Move over cinnamon rolls, Cinnamon Twists are easy and delicious! A soft bread twist with brown sugar-cinnamon spread in the center and topped with cream cheese frosting (or on the side for a dip)!
3 to 4cupsall purpose flour*add more as needed when mixing- see notes
Brown Sugar Filling
1cupbrown sugar, packed
1 1/2tbspground cinnamon
1/2cupbutter, softened - NOT MELTED
Cream Cheese Frosting
8oz.cream cheese, softened*one block
1/2cupbutter, softened - NOT MELTED *one stick
1 1/2tspvanilla extract
1 1/2cupspowdered sugar*you can add more if you want it thicker, or more if you want it sweeter!
Instructions
The Cinnamon Twists
Preheat your oven to 425°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or grease your baking sheet. ( I use a half sheet pan).
In a stand mixer, using the dough hook, add your sugar and warm to the mixing bowl. Next, add in your yeast and give it a quick stir. Let the yeast proof, or sit for about 5 minutes, until it is foamy and bubbly.
Add in your salt and 2 cups of your flour. Mix on medium speed. You should need at least 1 more cup of flour, if not more. (Mine usually take right about 3 1/2 cups of flour.) Keep adding flour, letting it mix in well until the dough pulls away from the mixing bowl. You will know you have added enough flour when the dough is slightly sticky but does not stick to your fingers too much. You can see the photos in the blog post above.
Once the dough has enough flour let it continue to mix for 3-4 minutes on a higher speed. This will knead the dough for you. Let it continue to mix/knead until the dough becomes soft and smooth-5 minutes at the longest.
After it has kneaded, take the dough hook out of the dough and keep the dough in the mixing bowl. Cover the mixing bowl with a clean kitchen towel and let it raise until doubled in size. Usually about 30 minutes. If you set your bowl of dough near the oven the heat will help it raise faster!
Make your brown sugar filling while the dough raises. Just mix all of the ingredients together in a small bowl until mixed well. Set aside.
After the dough has raised, take the dough and put it on a lightly floured surface.
Roll the dough into a large rectangle. About 12 x 18 inches (it doesn't need to be perfect).
Gently spread your brown sugar filling all over the dough making sure it is evenly spread and fully covered. I have found it is easiest to use my hands!
Cut the dough into 12 strips. Make sure to cut them the shorter (width) way, so the dough is being cut into shorter strips not super long ones.
Fold each strip in half (from one end to the other) so the filling is in the center. Twist the dough. Twist each end in opposite directions and it will make the perfect twist! It is okay if the filling comes out of the twist when you fold and twist them!
Lay the twist on the parchment paper lined baking sheet (or greased baking sheet). Repeat until all of the strips of dough are twisted. **12 twists should fit perfectly on a half sheet pan.
Cover the twists with a clean kitchen towel and let them raise until doubled in size. Mine usually only take 15-20 minutes. If you set your baking sheet of twists near the oven the heat will help them raise faster! They most likely will raise enough to touch each other - that is ok!
Make your frosting. Just add all of the ingredients and mix well. I use my stand mixer with a whisk attachment or my hand mixer for the frosting, but you can mix it by hand also!
After they have raised, place them in the oven at 425° and let them bake for 8-10 (or longer if needed). You will know they are done when the tops and edges get a little brown.
Take the twists out of the oven when they are done!
You can frost the cinnamon twists immediately after they come out of the oven so the frosting melts on them, or you can wait for them cool. We even like to leave them un-frosted and dip the twists in the frosting!
Enjoy! Twists can be reheated for about 10 seconds in the microwave and will test fresh even the next day!
Notes
Start out adding only 2 cups of flour. Add more as needed. You will need at least 3 cups. Add more until the dough pulls away cleanly from the bowl but it still slightly sticky. See the blog post above for photos. Then let the mixer knead the dough for you for at least 3-4 minutes, and until the dough becomes soft and smooth-5 minutes at the longest!
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should only be used as an approximation.