Universal yeast dough: ideal for rolls, pastries and strudels

Name: Universal yeast dough: ideal for rolls, pastries and strudels
Prep time: 100 min
Cook time: 100 min
Total time: 100 min
Yield: 12
Ingredients: 500 g all-purpose flour; 250 ml lukewarm milk; 80 g melted butter; 50 g sugar (can be adjusted to taste); 10 g fresh yeast, or 7 g dry yeast; 1 egg (room temperature); 1 teaspoon vanilla sugar or vanilla extract; a pinch of salt; 1 egg for brushing; powdered sugar or cinnamon for sprinkling

i-Recipe.comRecipesUniversal yeast dough: ideal for rolls, pastries and strudels

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Easy to prepare
12 portions
100 minutes

Jan, 19. 01. 2026

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This universal yeast dough is the kind of recipe it’s worth always having on hand. It’s delicate, tender and you can bake rolls, pastries and sweet strudels from it without unnecessary stress. If you want to compare another tried-and-true base, also check out the best yeast dough in the world, which has been very popular on iRecept for a long time.

For 12 portions

Ingredients

For the dough:

500 g all-purpose flour
250 ml lukewarm milk
80 g melted butter
50 g sugar (can be adjusted to taste)
10 g fresh yeast, or 7 g dry yeast
1 egg (room temperature)
1 teaspoon vanilla sugar or vanilla extract
a pinch of salt

For brushing / flavoring (optional):

1 egg for brushing
powdered sugar or cinnamon for sprinkling

Preparation procedure

Crumble the yeast into the lukewarm milk and add 1 teaspoon of sugar. Stir and let stand for 5–10 minutes until a foam forms on the surface.
Sift the flour into a large bowl, add the salt, egg, vanilla and melted butter. Pour in the yeast mixture and work into a smooth, elastic dough. Knead for at least 8–10 minutes, by hand or with a mixer.
Cover the dough with a cloth and let it rise in a warm place for about 60 minutes, until it has doubled in size.
Briefly punch down the risen dough and divide it into the desired number of pieces. Shape into rolls, pastries or prepare a sheet for a strudel.
Place the shaped dough on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, cover and let rise for another 20–30 minutes.
Brush with the beaten egg and bake in a preheated oven at 180 °C for about 15–20 minutes, until the pastry is golden and sounds hollow when tapped.

Quick information

Servings: approx. 12 pieces (rolls, pastries, strudels)
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Rising time: 1–1.5 hours
Baking time: 15–20 minutes
Total time: approx. 1 hour 40 minutes

Recipe conclusion

Universal yeast dough is a reliable base you can use for many types of baking. It is tender, well-risen and remains soft even the next day after baking. Thanks to its simple ingredients and clear method it is suitable both for everyday home baking and for times when you need to quickly prepare something sweet to have with coffee or tea. Once you master this recipe, you can easily adapt it depending on what you plan to bake.