Given that Hamburg is the hometown of Franzbrötchen, I’m amazed how few places actually master this craft, or its big brother’s: the cinnamon roll. If you’re searching for quality, you won’t be rolled over by selection. For now I recommend making a detour to only these six bakeries and cafés, if you want to taste one of Hamburg’s best cinnamon rolls.
I really mean, make the detour. As we learned after three tastings, a cinnamon roll is not the same in bare surroundings. Some recipes are suited for a morning pastry, others are indulgent desserts. Not all doughs stay awesome ‘to go’ – especially one it is, that best blossoms when served in its respective atmosphere. So whether Franzbrötchen, cinnamon roll, or any twist in between, the following spots baked our favorite ones in 2018.
Two Classic Franzbrötchen
Let me start with Franzbrötchen, because if you want to stay true to this town, you too should start by tasting a Franzbrötchen. This primitive version of a cinnamon roll, has a flaky phyllo dough and will not be eaten with a fork. It is a Hamburg classic, a popular breakfast on the go, often eaten from its paper bag while walking to the subway.
Kleine Konditorei (Eimsbüttel)
I’m specifically thinking of this scene from the Kleine Konditorei (pictured above). The award-winning bakery has four locations in Eimsbüttel with lines that go around the block on weekends. Their recipe has never disappointed us, nor our foreign visitors. It makes a super sticky and quite sweet dough which feels almost tender underneath the flaky crust. If you want to indulge, try their chocolate or raisin flavors!
Café Luise (Ohlsdorf)
Our most surprising hit however, was Café Luise’s creation. This café should have actually made it into our third tasting, but it wasn’t in walkable distance. My sister who ventured to Ohlsdorf on my birthday, told me about it. She just asked for a Franzbrötchen, like any customer, no mention of this big tasting. But instead of an easy answer, they introduced her to the café and made her take two home, since we’d never tried them before. Sure enough – back home, even in bare surroundings, this Franzbrötchen outdid itself next to our standard favorite one from Eimsbüttel. This dough was a tad more balanced and moist from all sides. Café Luise’s Franzbrötchen is worth its rave.
Four Favorite Cinnamon Rolls
However if you’re like me, then you’re searching for cinnamon rolls. Something to dig in with a fork (or not), munch at a table, and unroll through all its layers.
Us tasters couldn’t decide on the best one. While the Hamburger law student and the alpinist couldn’t let loose with Balz’s cute creation, the three third wavers actually preferred the large, fluffy one from Zeit für Brot, a German bakery. Mutterland’s decadent recipe ranked first for the dough’s graphic designer as well as our craft beer brewer. Lastly, Törnqvist became part of the game again, for each taster who tried Linus’ Kanelbullar on spot.
We concluded:
Whichever cinnamon roll you prefer has a lot to do with your heritage, education level and eye sight.
Yeah, no, just kidding. All four of the following cinnamon rolls are awesome. So you may as well just stop here, mid-sentence, and run to taste for yourself before they’re sold out. However if you want to know in what order to try Hamburg’s cinnamon rolls – as in which café sells out first, where it’s important to taste on site, and which roll is adequate to take along for later … then continue post-sentence.
Balz und Balz (Hoheluft)
“nice yeasty note and perfect sweetness”
This specialty coffee shop with German charm is well known for their cinnamon rolls. Katrin and Chris Balz (or their loyal assistants) bake them from scratch daily. The buns will be ultimately fresh, you might even have to wait a few minutes if you’re an early riser. Then, served in cute pairs, topped with powdered sugar they are especially enjoyable next to a nutty or fruity coffee.
The siblings’ cinnamon rolls are soft and balanced. I want to describe the dough as “stretchy” – some of us thought a tad underbaked, others said there was no better perfection. We agreed on two things for sure though: that the yeast note was the most striking in town, and that the subtle level of sweetness couldn’t have been better.
I recommend a taste for yourself, as a breakfast, fika or shared treat after a local Balz lunch here. I’m very curious what your take on these are, since I personally still can’t make up my mind. But don’t think too long, cause by every afternoon the Balzis twists are savoured up by other readers!
Read more about Balz and Balz here.
Zeit für Brot (Ottensen)
“fluffy and moist as can be”
Even though Zeit für Brot is not a unique, owner-run café – I can’t get over their cinnamon rolls. This northern German bakery produces them on a larger scale, but quality doesn’t suffer under quantity. All baked goods here are organic and bursting with the flavor of real ingredients.
Like everything else, you can watch the “cinnamon” rolls be kneaded, rolled, smeared and baked through the glass window in the back. I’m saying “cinnamon” in quotes because you might end up not getting a pastry with cinnamon. Zeit für Brot bakes half a dozen flavors in these swirls – from my favorite maple-walnut, to an intense poppy, outlandish peanut & jelly as well as a decadent white chocolate flavor. Even though all doughs are identical, the intense ingredients make each version taste unique.
Nevertheless, the cinnamon flavor doesn’t loose any power when rowed next to the others. Its spice belongs to the strongest in town. From the inner to the very outer spiral, these buns are as fluffy and moist as one could only dream for.
Now how, when and where do I recommend to savour this cinnamon roll? I’m the type who would devour it for breakfast, but these cinnamon rolls are so quintessential that no circumstance can fool you on their quality. Pick up a whole pallet at 7am and turn into the hero at work. Pack one for your to-be-delayed train ride. Or savour them right there, which is no less idyllic. A bakery it is, but with carpenter-approved tables, a modern, industrial interior and cozy cushions on the windowsill bench.
Mutterland (Eppendorf & Downtown)
“crunchy exterior, fudgy interior”
Mutterland is a delicacy shop selling curated food products from local manufacturers. Their main focus is Hamburg delicacies, but nevertheless the three shops sell home-made sweet and savory nosh to enjoy immediately. However only one location, in Eppendorf, has a classic café space attached to it. Here you can dine the traditional foods, from Labskaus to Franzbrötchen, in a classic, calm atmosphere.
These things are called Franzbrötchen. They don’t look it, but the dough sure is not yeasty. It is crunchy and flaky from around, which complements the fudgyness inside. Still, in size and looks, this pastry will more often be shared as a cinnamon roll.
Mutterland’s recipe had us caught between “woah” and “too much”. If you’re in need for the most comforting of pastries and like moistness limes cookie dough, then this Franzbrötchen Roll is for you. From outside to in, it transitions from a sugary crisp to a dense, moist center where all the cinnamon goodness meets. And if that’s not juicy enough, then there’s always still the chocolate and apple flavor.
Törnqvist (Sternschanze)
“a bullar and flattie”
Törnqvist was a tough one. In my first tasting, way back when, Linus’ recipe was highlighted with turmeric. I only just learned that this was a one-time mistake by Tricky. Still, I was flabbergasted by the modest little creation – and not just because of the turmeric, or fruity flattie alongside it. The Kanelbullar itself was fine, neither lacking, nor overdoing any quality.
However at our second official tasting (at home), Törnqvist’s bullar didn’t rank high. We all noted “too dry” on our evaluation sheets. Next to Mr. Ultra Fluffy and Mrs. Ultra Moist it was weak.
I couldn’t make up my mind. So, a few times, I dragged my only true Hamburger taster to this third wave coffee shop. Eventually we succeeded: The day prior, the bakers were neither ill, nor road biking along the Elbe. Also we, came neither too early nor too late. So we ordered, took a spot, patiently waited for our flattie and desperately wondered what the twists would bring. Ready to be sceptical. In Japanesque-manner, they made it to our table. Nibble by nibble, this kanelbullar was flawless. It was yeasty and doughy, whilst subtle and unassuming. The cinnamon was strong, beside a note of cardamom. I’d love to have one as my daily fika.
All in all, there is something magical about Törnqvist. I’d say: Only search for this bullar, if you can appreciate it live. Come for a one-of-a-kind experience, provoke your patience and palate with a fruity-milk drink called flat white and round the experience off with Linus’ dainty bullar. Aim for 11am on a normal day if you wish to succeed.
Read more about Törnqvist here.
• • •
Three tastings, eight tasters and more than a dozen bakers left us with only a handful of perfect cinnamon rolls in Hamburg. There is charm in having few, but I would still be excited for the town of Franzbrötchen to improve their craft. Especially into the range of vegan rolls or nutty floured twists. As of now, I am roaming the capital for those. So keep me tuned on the Hansestadt’s development and your favorite cinnamon rolls!
More Info:
Interactive Map here.
Kleine Konditorei: four locations in Eimsbüttel – 1,25€
Café Luise: Erdkampsweg 12, Ohlsdorf
Balz und Balz: Lehmweg 6, Hoheluft (closed Monday, sells out fast)
Zeit für Brot: Ottenser Hauptstraße 41, Ottensen (always has a selection)
Mutterland: three locations (2x downtown, 1x with a café in Eppendorf) (cinnamon flavor usually sold out by afternoon)
Törnqvist: Neuer Pferdemarkt 12 (closed Monday, sells out fast)
Last but not least, big thanks to Melanie Böhme, one of my tasters, for the great pictures of our third tasting. Find more of her coffee travels on https://melscoffeetravels.com or follow her at @melscoffeetravels!
Wow… I kept wanting to read more. The Franzbrötchen crowd have to step up! Franzies Unite against the Imperialism of the Cinnamon Roll.
I was at Balz and Balz recently and had their paired delights, and completely agree with your characterization, In fact, I think I’ve tried them all, and I think the best one depends more on me then on them, as different rolls are suited to different moods and circumstance. Blackline also has been experimenting with a Cardamon roll that is in a state of becoming, so maybe that will make it to the list at some point. I was initially not so thrilled about Torqvists, but am motivated now to give it a second try …
Well, and as regards the last comments. I disagree! In its native state a Franzie is much less sweet than a Cinnamon roll. Those who dissented with my assertion were, I believe, misled by comparing a corner baker with a foodie cafe when determining relative sweetness.