buttery German pecan sticky buns, filled with raisins and cinnamon – this Homemade Schnecken recipe is a delicious William Greenberg copycat
I was first introduced to schecken about 15 years ago, when I first tried them by chance at William Greenberg bakery – a New York landmark Jewish Bakery that has been serving up pastries and treats since 1946. I could tell just by looking at these little sticky bun-like pastries that I would love them! They had all of my favorites wrapped deliciously into one pastry: pecans, sticky brown sugar caramel, raisins, and buttery brioche type dough…swoon!
As I explored the different neighborhoods of Manhattan in my early twenties, I found myself veering off course to get closer and closer to William Greenberg’s just to snag one or two of these little pieces of heaven – provided they hadn’t sold out (which happened a lot!).
I’ve tested this recipe many times and it turns out perfectly every time! They are rich, delicious, perfectly sweet and decadent but not over the top! They are a very nostalgic old-world German Jewish treat that feels like taking a page out of your great grandmother’s tattered cookbook.
Love these Schnecken? Be sure to check out:
Hawaij Spice Rolls with Coffee Glaze
Homemade Yemenite Kubaneh
What does “Schnecken” mean?
ingredients
Ingredients
salted butter – go for salted butter in this recipe. The extra saltiness balances out the richness of the dough and the sweetness of the filling.
dark brown sugar – dark brown sugar is regular granulated sugar with added molasses. The Difference between dark brown and light brown sugar is the amount of molasses. Since molasses has a deep caramel flavor, I always love more of it! That being said, if you prefer light brown sugar, feel free to go for and use that here!
unbleached all purpose flour – it’s unbleached all purpose flour for me, specifically King Arthur Baking Company. I really appreciate their attention to quality and detail, and fair business practices.
raisins – I love using Sun Maid raisins here. They are fresh, plump and juicy, and have an amazing sweetness and tart flavor.
pecans – use raw roughly chopped pecans here. They create the dreamiest sticky pecan topping for these Schnecken.
kosher salt – this recipe is formulated using Morton’s Kosher salt. If you’re using Diamond Crystal, use an extra 1/4 teaspoon.
pure vanilla extract – always always always use pure vanilla extract. I know it’s pricier, but the flavor it adds is so worth it. Some great vanillas are from Madagascar and Mexico.
sour cream – I always go for full fat sour cream in my recipes because it creates a richer flavor and softer crumb.
egg yolks – For the most consistent results, use AA large organic eggs here. Organic eggs are usually richer, as you can see by the color of their vibrant yellow yolks.
How to Make Schnecken
- Place the butter and sugar in an electric mixer fitted with the paddle and cream at low speed until smooth. Add the egg yolks, 1 at a time, then the sour cream, yeast, vinegar, and vanilla, mixing at medium speed for about 3 minutes, until well incorporated.Replace the paddle with the dough hook and add the flour gradually, mixing at a low speed for about 10 minutes. The dough will be soft and slightly sticky.
- Remove the dough, dust the top with flour, and press it into a rectangle about 2 inches thick. Wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.The next day, place the 16 tablespoons (2 sticks) of room temperature butter in a large mixing bowl. Add the brown sugar and mix until smooth. Spoon the creamed butter-sugar mixture into the bottoms of a standard 12 well muffins tin. Use a pastry brush to coat the inside of the cups completely with the butter mixture.
- Scatter the pecans generously over the butter-sugar mixture in the muffin cups. Set aside.
- Remove the dough from the refrigerator. Flour your work surface generously and roll it out an into an 8-by-13-inch rectangle about ¼” thick.
- Sprinkle the dough with the 1 cups brown sugar, 2 teaspoons cinnamon, and 1 cup raisins. Your lightly floured hands to gently press the raisins and sugar down into the dough. With the long side of the rectangle facing you, roll the dough up tightly into a log.
- Trim the ends of the rolls slightly and cut the log into 12 slices, about 1 inch thick for the regular schnecken. Place each piece into the prepared muffin cups, cut side down, so that the swirls are face up. Press them down gently into the tins. Cover the baking pan loosely with a clean kitchen towel, and Let the schnecken rise for about 30 minutes.
SUBSTITUTIONS
As with most of the baking recipes that you find on this site, I don’t recommend making any substitutions. Baking is chemistry, and these recipes have been tried and tested countless times to get the formulations just right. If you want to substitute unsalted butter for salted butter, or light brown sugar for dark that’s fine! But, changes the ratios and proportions of the recipes will yield different results.
Storage
Schnecken can easily be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days. I don’t recommend freezing them, as the nuts get chewy and the caramel gets runny.
I hope you love this recipe as much as we do at my house!
You’ll probably make these Schnecken over and over again, so be sure to Pin this to your favorite Pinterest board by clicking the “Pin It” icon on any of the images.
Make a batch for special brunches, holiday breakfasts, or special Shabbat desserts. Nothing makes me happier than seeing my recipes come to life in your kitchens, so if you make these Classic Schnecken, make sure to tag me in your pics @lions.bread on Instagram, xo
Happy Baking – LeAnne
Did you make this recipe? Please rate and leave a comment! I love to hear from you
Schnecken - German Sticky Buns
buttery German pecan sticky buns, filled with raisins and cinnamon
Ingredients
THE DOUGH
- 12 tablespoons salted butter, 170g at room temperature
- ½ cup sugar, 60g
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1/2 cup sour cream, 120g
- 2 teaspoons active dry yeast, 4g
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, 360g
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
THE GLAZE AND FILLING
- 16 tablespoons salted butter, 2 sticks, 226g
- 2 cups dark brown sugar, 426g loosely packed, divided
- 2 cups roughly chopped pecans
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 cup raisins
Instructions
Place the butter and sugar in an electric mixer fitted with the paddle and cream at low speed until smooth. Add the egg yolks, 1 at a time, then the sour cream, yeast, vinegar, and vanilla, mixing at medium speed for about 3 minutes, until well incorporated.
Replace the paddle with the dough hook and add the flour gradually, mixing at a low speed for about 10 minutes. The dough will be soft and slightly sticky. Remove the dough, dust the top with flour, and press it into a rectangle about 2 inches thick. Wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
The next day, place the 16 tablespoons (2 sticks) of room temperature butter in a large mixing bowl. Add the brown sugar and mix until smooth. Spoon the creamed butter-sugar mixture into the bottoms of a standard 12 well muffins tin. Use a pastry brush to coat the inside of the cups completely with the butter mixture.
Scatter the pecans generously over the butter-sugar mixture in the muffin cups. Set aside.
Remove the dough from the refrigerator. Flour your work surface generously and roll it out an into an 8-by-13-inch rectangle about ¼" thick.
Sprinkle the dough with the 1 cups brown sugar, 2 teaspoons cinnamon, and 1 cup raisins. Your lightly floured hands to gently press the raisins and sugar down into the dough. With the long side of the rectangle facing you, roll the dough up tightly into a log.
Trim the ends of the rolls slightly and cut the log into 12 slices, about 1 inch thick for the regular schnecken. Place each piece into the prepared muffin cups, cut side down, so that the swirls are face up. Press them down gently into the tins. Cover the baking pan loosely with a clean kitchen towel, and Let the schnecken rise for about 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 325° F. Place the muffin tin on top of a rimmed cookie sheet, to prevent any buttery spills in your oven. Bake the schnecken on the middle rack until golden, about 45 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven, and invert onto a clean baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Allow to the schnecken to cool mostly, but they are amazing when enjoyed fresh from the oven!
Store any leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days at room temperature.
The post Schnecken first appeared on Lion’s Bread Blog.
Stefanie Shepherd says
I made these today & I was a little confused about the sugar amount & butter temp. The mixture was not spreadable with a pastry brush. I wonder if my muffin tin cups were supposed to be a larger than normal zoze maybe? The flavors were great but the sugar inside the roll didn’t change consistency even though the rolls were baked as to right texture. Maybe it’s an editing issue because 2 of the paragraphs are the same. Even though they were not spot on they were really good & any tips you have would be great.
LeAnne says
Hi Stephanie, I’m not sure why your sugar didn’t melt, mine always melt in a very hot caramel like topping that creates the sticky bun top and smooth filling. There is 1 cup of brown sugar in the topping, and another cup in the filling. I’m glad they tasted ok, but maybe they needed longer in the oven?
Thanks for the feedback!
Devon says
Can you make the dough in advance?
LeAnne says
Yes! The dough can be made up to 2 days in advance. Hope you love them, LeAnne
Kiersten Morgan says
My dough did not rise at all. It stayed tight and dense. They were still delicious. I’ve been searching for this kind of recipe as my great uncle used to make these but no one in the family had the recipe!! Thanks for posting and any tips on the rise.
LeAnne says
Hi Kiersten,
The rise factor could be due to the freshness of the yeast or the temperature of your room. It is January, so enriched doughs (like this one) sometimes take much longer to rise in colder weather. I would also use the freshest possible yeast here. Hope that helps, and I hope it comes close to your Uncle’s 🙂