Hungarian Chimney Cake (Kürtőskalács)

No ratings yet

Hungarian Chimney Cake (Kürtőskalács)

Learn how to make traditional Hungarian Chimney Cake (Kürtőskalács) at home with this easy recipe. These soft, fluffy yeast pastries are wrapped around a cylinder, baked until golden brown, then coated in cinnamon sugar for a crispy caramelized crust. Just like the famous street food found throughout Budapest, they're perfect for holidays, parties, or whenever you're craving a sweet treat.

Prep Time45

Cook Time15

Total Time1

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Hungarian

Servings: people

Calories: 597kcal

Author: Tara Levy

Equipment

Rolling Pin for and rolling and horizontal baking
chimney cake spit or use a 12oz aluminum soda can for vertical baking
aluminum foil
pastry brush any brush will work)
baking pan for vertical baking in an oven

Ingredients

2 ⅓ cup Plain flour
⅔ cup lukewarm milk
2 ½ tablespoon butter or sunflower oil
2 tablespoon icing sugar
1 tablespoon fresh yeast
3 egg yolks
pinch salt
1 ½ tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon or cocoa powder or pack of vanilla sugar

Instructions

Mix yeast, milk, and a teaspoon of icing sugar 1 teaspoon together
Whisk butter or oil with 3 egg yolks into a froth, add flour and the remaining sugar 2tsp, and mix together.
Add the activated yeast mixture to the flour mixture and knead until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 8–10 minutes. Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap and let the dough rise in a warm place for 30–45 minutes, or until doubled in size.
Split your dough into 4 equal size pieces
Using your hands take 1 of the 4 pieces of dough and roll it out into a long skinny string with the ends a smaller and pointy (Repeat for all 4 dough pieces)
Brush melted butter or oil on your roller. Wrap the Roller: Wind the dough ribbon tightly around your prepared foil roller. Ensure the edges overlap slightly so the cake holds together and doesn't gap while baking.
Make you own sptil or buy a spit online
Roll and Coat: Gently roll the dough-covered cylinder on your countertop to press the seams flat. Brush the outside with melted butter, then roll it directly in your sugar and cinnamon mixture.
Bake and Turn: Place the roasting pan* into the oven. Bake at 400°F** for 10-15 mins Rotate the rollers 180° halfway through the baking time to ensure an even, golden-brown caramel crust.
* The Suspension Trick: Do not place the dough directly onto a baking sheet, or it will flatten out. Instead, place your rolling pin or cans suspended across the rims of a deep baking dish or roasting pan so the dough hangs in mid-air.
** The time required for cooking and intervals for rotating the spit may vary depending on your type of oven!
Roll your freshly baked cake in the mixture of sugar and cinnamon etc.
Carefully slide the chimney cake off the foil immediately after baking! with a wood spatula

Notes

These simple tips will help you get a bakery-quality chimney cake with a soft, fluffy interior and a crisp caramelized crust every time.

Don’t Overproof the Dough - Let the dough rise until it has roughly doubled in size, but don’t let it keep rising far beyond that. Overproofed dough can become too airy and may collapse or lose its shape when wrapped around the roller and baked.

Stretch the Dough Evenly - When cutting your dough into long strips, try to keep the width consistent from end to end. Uneven strips can create thin spots that overbake and thick spots that remain doughy. Aim for strips about 1 inch (2.5 cm) wide and ¼ inch (6 mm) thick.

Roll the Dough Tightly - Wrap the dough snugly around the roller or spit, overlapping the edges slightly. A tight wrap helps the cake hold its cylindrical shape and prevents gaps from forming as the dough expands during baking.

Seal the Seams Well - After wrapping, gently roll the dough-covered roller on the countertop with light pressure. This helps flatten and seal the seams so the layers bake together into one smooth chimney cake. If the seams are left loose, the cake may split open while baking.

Rotate While Baking - For the most even browning, rotate the chimney cake 180° halfway through baking. If your oven has hot spots, you may want to rotate it a quarter turn every 5 minutes. This ensures the sugar caramelizes evenly all the way around.

Remove It Immediately After Baking - As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, carefully slide it off the roller while it’s still hot. If it cools on the roller, the caramelized sugar can harden and make it much more difficult to remove without tearing the pastry.

Coat It While It’s Warm - Roll the chimney cake in your cinnamon sugar, walnuts, cocoa, coconut, or other toppings immediately after removing it from the roller. The warm, buttery surface acts like glue and helps the toppings stick evenly for the best flavor and texture.

Bonus Tip: Serve It Fresh - Chimney cake is at its absolute best within 15–20 minutes of baking when the outside is still crisp and the inside is warm and pillowy. If you’re adding fillings like Nutella or ice cream, do so just before serving for the best texture and presentation.

Common Chimney Cake Mistakes (And How to Fix Them)

Making Hungarian chimney cake (kürtőskalács) at home is easier than you might think, but a few common mistakes can affect the shape, texture, and caramelized crust. Here are the most common problems and how to fix them.

Nutrition