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gipfeli recipe
Katie

Gipfeli Recipe

These homemade gipfeli are buttery, lightly crisp on the outside, and soft and layered inside, making them a lovely Swiss-style breakfast pastry that feels special but approachable.
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Prep Time 35 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Rise Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 55 minutes
Servings: 12 gipfeli
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: Swiss
Calories: 252
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 500 g all-purpose flour about 4 cups
  • 50 g granulated sugar about 1/4 cup
  • 10 g salt about 2 teaspoons
  • 10 g active dry yeast about 2 teaspoons
  • 250 ml whole milk warmed to about 37 C / 98 F, about 1 cup
  • 250 g unsalted butter cold and cut into small cubes, about 1 cup
  • 1 egg for egg wash
  • 100 g chocolate chips optional, about 1/2 cup
  • 100 g jam or fruit preserves optional, about 1/2 cup
  • 100 g cheese optional, use a cheese that melts well, about 1/2 cup
  • poppy seeds or sesame seeds optional, for topping

Equipment

  • Large mixing bowl
  • Pastry cutter
  • Rolling Pin
  • Baking sheet
  • Parchment paper
  • Pastry brush
  • Wire rack

Method
 

  1. In a large bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, salt, and yeast until combined.
  2. Add the cold butter cubes and work them into the flour mixture with your fingers or a pastry cutter until coarse, uneven crumbs form and small pieces of butter are still visible.
  3. Gradually pour in the warm milk, stirring until a rough, shaggy dough forms.
  4. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for about 10 minutes, until smooth and elastic.
  5. Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place for 1 to 2 hours, or until doubled in size.
  6. Gently punch down the dough and knead it briefly to bring it back together.
  7. Roll the dough into a large rectangle about 1/2 centimeter thick. Cut it into triangles with a base of about 10 to 12 centimeters and a length of 15 to 20 centimeters.
  8. If using a filling, place a small amount near the wide end of each triangle.
  9. Roll each triangle from the wide end toward the point, keeping it snug but not tight, then curve the ends inward slightly to form crescents.
  10. Place the shaped gipfeli on a parchment-lined baking sheet, leaving space between them. Cover and let rise for 30 to 60 minutes, until puffed.
  11. Preheat the oven to 200 C / 390 F. Beat the egg and brush it over each gipfeli. Sprinkle with seeds if using.
  12. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until deep golden brown. Cool on a wire rack for at least 10 minutes before serving. Brush with melted butter while warm if desired.

Notes

Keep the butter cold from start to finish, because warm butter will blend into the dough and reduce the flaky layers. Do not overfill the gipfeli, especially with jam, or the filling may leak and burn on the baking sheet. For the best texture, bake until deeply golden rather than pale, since underbaked gipfeli can taste doughy inside. These are best the day they are baked, but leftovers can be reheated in a low oven for a few minutes to refresh them. Chocolate, jam, and cheese all work well as fillings, but use only a small amount near the wide end of the dough. If your kitchen is warm, chill the dough briefly before shaping if it starts to feel too soft.