This Cinnamon Twists recipe takes buttery breadstick dough, fills it with cinnamon and brown sugar, and shapes it into individual twists for a sweet and irresistible breakfast treat. Top with homemade glaze and serve warm.
Luckily, these cinnamon twists also freeze well, so you can make a big batch, shape them, and store half for later. And if you want more of a twist bread, you can also try my Cinnamon Twist Bread or this Nutella Twist Bread.
Cinnamon Twists Recipe
Warning: these soft and chewy cinnamon breadstick twists will make your entire house smell warm and cozy. You will have an incredibly difficult time not eating every last one, but if you do have leftovers you can even freeze some to bake later.
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The steps to make these couldn’t be easier, and they require only very basic pantry ingredients. Serve with a warm cup of coffee, fruit preserves, jam, or even chocolate sauce for dipping.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- They’re easy to make. They are basically cinnamon rolls with a different shape, and one that is super simple to make quickly.
- It’s simple to change up the flavors. You can use this recipe as a base to make all kinds of flavor variations—citrus, nuts, berries or fruits, chocolate, and more!
- So soft and chewy. Each bite is so soft, chewy, and sweet—perfect for dunking into a hot cup of coffee or hot chocolate.
Key Ingredients You Will Need
- Water – you want your water to be between 95-105 degrees F. This helps to activate the yeast.
- Sugar – you can also substitute honey if you would like.
- Yeast – we use active dry yeast in this recipe, which needs to be “proofed.”
- Flour – all-purpose flour is perfect for this recipe.
- Brown Sugar – for the filling, either light or dark brown sugar will work great.
- Cinnamon – cinnamon is classic, but feel free to add a little bit of another baking spice such as nutmeg or ginger.
- Butter – use unsalted butter for this recipe for both the bread dough and the icing.
- Powdered Sugar – it’s a good idea to sift your powdered sugar because it has a tendency to clump.
How to Make Cinnamon Twists
- Make the dough. Mix the warm water, sugar, and yeast and let set until bubbly. Once proofed, add in the oil, salt, and about half of the flour. Mix until combined, then add in up to 2 more cups of flour until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Mix on low speed for about 1-2 minutes, then cover and let rise until doubled in size.
- Roll and shape. Divide the dough into 2 pieces, then roll each to about 12” x 18” rectangles. Mix together the melted butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon, then spread it over the top over one piece of dough. Top with the second dough, then cut the rectangle in half and then into 1 ½” strips. Twist each about 2-3 times, then place on a greased baking sheet and let rest for 15 minutes.
- Bake. Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for about 18-20 minutes until golden brown.
- Make the icing. Combine the butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk and mix until fluffy.
- Serve. Drizzle the icing over the warm breadsticks. Enjoy!
Recipe Tips & Variations
- Flavor the dough or the icing with a little orange zest. For the dough, mix the zest in with the dry ingredients first so that it won’t clump up as easily.
- Top with toasted sliced almonds, or another nut like crushed hazelnuts.
- Don’t skip the second rise before baking—it helps keep the cinnamon twists super soft and fluffy.
- To get a head start, you can either make the dough ahead of time and store it in the fridge, or you can even shape the twists and gently cover with plastic wrap to store in the fridge the night before. The next day, pull them from the fridge and bring to room temperature before baking as directed.
Storage Instructions
- Storing instructions: store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Freezer: transfer completely cooled bread to freezer bags and store frozen for up to 2 months.
- Reheating: reheat breadsticks in a 350 degree oven for a few minutes, or in the microwave.
More You’ll Love
These cinnamon twists are easy to prepare, and so soft and fluffy. Top with a drizzle of homemade icing for a real treat!
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Cinnamon Twist Breadsticks Recipe
This Cinnamon Twists recipe takes buttery breadstick dough, fills it with cinnamon and brown sugar, and shapes it into individual twists for a sweet and irresistible breakfast treat. Top with homemade glaze and serve warm.
Yields people
Ingredients
Breadstick Dough
- 1 cup water, warm (95-110 degrees F)
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 3-3½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
Cinnamon Twist Filling
- 4 tablespoons butter, melted
- 1½ tablespoons cinnamon
- 2/3 cups light brown sugar
Icing
- 1/4 cup butter, room temperature
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 2-3 tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a stand mixer bowl, combine the warm water, sugar, and yeast and mix well. Let it sit for about 5 minutes, or until it becomes frothy and bubbly.
- Once your yeast has proofed, add the avocado oil, salt, and about 1½ cups of flour. Using a dough hook, mix until all the ingredients are completely combined. Add up to 2 more cups of flour, about a 1/4 cup at a time, just until the dough pulls away from the edges of the bowl.
- Mix on low speed for another 1-2 minutes, then cover and let the dough rest in a warm place for 30-45 minutes, or until about doubled in size.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- Lightly grease your hands, then gently pull the dough out of the bowl and place on the counter. Divide the dough into 2 pieces and use a rolling pin to roll the dough to roughly 12" by 18" pieces, then place into a lightly greased baking sheet. Gently pull and press the dough until it covers the bottom, then continue to roll the second half of the dough the same as the first.
- In a small bowl, combine the melted butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon powder. Mix, then use the back of a spoon to spread the cinnamon mixture onto the dough in the baking sheet.
- Place the second sheet of dough onto the first. Pull the dough gently to match up the edges of the dough. Use a pizza cutter to cut the dough in half and then into 1½" strips. Gently twist each of the strips about 2-3 times, then let them rest for about 15 minutes.
- Once they have had a chance to rest, bake in your preheated oven for 18-20 minutes, or until the bottom and the top are golden brown.
- While they are baking, beat the room temperature butter in a stand mixer until light and fluffy. Turn the mixer down very low and add the powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons of milk, and the vanilla. Mix on low until all the ingredients are combined, add more milk or powdered sugar as needed. Mix until smooth.
- Remove the breadsticks from the oven once baked and drizzle the icing over the top. Enjoy!
Notes
Storing instructions: store breadsticks in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Reheating: reheat in the microwave or a preheated oven for a few minutes.
Make-ahead tips: you can freeze the dough for up to 3 months, then thaw in the fridge overnight when you are ready to use it.
Nutrition
Calories: 382kcal | Carbohydrates: 71g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 20mg | Sodium: 264mg | Potassium: 68mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 42g | Vitamin A: 238IU | Vitamin C: 0.04mg | Calcium: 32mg | Iron: 2mg
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