Chimney cake is traditionally crafted by wrapping dough around a cylinder-shaped baking spit, rolling it in sugar and roasting it over an open fire. But you can make it in the oven too.
Kürtöskalács, a delectable pastry hailing from Hungary, has captured the attention of dessert enthusiasts worldwide. Also known as chimney cake, this traditional dessert is crafted by wrapping a strip of dough around a cylinder-shaped baking spit, then rolling it in sugar and roasting it over an open fire until it achieves a golden brown hue.
Boasting a crispy exterior and a soft, fluffy interior, Kürtöskalács is often infused with cinnamon or other aromatic spices, and can be served either plain or filled with a variety of sweet or savory ingredients. 
While its origins remain a subject of debate, this pastry has long been associated with Hungarian cuisine. It has also earned recognition as a sought-after street food and tourist attraction, frequently gracing the menus of bakeries and cafes, and making appearances at festivals and fairs across Europe.
While chimney cake is famous street food, it is also a common pastry made in the backyard grill. Since I don’t have a grill, I made both baked and roasted versions, both turned out be delicious.
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Kürtöskalács Chimney Cake
- Yield: 4 1x
Description
Chimney cake is traditionally crafted by wrapping dough around a cylinder-shaped baking spit, rolling it in sugar and roasting it over an open fire. But you can make it in the oven too.
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cups (8 1/2 oz) (240 gm) all-purpose (plain) flour
- 2 1/4 teaspoons (1 packet) (7 gm) active dry yeast OR 2 teaspoons instant yeast OR 14 gm (1/2 oz) fresh yeast
- 2 tablespoons (1 oz)(30 gm) sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon (3/4 gm) salt
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 3 tablespoons (1 1/2 oz) (45 gm) melted butter
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) milk, lukewarm temperature
- For brushing the rolling pin
- melted butter
- sugar
For the topping:
- Approximately 1/2 cup (3 1/2 oz) (100gm) sugar
For walnut sugar topping
- About 1 cup (4 oz) (115 gm) ground walnuts, mixed with about 1/2 cup (3 1/2 oz) (100 gm) sugar
- 2 teaspoons (10 ml) (1/4 oz) (6 gm) cinnamon
Instructions
- If you are using active dry yeast, add ½ teaspoon sugar to lukewarm milk and set aside for 5-10 minutes until it proofs (becomes foamy).
- You can use the other yeast types directly along with the flour.
- In a large bowl combine, flour, sugar and salt. To this add egg, milk, melted butter, and yeast Stir the mixture until it comes together to form a dough, and then knead for about five minutes.
- It will be sticky. Don’t be tempted to add any flour. Grease your hand if needed.
- Transfer to a well greased container
- Allow the dough to rise for 60 minutes at room temperature until doubled in volume
- Prepare the rolling pins by covering them with aluminum foil, do at least two or three layers, to protect the pins from burning in the oven.
- Make sure to cover the rolling pins very well. Brush them with melted butter.
- The risen dough after 60 minutes.
- Punch down the dough and divide into 4 equal parts about 4 oz (115 gm) of each.
- On a well floured surface spread one portion of the dough
- Shape into 1/6 inch (4 mm) thick square-shaped sheet.
- Using a pizza cutter cut the dough into a long ribbons of about 1/2 inch (13 mm) wide.
- Wrap one end of the dough strip around the spit/rolling pin, tucking in the end so the dough doesn’t unwind.
- Keep the dough very thin (under ¼ inch (6 mm)) as you stretch and wind it on the rolling pun. Then roll the whole thing slightly on the counter top to flatten it/press it together.
- Brush with melted butter
- Roll in sugar
- Place in roasting pan and bake in a preheated moderately hot oven 375°F/190C/gas mark 5 for 25 minutes.
- If using roast function (375F/190C) in the oven it will take about 20 minutes.
- If you are grilling (broiling) over the fire cooking time is about six minutes, until it starts to take on a dark golden color. Turn the rolling pin at once least once (or more) throughout baking time to ensure uniform cooking.
- When cake is done roll it in sugar again
- If you are using other toppings brush more butter, then roll the finished cake in the toppings of your choice.
- Tap the mold on a table top to release the cake and set it up right to cool.
- Category: Dessert, Baking
Hi there! I just read your article on Kurtoskalacs Chimney Cake, and it was truly fascinating. Your vivid description of the unique cooking process and the history behind this traditional Hungarian dessert left me wanting to try it out for myself.
I was particularly intrigued by the different variations of fillings and toppings that can be added to the cake, ranging from sweet to savory. I can only imagine how delicious it must taste with Nutella or cinnamon sugar!
However, I was left wondering if there are any health concerns or dietary restrictions that people should be aware of when indulging in this treat. It would be great to hear your thoughts on this topic and whether there are any alternative ingredients or preparation methods for those with dietary restrictions.
Overall, your article was informative, educational, and thought-provoking. You managed to capture the essence of this traditional dessert in a way that made me feel like I was right there with you, experiencing the sights and smells of the Kurtoskalacs bakery. Keep up the great work!
Hi there, well, this is a sweet treat for sure – and as such, you should probably not eat it every day. Make it a special occasion, and you’ll be fine! :D
Does anyone know if this is from Hungary? I think I read that somewhere
I am from Hungary. No it is not Romanian, it is Hungarian.
Hi, would also like to point out its Hungarian, not Romanian. It would be good if this could be updated so as not to cause confusion for other readers.
It’s Hungarian! NOT Romanian!
It is a Hungarian recipe not Romanian recipe :))
I made these using paper towel rolls covered with foil and greased with melted butter. I did stand them up to bake. However most of them ended up as volcanoes and not Chimneys. What did I do wrong? They were still delicious!
This is everything but a Romanian thing. Get your facts straight, it’s all over the internet, it’s Hungarian. Jesus Christ…
very good
Sorrry to interrupting you but its a traditional HUNGARIAN food. Székely Land is part of Hungary in Romanian area, but the most important, that the chimmey cale isnt from Romania its from Hungary.
100% romania if is made there..
Mate, this is not Romanian, it’s Hungarian.
Thank You for the great recipe! I tried it out and it’s delicious, just as I remember them!
Correct your article it’s Hungarian not Romanian
The kürtöskalács aka chimney cake is hungarian street food. The transylvanian hungarians bakes these tasty treats as well. Once baked, they are sprinkled with cinnamon sugar most of the time but can be found with cocoa powder, grated coconut, chopped nuts or even drizzled with chocolate. Best to eat when still warm. When I go to Hungary, to visit my sister, I alwaus by these simple but satisfying treats for my kids and for myself of course. This recipe is tasty but baking a chimney cake in an oven is not exactly like the original but quite close.
It is a Hungarian (Transylvanian) cake, not Romanian. Let’s not make everything Romanian in Transylvania.
Dear Swathi,
the chimney cake (kurtoskalacs) is not Romanian. This is a Hungarian pastry, Transylvania’s population in 90 % Hungarian. Romania took Transylvania from Hungary in the 1st World War, so many Hungarian people live in Romania now.
Also the Romanian people refer to the chimney cake as “the Hungarian kalacs”.
So please correct this in your article.
Otherwise this is a very nice thing of you, writing about this wonderful pastry.
Best regards,
Zsuzsanna
90% Hungarian?
Maybe down your street!
Covasna is the only county where they make 70% of the population, overall in Transylvania only they represent only 15%
In the whole of Romania – they do not count, they are a minority
What is the feel of outer and inner crust when we eat this pastry? Is it crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside??
I’m Romanian, and as much as I love Kürt?skalács, I can tell you for a fact that they are not Romanian. They’re traditional Hungarian sweets, as the name suggests. They’re only served in Romania in tourist hotspots because Hungarians are the largest minority group in the country, living mostly in the Western part. They’re the largest minority group because the entire Western part of the country used to be Hungarian territory until Romania signed a secret treaty with some Allied forces asking for this territory in exchange for joining them in WWI. This is and always will be a traditional Hungarian treat. It’s very dear to them, and I feel it’s unfair for you to claim it’s Romanian. It’s part of their history, and Romania had nothing to do with their history until WWI, save for some military hostilities I’m personally very ashamed of. And you’ll hear nationalist Romanians say otherwise, but please bear in mind that they weren’t even born when the hostilities took place, and they were taught communist propaganda in school. Like all wars, WWI was a free-for-all, and what happened was truly shameful. Let’s not make it worse by taking credit for their cuisine. There are various other types of spit cake, too, but none of them are Romanian.
Oana Cazacu, I have no idea, how old I you, but apparently, you have no knowledge about the Romanian history and about the fact that Transylvania, was ALWAYS occupied by Romanian population, and the Hungarian population was always a minority in Transylvania. Romania at the end of WWI claim Transylvania as a Romanian territory, but lost others! I am not a Romanian nationalist, but I know my family history! My family had to leave their own home due to the Hungarian Horty nationalists and move into Romania! You should be start going into an archive library and start learning your history, before you throw words out of your mouth! KurtosKalacs is a hungarian kalacs, but it is specific only in Transylvania, not in Hungary! So it is part of Romanian cuisine, from a Romanian minority!!!
I support that, even if you’re a turist on the streets of Budapest you’ll find stands that sell this sweet treat they have signs where it’s written that it’s a traditional Transylvanian sweet (it may have a hungarian name given by the minority from Trsanylvania) but it’s a Transylvanian one (regardless if it’s a Romanian, Hungarian or it has Autonomy)
What you write is just not true and Oana Cazacu said it correctly. maybe you should check your knowledge. My family is from Transylvania and it was part of Hungary until the peace treaty in Trianon, France divided up a big chunk of Hungary to neighboring countries. And by the way, kürtoskalács, is a hungarikum. And yes, you can find it in Hungary too,because it’s Hungarian.
I would love to point out that Kürtöskalács is Hungarian and not Romanian!
Says it serves 4 – however im confused by the directions. Step 10 says to separate the dough into 4equal 4oz parts, then roll it out and cut into strips to roll onto the pin. Does one strip make up the whole cake – or are there multiple strips?
Sorry if the question is confusing.
Glad I found the recipe, although this cake is Hungarian, like the name of the cake itself. It is a Hungarian word and recipe.
Hi! I sure like your helpful hints on the rolling pins to make these cakes.Do you sit them on a pan so pastry is not touching the pan? Or how is it done?
Iam going to try this sometime.
Zofia gently tap before removing form the rolling pin. It should comes out without sticking. May be you can coat two layers of butter before attaching the dough.
Its a HUNGARIAN pastry. Very rude to say its romanian.
That plastry is delicious but how to remove it from the rolling pin withiuth breaking it? It sticks to the foil, and i buttered that foil before i placem the strip of daugh on it.
Found a reference to Kurtoskalacs chimney cakes in a novel (Origin) by Dan Brown & searched on-line to learn more. So thank you & am going to bake this recipe soon. Tony F.
That is NOT a Romanian pastry.. you can find it in Romania ?? Yes. But is mostly made by the Hungarian living there.Get your facts straight ;)
Just as Lola stated….this is a Hungarian pastry
It is a really nice site. I especially like the authentic recipes, and that they’re in English. I found you loose a lot in translation when you’re unfamiliar with the language. Thank you
Hi….
I need Make chimney (5)k
I need u teal me how
It’s a unique Hungarian pastry, its name is Hungarian