Easy Homemade Cinnamon Twists in 22 Minutes

You know those days where you just *need* something sweet, warm, and perfectly spiced, but you don’t have hours for kneading dough? Me too! That’s why I live and breathe by this recipe for **Easy Homemade Cinnamon Twists**. Seriously, if you can unroll a tube of dough, you can make these babies. They come together faster than you can decide what movie to watch. I first made these when I was trying to keep my little brother happy during a rainy weekend, and now they are my go-to quick fix!

Why You Will Love These Easy Homemade Cinnamon Twists

This recipe isn’t just good; it’s practically magic, especially for those afternoons when the sugar craving hits hard. Forget fussy yeast doughs, trust me! These twists give you that comforting pastry shop flavor with almost zero effort.

• They are outrageously fast. Total time is just 22 minutes from start to finish! That’s faster than driving to the coffee shop, let alone waiting in line.
• You’re using refrigerated crescent roll dough! This is the *ultimate* shortcut. It creates that perfectly flaky, soft pastry texture without any waiting for rising or proofing.
• The flavor payoff is huge! That simple mix of melting butter, sweet sugar, and warm cinnamon just coats everything beautifully. Honestly, they smell incredible while they bake, which is half the fun.

Quick Prep Time for Easy Homemade Cinnamon Twists

I love that the prep for these is a true 10-minute job. You might need an extra minute just finding clean spoons, but that’s about it! If you preheat your oven while you’re unrolling the dough, you’ll be placing them in the oven before you even finish your coffee. Twenty-two minutes total means these are perfect for an after-school snack or even a last-minute simple dessert when friends drop by unexpectedly. You can find some other quick baking ideas over here, like these candy carrots, if you’re looking for speed!

Minimal Ingredients for Delicious Easy Homemade Cinnamon Twists

When I tell people this recipe only needs four actual ingredients—dough, sugar, cinnamon, and butter—they usually don’t believe me. That reliance on store-bought crescent dough means you don’t need yeast, milk, or eggs hiding in your pantry. It makes it so accessible for new bakers or anyone who’s staring down an empty fridge but still needs a sweet fix. It’s the simplest crescent roll dessert you will ever make!

Gathering Ingredients for Easy Homemade Cinnamon Twists

The best part about calling these Easy Homemade Cinnamon Twists is that you probably have 90% of what you need right now! We are keeping this super clean, just like my favorite three-ingredient butter cookies recipe. You only need four things to turn that tube of dough into golden, spicy heaven. Pay attention to quality here; it makes such a difference in the final flavor profile!

• One package (8 ounces) of refrigerated crescent roll dough. (Make sure it’s the sheet style if you can find it, but the triangles work fine too!)
• 1/4 cup of good granulated sugar. (Expert Tip: Use a fine-grain sugar if you have it, it dissolves nicer!)
• 1 tablespoon of ground cinnamon. (This is where you use the *good* cinnamon—smell it! If it doesn’t smell fragrant, grab a new jar.)
• 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter, which needs to be melted completely.

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions for Easy Homemade Cinnamon Twists

Okay, a few things we need to clarify. First, that butter? It has to be melted, not just softened. You need that liquid fat to act like glue for your sugar mix. Make sure you are using the crescent roll dough—not puff pastry—if you want the proper soft, pull-apart texture we are aiming for. If you like them extra punchy, go ahead and bump that cinnamon up to a tablespoon and a half, but keep the sugar steady for now, or it might burn!

Step-by-Step Instructions for Perfect Easy Homemade Cinnamon Twists

This is where the magic happens! Since we’re using pre-made dough, these instructions are simple, yet they contain all the little secrets that move these from “okay” to “wow.” Don’t rush the prep, and you’ll have perfect, golden **Easy Homemade Cinnamon Twists** ready in no time. A little patience here pays off big time with flavor!

Preparing the Dough for Easy Homemade Cinnamon Twists

First things first: we need heat! Get that oven preheating right away to 375°F (that’s 190°C for my international friends). Liner your baking sheet with some parchment paper; it saves cleanup time, which is always my priority. Next, lay out your crescent dough carefully. If you’re using the triangular ones, press them together gently so they form one big sheet—you don’t want gaps for your sugar to fall through!

Now, grab a separate little bowl and mix your sugar and cinnamon until they are perfectly combined. That’s our flavor dust! Take your melted butter and brush nearly all of it over that dough surface. Don’t drown it, but make sure every part gets a little slick coat. Then, sprinkle that glorious cinnamon-sugar mix evenly across the top. Try to get deep into the corners!

Twisting and Baking Your Easy Homemade Cinnamon Twists

Okay, this next part is the fun part, so let’s get theatrical! You need to cut the dough lengthwise into 12 equal strips. This usually means cutting the big rectangle into maybe three wide strips first, and then cutting those into four pieces each. Once you have your strip, you gently pick it up and twist it about three or four times. Don’t overdo it, or you’ll just shred the dough!

Place those beautiful twists onto your lined sheet. Give them a little space to breathe—they puff up a bit, so you don’t want them touching when they start baking. They only need 10 to 12 minutes in that hot oven. You are looking for golden brown edges and bottoms that look cooked through. If you see the sugar starting to look very dark, pull them out early—burnt sugar isn’t fun! For more easy spiced baking ideas, you should check out how I make these cinnamon sugar pretzel sticks. Let them cool on the pan for just a couple of minutes; they are super tender when hot!

Tips for Success When Making Easy Homemade Cinnamon Twists

Even with such an easy recipe, there are always a few little kitchen secrets that elevate these **Easy Homemade Cinnamon Twists** from good to *amazing*. Since we’re cooking with high sugar content and pre-made dough, we run the risk of burning or sticking if we aren’t careful! Don’t you worry, I’ve run into every possible issue testing this recipe so you don’t have to repeat my mistakes.

First off, if your oven runs a little hot, or you notice the sugar getting too dark halfway through the baking time—and I mean *too* dark, not just deeply golden—you have a couple of options. You can quickly tent the pan loosely with a piece of aluminum foil for the last three minutes of baking. This diffuses the direct heat just enough to let the dough finish baking without turning your delicious topping into charcoal. It stops the sugar from burning beautifully!

Stickiness can also be an issue, especially when you’re cutting and twisting. If your fingers or your knife start getting gummy when handling the dough after the butter/sugar is on it, just dust your hands lightly with a little bit of leftover cinnamon-sugar mix. It gives you just enough grip to handle the strips for twisting without tearing the dough. It’s a tiny thing, but it saves so much frustration! I use a similar trick when I make my big batches of homemade Cinnabon cinnamon rolls; keeping things unstuck is half the battle!

Finally, remember that crescent dough is already somewhat laminated, meaning it has layers of butter baked in. Don’t push down too hard when you’re rolling the strips or twisting them. You want those layers to have room to separate in the heat. A gentle hand ensures a light, flaky twist rather than a dense, chewy bite. A gentle touch is always key in the pastry world!

Serving Suggestions for Your Easy Homemade Cinnamon Twists

Okay, the second these **Easy Homemade Cinnamon Twists** come out of the oven, you have to sample one plain. Seriously, they are amazing just as they are, especially if you caught them right when they turned golden brown. The butter is still warm, and the sugar is perfectly caramelized on the outside. It’s that immediate, comforting bakery smell that fills the whole house!

But if you’re feeling a little extra, or maybe you’re serving these up for a weekend brunch instead of just a quick snack, let’s talk glaze. The recipe hints at it, and I absolutely recommend it for transforming these into something show-stopping. It is so simple, you won’t believe it.

Whipping Up a Simple Sweet Glaze

You only need two things: powdered sugar and just a splash of liquid! I usually start with about a cup of powdered sugar in a bowl. Then, I add milk—one teaspoon at a time—and whisk like crazy. You are aiming for that perfect ‘drizzle’ consistency. If it looks too thin, add more sugar; if it looks too thick and pasty, use just a tiny bit more milk. A drop of vanilla extract really wakes up the flavor here!

Once you have that perfect runny texture, drizzle it right over those warm twists on the baking sheet. It sets up fast, giving you a beautiful, flaky, sweet topping. If you want to get really fancy, I sometimes grate a tiny bit of fresh orange zest into the glaze; it cuts through the sweetness nicely. It pairs wonderfully if you serve them alongside something bright and tangy, like my famous Classic Orange Julius recipe!

If you’re serving these with coffee, they are divine as is. For the kids, a small bowl of sliced strawberries or perhaps some banana on the side makes them feel like a complete breakfast, not just a treat. The key is to serve them when they are still slightly warm—that’s when the texture is at its peak.

Storage and Reheating Instructions for Easy Homemade Cinnamon Twists

Nobody likes stale pastry, right? Luckily, since these **Easy Homemade Cinnamon Twists** are made with that sturdy crescent dough, they hold up better than a traditional yeast-raised bun. But we still need to treat them right so they stay delicious for later snacking.

If you manage to have any leftovers—which, honestly, is a feat in my house!—the secret is trapping the moisture inside. Don’t leave them sitting out on a plate uncovered! That humidity change will just suck the freshness right out of them overnight.

For airtight storage, make sure they are completely cooled down first. If you put warm twists into any kind of sealed container, you are just cooking them gently with steam, and they will get soggy. That’s the opposite of flaky! Once they hit room temperature, pop them into a zip-top bag or an airtight Tupperware container. They should keep perfectly fine on your counter for a day, maybe two if your kitchen isn’t too humid.

How to Freshen Up Leftover Twists

If you’re pulling these out on day two, they will be a little flat and soft—that’s normal. You definitely want to reheat them to get that buttery, cinnamon-sugar coating nice and crisp again. You’ve got two good options here, depending on how many you’re reheating.

If you’re only grabbing one or two, the microwave is the quickest fix. Zap it for about 10 to 15 seconds. I know, I know, microwaves usually make pastries rubbery! But when it’s just a quick blast, it softens the dough enough that the butter melts back in slightly, making them taste almost freshly baked. Just test after 10 seconds!

However, if you’re reheating a batch for breakfast, the oven or toaster oven is absolutely the way to go. Preheat your oven to a super low heat—maybe 300°F (150°C). Lay the twists out on a baking sheet, just like you did the first time, but skip the parchment if you want extra crispness on the bottom. Bake them for about 3 to 5 minutes, keeping a super close eye on them. You’re just warming them through and letting that butter crisp up the sugar coating again. Trust me, this brings back that fresh-out-of-the-oven texture perfectly!

Frequently Asked Questions About Easy Homemade Cinnamon Twists

I get so many messages asking about little tweaks and troubleshooting when you’re whipping up these speedy **Easy Homemade Cinnamon Twists**, and honestly, that’s the best part about sharing a simple recipe! It means people are actually trying them out. Here are some of the most common things folks ask me when they are making this delicious crescent roll dessert.

Can I use puff pastry instead of crescent roll dough?

That’s a great question! While you absolutely *can* use puff pastry, the result will be different, and you won’t end up with the same texture we get from the standard crescent sheet. Crescent dough is softer and has that slightly bready flavor that holds up well to the cinnamon-sugar soak. Puff pastry will rise much taller and puffier, creating a more delicate, airy twist that might shatter when you bite into it. If you use puff pastry, you might want to reduce the baking time slightly, as it cooks fast! For something truly melt-in-your-mouth easy, you might also want to check out my recipe for melt in your mouth 2 ingredient biscuits!

Can I make these ahead of time?

Because these are designed to be super quick, they really shine when eaten the same day, ideally warm. If you need to make them ahead of time for a party or brunch, I strongly recommend baking them the morning of, rather than the night before. If you absolutely must bake them the day before, store them completely cooled in an airtight container at room temperature. When it’s time to serve, re-crisp them in a 300°F oven for about 4 minutes, as I mentioned before. They taste much better fresh or reheated than they do soft and room temperature.

What if my twists come out too soft instead of flaky?

Soft twists usually mean one of two things: either the oven wasn’t quite hot enough, or you didn’t bake them long enough for the butter underneath the sugar mixture to fully cook off the moisture. If you notice they are still looking pale or floppy after 12 minutes, leave them in! Keep checking every minute. If they are fully golden brown but still feel soft to the touch, they probably need a quick 2-minute blast under the broiler—but watch them like a hawk! The broiler works fast, and you only want to enhance the browning on the sugar, not burn it to a crisp. A slightly longer bake time for this quick snack is better than too short!

Do I have to cut the dough into 12 strips?

You can totally change the number of strips, but you’ll need to adjust the twisting motion and the baking time. If you cut them into fewer, thicker strips (say, 8 strips), they will be bigger and chewier, requiring maybe 2-3 more minutes in the oven to get the middle cooked through. If you cut them into 16 thin strips, they will bake super fast, perhaps in just 8 minutes, and they’ll be very crispy. Twelve is just the happy medium I found for that perfect flaky texture and chewiness!

Estimated Nutritional Snapshot for Easy Homemade Cinnamon Twists

I know many of you are curious about what’s going into these delicious little treats, but remember, since this is a home recipe relying on processed ingredients like crescent dough, the numbers can swing quite a bit based on the brand you buy! I’ve run the numbers to give you a general idea of what you’re looking at per twist, but take this as a guideline rather than a strict lab report.

• Serving Size: 1 twist
• Calories: About 110
• Sugar: Around 6 grams (mostly from the topping)
• Fat: About 5 grams
• Protein: Roughly 2 grams

Nutritional Disclaimer for Homemade Cinnamon Twists

Please keep in mind that these nutritional values are just estimates based on the standard ingredients list provided. The exact fat and sodium content will change tremendously based on whether your crescent roll dough is the standard version or the lower-fat version, and how much butter you actually brush on! These are best enjoyed as a fun, quick treat rather than a daily staple. Don’t sweat the small stuff when the flavor is this good!

Share Your Easy Homemade Cinnamon Twists Creations

I genuinely hope you loved how ridiculously easy these **Easy Homemade Cinnamon Twists** were! When you make them, please, please let me know how they turned out. Did you try adding that extra squeeze of orange zest to the glaze? Did you get that perfect deep golden brown on the edges?

The best way for me to know you enjoyed them is if you drop a comment down below and give the recipe a star rating. Honestly, those quick ratings really help other people trying to decide if they should risk 22 minutes on a sweet craving! If you snap a picture of your pile of fresh twists cooling on the rack, tag me on social media! I love seeing your happy kitchen chaos. For more fun treats, you can check out my guide on delicious cookies for a bake sale for future baking adventures!

Estimated Nutritional Snapshot for Easy Homemade Cinnamon Twists

Okay, now we need to talk about the numbers, because I know some of you are keeping track! While these **Easy Homemade Cinnamon Twists** are designed to be an effortless, delicious treat, it’s only fair to give you a ballpark idea of what you’re enjoying unit-wise. Keep in mind, because we are starting with store-bought dough, the exact fat and sodium counts can be wildly different depending on which brand of crescent roll you grab off the shelf at the grocery store!

Based on the standard ingredient list—especially including the butter and the sugar topping—here’s what the calculation generally spits out per twist:

• Serving Size: 1 twist
• Calories: About 110
• Sugar: Around 6 grams
• Fat: About 5 grams
• Protein: Roughly 2 grams

If you look at the full data provided, you can see the details on cholesterol and sodium, but honestly, when I’m making this quick snack, I’m focused more on how fast they disappear!

Nutritional Disclaimer for Homemade Cinnamon Twists

I always have to throw this line in because I would hate for anyone to think this is a scientifically precise breakdown! These values are just estimates based on the recipes I used when testing this out. If you switch your crescent dough from the original recipe version to a reduced-fat one—or if you decide to double up on the cinnamon-sugar, which I totally understand—the numbers will shift. These figures should mostly guide you; they aren’t going to be exact down to the milligram. The important number is how many smiles they bring, and for that, my twisting friends, the rating is off the charts!

Share Your Easy Homemade Cinnamon Twists Creations

I genuinely hope you loved how ridiculously easy these **Easy Homemade Cinnamon Twists** were! When you make them, please, please let me know how they turned out. Did you try adding that extra squeeze of orange zest to the glaze? Did you get that perfect deep golden brown on the edges?

The best way for me to know you enjoyed them is if you drop a comment down below and give the recipe a star rating. Honestly, those quick ratings really help other people trying to decide if they should risk 22 minutes on a sweet craving! If you snap a picture of your pile of fresh twists cooling on the rack, tag me on social media! I love seeing your happy kitchen chaos. For more fun treats, you can check out my guide on delicious cookies for a bake sale for future baking adventures!

Hearing from you makes developing these recipes all worthwhile. Knowing that something so quick and simple brought a sweet moment to your day is why I spend so much time messing around in the kitchen!

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