Soft spirals of sweet yeast dough rolled around butter, brown sugar and cinnamon, baked apart on a sheet so each snail stays round with a golden edge. A thin white glaze keeps them lighter and less sweet than the frosted American cinnamon roll. Makes 12 pieces in about 2 hr 37 min.
Prep30 min
Cook22 min
Cooling15 min
Total
2 hr 37 min
Yield
12 pieces
Ingredients
Adjust yield
pieces
Scales from a half to a double batch; give a bigger batch a little more time.
4 cups (500 g)all-purpose flour
¼ oz (7 g)instant yeast
⅓ cup (60 g)granulated sugar
¾ tsp (5 g)fine salt
1 cup (240 ml)whole milk, lukewarm, for the dough
1(50 g)egg, room temperature
⅓ cup (70 g)unsalted butter, softened, for the dough
⅓ cup (80 g)unsalted butter, very soft, for the filling
Whisk the all-purpose flour, instant yeast, granulated sugar and fine salt in a large bowl. Add the lukewarm 240 ml whole milk and the egg and knead 3 minutes, then knead in the softened 70 g unsalted butter until smooth and elastic, 6 to 8 minutes more.
Cover and let rise until doubled, about 60 minutes.
Roll the dough on a lightly floured surface into a 12 x 16-inch (30 x 40 cm) rectangle. Spread the very soft 80 g unsalted butter over it, then mix the light brown sugar with the ground cinnamon and sprinkle it evenly on top, leaving a 1/2-inch (1 cm) strip bare along one long side.
Roll up tightly from the other long side and pinch the seam. Cut into 12 slices about 1 1/4 inches (3 cm) thick with a sharp knife or dental floss.
Lay the slices cut side down on the lined baking sheets, 6 per sheet, tucking the loose end underneath. Cover and let rise until puffy, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
Bake both sheets on the upper and lower thirds of the oven, swapping them halfway, until golden brown on the edges and cooked through in the center, 18 to 22 minutes.
Cool on a rack for 15 minutes. Stir the powdered sugar with the 20 ml whole milk to a thin glaze and brush it over the warm snails.
Tips
Very soft butter spreads without tearing the dough; melted butter leaks out during baking.
Unflavored dental floss slipped under the roll and crossed over the top cuts clean slices without squashing them.
Tucking the tail of each spiral underneath keeps the snails from unrolling in the oven.
Good with coffee or chai tea.
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How long does it take to make zimtschnecken (german cinnamon snails)?
Plan on 30 minutes of prep and 22 minutes of cooking, plus 1 hour 45 minutes to rise and rest. The recipe makes 12 pieces.
How should I store zimtschnecken (german cinnamon snails)?
Keep covered at room temperature up to 2 days, or freeze unglazed up to 1 month.
Can I make zimtschnecken (german cinnamon snails) ahead?
It is at its best the day it is made; prepare it a few hours before serving.
Serve it with coffee or chai tea.
Variations
Bite-size pieces: roll the dough into two 8 x 16-inch (20 x 40 cm) rectangles, roll each from the long side, cut 24 slices about 1 1/4 inches (3 cm) thick and bake 13 to 16 minutes.
Raisin snails: scatter 1/2 cup (75 g) raisins over the cinnamon sugar before rolling; bake time unchanged.
Hazelnut snails: mix 1/2 cup (50 g) ground hazelnuts into the cinnamon sugar; bake time unchanged.
Estimated · per serving
Nutrition
Per serving = 1 of 12 servings this recipe makes.
348Calories / serving
11.8gFat
55.0gCarbs
5.8gProtein
22.6gSugar
Whole recipe (12 servings):
~4176 cal ·
142g fat ·
660g carbs ·
70g protein ·
271g sugar
Estimated values per serving, calculated from standard ingredient data. Not verified Nutrition Facts; actual values vary with brands, measurements, and preparation.
Recipe Rating
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