Dutch Crunch Bread Rolls Recipe

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If you love homemade bread but want something a little more interesting than an ordinary bread roll, these Dutch Crunch Bread Rolls are well worth trying.

They are soft and fluffy on the inside, but the top is covered with a thin rice-flour mixture that cracks as it bakes. The result is that beautiful golden, crunchy pattern that gives Dutch Crunch bread its name.

You may also know this style of bread as Tiger Bread. It looks impressive, but it is actually surprisingly simple to make at home.

These rolls are perfect for sandwiches, burgers, pulled pork, breakfast rolls, or simply warm from the oven with a generous spread of butter.

What Makes Dutch Crunch Bread Different?

The bread dough itself is fairly simple. The real secret is the topping.

A mixture of rice flour, yeast, sugar, oil and warm water is spread over the risen rolls just before baking. Because rice flour contains no gluten, the topping cannot stretch as the bread expands.

Instead, it splits apart and becomes wonderfully crisp.

That is what creates the distinctive cracked “tiger” pattern.

If you enjoy baking your own bread, you might also like my No Knead 4 Ingredient Overnight Bread, which is another very simple recipe for beginners.

Dutch Crunch Bread Rolls Recipe

Makes: 8 rolls
Preparation: About 25 minutes
Rising time: About 1½ hours
Cooking time: 18 to 22 minutes

Ingredients

For the Bread Rolls

• 500g bread flour, about 4 cups
• 7g instant yeast, about 2¼ teaspoons
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1½ teaspoons salt
• 300ml warm water or milk
• 2 tablespoons softened butter or olive oil

For the Dutch Crunch Topping

• 80g rice flour, about ½ cup
• 1 teaspoon instant yeast
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• Around 90ml warm water

Important: Use rice flour for the topping. Regular wheat flour will not give you the same crunchy cracked finish.

Step 1: Make the Bread Dough

Add the bread flour, yeast, sugar and salt to a large mixing bowl.

Gradually pour in the warm water or milk while mixing.

Add the softened butter or olive oil and continue mixing until everything comes together into a slightly sticky dough.

The liquid should only be warm, not hot. Very hot liquid can damage the yeast and stop your dough from rising properly.

Step 2: Knead the Dough

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface.

Knead for around 8 to 10 minutes until the dough becomes smooth, soft and elastic.

You can also do this in a stand mixer with a dough hook for around 5 to 7 minutes.

Don’t be tempted to add lots of extra flour. A slightly soft dough generally produces lighter, fluffier rolls.

If you enjoy making different types of rolls, have a look at these Papo Secos Portuguese Bread Rolls too.

Step 3: Let the Dough Rise

Lightly oil a large bowl and place the dough inside.

Cover with a clean kitchen towel or reusable food cover and leave somewhere warm for around 60 minutes, or until roughly doubled in size.

A warm kitchen is ideal, but don’t place the bowl somewhere extremely hot.

Step 4: Shape Your Rolls

Once risen, gently press the air from the dough.

Divide it into 8 roughly equal pieces.

Shape each piece into a smooth round roll by pulling the edges underneath and gently rolling it against your work surface.

Place the rolls on a parchment-lined baking tray, leaving enough room between them to expand.

Cover loosely and leave them to rise again for around 30 to 40 minutes.

Step 5: Make the Crunchy Topping

While the rolls are completing their second rise, prepare the part that makes this recipe special.

Mix together:

• Rice flour
• Yeast
• Sugar
• Salt
• Vegetable oil
• Warm water

You want a thick but spreadable paste, similar to thick pancake batter.

If it seems too thick, add another teaspoon or two of water.

Leave the mixture for around 10 to 15 minutes. It may become slightly bubbly as the yeast starts working.

Step 6: Cover the Rolls

Preheat your oven to 200°C / 400°F.

Once the rolls have finished rising, gently spoon or brush a generous layer of the rice flour mixture over the top of each one.

Don’t spread it paper-thin.

You need enough topping for it to dry, crack and become crispy as the rolls expand.

Try to coat the entire upper surface.

Step 7: Bake

Place the tray into your preheated oven and bake for approximately 18 to 22 minutes.

The rolls are ready when they have puffed up and the topping has developed a deep golden colour with plenty of cracks.

Transfer them to a cooling rack.

And then comes the difficult part…

Try to leave them for at least 10 to 15 minutes before cutting one open!

How To Get That Perfect Dutch Crunch

There are a few little tricks that make a big difference.

Use Rice Flour

This is probably the most important part of the recipe.

Rice flour does not behave like ordinary wheat flour, which is exactly why it creates that distinctive crunchy surface.

Don’t Make the Topping Too Thin

A very watery coating may simply disappear into the roll.

You want something thick enough to sit on top of the dough.

Be Generous With the Topping

A thin smear will produce very small cracks.

A generous coating gives you those larger, dramatic crunchy sections.

Give the Dough Enough Time to Rise

Don’t rush the rising stages.

The dough should look noticeably larger and feel light and airy before going into the oven.

What Can You Put Inside Dutch Crunch Rolls?

Almost anything you would normally put into a sandwich works.

Some simple ideas include:

• Ham and cheese
• Turkey and salad
• Chicken and avocado
• Tuna mayonnaise
• Egg and bacon
• Pulled pork
• Roast beef and mustard
• Cheese and pickle
• Fried egg and cheese

They are also sturdy enough for juicy burgers and heavily filled sandwiches without immediately falling apart.

For another fun way to serve sandwiches, try these Bread Cones filled with your favourite ingredients.

Common Dutch Crunch Bread Mistakes

My topping didn’t crack

The mixture may have been too thin, or you may not have applied enough.

Rice flour is also essential. Substituting ordinary flour changes how the topping behaves.

My rolls are heavy

The dough may not have risen for long enough.

Cold kitchens can considerably increase rising time, so watch the dough rather than relying entirely on the clock.

My rolls are dry

Avoid adding excessive flour while kneading and don’t bake the rolls longer than necessary.

The topping is pale

Give the rolls another couple of minutes in the oven. Dutch Crunch looks and tastes best when the topping develops a good golden colour.

How To Store Dutch Crunch Rolls

These rolls taste best on the day they are baked because that is when the topping is at its crispiest.

Once completely cool, place leftovers in an airtight container or bread bag and keep at room temperature for around 2 days.

The crust will soften slightly during storage.

To bring some of the crunch back, place a roll into a 180°C / 350°F oven for around 5 minutes.

Can You Freeze Dutch Crunch Rolls?

Yes.

Allow the rolls to cool completely before putting them into freezer bags or airtight containers.

Freeze for up to approximately 3 months.

Let them thaw at room temperature and then warm them briefly in the oven.

If you like keeping simple homemade breads on hand, another useful recipe is this Soda Bread Recipe, which doesn’t require yeast or a long rising time.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Dutch Crunch the same as Tiger Bread?

They are very similar. Both use a rice-flour-based topping that cracks while baking. The name Dutch Crunch is particularly common in parts of the United States, while Tiger Bread is a more familiar name in the UK.

Why does Dutch Crunch bread crack?

The rice flour topping does not stretch like the wheat-based dough underneath it. As the bread expands in the oven, the topping dries and splits into the characteristic crunchy pattern.

Can I use normal flour instead of rice flour?

You can make a topping with ordinary flour, but it won’t give you the proper Dutch Crunch texture and appearance. Rice flour really is the secret ingredient.

Can I make larger sandwich rolls?

Absolutely. Instead of eight rolls, divide the dough into six larger portions.

They may require a few additional minutes in the oven.

Can I make the dough ahead of time?

Yes. After kneading, you can cover the dough and allow it to rise slowly in the refrigerator overnight.

Bring it back towards room temperature before shaping and completing the second rise.

Can I use wholemeal flour?

You can replace some of the white bread flour with wholemeal flour. Start by replacing around 25 to 30 percent.

Wholemeal flour absorbs more liquid, so you may need to add a little extra water.

Final Thoughts

Dutch Crunch Bread Rolls look like something that should be complicated to make, but the secret really comes down to one simple topping.

Make a soft bread dough, allow it to rise properly, cover the rolls generously with the rice flour mixture, and let the heat of the oven do the rest.

You end up with a roll that is fluffy in the middle, wonderfully crunchy on top and sturdy enough to hold just about any sandwich filling you can think of.

Once you’ve made that first tray and heard the crunch when you cut one open, ordinary sandwich rolls suddenly seem a little boring.