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Last updated on December 18th, 2025.

Schnecken literally means “snails” in German, which is not doing this pastry any favors. These beloved Jewish German treats are named for their spiral shape and known for a cozy cinnamon filling and a caramelized topping. They’re often compared to cinnamon rolls, but Schnecken have their own personality: less fluffy, more buttery, and usually packed with nuts, raisins, or finished with a sticky honey-caramel glaze.

Schnecken roll topped with sticky pecans.

I first tried Schnecken at my aunt’s home in NYC. It was years ago, but I remember it clearly: small, tightly swirled pastries, deeply golden, loaded with pecans and raisins, and smelling aggressively like cinnamon. One bite and I was hooked. Buttery and rich, tender but not fluffy like a typical pastry. It was part cookie, part pastry, soft, buttery, with just enough crunch. Unforgettable.

Fast forward to now: I had leftover babka dough and decided to recreate that memory. The result was spot on, so here we are. The signature sticky-bun texture comes from a double-folding process (similar to Israeli Chocolate Rugelach) and spacing the pastries so they bake evenly. The real star, though, is the honey pecan syrup spooned on at the end. As it bakes, the honey caramelizes, adding a deep, irresistible layer of flavor.

If cinnamon pastries are your thing, check out these Bakery-Style Cinnamon Rolls, Cinnamon Babka, and Jewish-Style Brioche Cinnamon Rolls.

Ingredients

For the Dough

  • Bread flour or unbleached all-purpose flour.
  • Dry milk powder
  • Instant yeast. For active dry yeast, see recipe notes in the recipe card.
  • Salt
  • Sugar
  • Large eggs at room temperature
  • Lukewarm milk
  • Unsalted butter at room temperature cut into 1-inch pieces.
  • Egg yolks for brushing the pastry. I like using only the yolk vs a whole egg, because it gives the pastries a deeper color.

Cinnamon Filling

  • Soft unsalted butter
  • Dark brown sugar
  • Ground cinnamon
  • Chopped dark raisins. Chocolate-covered raisins or chocolate chips are also a great option.

For the Topping

  • Honey.
  • Dark brown sugar
  • Butter
  • Chopped pecans.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Make the Dough

  1. In a large mixing bowl fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the flour, dry milk, yeast, sugar and salt. With the mixer on low speed, add the eggs to the dry ingredients and and drizzle the milk. Replace with the dough hook and mix until you have a rough slightly dry dough.
  2. Add the butter one piece at a time, waiting for the butter to incorporate completely before adding the next piece.
  3. Knead on medium speed until you have a smooth, elastic dough that does not stick to the sides of the bowl.
  4. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm place for 90-120 minutes for the first dough rise.
  5. Chill the dough in the refrigerator for 30-60 minutes before assembling.
Pouring milk into dry ingredients in a mixer bowl.
Mix the dry ingredients with the eggs and add the milk. Mix for about 1 minute.
Adding butter to dough in a mixer bowl.
Add the butter one piece at a time.
Elastic dough hanging from a dough hook.
Mix until you have a smooth, elastic dough.
A mixer bowl topped with plastic wrap.
Top with plastic wrap and let rise for 90-120 minutes.

Make the Filling

  1. Combine brown sugar and cinnamon in a large bowl.
  2. Use an electric mixer to mix the filling ingredients until smooth. If you don’t have one, use melted butter, mix, and set aside to cool. 
A bowl with butter, brown sugar and ground cinnamon.
Place all of the filling ingredients in a large bowl.
Cinnamon filling in a large bowl.
Mix until smooth.

Make the Topping

  1. In a medium saucepan, cook the honey, butter, and brown sugar until the butter has melted and the sugar has dissolved.
  2. Remove from heat and mix in the pecans using a wooden spoon.
A saucepan with butter, honey and brown sugar.
Cook the topping ingredients until the butter melted and the sugar dissolves.
a saucepan with honey syrup and chopped pecans and a wooden spoon.
Add the pecans.

Assemble the Schnecken

  1. Divide the chilled dough into two equal parts, each aprox—480 g. Place one piece back in the refrigerator while you shape the first piece.
  2. Roll the dough into a 12×16-inch large rectangle over a lightly floured work surface.
  3. Spread half of the filling over the top half of the dough, and sprinkle the chopped raisins.
  4. Fold the bottom part of the dough over the top part.
  5. Roll the dough again into a 12×16-inch rectangle.
  6. Cut the dough into 12 1-inch stripes using a pizza wheel or a sharp, skinny knife.
  7. Roll each stripe into a snail-shaped roll. Do not roll the dough too tight.
  8. Arrange the rolled pastries on a large baking pan lined with parchment paper in a pattern of 3 per raw and two between the gaps.
  9. Repeat with the second piece of dough.
  10. Brush the pastries with the egg wash using a pastry brush. Set aside for 90 minutes for the second rise.
a dough rectangle next to a ruller or a rolling pin.
Roll the dough to a 12×16 inch rectangle.
Rectangle dough topped with cinnamon filling and raisins.
spread half of the filling over the top half of the dough.
rolled dough with a rolling pin.
Fold the bottom part of the dough over the top part.
Rolled filled dough.
Roll the dough again into 12×16 inch.
Sliced dough next to a pizza wheel and a ruller.
cut the dough into 1-inch stripes.
hands rolling cinnamon roll.
rolled the dough into a spiral, from one end to the next.

Bake the Schnecken

  1. Bake the pastries for 15 minutes.
  2. Remove them from the oven and top each pastry with 1/2 tablespoon of the topping.
  3. Bake for another 5 minutes until the pastries are dark golden brown.
unbaked schnecken on a baking pan with parchment paper.
Line the pastry over a pan with parchment paper. Bake for 15 minutes.
Baked schnecken topped with sticky syrup.
Top with the filling and bake for additional 5 minutes.

Tips for Perfect Schnecken

  • Don’t skip chilling the dough. If not, it will bounce back and be hard to work with.
  • When rolling the dough, flour your rolling pin and the work surface. 
  • Lightly flour your work surface. Roll the pin as needed to prevent the dough from sticking, moving it as you go. 
  • Allow the pastries to cool in the sheet pan, no need to transfer to a cooling rack.

Yields

This recipe makes 24 decadent Schneckens, perfect for sharing (or indulging solo).

Storing

  • At room temperature: Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
  • Freezing: Place the baked pastries in a freeze bag and freeze for up to 4 weeks. Thaw and reheat in the oven for that fresh-baked flavor.
Sliced sticky Jewish german cinnamon roll. Schnecken.
Schnecken recipe.
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Schnecken, The German-Jewish Cinnamon Rolls

Jewish German cinnamon rolls topped with sticky honey pecan caramel.
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Servings 24 Pastries
Author Dikla Levy Frances

Ingredients

Cinnamon Filling

  • 3/4 Cup Soft butter (150g)
  • 1 Cup Dark brown sugar (200g)
  • 2 teaspoons Cinnamon

Honey Pecan Topping

  • 1/2 Cup Honey (120ml)
  • 1/2 Cup Dark brown (100g)
  • 1/2 Cup Unsalted butter (113g)
  • 1 Cup Chopped pecans (100g)

Instructions

Make The Filling

  • Mix the butter, cinnamon, and dark brown sugar until smooth.

Make The Topping

  • Over medium heat, cook the butter, sugar, and honey until the butter is melted and the sugar dissolves.
  • Mix in the pecans and set aside.

Assemble The Babka

  • Divide the chilled dough into two equal portions, approximately 480 g each. Keep one portion in the refrigerator while working with the other.
  • On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough into a large 12×16-inch rectangle.
  • Spread half of the filling over the top half of the dough and sprinkle the chopped raisins evenly over it.
  • Fold the bottom half of the dough over the top half to enclose the filling.
  • Roll the folded dough again into a 12×16-inch rectangle.
  • Using a pizza cutter or a sharp knife, cut the dough into 12 strips, each about 1 inch wide.
  • Roll each strip into a loose snail shape, careful not to roll too tightly.
  • Place the rolled pastries on a parchment-lined baking sheet, arranging them in rows of three with two staggered between the gaps. Do not place them too close to each other.
  • Repeat the process with the second portion of the dough.
  • Brush the pastries with egg wash using a pastry brush. Let them rise for 90 minutes before baking.

Bake The Pastries

  • Bake at 350F (180C) for 15 minutes.
  • Remove from the oven and top each pastry with the honey pecan topping.
  • Bake for an additional 5 minutes.
  • Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10-15 minutes. Serve.

Notes

  • Store at room temperature in an airtight container for up to two days.
  • To freeze: place in a plastic bag for up to four weeks. When ready, remove from the bag and thaw.
  • This recipe makes 24 schneckens.
  • Don’t skip chilling the dough. If not, it will bounce back and be hard to work with.
  • When rolling the dough, flour your rolling pin and the work surface. 
  • Lightly flour your work surface. Roll the pin as needed to prevent the dough from sticking, moving it as you go. 
  • Allow the pastries to cool in the sheet pan; no need to transfer to a cooling rack.
 
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2 Comments on " Schnecken: Classic Jewish German Cinnamon Rolls "

  1. Dikla Levy Frances
    Susan says:
    Thu Nov 21 24

    Can’t wait to try these. Will let you know how they turn out. Thanks.

    Reply
    1. Dikla Levy Frances
      Dikla says:
      Fri Nov 22 24

      Wonderful Suzan! Thank you.

      Reply