Puff Pastry Cinnamon Twists

Are you looking for a scrumptious treat that only takes minutes to make? Well, you've come to the right place, because today I'm serving up a platter of these Puff Pastry Cinnamon Twists! They're just as delicious as they look, and the ingredients couldn't be simpler.

Serve them to the folks you love best alongside an afternoon espresso or as the ending to a perfect meal.

Jump to:

• How to make puff pastry cinnamon twists
• Forming the twists
• Serving Suggestions
• Can I make these ahead?
• Storing Your baked puff pastry twists:
• Freezing instructions:
• The Type of Puff Pastry To Use:
• Variations:
• Other Recipes You'll Love:
• 📖 Recipe

How to make puff pastry cinnamon twists

Makes 12 twists

Ingredients You Will Need:

• Frozen puff pastry sheets, thawed in the refrigerator
• Unsalted butter, melted
• Granulated sugar
• Ground cinnamon

Directions:

Make sure your puff pastry sheet is completely thawed but still very cold. Store in the fridge until ready to use.

In a small bowl, add the sugar and cinnamon, and whisk with a fork to combine evenly. Set aside.

Line two sheet pans with parchment paper, and set those aside as well. Preheat the oven to 400°.

Remove your puff pastry sheet from the fridge and set on a lightly floured surface. Gently unfold the pastry sheet, so that the long end is running from left to right.

Use a rolling pin to lightly roll out your puff pastry into a 10x13" rectangle, about ⅛" thick.

Brush the entire surface with the melted butter and sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar mixture. Make sure the cinnamon sugar has been absorbed into the butter.

Use a sharp knife or a pizza cutter to cut 12 thin strips, from left to right.

Fold the strips in half and lightly press the cinnamon sides together to adhere.

Working one at a time, pinch each end of the cinnamon twist so that it's flat at the end and sealed. Again, don't flatten the entire twist, just pinch the ENDS flat.

Now it's time to twist! Holding each of your pinched ends, twist your puff pastry 4-5 times, or until you feel the strip is sufficiently twisted.

Lay the twist on a prepared sheet pan. Make sure to press the ends of each twist flat to the sheet pan, this will help keep them in place.

Repeat the above steps until all your cinnamon sugar strips are folded, pinched, and twisted. Line up the twists 1 ½-2" apart on a sheet pan.

Bake in a 400° degree oven for 14-15 minutes until puffed and golden brown. The ends will come unraveled a little but will keep most of their shape during baking.

Once the twists have cooled, transfer to a serving dish and enjoy.

Forming the twists

After several tests, these are my tips for forming twists that are even, appropriately sized, and won't come apart during baking.

1. Roll your puff pastry out thin and make thin slices. I like to roll my puff pastry sheet out to a 10x13" rectangle, about ⅛" thick. Then, I slice my rectangle from left to right into 12 skinny strips.
2. Fold your strips in half, cinnamon sides touching. This will ensure that your twists are appropriately sized, while also making sure there is extra cinnamon in each spiral.
3. Pinch each end of the twists to seal. This will help keep your twists together, neat, and easy to form.
4. Twist 4-5 times. This will create nice and even twists with a nice alternation of cinnamon and puff pastry. They'll look super pretty!
5. Flatten the ends of each twist to the pan. Make sure to press the ends of each twist flat to the sheet pan. This helps to keep the twists in place and keep them from unraveling in the oven. The twists will still puff up nicely, so don't worry about flattening the ends.

Serving Suggestions

These twists are a super simple yet really classy pastry to serve at a holiday party or gathering. They look lovely on a cookie tray, and make a great accessory for fondue or other sweet dips!

Your twists will also pair well with a strong cup of espresso or a floral afternoon tea.

Can I make these ahead?

Yes! You can form your twists the day before you need them and store them in the fridge. When you're ready to bake, place the twists on a parchment paper lined sheet pan and bake at 400° for 14-15 minutes.

Storing Your baked puff pastry twists:

Store leftover twists in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 7 days.

Freezing instructions:

Fully baked twists can be stored in an airtight container or freezer safe bag in the freezer for several months. When you're ready for cinnamon twists, pull out the quantity needed and let thaw at room temperature. I just let my twists thaw right in a freezer bag on the counter for an hour or two.

The Type of Puff Pastry To Use:

For this recipe, I gravitated towards good old fashioned puff pastry sheets in the freezer aisle of my grocery store. I didn't even use a name brand, I just used my grocer's brand.

I've also used puff pastry found in the cold food section (like where the crescent rolls and cinnamon buns are found) and that works too, just make sure to keep the pastry super cold. Cold pastry is much easier to work with.

If you're looking to make homemade puff pastry, I use John Kanell's recipe from the Preppy Kitchen. His recipe is so easy to make (seriously, I couldn't believe how easy it was) and SO FLAKY. 10/10 recommend.

Whatever puff pastry you use, just make sure you roll it thin-- ⅛" thick and a 10x13" rectangle-- and keep it super cold.

Variations:

• Swap the ground cinnamon for apple pie spice or pumpkin pie spice.
• Drizzle on a vanilla glaze for extra sweetness. I suggest this pumpkin spice glaze that was used in our Cake Mix Pumpkin Muffin recipe (also a great shortcut recipe).
• Change the shape of these twists and make puff pastry cinnamon roll cookies or spirals instead! To do this, just unfold your puff pastry, roll out the seams if necessary, but don't roll the dough as thin as stated in the above recipe. Once the seams are flattened, spread on your butter and cinnamon sugar and then roll up into a log. Cut rolls about 1" thick and place on a baking sheet. Bake at 375° and just keep an eye on the timer, since the baking time will be different. I'd start checking around the 10-12 minute mark to prevent overcooking.
• Frozen puff pastry usually comes with 2 sheets per box, you can use both sheets if you'd like, just double the amount of butter, cinnamon, and sugar called for in the recipe. Divide between the two puff pastry sheets and bake per the recipe instructions.

Other Recipes You'll Love:

Flaky Cinnamon Pinwheels

The Best Blueberry Pie Cookies

The Best Iced Oatmeal Cookies Recipe