Sweet Cinnamon Twists (Printable)
Soft golden pastry with cinnamon-sugar filling and vanilla glaze. Ready in 45 minutes.
# What You'll Need:
→ Dough
01 - 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
03 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
04 - 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast (1 packet)
05 - 3/4 cup warm milk (110°F)
06 - 1 large egg
07 - 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
→ Cinnamon Filling
08 - 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
09 - 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
10 - 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
→ Vanilla Glaze
11 - 1/2 cup powdered sugar
12 - 1 tablespoon milk
13 - 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
# Directions:
01 - Combine warm milk and yeast in a large bowl. Let stand for 5 minutes until mixture becomes foamy, indicating the yeast is active.
02 - Add sugar, melted butter, egg, and salt to the yeast mixture. Whisk until well combined. Gradually incorporate flour, mixing until a soft, tacky dough forms.
03 - Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead for 5 to 7 minutes, folding and pressing until dough becomes smooth, elastic, and no longer sticky.
04 - Place dough in a greased bowl, turning once to coat. Cover with plastic wrap or a clean towel. Let rise in a warm, draft-free area for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
05 - While dough rises, combine brown sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Mix until evenly blended.
06 - Punch down risen dough and roll into a 12x16-inch rectangle. Spread softened butter evenly over surface. Sprinkle cinnamon-sugar mixture across the dough, leaving a small border around edges.
07 - Fold dough in half lengthwise to encase filling. Cut crosswise into 12 equal strips. Twist each strip 4 to 5 times and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing 2 inches apart.
08 - Cover twists loosely with plastic wrap. Let rise for 15 minutes while preheating oven to 375°F.
09 - Bake for 18 to 20 minutes until twists are deep golden brown and cooked through. Rotate baking sheet halfway through for even browning.
10 - While twists bake, whisk powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract in a small bowl until smooth and ribbon-like. Adjust consistency with additional milk if needed.
11 - Drizzle warm glaze over slightly cooled twists. Serve immediately while still warm for best texture and flavor.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The dough comes together faster than you'd think, and the twisting part is oddly therapeutic, like kitchen meditation that ends in pastry
- That moment when you pull them from the oven, golden and spiraled, feels like accomplishing something much harder than it actually was
02 -
- Don't rush the first rise, because under-rised dough never quite achieves that light, airy texture that makes these worth the effort
- When twisting, handle the strips gently, because overworking the dough at this stage makes them tough instead of tender
03 -
- Rotate your baking sheet halfway through baking, because oven hot spots can turn some twists too dark while others stay pale
- If your kitchen runs cold, the rise might take longer, and that's completely normal, just give the dough the time it needs