Cinnamon Twists
This recipe has been handed down for five generations now, and we are excited to share it with you! Of course, we've upgraded them slightly with more vanilla and fresh ground Ceylon Cinnamon. We love to share these with friends and family on holiday tables, or to share with someone who needs a lift.
Dough:
- 3 TBSP active dry yeast
- 1/2 cup warm water
- 1 1/2 cups scalded milk (about 170 degrees F)
- 1/2 cup butter, melted
- 3 beaten eggs
- 1 TBSP salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 6-8 cups flour
Cinnamon Coating:
- 1 cup butter (two sticks), melted
- 2 cups sugar
- 2 TBSP ground Ceylon Cinnamon
- 1 TBSP finely ground vanilla powder
Mix dough: Mix together yeast and water. Let stand for 5 minutes while you assemble and prepare the other ingredients. Warm the milk and butter (you can melt the butter in the milk to reduce the dirty dishes). Add all the dough ingredients and the first four cups of flour to a mixer, and begin bringing it together on low. After it has kneaded for 2-3 minutes and is well mixed, begin adding more flour 1/2-1 cup at a time, until the dough cleans the bowl of the mixer. Knead for 3-5 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic. Cover the bowl with a tea towel or plastic wrap, and let rise for about an hour.
Towards the end of the rise time, melt the butter for the cinnamon coating. In a wide bowl, mix together sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla powder. Prep 2 or 3 cookie sheets with nonstick spray or parchment paper.
Roll and shape: When the dough is done rising, punch it down and divide in half for easier working. Roll the dough to about 3/4 inch thick. Use a round cookie cutter or biscuit cutter (or a can cut open at both ends) to cut out round rolls. Dip each roll in melted butter and cinnamon vanilla sugar. Use your fingers to poke a hole in the middle of the roll, and then twist it into a figure 8 shape. Lay onto prepped cookie sheets and cover with a towel to rise. Continue rolling out the dough, including the scraps, until it's all used up. Let the cinnamon twists rise for 40-60 minutes, until puffy.
Bake 400 degrees F for 13-17 minutes, until golden and baked through. Makes about 40 cinnamon twists.
Note: you can use 2 cups of warm water and 1/3 cup powdered milk instead of the water and scalded milk.
Towards the end of the rise time, melt the butter for the cinnamon coating. In a wide bowl, mix together sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla powder. Prep 2 or 3 cookie sheets with nonstick spray or parchment paper.
Roll and shape: When the dough is done rising, punch it down and divide in half for easier working. Roll the dough to about 3/4 inch thick. Use a round cookie cutter or biscuit cutter (or a can cut open at both ends) to cut out round rolls. Dip each roll in melted butter and cinnamon vanilla sugar. Use your fingers to poke a hole in the middle of the roll, and then twist it into a figure 8 shape. Lay onto prepped cookie sheets and cover with a towel to rise. Continue rolling out the dough, including the scraps, until it's all used up. Let the cinnamon twists rise for 40-60 minutes, until puffy.
Bake 400 degrees F for 13-17 minutes, until golden and baked through. Makes about 40 cinnamon twists.
Note: you can use 2 cups of warm water and 1/3 cup powdered milk instead of the water and scalded milk.
