Kaiser rolls is easier to cook with than it looks. Here's how to choose, use, and store them, what to substitute, and 22 recipes to get you started.

What are kaiser rolls?

A kaiser roll is a round, crusty sandwich roll about the size of your palm. The top is stamped with the five-fold pinwheel curl that gives it its signature look.

The crust shatters lightly when you press it, while the inside stays open and chewy. That contrast is the whole point: enough structure to hold a loaded sandwich without turning to paste.

The roll traces back to 19th-century Vienna, where it was named in honor of the emperor. Bakers often dust the top with poppy or sesame seeds, though a plain one is just as traditional.

How to Use Kaiser Rolls

Their job is to carry a generous filling. Split one across the middle, and the firm crumb stands up to anything wet or saucy without going soggy partway through.

That structure makes them the right bread for Sloppy Joes 2 or a pile of Barbecued Pork & Coleslaw Sandwiches (Super Bowl), where a softer bun would collapse.

They handle hot fillings just as well. Onion 'N Pepper Beef Steak Sandwich and the broiler-finished Open-face Flank Steak Sandwiches with Herbed Goat Cheese & Tomatoes both lean on the crust to stay intact under juicy meat.

For burgers like Southwestern Burgers or Buffalo Bill Burgers, a kaiser gives more chew and a sturdier handle than a standard squishy bun.

Warm them before serving. A few minutes in a 350°F (175°C) oven, or a quick pass cut-side down on a hot pan, revives the crust. Toasting the cut faces also builds a moisture barrier that buys you time before the sauce soaks in.

Pairing and Common Mistakes

Kaiser rolls suit bold, savory fillings: roast beef with horseradish, ham and Swiss, pulled pork, a fried chicken cutlet. The neutral crumb is a backdrop, so let the filling lead.

Think of the roll as the frame, not the picture.

The most common mistake is using a roll past its prime as is. A fresh kaiser has a crackly crust, but by day two that crust softens and the crumb dries.

Do not throw it out. Stale kaiser rolls are exactly what German cooks want for bread dumplings: torn and soaked, they bind into Brotknoedel (Bread Dumplings) and the rich Favorite Liver Dumplings, where a too-fresh roll would turn gummy.

The other slip is skipping the warm-up and building a cold sandwich straight from the bag. Five minutes in the oven is the difference between a crust that crackles and one that feels like cardboard.

Substitutes

For most sandwiches, a crusty round bun is the closest stand-in. A French roll or a ciabatta roll brings the same firm crust and chew, and Portuguese rolls and bolillos work the same way.

A brioche or potato bun will do in a pinch, but they are softer and sweeter, so a saucy filling soaks through faster. Eat those sandwiches quickly.

For dumplings and stuffings, any sturdy day-old white roll or even a baguette substitutes cleanly, since you are after dry, absorbent crumb rather than the shape.

Buying and Storage

Look for rolls with an even golden crust and a crisp feel. A pale, soft top means an underbaked roll that will go stale fast, and bakery kaisers beat the bagged supermarket kind, which trade crust for shelf life.

Kaiser rolls are best the day they are baked. Keep them at room temperature in a paper bag for a day or two; paper lets the crust breathe, while a sealed plastic bag traps moisture and turns the crust leathery.

Do not refrigerate them. The fridge stales bread faster than the counter does.

To keep them longer, freeze them. Wrap each roll tightly and freeze for up to three months, then thaw at room temperature and crisp in a hot oven for 5 minutes to bring the crust back.

Refresh a slightly stale roll the same way. A splash of water on the crust and a few minutes in a 375°F (190°C) oven restores much of the original snap.

Quick facts

In Chinese

凯泽卷

British (UK) term

Kaiser rolls

en français

rouleaux kaiser

en español

rollos de kaiser

Recipes using kaiser rolls

There are 22 recipes that contain this ingredient.

All 22 recipes