Soft, Buttery Cinnamon Sugar Twists You'll Crave

These soft, buttery cinnamon sugar twists are ridiculously tasty. Simpler than cinnamon rolls, they're pillowy, tender, and absolutely wonderful on their own (or with a drizzle of sweet icing)!

I can't stop thinking about how amazing these cinnamon twists are. They're incredibly airy, and so simple to whip up. My friend, Kim, brought a batch like this to pass around to high schoolers after a tennis match, and everyone (myself included!) lost their minds over them. This recipe is an absolute must-keep!

Why I Think You'll Love This Recipe

• This recipe is super simple and effortless to put together.
• It begins with a reliable, well-tested roll dough as the foundation.
• The supporting ingredients, like brown sugar, cinnamon and butter, are common pantry staples (you likely have everything on hand without even checking).
• The twists are a breeze to serve. No plate or fork required – just grab and enjoy (then go back for more)!
• The recipe scales beautifully…halve it or double it with no trouble.
• These would be a fantastic holiday morning treat. Check out the make-ahead tips below!

Everyone who's tried these cinnamon sugar twists agrees they're just as mouthwatering (IF NOT MORE) than a classic cinnamon roll…and a whole lot simpler to prepare!

How to Make These Easy Cinnamon Sugar Twists

1. Prepare the roll dough according to the recipe and let it rise until doubled in size.
2. Transfer the dough to a lightly greased countertop and pat or roll it into a thick rectangle, roughly 15X10 inches.
3. Slice the dough in half lengthwise (like splitting a hot dog bun).
4. Cut the dough into 10 strips, approximately 1 1/2 inches wide. You'll end up with 20 strips total.
5. Dip each strip into melted butter, then coat it in brown sugar and cinnamon.
6. Give each strip one or two twists and arrange them in two long rows on a half sheet pan.
7. Let them rise until visibly puffy.
8. Bake until lightly golden.

As you dip the dough pieces into butter and cinnamon/sugar, try not to stretch the dough. Keep them in thick strips for the best outcome (meaning: ultra-fluffy results once baked!).

Additional Notes and Tips

• Serve these irresistible plump cinnamon sugar twists warm or at room temperature. They're tasty either way, but nothing compares to enjoying one (or three) fresh from the oven.
• To prep these in advance, you have a couple of options:

Follow the recipe through step #10. Before letting the twists rise on the pan, cover and refrigerate for up to 8 to 12 hours. They'll probably puff up a bit in the fridge. Pull them out about an hour before baking. Bake as directed. Follow the recipe through step #10 but instead of refrigerating, cover and freeze. Remove the pan from the freezer 6 to 8 hours before baking to let the twists thaw and rise. Bake as directed.

• Enjoy the twists with or without icing. For a quick grab-and-go snack, they're delightful served straight from the pan with no icing. But they're equally scrumptious drizzled with icing or paired with icing on the side for dipping.
• Follow the recipe through step #10. Before letting the twists rise on the pan, cover and refrigerate for up to 8 to 12 hours. They'll likely rise and puff a bit in the fridge. Take them out about an hour before baking. Bake per the recipe.
• Follow the recipe through step #10 but instead of refrigerating, cover and freeze. Take the pan out of the freezer 6 to 8 hours before baking to let the twists thaw and rise before baking. Bake per the recipe.

My family and I are absolutely smitten with these cinnamon sugar twists. They have universal appeal – I honestly can't fathom anyone not falling for them??

In fact, brace yourself now because you'll definitely be flooded with glowing reviews and compliments over this recipe. Repeat after me: "I will not let it go to my head, I will not let it go to my head." It's a tough gig, but we have to stay humble even when we're total rock stars in the kitchen. 😜

The secret is cutting the dough into thick strips and letting the twists rise completely on the pan. Don't skip either of these steps, and you'll be rewarded with the softest, fluffiest cinnamon twists that will completely blow your mind.

Print

Cinnamon Sugar Twists

Course Bread, Breakfast, Dessert, SnackCuisine AmericanMethod Bake

Prep Time 20 minutes minutesCook Time 20 minutes minutesRising Time 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutesTotal Time 2 hours hours 10 minutes minutes

Servings 20 twists Calories 316kcal Author Mel Gunnell

Equipment

• Cookie Sheet {Half Sheet Pan}
• Rolling Pin
• Pizza Cutter
• Bench Knife/Scraper

Ingredients

Dough:

• 1 ¼ cups milk (preferably not skim milk)
• ¼ cup room temperature water
• 6 tablespoons butter, cut into tablespoon-size pieces
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon instant or active dry yeast
• 1 large egg
• 1 ¼ teaspoons salt
• 4 ½ cups all-purpose flour

Cinnamon/Sugar:

• 1 ½ cups packed light brown sugar
• 1 ½ tablespoons cinnamon
• 12 tablespoons butter, melted

Icing:

• 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons milk
• ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

• For the dough, heat the milk until tiny bubbles form around the edges and the milk is steaming. Pour into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook.
• Add the water, butter, and sugar. Let the mixture cool until warm (an instant-read thermometer should read 110 to 115 degrees F).
• Add 2 cups of the flour and sprinkle the yeast on top. Mix until combined. dough will be thin. Cover the bowl and let the dough rest for 5-10 minutes until slightly puffy and bubbly.
• Add the egg and salt. Add the remaining flour (start with 1 3/4 to 2 cups flour) and mix, adding additional flour gradually, until the dough clears the sides of the bowl and forms a soft, sticky ball. Don't over flour the dough.
• Knead for 5-6 minutes until the dough is soft and smooth.
• Cover the bowl and let the dough rise in a warm spot until doubled, 45 to 60 minutes. Lightly grease a half sheet pan with cooking spray. Set aside.
• Gently punch down the dough and turn it out onto a lightly greased countertop. Pat or roll the dough into a 15X10-inch thick rectangle.
• Use a pizza cutter to cut the dough in half lengthwise (like a hot dog bun). Then cut into about 1 1/2-inch strips (so you'll end up with about 20 strips total – see pictures in the post for a visual).
• For the cinnamon and sugar, in a medium bowl or shallow dish (like a pie plate), stir together the brown sugar and cinnamon.
• Dip each strip fully into the melted butter and then coat in the brown sugar/cinnamon mixture. Twist one or two times (try not to stretch the dough while dipping and twisting) and place side-by-side on the prepared sheet pan (two long rows of 10 strips each).
• Cover and let rise until noticeably puffy, 30 to 45 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Bake for 20 to 22 minutes until baked through and very lightly golden.
• For the icing, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk and vanilla. Add additional milk to thin (or more powdered sugar to thicken). The icing should be thick but pourable.
• Serve cinnamon twists warm or at room temperature. They can be served with icing on the side for dipping or the icing can be drizzled over the top of the twists. The cinnamon twists are also delicious served plain without icing.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 cinnamon twist | Calories: 316kcal | Carbohydrates: 51g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 38mg | Sodium: 242mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 28g

Recipe Source: from Mel's Kitchen Cafe (using this dough recipe as the base) – inspired by a recipe my friend, Kim R., brought to a tennis match last year (she handed them out to the high schoolers – no icing – and everyone was dying over how good they were, including me!)