If you’ve never had Streuselbrötchen, let me introduce you to one of Aachen’s best-kept bakery secrets! These soft, lightly sweet German streusel rolls are topped with buttery crumble and baked until just pale golden.
They’re fluffy, gently sweet, and unapologetically simple - exactly how they should be.
I grew up eating these in Aachen, usually as a little reward after school. Outside of my hometown region, they’re surprisingly hard to find - and definitely not in vegan form. So we’re fixing that.
Jump to:
❤️ Why You'll Love This Recipe
- 🧁 Soft, fluffy crumb - enriched with evaporated oat milk for that classic yeast dough base texture! The dough bakes up tender and pillowy.
- ✨ Proper chunky streusel - not sandy, not shy. Proper crumb topping. The type that spills slightly over the top of the dough.
- 🥛 Naturally rich flavor - subtle vanilla, buttery notes, and that classic German bakery vibe.
- 🕒 Reliable & Simple - made with instant yeast, simple dry ingredients, and no complicated steps.
- ☕ Perfect for mornings or coffee breaks - they work for breakfast, afternoon coffee breaks, or just because. Think German streusel cake energy, but easier to grab and eat.
- 🌱 Fully vegan, but with zero compromise - same comfort, same texture as the traditional version.
🌱 Ingredients & Notes
Here is everything you need for this recipe:
For the Yeast Dough:
- Evaporated oat milk - richer than most non-dairy milks and gives the dough a softer crumb. I used Nature's Charm Evaporated Oat Milk.
- Instant dry yeast - easy and reliable. You can substitute active dry years, just bloom it properly.
- Granulated Sugar - just enough for gentle sweetness in the dough.
- All-purpose flour - simple and classic (plain flour if you're in the UK!).
- Salt - balances the sweetness. A pinch of salt makes all the difference.
- Vegan butter - softened for easy kneading. At room temperature - this oftens the crumb and makes kneading easier.
- Vanilla extract - to add subtle warmth without overpowering. A tiny splash of almond extract works too if you like.
For the Optional Wash:
- Sweetened condensed oat milk - gives a slight sheen and helps streusel stick. I like to use Nature's Charm.
- Plant milk or water - to thin it slightly.
For the Streusel Topping
- All-purpose flour
- Granulated Sugar
- Cold vegan butter - key for chunky crumbs. Make sure it's unsalted. I used Flora vegan butter.
- Pinch of salt
- Optional cinnamon or vanilla sugar - very light, if you like.
Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the post for detailed quantities and measurements.
🔪 Equipment
Here is all the equipment you need to make this recipe:
- Large mixing bowl
- Baking sheet lined with parchment paper
- Optional: stand mixer with dough hooks
- Wire rack for cooling
That’s really it.
🧑🍳 How To Make Vegan Streuselbrötchen (Step-by-Step)
Step 1
Mix lukewarm evaporated oat milk, yeast, and a little sugar. Let it sit until slightly foamy.
Step 2
Add flour, remaining sugar, salt, butter, and vanilla. Knead until smooth and soft.
Step 3
Let the dough rise until doubled.
Step 4
Make the streusel by rubbing cold butter into flour and sugar until chunky. Chill.
Step 5
Divide dough into rolls, shape into balls, and flatten slightly.
Step 6
Brush with optional wash (if using), then pile on plenty of streusel.
Step 7
Let rise briefly again, then bake until lightly golden but still pale and soft.
📌 If you love Pinterest you can pin any of the images to your boards!
🍽️ Serving
These German streusel rolls are best enjoyed slightly warm, when the dough is still soft and fluffy and the streusel topping is just crisp.
Serve them:
- With coffee in the afternoon
- Weekend breakfast
- Packed for a day out or in your lunchbox
- Fresh from the oven, torn open while still a bit warm (yum!)
- A simple alternative to German streusel cake
They’re simple and that’s the charm.
❄️ Storage
Store in a sealed container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Yeast dough can dry out, so keep them airtight.
You can also prep the dough the day before and let it rise slowly in the fridge overnight.
To refresh:
- Warm in the oven at 300°F (150°C) for a few minutes, or
- Microwave for 10-15 seconds
They’ll soften up beautifully.
💡 Expert Tips & Tricks
Don’t over-brown them. Streuselbrötchen should be pale with just a hint of golden brown. Too dark = dry crumb.
Keep streusel chunky. Stop rubbing the butter into the dry ingredients as soon as you have pea-sized crumbs. If it turns sandy, it’ll melt too much in the oven.
Let the dough fully double. If the yeast dough base hasn’t properly risen in a warm place, the rolls will bake up dense.
Chill the streusel. Cold crumbs = better texture.
Bake them fairly close together. Slightly touching rolls feel more authentic.
Use evaporated oat milk. It genuinely improves softness.
Use room temperature butter in the dough. Cold butter won’t incorporate properly and can lead to uneven texture.
If using a mixer, start on low speed. Let the dough come together before increasing speed. This prevents flour flying everywhere and helps develop gluten more evenly.
🛠 Troubleshooting
The dough feels too sticky.
A slightly tacky dough is normal. If it’s truly wet and unmanageable, add 1 tablespoon flour at a time. Avoid dumping in too much - that’s how rolls turn dry.
The dough didn’t rise.
Check your instant yeast. If you used active dry, make sure it was properly bloomed. Also, your kitchen might not have been warm enough - try placing the bowl in a turned-off oven with just the light on.
The streusel melted into the rolls.
It was likely too fine or too warm. Chill it before using and don’t overmix the streusel ingredients.
The streusel falls off after baking.
Press it gently into the top of the dough before the second rise. The optional condensed milk wash also helps it stick better.
The rolls feel dry the next day.
That’s normal for yeast-based bakes. Store in a sealed container and warm briefly before serving to bring back softness.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. You can substitute active dry yeast for instant yeast in this recipe. Just dissolve it in the lukewarm oat milk with a little sugar and let it sit for 10-15 minutes until foamy before adding the remaining ingredients.
Absolutely. After kneading, cover the bowl and let the dough rise slowly in the fridge overnight. The next day, let it come back to room temperature for about 30-45 minutes before shaping.
Yes, but freeze them without glaze. Let them cool completely, then store in a sealed container or freezer bag for up to 2 months. Reheat in the oven until warm and soft again.
🔜 More Bakes For You
If you enjoy these Streuselbrötchen, you might also love this Baked Rice Pudding Cake (another classic from my German hometown!) or these soft, pillowy Sweet Potato Cinnamon Rolls.
Did you make this recipe? If so, will you do me a huge favor and leave a review and star rating & let me know how you liked this recipe? THANK YOU! ❤️
Here's a handy recipe card that you can print out and keep in your kitchen for easy reference:
📖 Recipe Card
German Streusel Rolls (Vegan Streuselbrötchen)
Equipment
- 1 large bowl
- 1 Baking Sheet
- 1 parchment paper
- 1 stand mixer with dough hooks poptional
- 1 Wire rack for cooling
Ingredients
For the yeast dough:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour 500 g
- 1 cup evaporated oat milk 250 ml, lukewarm
- 2 ¼ teaspoons instant dry yeast 7g
- ¼ cup granulated sugar 60 g
- ⅓ cup unsalted vegan butter 80 g, softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract optional
- 1 teaspoon salt
For the streusel topping:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour 120 g
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar 80 g
- ⅓ cup unsalted vegan butter 80 g, cold
- 1 Pinch salt
For the optional wash:
- 1-2 tablespoons condensed oat milk 15-30 ml
- 1 tablespoon plant milk or water 15 ml
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine lukewarm evaporated oat milk, instant yeast, and 1 teaspoon of sugar. Let sit for 5-10 minutes or until foamy.
- Add the remaining sugar, flour, salt, butter, and vanilla. Knead for 8-10 minutes until smooth and soft. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Cover and let the dough rise in a warm place for 60-90 minutes, until doubled in size.
- Mix flour, sugar, and salt for the streusel. Rub in cold butter until chunky crumbs form. Don't overmix! Chill.
- Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 8-10 rolls. Shape into balls and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet and flatten slightly with your palm (no rolling pin needed).
- Brush lightly with optional wash and generously cover the top of the dough with streusel.
- Let rise for another 20-30 minutes.
- Bake at 350°F (180°C / 160°C fan) for 18-22 minutes until lightly golden brown and baked through.
- Cool slightly before serving.
Notes
- Keep the rolls fairly pale for an authentic bakery look.
- Chunky streusel is essential for these streusel rolls - so don’t overwork it.
- These are best eaten on the day they’re baked.
- Evaporated oat milk gives noticeably better softness than regular plant milk.
© 2026 Romy London / Romina Callwitz | All images, videos, wordings and content are copyright protected and belong to Romina Callwitz. Please do not use any of my content without prior permission. If you wish to re-publish any (part of my) content, please get in touch via email. Thanks for your support!
*Disclosure: This page may contain affiliate links and sponsored links that earn me a small commission, at no additional cost to you. You can find more information in my Privacy Policy.
💭 Leave a Comment