Doner kebab has become real cult food in Germany – in fact all over Europe and many other countries. For many people, it’s long since stopped being just a quick bite in between. This snack classic is part of everyday life, a favourite meal, a little happy moment in bread. No wonder, then, that a trend around homemade doner is currently taking off on TikTok and Instagram:  rolled doner kebab, also known as baking paper doner or “Viral Doner Kebap”.

More and more foodies are bringing that doner feeling into their own kitchens and not always relying on the classic rotating spit at the takeaway. The way it’s prepared is especially interesting: you don’t need a doner grill or skewers at all. The oven takes the lead role here and rings in a new era for quick and easy doner at home.

Homemade doner used to be a lot of work. You needed a doner grill for home, and both using it and cleaning it was simply too much hassle for many people. On top of that, it was impractical to reserve a spot for a doner grill at home if you only used it every now and then.

The new method makes all that pro equipment and effort unnecessary. Instead, the meat is spread in a thin layer on baking paper, rolled up tightly with a rolling pin, baked in the oven and then sliced into fine strips just like from a traditional doner spit. The whole thing is surprisingly easy.

Over the past few weeks, many people keep seeing this Rolldöner version on TikTok. It looks impressive in Reels and Shorts, and lots of people have already tried it. Thanks to the high satisfaction, “handmade doner” is continuing its rise on social media.

Below, we’ll show you how to recreate the viral baking paper doner in a relaxed way at home. You’ll also learn which ingredients work especially well and how you can turn it into doner in bread, dürüm wraps or even a “clean” Iskender plate.

What actually is rolled doner kebab / baking paper doner?

The trick is so simple you wonder why it hasn’t always been done this way:

Instead of building a big meat spit, this DIY doner spreads seasoned minced meat thinly onto baking paper, rolls it up tightly, bakes it in the oven and then slices it into fine strips. The result is thin, juicy meat strips with slightly crispy edges. That makes them perfect for doner in bread, dürüm wraps or an Iskender plate.

Basic recipe: Doner kebab made at home

With this base recipe you can easily make the viral baking paper doner yourself.

Ingredients (for approx. 4–6 portions)

• 1 kg ground beef (ideally grass-fed)

• 2 onions

• 2 cloves of garlic

• 2 tbsp yogurt

• 1 tbsp paprika powder

• ½ tbsp black pepper

• 1 tbsp Vegeta or a seasoning mix of your choice

• 1 tbsp oregano

• 1 tbsp dried parsley

• 2 tbsp olive oil

Alternative spice mix (instead of Vegeta):
2 tbsp cumin, 1 tbsp salt, 1 tbsp garlic. Purée everything finely and mix into the meat.

Step by step: How baking paper doner works

1. Prepare onions & garlic

Finely chop or purée the onions. Press or purée the garlic as well.

2. Mix the meat

Put the ground beef, onions, garlic, yogurt, olive oil and all spices into a large bowl.

3. Knead, knead, knead

Knead everything vigorously by hand until you have a smooth, compact mixture.
If you have time, let the mixture rest briefly in the fridge – this intensifies the flavour.

4. Divide & roll out

Divide the meat mixture into 4 equal portions.
Place each portion between two sheets of baking paper and roll it out very thinly with a rolling pin.

5. Form the rolls

Roll each thin sheet up tightly into a log. This imitates the doner spit.

6. Into the oven

Preheat the oven to 200–220 °C top/bottom heat. Place the rolls on a baking tray, optionally add pieces of pepper and tomato, and bake for about 25–35 minutes.

7. Pour off the liquid (important!)

About halfway through – or at the latest at the end – pour off the liquid that has collected on the tray so the meat doesn’t “sit” in it. That way it stays juicy and develops better roasted flavours.

8. Briefly crisp up

At the end, you can put the rolls back in the oven for a short time. If you like, drizzle them with a little lemon juice beforehand.

9. Slice like doner

Remove the rolls from the oven, let them rest briefly and then slice them into very thin strips.

Now you’ve got your own portion of “Viral Doner Kebap” straight off the baking paper.

Serving ideas: From doner in bread to gluten-free dürüm

With the prepared meat you’re incredibly flexible. Here are a few ideas:

1. Classic doner in flatbread

Briefly warm flatbread or pide in the oven.
Fill with lettuce, tomato, cucumber, onion, red cabbage and the meat strips.
Top with garlic yogurt, herb sauce or chilli sauce as desired.
Your Insta-ready homemade doner is done.

2. Viral Iskender: clean & gluten-free

If you take the trend a step further, you can turn the baking paper doner into an Iskender plate:

For this Iskender recipe you’ll need gluten-free, preferably “clean” bread as a base. Cut the bread into pieces and spread them on the plate.

For the tomato–butter sauce you’ll need:
2 tbsp butter, 1 tbsp tomato paste, 150–200 ml passata, 1 tsp sweet paprika, 1 pinch of salt.

Briefly bring everything to a boil until the sauce is nicely thickened.

Then layer as follows:

• Bread cubes on the plate

• Soak with the tomato–butter sauce

• Add the sliced doner meat on top

• Finish with 2–3 tbsp melted butter

• Add a dollop of Greek yogurt on the side

Your “clean” Iskender kebab is ready – completely gluten-free but full of flavour.

3. Gluten-free dürüm / wrap

For the trend-style dürüm, you’ll need doner meat (baking paper doner), tomato–butter sauce or yogurt sauce, sumac onions, lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, and a gluten-free wrap or dürüm of your choice.
Fill it up, roll it up tightly and you’ve got your very own social-media-ready dürüm.

Viral doner: A trend with taste and future

Rolldöner, or baking paper doner, shows how modern and everyday-friendly a true classic can become. Without a spit, without a special grill and without a big fuss, you can bring that doner feeling into your own kitchen with ease.

With a bit of prep, good ingredients and a hot oven, a simple minced meat mixture turns into aromatic doner meat that you can use in all kinds of ways.