What is Kürtőskalács?
Kürtőskalács, commonly known as chimney cake, is a traditional Hungarian pastry made from sweet yeast dough. The dough is wrapped around a cylindrical cooking roll, lightly brushed with butter or oil, and coated with sugar. It is then baked until golden and caramelized—producing a pastry that’s crispy on the outside and soft and fluffy on the inside.
Baking can be done in a specialist Kürtőskalács oven, or over a charcoal or gas flame using a traditional grill. Once the sugar has melted into a glossy glaze, toppings such as cinnamon sugar, nuts, coconut, or chocolate are sprinkled over the pastry for added texture and flavor.
Alternative Names for Kürtőskalács
While “Kürtőskalács” is the original Hungarian name, the product is also known internationally by various names and spellings:
- Kurtosh, Kurtos Kalacs, Kurtosh Kalach, Kotosh
- 19th-century Hungarian variants include Dorongfánk (“spit donut”) and Botfánk (“stick donut”)
- In the Czech Republic and Slovakia, it’s called Trdelník, Trdlo, or Trozkol
- In Austria and Germany, it’s known as Baumstriezel
The direct English translation of “Kürtőskalács” is “Horn Cake”, but most international vendors and tourists refer to it simply as “chimney cake” or “chimney roll” due to its spiral, hollow shape and steaming appearance when hot.
Where Does Kürtőskalács Originate?
Although variations of spit-baked dough have existed since medieval times, the first documented recipe for Kürtőskalács appeared in 1784 in the cookbook of Countess Mária Mikes of Zabola, a noblewoman from Transylvania.
Today, Transylvania is part of Romania, but it was once within the Austro-Hungarian Empire, where chimney cake gained popularity, especially during weddings and celebrations.
The pastry remains a significant part of Hungarian culture and is now beloved across Central and Eastern Europe.
What Is Kürtőskalács Made Of?
There are many Kürtőskalács recipes, but we’ve spent over a decade perfecting a dough mix that’s both delicious and practical for commercial use. Here’s what sets our recipe apart:
- No eggs – making it suitable for those with allergies and compliant with stricter food safety regulations
- Sweet or savoury versatility – one dough can be used for both types, reducing waste and streamlining production
- High-gluten flour – ensures elasticity, stretchability, and strength for easy rolling and shaping
- Premium and Vegan options – available as complete mixes (with flour) or concentrated mixes (add your own flour)
- Our vegan mixes use coconut milk powder as a dairy-free alternative to traditional milk powder
How Is Kürtőskalács Made?
Step-by-Step Chimney Cake Preparation
- Kneading the Dough
Ingredients are added to a mixing bowl and kneaded in a commercial dough mixer for about 10 minutes. - First Rise
The dough is shaped into a ball, placed in a container, and lightly brushed with oil to prevent drying. It’s left to rise for around 1 hour at 25°C until it doubles in size. - Portioning & Second Rise
The risen dough is portioned according to the size of the desired chimney cake (classic or cone). Each portion is shaped into a sausage-like roll, placed in a container, oiled, and left to rise again. - Shaping & Rolling
Each portion is rolled into a long, thin strip and wrapped evenly around the Kürtőskalács cooking roll (typically stainless steel or untreated beech wood). The roll is gently pressed on the work surface to fuse the dough layers. - Coating
The dough is brushed with oil and coated with granulated sugar. Then it’s left for the third rise, ensuring lightness and even caramelization. - Baking
The prepared rolls are placed in a chimney cake oven or over charcoal or gas grills.- Traditional chimney cakes bake in 5–6 minutes
- Cone-shaped chimney cakes bake in 4–5 minutes
- Finishing Touches
Once the sugar has melted into a sticky glaze, toppings are applied. The baked Kürtőskalács is carefully removed from the cooking roll and served hot. The product may still steam internally after baking as the dough continues to cook from residual heat—this is completely normal and part of what gives the pastry its signature soft interior.
Sweet vs. Savoury Kürtőskalács
Traditionally, Kürtőskalács is sweet, but the dough can also be used for savoury versions, filled or topped with cheese, herbs, or meats. Our neutral-flavored dough base allows you to make both sweet and savoury chimney cakes from the same batch—saving time, ingredients, and cost.
Dober Kürtős – The Chimney cake, Chimney cones, Trdelnik, & Baumstriezel experts
