Puff Pastry Cinnamon Twists

Puff Pastry Cinnamon Twists are a buttery sweet treat that combines crisp and flaky puff pastry with a twist of cinnamon sugar. With just five ingredients, they’re super easy to make.

Read on for all the detailed tips and tricks for making this puff pastry twist recipe. Or just grab your puff pastry, hit that Jump to Recipe button, and let’s make cinnamon puff pastry twists!

three puff pastry cinnamon twists standing upright in a glass.
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Ingredients

  • Puff pastry – If you buy puff pastry for these cinnamon twists, make sure to buy a brand that is made with butter. I can recommend Dufour for good results and taste. If you are making homemade puff pastry, you can use either a classic or rough puff pastry recipe.
  • Butter – not all butters are the same (reference: my chocolate chip cookies). Please use a European style butter – the fat content really makes a difference in the taste here.
  • Cinnamon – use your favorite ground cinnamon
  • Granulated sugar

Please see the recipe card below for complete information on ingredients and quantities.

Variations and substitutions

Try making puff pastry cheese twists. Instead of cinnamon sugar, grate some Parmesan and add a bit of paprika. Sprinkle the cheese mixture over the butter, then twist and bake your puff pastry twists as in the basic recipe.

Recipe tips and tricks

Working with pastry

Just like with pie crusts, one of the most important rules when working with puff pastry is to keep it cold. It should be soft enough to roll, but if your dough starts to get warm and sticky, put it in the fridge or freezer for a few minutes.

Tip from the wise quacker: in summertime, roll out your pastry dough on a floured cutting board. You can cut strips without scratching your countertop, and you can pop your dough into the fridge if it’s getting warm.

Step by step

Step #1: Use a rolling pin to roll your puff pastry dough into a rectangle an eighth to quarter inch thick. To roll out a rectangle, do repetitions of rolling, rotating your dough 90 degrees (a quarter turn) and rolling again. My slightly more than half pound of dough rolled into a rectangle 7.5 by 13 inches

When rolling puff pastry, be careful not to roll over the edge of the dough, smashing the layers together. It helps to start in the middle of the dough and roll away from yourself.

rectangle of pastry dough on a blue cutting board.

 

Step 2: Use a pastry brush to brush the melted butter evenly on the dough.

rectangle of rolled out pastry dough brushed with melted butter.

Step 3: Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar over the butter, and use your hands to gently press it in to the puff pastry dough.

rectangle of pastry dough sprinkled with cinnamon sugar.

Step 4: Use a sharp knife or pizza cutter to cut three-quarter inch strips. Or, you can buy a multiple wheel pastry cutter if you want things perfectly even. You should have about 16 strips.

strips of pastry dough covered in cinnamon sugar.

Step 5: Hold the strip steady in one hand and use the other to turn it into twists. Press the ends of the cinnamon twists down onto a lined baking sheet so they don’t unroll when baking.

unbaked puff pastry cinnamon twists lined up on a silicone lined baking sheet.

Step 6: Freeze the baking sheet for at least 30 minutes before baking. This also helps prevent the cinnamon twists from unraveling. Bake for about 20 minutes, until the pastry is crisp and slightly browned.

three puff pastry cinnamon twists standing upright in a glass.

What else to make with cinnamon sugar

Extra cinnamon sugar can be stored in an air-tight container indefinitely on your countertop. Use it for cinnamon toast or to sprinkle on peanut butter waffles. Make pie crust cookies. Or use it in a classic raisin and nut rugelach.

a tablesppon in a bowl of cinnamon sugar.

Recipe FAQs

Do I have to weigh my ingredients?

No, you don’t have to do anything you don’t want to. But you’ll get more consistent results if you weigh your ingredients, especially for baking.

Can I freeze these puff pastry cinnamon twists?

You could, although you’d get better results if you freeze the dough for up to 3 to 6 months) and then do the rolling, twisting, and baking when you want to snack on them.

How long does butter last in the refrigerator or freezer?

Salted butter will last for a longer time than unsalted butter, but both should be stored in the freezer. Unsalted butter can be stored in the freezer in its original packaging for a few months before it starts to taste off.

Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-heart 💜💜💜💜💜 rating in the recipe card below. Let me know how much you loved it, or any problems you had, in the comments section further down.

Recipe

Puff Pastry Cinnamon Twists

5 from 1 vote
Category: Cookies
Cuisine: Unspecified
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Chilling time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 50 minutes
Servings: 16 twists
Calories: 232kcal
Puff Pastry Cinnamon Twists are a buttery sweet treat that combines crisp and flaky puff pastry with a twist of cinnamon sugar. They're super easy to make with store-bought puff pastry or homemade.
Print Recipe

Ingredients

  • 1 pound (453 grams) puff pastry dough classic or quick puff pastry
  • 1 stick (8 tablespoons or 4 ounces or 113 grams) butter, melted
  • ½ cup (3.5 ounces or 100 grams) granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon cinnamon
  • pinch salt

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 400°F. Take the wrapped puff pastry out of the refrigerator a few minutes before you want to roll it out.
  • Roll out the pastry into a rectangle about 7 to 8 inches on the short side and ⅛ inch thick.
    1 pound (453 grams) puff pastry dough
  • Use a pastry brush to brush the rectangle thickly but evenly with melted butter.
    1 stick (8 tablespoons or 4 ounces or 113 grams) butter, melted
  • Combine the sugar, cinnamon, and salt and sprinkle it evenly over the rectangle. Use your hands to pat it gently into the butter.
    ½ cup (3.5 ounces or 100 grams) granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon cinnamon, pinch salt
  • Slice the rectangle into about ¾ inch strips that will be 7 to 8 inches long.
  • Holding one end steady, twist the other end of the pastry as tightly as you can, and press the ends of the puff pastry twist down onto a baking sheet lined with parchment or a silicone mat. This will help prevent the cinnamon twist from unwinding while baking.
  • Put the baking sheet into the freezer for about 30 minutes prior to baking. This will again help to prevent the twists from unraveling.
  • Bake for about 20 minutes, until your puff pastry twists are crisp and slightly browned.
  • Let your cinnamon puff pastry twists cool on the baking sheet. These cinnamon twists can be stored in an air tight container at room temperature for about one week.

Notes

Either classic puff pastry or quick puff pastry (also called rough puff pastry) will work in this recipe for puff pastry cinnamon twists.
When rolling puff pastry, be careful not to roll over the edge of the dough. This smashes the layers together and prevents your puff pastry from rising as much.
If you want shorter cinnamon twists, fold the puff pastry dough in half prior to twisting, press down on the ends to seal it, twist away, and bake as directed.

Nutrition

Calories: 232kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 15mg | Sodium: 116mg | Potassium: 21mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 178IU | Vitamin C: 0.02mg | Calcium: 10mg | Iron: 1mg
Love this recipe?Mention @Uglyducklingbakery or tag #uglyducklingbakery!

You’re an adventurous home cook looking for inspiration in your weeknight meals and weekend baking. Get that inspiration here:

These cinnamon puff pastry twists were made for the 2021 reddit 52 week baking challenge (Week 35: Laminated Dough).

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