Cinnamon and brown sugar get twisted up in puff pastry and baked to make a simple, yet outrageously good snack or dessert. These Puff Pastry Cinnamon Twists are flaky, crunchy, and perfectly sweet.
Want to save this recipe?
Enter your email & I'll send it to your inbox. Plus, get weekly updates from me!
Puff Pastry Cinnamon Twists
Flaky, buttery, and sweet, these Puff Pastry Cinnamon Twists are simple to make yet look like a pastry from a fancy bakery! This recipe was inspired by the giant long cinnamon twists I used to see in nearly every bakery I went into as a kid. I don't think I was ever allowed to get one, but hey--I'm an adult now and can make them anytime I want! These twists have a ton of sweet cinnamon flavor, and are very similar to this Puff Pastry Cinnamon Roll recipe, but a bit more streamlined (and without the glaze).
I made these quite frequently when I was developing my puff pastry from scratch and rough puff pastry recipes, and realized it was worth writing down and sharing my technique for making them. It did take me a few (read: a dozen) iterations to get just the right process and ingredient list down.
If you love cinnamon (have you tried this Cinnamon Pie, Cinnamon Ice Cream or Mini Cinnamon Roll Cookies?) then add this beautiful pastry to your must-bake list!
So, let's get to making it, shall we? The article below is jam packed full of useful information. You can jump around using the menu below, or skip to the end of the article for the full recipe.
Jump to:
Behind the Scenes of the Development Process
I initially treated these like cinnamon roll dough, but really, given the high butter content of puff pastry and the unique way they bake up, it was resulting in less-than-perfect twists. After some trial and error, I baked up the perfect recipe using a few simple tricks to result in some seriously flaky and flavorful cinnamon twists.
Balancing the amount of sugar in any sweet recipe I create is always a priority, and that was definitely on my list of important elements of this recipe too. I would describe this Cinnamon Twist as not being overly sweet. I tested a variation where I used sugar on both the outside and the inside of the puff, but ultimately, I liked the less sweet version.
The biggest question you'll need to ask yourself is whether or not you are willing to make the puff pastry from scratch. I highly recommend it, but of course, store-bought is fine too!
Ingredients Needed
Here is an overview of the ingredients needed for this recipe. The full recipe is listed below in greater detail.
- puff pastry (homemade or store-bought)
- brown sugar+ granulated sugar (a mix of sugar adds a good flavor and texture, but if desired you can use just one)
- ground cinnamon
- salt
- egg wash (which is just egg and water!)
Let's Talk Puff Pastry
Use either my homemade rough puff recipe (it's easier than you think!) or frozen store-bought.
Can you buy puff pastry at the store? You absolutely can. However, depending on the type of puff pastry you buy, the exact instructions for cutting the pastry might differ slightly.
The exact measurements listed in this recipe correspond with the use of my homemade rough puff recipe and yields about 7 twists using just a half the batch of the pastry (about 18 oz). Save the other half for another pastry (like these Spiced Apple Turnovers or Apple Tarte Tatin), or you can even double the batch and make 14 cinnamon twists.
Purchased puff pastry typically either comes in one folded 14-ounce sheet, or it comes in two folded 8-ounce sheets. Please note, I haven't tried all brands, so your store-bought puff pastry may be different than this.
If you have purchased puff pastry with 1 sheet, try to roll it out slightly thinner to an 8"x12 rectangle and then follow the instructions noting that the measurements might be slightly different. If you are using puff pastry with two sheets, I suggest rolling out each sheet a little thinner and then proceeding with the recipe.
Using store-bought puff pastry means you might have to think on your feet a bit in terms of how thin to roll it out and what size to cut, but the essential process of making the twists should be followed and I'm sure the results will be fantastic.
How to Twist the Puff Pastry
I tested many different ways to fill and shape these twists. Ultimately the steps I decided yielded the best and prettiest result goes as follows:
Step 1: Roll out the pastry (if necessary) and brush with egg wash.
Step 2: Sprinkle on the cinnamon sugar.
Step 3: Cut the pastry into an even number of strips.
Step 4: Pair up the pieces of pastry.
Step 5: Twist!
Step 6: Pinch the ends of the pastry together.
After the pastry is twisted, it's best practice to let them chill while the oven preheats. Chilling the pastry helps it bake up better.
It can be a little finicky to chill the pastry, but it is necessary to achieve the best results. Without chilling, the pastry can become too warm and difficult to handle, resulting in a wonky bake that doesn't look very appealing. However, if you are not concerned with the appearance of the final product, you can skip the chilling step altogether. Just keep in mind that while they will still taste good, they won't look as pretty.
Baking Tips
- If at any point your pastry is getting too warm, simply place it in the refrigerator or freezer to chill. Warm puff pastry is not only sticky and tricky to work with, but letting the butter melt will result in stodgy flat-baked pastry.
- Want your cinnamon twists to bake up nicely? As I touched upon in the above paragraph, you'll want to chill them before baking! The instructions list a bare minimum time to chill, but the longer the chill the better. Chilling the pastry before baking makes the puff pastry bake up higher. It also helps the filling stay inside the cinnamon twists instead of spilling out during the baking. And lastly, the chilled puff pastry is less likely to bake up misshapen.
- To bake, preheat the oven to 400ºF and set a rack in the middle position in the oven. This small step of baking it in the middle will ensure the puff pastry bakes throughout but doesn't brown too much on the bottom.
- The twists are done when they have puffed up and are lightly golden all over.
How to Store Them
Cinnamon twists are best eaten on the day they are made. However, they can be stored in an air-tight container for two days after that. They will get crunchier as time goes on. If desired, they can be re-warmed for a few minutes to get that fresh baked taste.
I haven't tried freezing them, but I imagine they will freeze just fine, with the thought that they should be refreshed in a toaster oven/oven to crisp up.
More Puff Pastry Recipes
I am so honored when you make a recipe from my site! If you make these Puff Pastry Cinnamon Twists, please leave a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating with your experience! If you have any questions about this recipe, feel free to comment here, and tag me on instagram!
PrintFull Recipe
Cinnamon Twists
Cinnamon and brown sugar get twisted up in puff pastry and baked to make a simple, yet outrageously good snack or dessert. These Puff Pastry Cinnamon Twists are flaky, crunchy, and perfectly sweet.
- Prep Time: 00:30
- Cook Time: 00:15
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 7 twists
- Category: Pastry
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- Rough Puff Pastry, prepared, or (1) 14-ounce package puff pastry (see notes for guidance)
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon water
- ½ cup (100 grams) packed brown sugar
- ¼ cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon coarse kosher salt
Instructions
- Prepare rough puff pastry or defrost frozen puff pastry. If you make it, you will only need half a batch. The remaining half can be frozen. Or you can double the filling for this recipe, and make 14 cinnamon twists.
- Add the egg and water in a small bowl and whisk together, set aside.
- Add brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon and salt to a small bowl and whisk together. Set aside.
- Line a 12x18” sheet pan with a piece of parchment.
- Roll out the puff pastry on a floured surface (remember, you are only using half of the batch if you've made this rough puff recipe) to about ⅛” thickness, or about a 12” by 15” rectangle.
- Brush the top of the pastry with the egg wash, and spread the cinnamon sugar mixture evenly over the top.
- Using a pastry wheel or sharp knife, neated up the sides of the pastry by cutting a straight line. Then, cut 1” strips of dough. Pick up one strip of dough and place it on top of another strip of dough so that the cinnamon sugar sides are touching each other. Repeat this process with all pieces of dough until you have 7 “pairs” of dough strips.
- Twist each strip of dough until the entire strip is twisted and then place on the baking sheet, spaced evenly apart.
- Chill the twists in the freezer for 10 minutes, or in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. This helps the twists keep their shape while they bake.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Once chilled, remove the twists from the freezer and gently eggwash just the exposed pieces of pastry (not the cinnamon) and bake in the oven for 15-18 minutes, or until the pastries are lightly golden all over and puffed up.
- Remove them from the oven, and let them cool slightly before transferring to a cooling rack.
Notes
This recipe was developed using half a recipe of homemade rough puff, which is roughly equivalent of one store-bought box of puff pastry. It was tested with store-bought puff pastry, too. Purchased puff pastry typically either comes in one folded 14 ounce sheet, or it comes in two folded 8 ounce sheets. The measurements listed in this recipe correspond with the use of my homemade rough puff recipe. If you are using store-bought puff pastry, the measurements might not work out exactly and you will have to adjust based on the type of puff pastry you have, but the basic principle of how to make these will still work out!Have an additional question or looking for tips? The text written above the recipe is always a great first place to start! There are always loads of explanations, tips and technical advice shared before the recipe.
Use either light or dark brown sugar.
Some of the links on this page may be affiliate links. Everyday Pie is a participant in the Amazon Associates Program. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you.
Leave a Reply