Sweet Cinnamon Twists
There are few things more comforting than the aroma of cinnamon and warm pastry wafting from the oven. It’s a scent that promises something truly delicious is on its way, a simple pleasure that can brighten any afternoon. These Sweet Cinnamon Twists are the very embodiment of that feeling. They begin with buttery, flaky puff pastry, which crisps up to a gorgeous golden-brown, shattering delightfully with every bite. The inside is a spiral of sweet, fragrant cinnamon sugar that caramelises at the edges, creating a texture that is both soft and wonderfully crunchy.
I first made a version of these for a family get-together, and I was a bit nervous about working with pastry. I used to struggle with getting pastries to look neat until I discovered the simple folding and cutting technique we’ll use here. It transforms a humble sheet of pastry into something that looks like it came straight from a professional bakery. This recipe is a staple in my house now, great for when friends pop over for a cuppa, or as a simple dessert after a weeknight meal like our Sticky Sweet Teriyaki Chicken Bowls.
What we are creating here is more than just a sweet snack; it’s a little moment of baked indulgence. They are straightforward to make, relying on ready-made puff pastry to do most of the heavy lifting. This means you get all the credit for a spectacular treat that comes together in about 30 minutes. Whether you’re a seasoned baker or just starting, these cinnamon twists are a guaranteed way to bring a smile to everyone’s face.
Recipe Overview
This recipe guides you through creating beautifully golden, flaky cinnamon twists from a single sheet of puff pastry. You can expect a wonderfully crisp exterior giving way to soft, buttery layers swirled with a warm and aromatic cinnamon-sugar filling. The final drizzle of a simple vanilla glaze adds a touch of sweetness that perfectly complements the spice. I’ve tested this with both light brown sugar and caster sugar, and I find the light brown sugar adds a lovely caramel note that you just don’t get with white sugar.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15-18 minutes
- Total Time: 33 minutes
- Servings: 12 twists
- Difficulty: Easy
Why You’ll Love These Sweet Cinnamon Twists
- Genuine Flavour: The combination of all-butter puff pastry with two types of sugar—demerara for a crunchy, caramelised texture and soft brown for moist sweetness—creates a truly satisfying taste. The warmth of the cinnamon is front and centre, with a subtle hint of nutmeg to round it out.
- Ready in Under 35 Minutes: From unrolling the pastry to pulling a golden batch from the oven, the whole process is delightfully swift. It’s a fantastic recipe for when you want a freshly baked treat without dedicating your entire afternoon to it.
- Flexible Recipe: This is a wonderful base recipe to make your own. You can add finely chopped nuts like pecans or walnuts to the filling, introduce a little orange zest for a citrusy note, or swap the vanilla glaze for a rich chocolate drizzle.
- Great for Any Occasion: These pastry twists work beautifully for a lazy weekend breakfast, an elegant addition to an afternoon tea, or a simple dessert to follow a light lunch such as our popular Cheesy Tuna Melt Sandwich.
- Family Tested: This is one of those recipes that always gets compliments. My husband, who’s usually picky about sweet things, asked for seconds the first time I made them, which is always the highest praise in our house!
Ingredients You’ll Need
For these cinnamon twists, using a quality all-butter puff pastry makes a world of difference to the final flavour and texture. I always reach for a ready-rolled sheet as it saves so much time and guarantees a consistent thickness. The combination of sugars is also key for that perfect sweet, crunchy finish.
- 320g sheet of ready-rolled all-butter puff pastry
- 40g unsalted butter, melted
- 50g light brown soft sugar
- 25g demerara sugar
- 1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg (optional, but recommended)
- 1 medium free-range egg, beaten
- For the Glaze:
- 100g icing sugar, sifted
- 1-2 tbsp milk (or water)
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
Elena’s Tip: Don’t be tempted to skip the demerara sugar! Its large crystals don’t fully dissolve during baking, which gives the twists a delightful crunch that contrasts beautifully with the soft pastry.
How to Make Sweet Cinnamon Twists
The process is very straightforward. The key is to work with cold pastry and to twist the strips firmly enough to hold their shape, but not so tightly that they become dense. Let’s get baking!
- Preheat and Prepare: First, preheat your oven to 200°C (180°C fan) and line two large baking sheets with baking parchment. Getting your station ready first makes the process much smoother.
- Prepare the Pastry: Unroll your sheet of puff pastry onto a lightly floured surface with the longer side facing you. Gently brush the entire surface with about half of the melted butter.
- Create the Filling: In a small bowl, mix together the light brown soft sugar, demerara sugar, ground cinnamon, and ground nutmeg until well combined.
- Fill and Fold: Sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar mixture evenly over the bottom half of the pastry sheet. Carefully fold the top half of the pastry down over the sugar-coated half, pressing down gently with your hands or a rolling pin to seal it.
- Cut the Strips: Brush the top of the folded pastry with the beaten egg. Using a sharp knife or a pizza cutter, trim the edges to neaten them up, then cut the pastry into 12 even strips, each about 2-3 cm wide.
- Twist and Shape: Take one strip of pastry. Hold one end down on your work surface and use your other hand to twist the strip several times to create a spiral shape. What works best for me is giving each strip about 4-5 full twists.
- Arrange on Baking Sheets: Place each twist onto your prepared baking sheets, leaving a little space between them as they will puff up during baking. Press the ends down lightly to stop them from unravelling.
- Bake to Perfection: Brush the tops of the twists with any remaining melted butter or egg wash. Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until they are deeply golden brown, puffed up, and the sugar is bubbling at the edges.
- Cool and Glaze: Let the cinnamon twists cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. While they cool, whisk together the sifted icing sugar, vanilla extract, and 1 tablespoon of milk to make a thick but pourable glaze. Add a little more milk if needed to reach the right consistency.
- Finish and Serve: Once the twists are cool, drizzle the vanilla glaze over them. Allow the glaze to set for about 15 minutes before serving.
Tips From My Kitchen
- Temperature Control: Your puff pastry must be kept cold. If it becomes warm and soft, the butter layers can melt together, preventing it from rising into those distinct, flaky layers. If your kitchen is warm, pop the pastry back in the fridge for 10 minutes after folding and before cutting. For more on this, BBC Good Food has a great guide on handling puff pastry.
- The Secret Step: I learned that for an extra professional-looking finish, you can lightly score the pastry before cutting into strips. It doesn’t change the taste, but it adds a lovely little detail. Also, a final sprinkle of demerara sugar over the egg wash before baking gives an unbeatable crunch.
- Make-Ahead: You can prepare the twists right up to the point of baking. Arrange the unbaked twists on a parchment-lined tray, cover, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. You can also freeze them; open-freeze on the tray until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag. Bake from frozen, adding 4-5 minutes to the cooking time.
- Storage: These are definitely best enjoyed on the day they are made for maximum crispness. However, they will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. You can refresh them in a warm oven for 3-4 minutes to bring back some of their crisp texture.
Equipment You’ll Need
- Two large baking sheets
- Baking parchment
- Pastry brush
- Small mixing bowls
- Sharp knife or pizza cutter
- Wire cooling rack
- Whisk
Delicious Variations to Try
Once you’ve mastered the basic recipe, it’s fun to experiment with different flavours. Here are a few ideas that we love in my house.
- Chocolate Hazelnut Twists: Instead of the butter and cinnamon sugar, spread a thin layer of chocolate hazelnut spread (like Nutella) over the pastry before folding. Sprinkle with some finely chopped toasted hazelnuts for extra flavour and crunch.
- Zesty Orange and Cardamom: Swap the cinnamon for 1 teaspoon of ground cardamom and add the finely grated zest of one orange to the sugar mixture. The bright, citrusy aroma is absolutely wonderful.
- Savoury Cheese & Herb Twists: For a savoury version, skip the sugar and glaze. Instead, spread the pastry with a thin layer of pesto or tomato purée, sprinkle with grated Parmesan and some dried herbs (like oregano or rosemary), then fold, twist and bake as directed. These are excellent with a bowl of soup.
What to Serve With Sweet Cinnamon Twists
These are delightful on their own, but they also pair beautifully with a few simple accompaniments to make them feel more like a complete dessert or special treat.
- A Hot Drink: A strong cup of coffee, a frothy cappuccino, or a simple mug of tea is the classic and unbeatable pairing.
- Dipping Sauce: For a more indulgent dessert, serve the warm twists with a small pot of salted caramel sauce or a rich chocolate ganache for dipping. This is always a hit with guests.
– **Fresh Fruit:** A small bowl of fresh raspberries or sliced strawberries provides a lovely, slightly tart contrast to the sweet pastry.
Frequently Asked Questions
Sweet Cinnamon Twists
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat and Prepare: First, preheat your oven to 200°C (180°C fan) and line two large baking sheets with baking parchment. Getting your station ready first makes the process much smoother.
- Prepare the Pastry: Unroll your sheet of puff pastry onto a lightly floured surface with the longer side facing you. Gently brush the entire surface with about half of the melted butter.
- Create the Filling: In a small bowl, mix together the light brown soft sugar, demerara sugar, ground cinnamon, and ground nutmeg until well combined.
- Fill and Fold: Sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar mixture evenly over the bottom half of the pastry sheet. Carefully fold the top half of the pastry down over the sugar-coated half, pressing down gently with your hands or a rolling pin to seal it.
- Cut the Strips: Brush the top of the folded pastry with the beaten egg. Using a sharp knife or a pizza cutter, trim the edges to neaten them up, then cut the pastry into 12 even strips, each about 2-3 cm wide.
- Twist and Shape: Take one strip of pastry. Hold one end down on your work surface and use your other hand to twist the strip several times to create a spiral shape. What works best for me is giving each strip about 4-5 full twists.
- Arrange on Baking Sheets: Place each twist onto your prepared baking sheets, leaving a little space between them as they will puff up during baking. Press the ends down lightly to stop them from unravelling.
- Bake to Perfection: Brush the tops of the twists with any remaining melted butter or egg wash. Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until they are deeply golden brown, puffed up, and the sugar is bubbling at the edges.
- Cool and Glaze: Let the cinnamon twists cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. While they cool, whisk together the sifted icing sugar, vanilla extract, and 1 tablespoon of milk to make a thick but pourable glaze. Add a little more milk if needed to reach the right consistency.
- Finish and Serve: Once the twists are cool, drizzle the vanilla glaze over them. Allow the glaze to set for about 15 minutes before serving.
Notes
I truly hope you enjoy making these Sweet Cinnamon Twists. They are a simple bake that delivers so much in terms of flavour, texture, and pure comfort. It’s one of those recipes that fills the whole house with a wonderful aroma and brings everyone to the kitchen to see what’s cooking. If you give them a try, I would love to hear how they turned out for you in the comments below! Happy baking.
– Elena
