Bread is one of the most important part of the German diet. It’s a staple food at breakfast (Frühstück), break-time (Pausenbrot or Brotzeit) and supper (Abendessen). If you took the effort to travel all across the country, you would be able to enjoy more than 300 bread varieties and over 1,200 different bread rolls and baked goods in Germany. And you won’t have to look hard to find somewhere to buy bread. Artisanal and chain bakeries (Bäckereien) are on every street in every village town and city in Germany.
German bread varieties differ according to the cereals used – rye, spelt, or wheat – the ratio at which these bread grains are mixed, the type of cereal products as well as special ingredients and production methods. They can be divided into four categories: rye, wheat, whole meal and specialty breads containing other cereals such as spelt. To make your own German-style breads, see our collection of recipes here.
Looking to buy German breads and cereal products right now? Visit our sister site TheTasteOfGermanyfor a selection of German breads and cereals!
Bread Rolls (Semmeln oder Brötchen)
These are light wheat and rye rolls that are available plain or decorated with poppy seeds, sunflower seeds or sesame seeds.
Farm Bread (Landbrot)
This is a German bread which you can eat at any time, as breakfast, dinner or as lunch snack. It is made from wheat and a little rye.
Five Seed Bread (Fünfkornbrot)
This bread is made from wheat, rye, barley, oat and maize grains.
Pretzels (Brezel)
Fresh pretzels have a dark, salty crust and delicious chewy bagel-style texture. A pretzel is traditionally made from wheat flour, malt, salt, yeast and water. It is particularly popular in Southern Germany.
Pumpernickel (Pumpernickel)
This rich dark bread is made with 100% rye.
It is Germany’s most famous bread. German pumpernickel is often sold in small packets of pre-sliced bread. It is difficult to find in the United States at supermarkets and smaller groceries.
Sunflower Seed Bread (Sonnenblumenbrot)
This bread contains, not surprisingly, sunflower seeds.
Three Seed Bread (Dreikornbrot)
This bread contains rye, wheat and oats.
Whole grain rye bread (Katenbrot)
Katenbrot means “barn bread” and is eaten with cheese, Quark or cold meats. It is a dark, coarse, strong-tasting bread.
Whole grain rye bread (Vollkornbrot )
This is a typical type of bread you will find on many German tables. According to the law, whole grain rye bread has to consist of at least 90 per cent of whole grain flour.
