Danish Cinnamon Snails

4.7
(61)

Americans would call these cinnamon rolls, but this version is the original Danish version, and it's absolutely wonderful. They are traditionally served with coffee or tea at Christmastime and are delicious!

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Prep Time:
30 mins
Cook Time:
10 mins
Additional Time:
50 mins
Total Time:
1 hr 30 mins
Servings:
15
Yield:
15 rolls
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Ingredients

Original recipe (1X) yields 15 servings

Dough:

  • 1 cup warm milk (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)

  • 3 (0.6 ounce) blocks fresh yeast

  • 6 ½ tablespoons butter, room temperature

  • 2 large eggs

  • ½ teaspoon ground cardamom

  • 2 tablespoons white sugar

  • ¼ teaspoon salt

  • 4 cups all-purpose flour, or as needed

Filling:

  • cup butter, softened

  • ½ cup white sugar

  • 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

Directions

  1. To make the dough: Pour the warm milk into a mixing bowl and mash in the fresh cake yeast. Mix in butter, eggs, cardamom, sugar, salt, and 3 1/2 cups flour. Use a wooden spoon to mix the dough. If it's very sticky, mix in the remaining 1/2 cup flour. Cover the bowl and let the dough rise for 30 minutes.

  2. Meanwhile, make the filling: Beat together the butter and sugar in a medium bowl until creamy. Stir in the cinnamon until incorporated. Set aside.

  3. Transfer the dough to a floured surface and knead until firm, about 3 minutes. Divide the dough in half; roll each half into a rectangle, no more than 1/2-inch thick. Spread each rectangle with 1/2 of the filling.

  4. Stack 1 dough rectangle on top of the other dough rectangle, filling-side up. Roll the dough up, starting with the edge closest to you, to form a long log. Cut the log into 1-inch-thick slices.

  5. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Alternatively, grease a baking dish or 2 cake pans if you prefer pull-apart rolls.

  6. Place the rolls on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 3 inches apart. If baking pull-apart rolls, arrange them in the greased baking dish or cake pans, spacing them about 1 inch apart. Place the uneven end pieces on the baking sheet cut-side up for the best presentation. Let the rolls rest at room temperature for 20 minutes.

  7. Bake the rolls in the preheated oven until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Pull-apart rolls will take longer to bake: After 10 minutes, reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) and continue baking until the sides are fully set, about 10 minutes more. Cover the baking dish with foil if the rolls get too brown.

    close up view of Danish Cinnamon Snails with icing on a baking sheet
    Owlett
882 home cooks made it!

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

301 Calories
15g Fat
37g Carbs
6g Protein
Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 15
Calories 301
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 15g 19%
Saturated Fat 9g 44%
Cholesterol 58mg 19%
Sodium 148mg 6%
Total Carbohydrate 37g 13%
Dietary Fiber 2g 6%
Total Sugars 9g
Protein 6g 13%
Vitamin C 0mg 0%
Calcium 41mg 3%
Iron 2mg 9%
Potassium 77mg 2%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.

(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.