potatoes to make this bread gives the bread a unique moistness and a bulkier feel. 

The potatoes also help the bread keep a wonderfully soft texture. You’ll find that each bite melts in your mouth. This hearty-savory bread goes well with savory sides such as soup, meats, and cheeses.

8. Apfelmushornchen

If you’d prefer sweeter bread, check out this German bread recipe from Dirndl Kitchen.

Easy to make and even easier to wolf down, this is an applesauce croissant recipe that helps you make a stunning batch of sweet pastries. 

Featuring a sweet apple filling surrounded by a flaky, buttery crust, this recipe is to die for.

As if the bread wasn’t sweet enough, the dough even contains applesauce. This applesauce browns, giving the bread a beautiful caramelized texture.

9. Christollen

Christollen is a beautiful Christmas cake that makes an ideal sweet treat for the family. Also known as the ‘beautiful cake’ Christollen is a traditional bread that has been around for almost 700 years.

The bread has many variations, but it normally contains candied citrus peel, dried fruits, spices, and almonds.

Loaded with nutty and fruity flavors, we love the combination of different flavors and textures in this bread. Every bite is unique.

10. Vollkornbrot

Vollkornbrot is a whole wheat rye bread that offers authentic German vibes. This rustic bread features a range of different textures and flavors, all of which help make the bread super satisfying to eat. 

The bread can be made using oats, seeds, and einkorn flour. It is crunchy, chewy, and surprisingly filling. You can be sure this Vollkornbrot recipe is authentic because it calls for authentic German beer.

This gives the bread a more dense, moist feel.

11. German Pretzels

Soft, salty, and extremely addictive, German pretzels are easily as good as any American pretzels you’ve tried before. In fact, they may even be better, especially when you make them yourself. 

This popular Christmas treat is also known as Laugenbrezel. They take just less than 3 hours to make and require 11 basic ingredients.

We recommend tucking into this crunchy, yet soft snack fresh out of the oven. They also taste amazing when drizzled with honey.

12. Brotchen Rolls

If you’re making a family dinner, you have to make Brotchen rolls to sit in the center of the table. They look fantastic and taste even better.

You can use this soft, crusty white bread to soak up sauces, dip it into stews, or simply smother them with butter.

These rolls were once a breakfast staple, but thanks to their versatility, they are now eaten all the way through the day. Just the thought of this sweet bread makes us hungry.

13. Hefezopf

Finally, we have hefezopf. If you’re looking for a real crowd pleaser, this is the bread for you. Traditionally eaten at Easter, this elegant sweet braided bread is absolutely delicious. 

The chewy yeast used to make the bread is light and sweet, making it a big hit around Europe not just in Germany.

Despite its impressive appearance, you don’t have to be an expert in bread making to make it either. This recipe takes you through the whole process step-by-step so you can make a stunning loaf of bread.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Final Thoughts

There you have it, 13 German breads you can make at home. There is absolutely no doubt in our minds that you will fall in love with all of the breads on this list. Every bread offers something different that will knock your socks off.

We’ve looked at savory seeded bread, sweet Christmas bread, tasty pretzels, sweet croissants, and simple, yet delicious bread.

With so many options to choose from, the thing you’re going to find the hardest is picking the bread to make first. 

Anyway, now you have our list of German breads at your fingertips, you can take your time to work out which bread you want to make first.

Good luck!