I only ever want to eat the best part of a cinnamon roll: the soft, gooey center. It’s the most buttery, melt-in-your-mouth bite, which is why I’m obsessed with these homemade cinnamon twists. They’re all center, no outer swirl!
Made with the same rich, buttery dough as my Cinnabon cinnamon rolls, these easy cinnamon sugar twists are lightly braided, brushed with melted butter and cinnamon sugar, and drizzled with ooey-gooey vanilla cream cheese icing.
I’ve made them a dozen times already and sent them to my husband’s office for a sweet brunch treat…let’s just say they didn’t last more than 10 minutes.
Over the years, I’ve experimented with so many cinnamon roll variations. One of my favorites is my soft and chewy cinnamon roll sugar cookies. They’re easy to make and have all the same cinnamon sugar flavors as the classic!
Let’s Make Them!
Find the full list of ingredients, measurements, and instructions in the recipe card below!
1
Make the tangzhong. It’s the secret to achieving that ultra gooey texture! I learned this technique while working as a pastry chef. All you do is cook some water and flour until it forms a roux, then add it to the dough!
2
Combine the wet and dry ingredients until a rough dough ball forms. At this point, the dough will look dry and shaggy, which is normal!
3
Knead in the butter, then continue kneading until a smooth dough ball forms. Let it rest for 30 minutes. The perfect dough texture should feel soft, tacky, and look smooth, as shown above. If it’s sticky, add in more flour one teaspoon at a time and as needed.
4
Roll the dough into a 12×12-inch square, brush it with half of the cinnamon sugar mixture, and then cut it into 1-inch strips. I find this is easiest to do with a pizza wheel, but a sharp knife will also work!
5
Cut the strips evenly in half, then twist them together in twos to create twelve cinnamon sticks. Transfer them to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Place them close together with just the tops touching, in two rows of six.
6
Brush the twists with the remaining cinnamon sugar mixture. You want to cover each one well so there is no bare dough visible.
I know that a real cinnamon roll craving will hit eventually, so don’t miss my viral recipes! My almond croissant rolls are like a buttery almond croissant in cinnamon roll form. And my chocolate cinnamon rolls? They’re filled with gooey Nutella and full of rich chocolate flavor.
7
Cover with plastic wrap and rise for 1 to 2 hours. You’ll know they’re ready to bake when the dough feels light to the touch and they look puffed up.
8
Drizzle the cinnamon roll twists with cream cheese icing immediately after they are baked. You want the residual warmth to melt the icing. Serve immediately!
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Homemade Cinnamon Twists with Cream Cheese Icing
Ingredients
For the Tangzhong
- 1/3 cup + 1 tablespoon water
- 2 tablespoons bread flour
For the Bread Dough
- 2 cups bread flour, *See notes below for measuring*
- 2 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 3/4 teaspoon instant yeast
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons heavy cream, room temperature
- 2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons whole milk, room temperature
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- Tangzhong, from recipe above
- 3 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
For the Cinnamon Sugar
- 1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed
- 1 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or extract
- 5 tablespoons salted butter, melted
For the Cream Cheese Icing
- 2 ounces softened cream cheese
- 2/3 cup powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoons whole milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or extract
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, make the tangzhong by whisking together the water and all-purpose flour. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, for 3-5 minutes until the mixture is a paste-like slurry. Scrape it into a bowl and set it aside until ready to use.1/3 cup + 1 tablespoon (84 g) water, 2 tablespoons (18 g) bread flour
- In a stand mixer bowl, mix the flour, sugar, yeast, and salt. Add the cream, milk, egg, vanilla, and tangzhong to the bowl. Knead on low speed with the dough hook for 2-3 minutes until it forms a rough dough ball.2 cups (274 g) bread flour, 2 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon (32 g) granulated sugar, 3/4 teaspoon instant yeast, 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, 2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons (38 g) heavy cream, 2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons (38 g) whole milk, 1 (55 g) large egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste, Tangzhong, from recipe above
- With the mixer running on low, add the softened butter a half tablespoon at a time, letting it fully incorporate before adding more. Then, continue kneading for another 8-10 minutes until the dough looks smooth and elastic. The dough texture should feel tacky, NOT sticky. If sticky, knead in 1 teaspoon of flour and as needed.3 1/2 tablespoons (49 g) unsalted butter
- Remove the dough from the bowl and pull the sides into the bottom to create a smooth round ball. Place it seam-side down back into the mixing bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside to rest for 30 minutes.
- Roll out the dough into a 12×12-inch square. Then make the cinnamon sugar mixture. Combine the brown sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, and melted butter, stirring well until the mixture is emulsified.5 tablespoons (70 g) salted butter, 1/2 cup (100 g) dark brown sugar, 1 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or extract
- Brush the entire surface of the dough with about half of the sugar mixture.
- Then, using a pizza wheel or sharp knife, cut twelve 1-inch strips, then cut each strip in half. So now you should have 24 strips of dough. Begin twisting them together in twos, gently pinching the ends to seal them. Then transfer each one to a parchment-lined baking tray. They should be close together, but not touching, so they have some room to puff up.
- Brush the remaining cinnamon mixture on top of each one, ensuring each one has a thick coating and no bare dough is visible. If the mixture has cooled, you can reheat it in the microwave for 15-20 seconds or until it's more liquid again!
- Cover the pan with plastic wrap and set aside to rise for 1 to 2 hours. In my kitchen, it takes about 1.5 hours!
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375°F(190°C).
- When the cinnamon twists feel light and airy to the touch and look puffed up, bake them for 9-12 minutes. You can stick a thermometer into the dough. It should read 175°F. You may need to stick it in a few different spots to get an accurate reading! These twists are meant to be gooey, so if you prefer them more done, you can bake them 1-2 minutes longer.
- While they are baking, combine the cream cheese and powdered sugar. You can do this by hand with a spoon until smooth. Then whisk in the milk and vanilla a little bit at a time until the icing is smooth.2 ounces softened cream cheese, 2/3 cup (80 g) powdered sugar, 3 tablespoons (29 g) whole milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or extract
- Once the cinnamon twists are done baking, immediately pour the glaze over the top. Serve warm!
Notes
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