I’m revealing a Crescent Roll Recipes trick that turns storebought dough into flaky cinnamon twists layered with a rich cinnamon-sugar filling and finished with a glossy vanilla glaze, and the method is simpler than you might expect.

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I never expected buttery, flaky twists made from simple crescent roll dough and warm cinnamon to blow up into my new weekend addiction. They puff up, pull apart, and hide a gooey sugared center that makes you pause mid-bite.

I glazed mine with a quick glaze and swore I heard the neighbors plotting to sneak some. Try not to make them when you’re hungry, because they disappear faster than you can say cinnamon.

Perfect for a lazy brunch or a sneaky dessert, this is my go to when I want something impressive but dumb easy. Crescent Roll Recipes

Ingredients

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Crescent roll dough, flaky and buttery, lots of carbs, little protein, great quick base.
Butter, gives richness and helps brown, mostly fat, calories high but tastes amazing.
Brown sugar, sweet and molassy, adds moisture and deeper flavor, mainly simple carbs.
Cinnamon, warm spice, low calories, adds aroma and mild sweetness without sugar.
Powdered sugar, very fine sweetener, makes glossy glaze, pure carbs, no fiber.
Vanilla extract, tiny bit goes a long way, boosts flavor, negligible nutrition.
Coarse sugar or nuts, add crunch and texture, nuts add protein and healthy fats.

Ingredient Quantities

2 (8 oz) cans refrigerated crescent roll dough, thawed

4 tablespoons (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, melted

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 tablespoon granulated sugar (optional)

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup powdered sugar (confectioners sugar)

2 to 3 tablespoons milk or heavy cream

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Optional: coarse sugar or chopped nuts for sprinkling

How to Make this

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1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment or a silicone mat. Let the 2 cans refrigerated crescent roll dough sit a few minutes if still super cold so it’s easy to unroll.

2. Stir together filling: 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar, 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, 1 tablespoon granulated sugar (optional), and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Add 1 tablespoon of the melted butter and mix until it looks like wet sand.

3. Unroll both cans of crescent dough and press the perforations together to make two larger rectangles (or one big sheet if you overlap slightly). Use the remaining 3 tablespoons melted butter to brush the entire surface of the dough.

4. Evenly sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture over the buttered dough, gently pressing it into the dough so it sticks. If you want extra crunch sprinkle the optional granulated sugar on top now.

5. Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter, slice the dough into 1 inch wide strips. Grab a strip, twist it several times (two or three good twists) and place it on the prepared baking sheet, leaving space so they can puff up. Repeat until all strips are twisted.

6. If using, lightly sprinkle coarse sugar or chopped nuts on top for sparkle and crunch. You can also brush a little extra melted butter on the twists if they look dry.

7. Bake 12 to 15 minutes until golden brown and puffed, rotate the pan once halfway through if your oven runs hot. Dont overbake or they’ll get dry.

8. While they bake whisk the glaze: 1 cup powdered sugar with 2 to 3 tablespoons milk or heavy cream (start with 2), and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract. Add more milk a drop at a time until it’s pourable but not too thin.

9. Let twists cool 3 to 5 minutes on the sheet, then drizzle or dip with the vanilla glaze. Serve warm for best flavor, theyre flaky, buttery and irresistible.

Equipment Needed

1. Oven (preheat to 375°F / 190°C)
2. Baking sheet plus parchment paper or a silicone baking mat
3. Measuring cups and measuring spoons
4. Mixing bowls (one large for the dough, one small for the glaze and filling)
5. Whisk and a fork (for the glaze and to help mix the filling)
6. Pastry brush for butter, dont skip it if you want even coverage
7. Sharp knife or pizza cutter to slice the strips
8. Silicone spatula or wooden spoon to spread the cinnamon sugar
9. Cooling rack for resting and glazing the twists before serving

FAQ

How long and at what temp do I bake these? Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Bake on a parchment-lined sheet for about 12 to 14 minutes, until golden brown. Keep an eye the last few minutes, ovens vary.

Can I make them ahead or freeze them? Yes. You can assemble and refrigerate for up to 24 hours before baking. For longer storage freeze assembled twists on a tray, then transfer to a bag for up to 1 month; bake from frozen, adding a few extra minutes. Baked twists keep 2 days at room temp or 4 to 5 days in the fridge.

How do I stop them from getting soggy? Don’t overload with butter or filling, brush a thin even layer of melted butter, and sprinkle cinnamon-sugar lightly. Bake on a single layer with space between pieces and cool on a wire rack so steam can escape.

What consistency should the glaze be and how do I fix it? Start with 2 tablespoons milk or cream and whisk into the powdered sugar for a pourable glaze; add more liquid to thin or more powdered sugar to thicken. Stir in the vanilla. If it’s too runny chill for a few minutes to firm up.

Can I add fillings or nuts? Yes. Thin spreads like jam or sweetened soft cream cheese work best, use sparingly to avoid sogginess. Sprinkle chopped nuts or coarse sugar on top before baking for crunch.

Any tips for twisting and shaping so they dont fall apart? Press seams on the crescent triangles to seal, then cut each triangle into strips, twist each strip a few times and tuck or pinch the ends so they hold their shape while baking. A light dusting of flour on your cutter helps keep things neat.

Warm Cinnamon Crescent Twists Recipe Substitutions and Variations

Crescent roll dough: use puff pastry sheets (same flaky layers, just roll and slice the same way), or refrigerated biscuit dough for a softer, more bready twist, or a simple enriched yeast dough if you want a pull-apart, brioche-like result.
Unsalted butter, melted: swap with coconut oil (1:1, will add a faint coconut note), ghee or melted salted butter (then skip or cut back on added salt), or margarine for a dairy-free option though flavor differs.
Light brown sugar: replace with dark brown sugar for a deeper molasses hit, or make quick brown sugar by mixing 1 cup granulated sugar + 1 tablespoon molasses per cup, or try coconut sugar for a less sweet, caramel-y flavor.
Powdered sugar (for the glaze) + milk + vanilla: if you dont have powdered sugar, blitz granulated sugar in a blender to make confectioners-style sugar (about 3/4 cup granulated = 1 cup powdered), or use a thin cream cheese frosting, or simply drizzle warm maple syrup or apricot jam as a glaze.

Pro Tips

1. Let the dough sit a few minutes at room temp so it unrolls without tearing, but dont let it get so warm it goes sticky or floppy. Warm enough to unroll, cold enough to hold shape — that balance matters.

2. Press the perforations and seams together really well, then smooth the sheet with your hands or a pin so the filling wont ooze out during baking. If you skip this you end up with sugar puddles on the pan.

3. When you cut and twist, hold both ends and give 2 to 3 good twists so the layers separate and you see the cinnamon swirls, then space them well on the sheet. Crowding makes them flat and bakes unevenly.

4. Make the glaze thicker than you think, add milk a tiny bit at a time till its just pourable so it clings to the twists and doesnt run off. For extra sparkle and crunch sprinkle coarse sugar or chopped nuts right after brushing a little extra butter so they stick.

Warm Cinnamon Crescent Twists Recipe

Recipe by James Level

0.0 from 0 votes

Servings

servings

Calories

373

kcal

Equipment: 1. Oven (preheat to 375°F / 190°C)
2. Baking sheet plus parchment paper or a silicone baking mat
3. Measuring cups and measuring spoons
4. Mixing bowls (one large for the dough, one small for the glaze and filling)
5. Whisk and a fork (for the glaze and to help mix the filling)
6. Pastry brush for butter, dont skip it if you want even coverage
7. Sharp knife or pizza cutter to slice the strips
8. Silicone spatula or wooden spoon to spread the cinnamon sugar
9. Cooling rack for resting and glazing the twists before serving

Ingredients

2 (8 oz) cans refrigerated crescent roll dough, thawed
4 tablespoons (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon granulated sugar (optional)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup powdered sugar (confectioners sugar)
2 to 3 tablespoons milk or heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Optional: coarse sugar or chopped nuts for sprinkling

Directions

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment or a silicone mat. Let the 2 cans refrigerated crescent roll dough sit a few minutes if still super cold so it’s easy to unroll.
Stir together filling: 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar, 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, 1 tablespoon granulated sugar (optional), and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Add 1 tablespoon of the melted butter and mix until it looks like wet sand.
Unroll both cans of crescent dough and press the perforations together to make two larger rectangles (or one big sheet if you overlap slightly). Use the remaining 3 tablespoons melted butter to brush the entire surface of the dough.
Evenly sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture over the buttered dough, gently pressing it into the dough so it sticks. If you want extra crunch sprinkle the optional granulated sugar on top now.
Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter, slice the dough into 1 inch wide strips. Grab a strip, twist it several times (two or three good twists) and place it on the prepared baking sheet, leaving space so they can puff up. Repeat until all strips are twisted.
If using, lightly sprinkle coarse sugar or chopped nuts on top for sparkle and crunch. You can also brush a little extra melted butter on the twists if they look dry.
Bake 12 to 15 minutes until golden brown and puffed, rotate the pan once halfway through if your oven runs hot. Dont overbake or they’ll get dry.
While they bake whisk the glaze: 1 cup powdered sugar with 2 to 3 tablespoons milk or heavy cream (start with 2), and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract. Add more milk a drop at a time until it’s pourable but not too thin.
Let twists cool 3 to 5 minutes on the sheet, then drizzle or dip with the vanilla glaze. Serve warm for best flavor, theyre flaky, buttery and irresistible.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: 99g
Total number of serves: 8
Calories: 373kcal
Fat: 18.4g
Saturated Fat: 8.3g
Trans Fat: 0.12g
Polyunsaturated: 1.3g
Monounsaturated: 5g
Cholesterol: 27mg
Sodium: 272mg
Potassium: 50mg
Carbohydrates: 58.7g
Fiber: 0.9g
Sugar: 31.6g
Protein: 3.9g
Vitamin A: 178IU
Vitamin C: 0mg
Calcium: 19mg
Iron: 0.8mg

Warm Cinnamon Crescent Twists Recipe

Ingredients

Ingredient Quantities

How to Make this

Equipment Needed

FAQ

Warm Cinnamon Crescent Twists Recipe Substitutions and Variations

Pro Tips