Tessa’s Recipe Rundown
Taste: An ever so slightly sweet blank slate for any type of sandwich or even a smear of something deliciously spreadable.
Texture: Obviously this is the best part. Unbelievably crunchy yet light, so you don’t feel like you’re going to scrape your gums just taking a bite. Perfection!
Ease: Super simple, if not a little strange. The only inconvenient bit is that you’ll need rice flour. I’ve included some extra pictures and tips above, as long as you follow the recipe as written these should turn out beautifully.
Appearance: Intriguingly mouthwatering. I love how you can just see the crunch.
Pros: Just like the bread at Ike’s and in San Francisco, made right at home!
Cons: None!
Would I make this again? 1000% yes.
This post may contain affiliate links. Read our disclosure policy.

Dutch Crunch Bread is popular in the Bay area and I first had it recently at the sandwich chain Ike’s and fell completely in LOVE. It is, of course, unbelievably crunchy but in a way that’s light and crackling so as not to scrape your gums or make it difficult to actually eat. It is also called Tiger bread, or tigerbrood or tigerbol in Netherlands and giraffe bread in the U.K. This is due to the spots and strips the are created by covering normal bread dough with a unique topping of yeast, oil, and gluten-free rice flour.

This topping is what creates that crunchy exterior, so it’s super important to follow the ingredients and directions as they are written. The rice flour’s starchy and fine consistency paired with its complete lack of gluten is what causes the topping to develop into a crackled crunchy layer. Rice flour can be found at most American grocery stores in the baking aisle, often near the other gluten-free flours and products. I do not know of anything that can be substituted for the rice flour that provides the same effect, so if you want to make this recipe you may need to make a grocery store run!

The texture of the topping is quite unique, so I made sure to include some photos so you know what it should look like. The mixture is kind of like a thick batter that inflates as you let it rest.

Free Baking Science Mini-Course!
From cookies that spread to undercooked brownies, this FREE 5-day Baking Science course helps you conquer common baking challenges and make bakery-worthy treats every time.

Then you simply spread it generously over the risen bread dough and watch it do its crazy thing in the oven!

Dutch Crunch Bread Rolls
Ingredients
For the rolls::
- 1 package (2 1/4 teaspoons) instant yeast
- 1/4 cup lukewarm water
- 1 cup lukewarm milk
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
- 3 cups (13.5 ounces) all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons fine salt
For the topping::
- 1 package (2 1/4 teaspoons) instant yeast
- 3/4 cup lukewarm water
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
- 1 cup (5 ounces) rice flour*
Instructions
For the rolls:
- In the bowl of an electric mixer combine yeast, water, milk, sugar, and oil. Gradually add in the flour and stir until moistened. Add in the salt. Fit the mixer with the dough hook attachment and mix on medium speed until the dough comes together in a smooth elastic ball, about 5 minutes. If the dough is unbearably sticky, add in more flour 1 tablespoon at a time. The dough can also be kneaded by hand.
- Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl and cover. Let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
- Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and divide into six equal portions. Shape each portion into a tight ball and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Cover and let rise while you prepare the topping.
- Make ahead: At this point the dough can be made ahead of time by covering tightly and refrigerating for up to 24 hours. Remove and let come to room temperature. If two fingers pressed into the dough leave indentations it’s ready.
For the topping:
- In a large bowl combine all the ingredients and let rest, covered, for 15 minutes, or until frothy.
- Make ahead: Store the topping in a covered but ventilated container in the fridge for up to a week. Let come to room temperature before using.
- Spread a generous layer of the topping all over the rolls, maintaining a thick coating. You should use almost all of the topping. Let rise uncovered for another 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Bake the rolls for 25 minutes, or until golden brown.
Oh my gosh, these are SO good. When I looked at the recipe, I thought that 6 rolls weren’t very many. Mine came out at 4 1/2 inches across, so my husband and I shared one. Really, really delicious! Definitely a do-over.
Like all recipes from Tessa, this one rocks!
Can I use sweet rice flour vs rice flour?
Hi Cindi! We haven’t tried that, but I don’t believe it will work as well, as sweet rice flour contains a lot more starch. Have a look at The Kitchn’s article on the differences between the two. Of course, if you’re up for an experiment, feel free to give it a try and let us know how it goes 🙂
While the initial dough was nice and springy, the dough flattened with the topping during the last 20 minute rest. Any clue on how to prevent it spreading out. All 6 rolls became one large roll.
Hmmm…it sounds like maybe you accidentally pushed too hard on the dough when adding the topping, which can deflate the dough, so I’d be careful when adding the topping next time. I’d recommend spreading out your dough balls a bit more as well to keep them from connecting. Hope that helps!
I made this today! It was definitely interesting as I had never had this type of bread before. It reminded me a lot of Asian breads I’ve had before that have a crunchy top (except those are sweet, so every time I bit into these Dutch crunch breads I expected sweetness lol). I followed the recipe pretty closely, but I guess my rice flour (from an Asian grocery story) was different from yours because I did not get a thick topping mixture like pictured; it was pretty liquidy instead. I ended up putting in ¼-½ cup more rice flour. Otherwise, this recipe was really good! Even without the topping I think this is a solid bread recipe that results in super soft and springy rolls. I made shrimp burgers to pair with this and loved it a lot. The crunch from the topping enhanced the burgers a lot. I wrapped the leftovers in plastic wrap and I will have to see if they remain crunchy tomorrow
can sweet rice flour be used for the topping in place of the rice flour?
Can I use normal dry yeast instead of instant?
i can’t find the second asterisk. Am I just missing it?