At a Glance
Mehrkorn Brötchen are small multigrain sourdough rolls with a crisp crust and slightly open, moist crumb. Including whole seeds and pre-soaked grains improves shelf life and digestibility through enzymatic activity during fermentation[1][2].
Not suitable if:
- • You need an instant rise → start with a quick yeasted roll recipe
- • You don't maintain a starter → create and maintain a starter first
🛒 Recommended Products
We recommend the following tools for this recipe:
Digital Kitchen Scale
Consistent results require weight-based measurements
Large Mixing Bowl
Room to mix sticky dough and autolyse comfortably
Dough Scraper
Clean folds and portioning for even rolls
Parchment Paper
Easy transfer of rolls to baking surface
Serrated Bread Knife
Clean slicing without crushing crumb
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Ingredients
Weigh everything on a kitchen scale. Hydration and seed soak improve crumb and shelf life—measure precisely[1].
| Ingredient | Amount | % | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bread flour | 400g | 100% | Strong flour for open crumb |
| Whole wheat flour | 80g | 20% | Adds flavor and structure |
| Water (plus soak) | 360g + 120g for seeds | 90% | Total hydration counts seeds' water |
| Active sourdough starter (100% hydration) | 120g | 30% | Active: doubled 4–8 hours after feeding |
| Salt | 10g | 2.2% | |
| Mixed seeds & grains (sunflower, flax, oats, millet) | 150g (soaked in 120g water for 1 hour) | 37.5% | Drain excess water before adding |
| Honey (optional) | 10g | 2.5% | Improves crust color and fermentation |
Schedule
Same-Day (Active Morning)
Mix early morning, bake late afternoon
Weeknight / Overnight (Low-effort)
Mix in evening, shape and cold-proof, bake next morning
💡 Tips
- If fermentation is faster than expected, move dough to fridge to slow it down[1].
- Cold-proofed rolls can keep 24–48h in fridge before baking without major loss of oven spring[2].
Step by Step
Prepare seeds and starter
Soak mixed seeds in 120g lukewarm water for 1 hour; stir and drain lightly. Ensure your starter is active (bubbly and risen) before mixing[1].
⏱ 1 hour (includes soak)
Autolyse and mix
Combine flours and 360g water in a large mixing bowl. Autolyse 20–30 minutes. Add starter and salt, then mix until cohesive using a dough scraper or dough whisk.
⏱ 30–40 minutes
Incorporate seeds
Fold in drained seeds and grains with wet hands or scraper until evenly distributed. Avoid overmixing which can break swollen seeds.
⏱ 3–5 minutes
Bulk fermentation with folds
Bulk ferment at 21–24°C. Perform 3 sets of stretch-and-folds in the first 90 minutes (every 30 minutes). Let rest until volume increases ~30–50%[1].
⏱ 2.5–4 hours depending on temperature
Divide and shape
Turn dough onto lightly floured surface. Use a dough scraper to divide into equal pieces (80–90g). Pre-shape into rounds, rest 15–20 minutes, then shape tightly to build surface tension.
⏱ 20–25 minutes
Final proof and score
Place rolls on a parchment-lined tray (parchment paper). Brush tops with water and sprinkle seeds. Proof at room temp 45–90 minutes or refrigerate overnight. Score shallowly with a bread lame if desired—small slashes for controlled opening.
⏱ 45–90 minutes (room temp) or 8–18 hours (fridge)
Bake
Preheat oven to 250°C/480°F. If using a steam pan, preheat it as well. Transfer rolls on parchment paper to oven, introduce steam (pour hot water into pan) and bake 10 minutes at 250°C, then reduce to 220°C and bake further 8–15 minutes until golden and crisp[1][2].
⏱ 18–25 minutes
Cool
Cool rolls on a rack for at least 30 minutes before slicing. Seeded rolls retain steam; cutting too soon compresses crumb[1].
⏱ 30–60 minutes
Tips & Variations
Variations
Sesame & poppy topping
Brush with water and press sesame/poppy before baking
→ Classic visual and nutty aroma
Lighter crumb
Increase bread flour to 480g, reduce whole wheat and seeds proportionally
→ Softer, less dense rolls
Honey & molasses
Replace honey with 1 tbsp molasses
→ Deeper color and richer aroma
Pro Tips
- 💡 Weigh each roll with a digital kitchen scale for uniform baking.
- 💡 Use a dough scraper to keep work surface clean and for quick division.
- 💡 If you want extra oven spring, shape rolls with tighter surface tension and proof a touch longer rather than shortening the bulk fermentation[1][2].
Common Issues
If things go off-plan, check these common causes:
Storage
Room temperature in bread bag
3-4 days
Cool completely; keep in paper or cotton bag to preserve crust
Freezing
Up to 3 months
Freeze individually on a tray, then bag; reheat in oven from frozen
Recrisping
Immediate
Refresh in 200°C oven for 5–7 minutes
⚠️ Avoid refrigerator storage—starch retrogradation will stale rolls faster[2].