A Kugelhopf (also spelled kugelhupf, gugelhupf or kugelhoph) is traditionally a yeasted sweet cake. The lesser know version is the Savory Kugelhopf called the Kugelhopf aux Lardons. Lardons is the French name for bacon and this version is typically made onions, ham / bacon, walnuts and herbs.
This savory kugelhopf bread is great for breakfast, snack or with soup for dinner. I have made the vegetarian version of this skipping the ham / bacon and using vegetables instead.
Table of contents
Kugelhopf Bread is well known in the Alsace region of France, as well as in Germany, Switzerland, Austria and variations of this are also found in some countries of Eastern Europe. We can refer to Kugelhopf as part cake and part bread because of its texture.
The Kugelhopf is typically baked in a round pan with a hole in the center, somewhat similar to the Bundt pan, but heavier than it. Since it is a yeasted cake, the kugelhopf has dense bread-like texture to it. This can be considered similar to a coffee cake that can be eaten with breakfast or as a snack.
Why make this recipe?
- If you are a bread lover, then this is a must make recipe. I love savory breads and this happens to be one of my favorite.
- Kugelhopf is a classic recipe that is made vegetarian in this version.
- It is a very filling bread recipe and can feed a crowd. So, it is a great option to bake for holidays or gatherings.
- The flavors and spices can easily be swapped to suit one's need.
- And if you own an Instant Pot, make sure to use the yogurt option and rise the dough to make it quicker.
Serving suggestion
Kuglehopf is a great bread to serve for breakfast. Since this is a savory version of the classic kugelhopf, we love to eat it for dinner along with some soup. I served it with some creamy lentil soup and it was just perfect.
We had some leftovers and the boys ate it after school snack the next evening.
Ingredients and substitutes
Check the recipe card at the bottom of the page for exact measurements and printable detailed recipe.
For the Dough
Flour - I use all purpose flour to make the savory kugelhopf. Bread flour should work as well.
Yeast - I used Instant yeast in the recipe. I added it directly to the flour and then made a dough. If using active dry yeast instead of Instant yeast, use 25% more in the recipe. For example, in this particular recipe we use 2 tsp of Instant yeast. If using active dry yeast, use 2 ½ tsp. Also make sure to activate the yeast before adding it to the flour.
Liquid Ingredients - We use milk to knead the dough along with butter and eggs. This is an enriched dough for the cake like texture and flavor.
Salt - To flavor the dough.
For the filling
Vegetables - I have used onions and bell pepper in the Kugelhopf bread recipe. We can also add tomatoes (I have done it in the past).
Nuts - Pine nuts are what is traditionally used, but we can use any nut of our choice. I have used walnuts and pecans when baking the kugelhopf and each one has its own flavor.
Spices - I went the Indian spice way and used garam masala in the filling. We can skip that or use any other seasoning to give it a different twist. Along with it I have used Red chili powder, black pepper, and dried thyme. Again, the herbs can be skipped or swapped. We will also be using salt to the flavor the filling.
Cheese - We use cheddar cheese or any other sharp cheese in the kugelhopf recipe. I have used Mexican blend in the past as well.
Step by step process
To make the dough
- In the bowl of the mixer, add 3 cups of flour, salt, and yeast. Attach the beater hook and mix well (1).
- Slowly add the butter to the flour and mix until all the butter is well incorporated (2). Now slowly add the warm milk and mix till well blended.
- Next, add the eggs and mix well again. Now change to a dough hook and knead until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Add a little flour if needed (I did not need more flour) to make it into a soft dough that will be slightly sticky (3). Do not add more flour than absolutely necessary.
- Knead the dough until it is elastic and then transfer it into a well-greased bowl. Cover with a plastic wrap and let it rise until double in volume. This could take anywhere from 1 ½ to 2 ½ hrs.
- Proofing the dough using an Instant pot - If you own an instant pot, place the dough in the greased inner pot (4). Make sure you use a glass lid to cover the IP and not the actual lid as it could get stuck under pressure (5). I set it on yogurt mode and set it to low heat and timed it for 30 minutes (6). Most of the time, the dough would double in size in 30 minutes. If you feel, it needs a little more time, leave it for 10 more minutes (7).
To make the Kugelhopf filling
- Heat 1 tsp oil in a pan and add the onions and the chopped bell pepper. Add the salt needed and the spices and mix well.
- Stir fry until the onions and bell peppers are cooked and caramelized. Transfer it to a bowl and let it cool. I also added half the nuts in the filling mixture.
Shaping the dough
- Once the dough has well risen, transfer it to the work surface. Deflate it and then incorporate all the fillings. The best way to do this would be to spread the dough (1) and then add all the filling in the center of the dough (2).
- Fold the dough over the filling and then knead it. This will ensure even distribution of the filling around the dough (3). This step would be very sticky, so use a scraper to help you knead. Do not add more flour.
- Roll the dough into a long roll that can fit comfortably around the pan (4).
- Grease the Bundt pan or kugelhopf pan liberally with oil, especially around the center stem (5). Now sprinkle a little bit of the pine nuts (or whatever nuts you are using) in the base of the pan (6). Do not do this if you are using a loaf pan. You could stick the nuts gently on top of the dough after the second rise, just before baking.
- Finish rolling the dough into a log and then lift it slowly and place it in the pan (7).
- Pinch the edges well to close the circle. Cover and let it rise again until the dough reaches the rim of the baking dish. This could take again anywhere from an hour to 1 ½ hours (8).
- Preheat the oven to 400 F (200 C) and bake the kugelhopf for about 35 – 40 mins until the top is golden brown and the bread sounds hollow when tapped.
- Unmold the kugelhopf bread from the pan and then let it cool on a wire rack. Slice and serve with breakfast or soup.
Expert tips
- Make sure that you use yeast that is not expired. If the yeast is old, use a new batch.
- Do not be tempted to add more flour when kneading the dough for kugelhopf. The dough has to be elastic and soft.
- When incorporating the filling in the dough, take your time to evenly spread. This way every slice of the kugelhopf will have enough filling and flavor.
- Let the kugelhopf bread completely cool before slicing. The center of the bread may take a bit to cool down and may appear wet and doughy if not cooled completely.
Frequently asked questions
Kugelhopf dough is a cross between a cake dough and a bread dough. So the dough is pretty rich. We can skip the eggs and use more milk to increase the liquid.
I like to freeze my extra bread in foil and then place them in a freezer bag. I leave it out to thaw and then microwave the bread to reheat.
Yes, the traditional kugelhopf is a sweetened bread flavored with raisins. It is a mildly sweet bread often served as breakfast.
More Savory Bread Recipes
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Savory Kugelhopf Bread Recipe
Equipment
- Oven
- Bundt Cake Pan
- Stand Mixer
- Instant Pot
Ingredients
FOR THE DOUGH -
- 3 cups All-purpose flour
- 2 tsp Instant yeast
- 1 tsp Salt
- 75 gms Butter room temperature
- ¾ cup Milk Warm
- 2 Eggs lightly beaten
FOR THE FILLING –
- ½ cup Green bell peppers Chopped
- ½ cup Onion chopped
- ½ cup Toasted Pine nuts Or any other nut of your choice
- ½ cup Cheddar cheese Or any other sharp cheese
- ½ tsp Red chili powder
- ½ tsp Garam masala
- 1 tsp Dried thyme
- 1 tsp Crushed black pepper
- to taste Salt
- 1 tsp Oil
Instructions
To make the dough
- In the bowl of the mixer, add 3 cups of flour, salt, and yeast. Attach the beater hook and mix well. Slowly add the butter to the flour and mix until all the butter is well incorporated.
- Now slowly add the warm milk and mix till well blended.
- Next, add the eggs and mix well again. Now change to a dough hook and knead until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Add a little flour if needed (I did not need more flour) to make it into a soft dough that will be slightly sticky. Do not add more flour than absolutely necessary.
- Knead the dough until it is elastic and then transfer it into a well-greased bowl. Cover with a plastic wrap and let it rise until double in volume. This could take anywhere from 1 ½ to 2 ½ hrs.
- Proofing the dough using an Instant pot - If you own an instant pot, place the dough in the greased inner pot. I set it on yogurt mode and set it to low heat and timed it for 30 minutes. Make sure you use a glass lid to cover the IP and not the actual lid as it could get stuck under pressure. Most of the time, the dough would double in size in 30 minutes. If you feel, it needs a little more time, leave it for 10 more minutes.
To make the Kugelhopf filling
- Heat 1 tsp oil in a pan and add the onions and the chopped bell pepper. Add the salt needed and the spices and mix well.
- Stir fry until the onions and bell peppers are cooked and caramelized. Transfer it to a bowl and let it cool. I also added half the nuts in the filling mixture
To shape the dough
- Grease the Bundt pan or kugelhopf pan liberally with oil, especially around the center stem. Now sprinkle a little bit of the pine nuts (or whatever nuts you are using) in the base of the pan. Do not do this if you are using a loaf pan. You could stick the nuts gently on top of the dough after the second rise, just before baking.
- Once the dough has well risen, transfer it to the work surface. Deflate it and then incorporate all the fillings. The best way to do this would be to spread the dough and then add all the filling in the center of the dough.
- Fold the dough over the filling and then knead it. This will ensure even distribution of the filling around the dough. This step would be very sticky, so use a scraper to help you knead. Do not add more flour.
- Roll the dough into a long roll that can fit comfortably around the pan and then lift it slowly and place it in the pan.
- Pinch the edges well to close the circle. Cover and let it rise again until the dough reaches the rim of the baking dish. This could take again anywhere from an hour to 1 ½.
- Preheat the oven to 400 F (200 C) and bake the kugelhopf for about 35 – 40 mins until the top is golden brown and the bread sounds hollow when tapped.
- Unmold the kugelhopf from the pan and then let it cool on a wire rack. Slice and serve with breakfast or soup.
Notes
- Make sure that you use yeast that is not expired. If the yeast is old, use a new batch.
- Do not be tempted to add more flour when kneading the dough for kugelhopf. The dough has to be elastic and soft.
- When incorporating the filling in the dough, take your time to evenly spread. This way every slice of the kugelhopf will have enough filling and flavor.
- Let the kugelhopf bread completely cool before slicing. The center of the bread may take a bit to cool down and may appear wet and doughy if not cooled completely.
Nutrition
NARMADHA says
My family enjoys savory bread and I am always looking out for something new and came across this amazing recipe. Immediately baked it and everyone at home enjoyed it a lot. Thanks for sharing.
Harini Rupanagudi says
Adding Garam Masala to this savory bread is a genius idea. I am sure my family will love it.
Archana says
Ah-ha! I love the addition of garam masala! Can we do without our masalas? Love savoury kugelhopf and I was thinking which bread to bake will definitely add masala to mine too. Thanks for the idea.
Padma Veeranki says
It's been quite a while since I baked a bread and now I'm getting tempted to try my hands on making this flavourful bread. I love the addition of garam masala to give that Indian touch. Delicious bake!
Radha says
Amazing! Love it. This has come out very well. I do add my own touch when I try various cuisines while making it either vegan or vegetarian. I love the touch of spices in this yeasted savory cake.
Sapana says
I have always wanted to try Kugelhopf but always skipped thinking of too much work. Your step by step process and detailed post is inspiring me to make it soon. Thanks for sharing the recipes
Mayuri Patel says
Like the addition of garam masala to this savory kugelhopf. What a twist. Would love to enjoy this flavorful and cheesy bread with some soup. Beautifully baked Sandhya.
Poonam Bachhav says
Kugelhopf Is new to me but sounds absolutely delightful ! I also prefer Savory bakes over sweet ones.
Priya Srinivasan says
savory kugelhopf looks scrumptious sandhya! i remember making both sweet and savory versions and as you mentioned i love savory breads that too with our indian masala's ! A warm soup and a slice of this Kugelhopf, would be bliss!
Uma Srinivas says
Nothing beats homemade bread! I like savory bread, this looks delicious! is there any way we can make this without eggs?
Sandhya Ramakrishnan says
Uma, we can skip the eggs and make it like a regular bread dough. The flavor and texture will be slightly different as it is an enriched dough.
Pavani says
This is such a flavorful and delicious savory kugelhopf. Thanks for the detailed recipe, mine turned out amazing. The whole family loved it.
Lata Lala says
I have never heard of this kugelhopf bread. The list of ingredients to make this and the awesome pictures and your adaptation to make it savoury and vegetarian, are tempting me to give it a try soon.
Thanks for sharing.
Allyssa says
Thank you so much for sharing your recipe! it's really helpful and easy to make!
Melanie says
This looks absolutely divine and all the toppings that go in the bread are my favourite, especially lardons (I'm French ahah!)
Sandhya Ramakrishnan says
Feel free to add the lardons. The bread is amazing.
Srivalli Jetti says
I love this bread of yours Sandhya, I have made this and totally loved it...your pictures look so amazing!..I wish I could grab those off the screen!
Enriqueta E Lemoine says
I have never had kugelhopf bread. But the fact you added garam masala, makes me want to give it a try! Thanks for sharing.
Sandhya Ramakrishnan says
Enriqueta, it is nice to give the recipes our own touch.
Jen says
Kugelhopf is new to me and it looks so delicious. I can’t wait to make it. Thanks for sharing this savoury delight!
Sandhya Ramakrishnan says
It is a delicious bread and you will fall in love with it once you make it.
kushigalu says
Love baking bread and this is something new to me. Looks so pretty and delicious. Thanks for sharing
FOODHEAL says
ooooh, this bread must be tasty! from the ingredients, I am just sitting here mesmerizing wondering if I can make as good as yours. This is a recipe I'll keep for sure and try one day...
Kari Heron says
I never heard of this Kugelhopf recipe before now so it was really wonderful to be able to see this recipe. I love that you have made yours savoury.
Sandhya Ramakrishnan says
Kari, we love savory breads. So you will find a lot of it here 🙂
Ritu says
It's been more than a week since I baked a bread and now my hands are itching to make this flavourful bread. Undoubtedly savory bread go off the table within minutes
Sandhya Ramakrishnan says
You will love it and yes it will disappear very quickly!
Eva says
I didn't know this recipe before, but I like how you have adapted it to suit your eating preferences and added garam masala! I like to do this myself, if I can make a little twist to a classic recipe to make it more my own, I will!
Sandhya Ramakrishnan says
Eva, food is all about adapting and making changes to work for us. I am so happy that we are able to do this 🙂
Allyssa says
Love this bread! Will make it again! Thank you so much for sharing your delicious recipe!
Sandhya Ramakrishnan says
Thanks Allyssa!
Marisa F. Stewart says
There is nothing better than the wonderful aroma of bread baking -- and we bake lots of bread. I knew as I was following your exceptional instructions that this bread would not last long once I served it. The savory ingredients made it a perfect appetizer. That bread did not last longer than 15 minutes once the males of the family got near it.
Sandhya Ramakrishnan says
Thanks a lot! I bake quite a bit and have to say that savory breads are my weakness.
Adriana says
I have never tried Kugelhopf. But now I want to make it. I love that you added garam masala. I bet gives it a very nice flavor. Bread-making is such an art.
Sandhya Ramakrishnan says
Thanks a lot Adriana! What I love about this recipe is how adaptable it is.
NATALIA says
This looks and sounds delicious. I will definitely be making it this weekend. I always struggle to find good vegetarian recipes so this will be a treat!
Sandhya Ramakrishnan says
Thank you Natalia! Hope you like the recipe.
Heather says
I had no idea that was a savory version of this bread!! So on board with that. Sounds amazing can’t wait to try!
Sandhya Ramakrishnan says
Thanks Heather!
megha singhal says
too good especially with step by step picture. well captured. Love to read about the details about the origin of recipes. Great work
https://goodeatstostyle.blogspot.com/
Shruti says
Loved the use of pinenuts wit tis baked loaf! 🙂 Pretty dish...