Krentenbollen (Dutch Currant Rolls) Recipe

By
Karin Engelbrecht
Karin Engelbrecht
Magazine editor, restaurant reviewer, and food writer who focuses on Dutch cuisine.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 05/25/22
Dutch krentenbollen, butter and jam

GMVozd / Getty Images

Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 15 mins
Rising Time: 2 hrs 45 mins
Total: 3 hrs 20 mins
Servings: 12 servings
Yield: 12 rolls
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
327 Calories
7g Fat
59g Carbs
8g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 12
Amount per serving
Calories 327
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 7g 9%
Saturated Fat 4g 20%
Cholesterol 46mg 15%
Sodium 242mg 11%
Total Carbohydrate 59g 21%
Dietary Fiber 4g 13%
Total Sugars 26g
Protein 8g
Vitamin C 2mg 9%
Calcium 66mg 5%
Iron 2mg 9%
Potassium 392mg 8%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Visit any schoolyard or playground in the Netherlands and you will find plenty of these currant-studded rolls tucked into children’s lunchboxes. Enjoyed plain, or spread with butter, jam, and even cheese, Dutch kids love them, and it’s easy to see why. Parents adore them too because they keep for days and travel well. We love them for breakfast, warm from the oven, with a little grasboter. Trust us, this is one traditional Dutch family recipe you’ll want to return to again and again.

Ingredients

  • 3 teaspoons dry yeast

  • 1 cup (230 milliliters) lukewarm whole milk

  • 4 cups (500 grams) bread flour

  • 2 large eggs, divided, 1 beaten for egg wash

  • 3 tablespoons raw cane sugar

  • 1/3 cup (75 grams) butter, softened

  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest

  • 400 grams currants

  • 1 teaspoon table salt

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Combine yeast and milk together.

  3. Then, mix 2 1/2 cups (320 g) of the flour with the milk mixture and 1 of the eggs.

  4. Add the raw cane sugar, softened butter, lemon zest, and remaining flour, and mix well until it forms a dough.

  5. Cover and allow to rise in a warm spot for half an hour.

  6. Knead the mixture until it forms a supple dough—you can do this by hand or using a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment.

  7. Add the currants and salt and then knead again briefly, to mix.

  8. Grease a mixing bowl, a sheet of plastic wrap, and a baking sheet.

  9. Place the dough in the mixing bowl, cover with the plastic wrap, and allow the dough to rise in a warm spot for 45 minutes.

  10. Divide the dough into a dozen balls, using your hands to flatten each a little.

  11. Place the dough balls on the baking sheet, cover with the greased plastic wrap and allow to rise again for 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

  12. Preheat the oven to 400 F (210 C).

  13. Beat the remaining egg in a small bowl.

  14. Finally, remove the plastic wrap, brush the rolls with the beaten egg and place them in the oven for about 15 minutes until browned and baked.

  15. Remove the currant rolls from the oven and allow to cool on a wire cooling rack.