Our Schnecken & 
Schnecken are a labor of love yielding hand-made crescents of sweet flaky, crunchy dough filled with nuts, cinnamon and grape jelly, rolled in cinnamon and sugar and baked until golden brown - with a slight chewiness from the carmelized sugar and jelly escaping as it is baked.
Schnecken were a traditional Saturday morning treat in German Jewish homes. These small, crescent-shaped pastries are identified with the European Jewish immigrant communities that originally settled in the Philadelphia-Baltimore area. The word "schnecken" in German means "snail", and is generally thought to reference the spiral cross-section created when rolling the pastry into its final shape.
"Rugelach" is another pastry of similar origin, differing from schnecken in two respects: (1) schnecken dough is made with sour cream, whereas rugelach is made with cream cheese, and (2) rugelach is simply rolled and sliced, whereas schnecken are formed from individual triangles of dough.
For more information, anecdotes, history, etc., check out the Snack Time blog article entitled" "What the hecken's a schnecken?", PBS' "Jewish Cooking in America", or just browse Google.
Here's what those who have sampled our schnecken are saying about!Break from Tradition!
The traditional schnecken, made with a dough of flour, butter, eggs, and sour cream filled with sugar, cinnamon, nuts and grape jelly, will always be the best.
But when you have a craving to break from "tradition", we have some special schnecken for you.
Try some made with apricot or peach jelly, Manischewitz' apple butter, Smuckers' Goober-Grape (peanutbutter & jelly), or Nestle's semi-sweet chocolate chips!
We also offer sugar-free schnecken, made with Smuckers' sugar-free strawberry and blackberry preserves and Splenda substituted for the sugar in the dough.
Check out our Ordering Page for our current availability.
The ingredients are simple and always quality: flour, eggs, butter, sour cream, sugar, cinnamon, jelly and nuts. I am often asked for the recipe and people are surprised when I tell them there really isn't one.
Our schnecken are a labor of love, each one carefully made by hand. From making and cutting the dough to spreading the filling to creating the small individual crescent shape, it is all done by look and feel.
After a "featured" role in the movie Bird Cage, appearing with an all-star cast including Robin Williams and Nathan Lane, schnecken have become a cultural icon on YouTube.
The clips are from a scene with Nathan Lane and chocolate chip schnecken called: "When the Schnecken Beckons!"
We want you to enjoy our schnecken as much as our family and friends, after all that is why we started The Schnecken Connection.
So if there is a flavor that you crave, let us know! We will do our best to see if we can make it happen.
Likewise, if you need a special gift serving tray, platter or container, send us an e-mail and we will tell you about some of the options that may be available to fullfil your needs.
The wisdom of King Solomon is often illustrated by his decision in a child custody dispute by ruling that the baby be cut in half - forcing the parents to come to a more practical solution.
To solve the "dilema" of a minimum order of 1 lb. for each flavor of schnecken, we offer "Solomon's Choice." - you may combine 1/2 lb. of two flavors to create a 1 lb. "minimum."
"A wise choice," says the King.