Gemberbolus, or Dutch Ginger Rolls, are a delightful treat that combines warm spices and a sweet ginger filling, making them perfect for autumn baking. Originating from the Netherlands, these rolls topped with warm buttery syrup complimenting the filling and cinnamon dough make this recipe perfect for Fall.

Gemberbolus or Dutch Ginger Rolls sit on a ceramic plate covered in syrup.

Ingredients and substitutions for Dutch Ginger Rolls

How to make Dutch Ginger Rolls

Ingredients and substitutions for Dutch Ginger Rolls

Yeast: Yeast doesn’t just help give our rolls that fluffy bread texture, it also help it rise to create a nice crumb.
Milk: This helps give our loaf a soft crumb and the golden crust. You could substitute with water in equal measure, if you prefer. Ensure milk is warm, not hot, to activate yeast properly.
Egg: Adds moisture and binding the dough together. The egg helps with rising acting as a leavening agent.
Butter: We add room temperature butter the gluten has begun to form to help create a smooth and luscious dough. You can replace with non dairy butter in equal measure, however, this has not been tested.
Sugar: Superfine or caster sugar is perfect because it dissolves easily without adding any further flavor. If you prefer, you can replace in equal measure with brown sugar.
Ginger: Crystallized ginger was used here as per traditional instructions thanks to its jelly candy texture that infuses the rolls softly without overwhelming like raw ginger would. If you can’t source crystallized ginger you could replace with ginger candies in equal measure.

See recipe card for quantities.

A close up of a Dutch Ginger Rolls with it's glazed appearance.

How to make Dutch Ginger Rolls:

Crystallized ginger and water sit in a saucepan.

Step 1: Create the ginger syrup: Cook the water and ginger in a saucepan until soft, strain and reserve both separately and set aside.

Bloomed yeast sits in a stainless steel bowl on a gray surface

Step 2: Time for some dough: Place the milk and yeast into a bowl and allow to sit until bubbly.

Ground cinnamon and other dry ingredients sit in a pyrex measuring cup.

Step 3: Add dry ingredients: The flour, sugar, ground cinnamon and salt is added and stirred through.

A ball of dough sits in a stainless steel bowl on a gray surface.

Step 4: Egg and butter: The egg and melted butter is added to the dough and it is all kneaded until well formed and smooth. Set that baby aside to rise.

Cooked crystallized ginger and sugar sit in a blender beaker.

Step 5: Ginger puree: Blend the ginger puree ingredients until smooth. Set aside.

Step 6: Butter sauce: Simmer some ginger syrup water in a saucepan alongside the other ingredients until thick. Set aside.

Ground cinnamon sits on top of sugar in a white ceramic bowl on a gray surface.

Step 7: Sugar sand: Stir the sugar and ground cinnamon and set aside.

Step 8: Divide: Once your dough has risen sufficiently, divide into 12 equal portions, shaping into balls.

A Dutch ginger roll sits on a wooden surface folded over being being rolled into a scroll.

Step 9: Roll and fill: Roll one of the balls out onto a teaspoon amount of the spiced sugar into a rectangle, ¼ inch thick, filling with ginger puree in the center.

Step 10: Fold and fold and roll: Fold the dough: bottom third up, top third down over the filling. Roll into a tight scroll and place into a greased muffin tin.

Unbaked Gemberbolus - Ginger Rolls sit in a muffin tin.

Step 11: Rest and bake: Rest the rolls in the muffin pan and then spoon over a little butter syrup just prior to baking. Bake until golden.

A close up of a Dutch Ginger Roll with it's glazed appearance sitting in sauce.

Step 12: More syrup and serve: Spoon more syrup over the rolls whilst hot and set aside to cool before serving warm alongside your favorite hot drink.

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Dutch Ginger Rolls (Gemberbolus)

Sylvie Taylor

Layers of sweet ginger are folded through every bite of these Dutch Ginger rolls that have a syrup coating to make them the perfect warm dish when colder days come visiting.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 1 30

Cook Time 15

Rising time 1

Total Time 2 45

Course Breakfast, Snack

Cuisine Dutch

Servings

Calories 357 kcal

Ingredients

Ginger mixture

150 grams / ¾ cup + 2 tablespoons crystallized ginger roughly chopped
250 grams / 1 cup water

Dough

228 grams / ¾ cup + 3 tablespoons milk lukewarm
7 grams / 2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast
480 grams / 3 cups plain flour
1 teaspoon sea salt
14 grams / 1 tablespoon superfine/caster sugar
5 grams / 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
45 grams / 1 medium egg room temperature
30 grams / 2 tablespoons butter melted

Ginger puree

30 grams / 2 tablespoons superfine/caster sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Butter syrup

50 grams / ¼ cup superfine/caster sugar
60 grams / 2.10 ounces butter

Spiced sugar

40 grams / 3 tablespoons superfine/caster sugar
2 grams / 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Instructions

Lightly grease a medium muffin tin, set aside.

Ginger syrup

Add the crystallized ginger and water to a saucepan on high heat until boiling, than turn the heat down to a low simmer and cook until thickened to a syrup, approximately 10 minutes.
Remove from the heat and allow to cool, straining and reserving both the ginger and the liquid separately.

For the dough

Pour the lukewarm milk into a large bowl and toss over the yeast, allowing to sit for 10 minutes until bubbly.
Add the flour, salt, sugar and cinnamon and stir to combine.
Add the egg and melted butter and knead until a soft dough has formed.
Place the dough into a lightly greased bowl and cover until doubled in size.

Ginger puree

Place the ginger, 2 tablespoons of the ginger liquid, sugar and vanilla extract in a blender and combine until smooth
Spoon into a small bowl and set aside.

Butter sauce

Pour 60 milliliters or ¼ cup of the ginger water, the sugar and butter into a saucepan on medium high heat until boiling, lower the heat to medium-low, simmering until glossy and slightly thickened, approximately 10 minutes. Remove and set aside to cool.

Spiced sugar

Stir the sugar and cinnamon in a bowl and set aside.

Assembly

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350F.
Knead and divide the dough into 12 equal dough balls.
Roll one of the balls out onto a teaspoon amount of the spiced sugar into a rectangle, ¼ inch thick.
Spread a tablespoon amount of the ginger puree in the center.
Fold the dough: bottom third up, top third down over the filling. Roll into a tight scroll and place into a greased muffin tin.
Allow to rest for 15 minutes than pour 1 tablespoon of the butter syrup over the top of each.
Bake until lightly golden, approximately 15 minutes.
Whilst hot out of the oven, brush with 1 tablespoon of ginger liquid.
Set aside to cool.
Serve warm with a cup of coffee or tea and enjoy.

Notes

Yeast: Yeast doesn’t just help give our rolls that fluffy bread texture, it also help it rise to create a nice crumb.
Ginger: Crystallized ginger was used here as per traditional instructions thanks to its jelly candy texture that infuses the rolls softly without overwhelming like raw ginger would. If you can’t source crystallized ginger you could replace with ginger candies in equal measure.
Yeast: Yeast doesn’t just help give our rolls that fluffy bread texture, it also help it rise to create a nice crumb.
Muffin tin: A standard 12 cup muffin tin was used here.

Adapted from The Dutch Table

Nutrition

Calories: 357kcal

Keyword breakfast, brunch, fall dish, spice

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Dutch Ginger Rolls (Gemberbolus)

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