HOW TO: Form Cinnamon Twists
A twist on cinnamon rolls baked in caramel sauce
A Saunders family favorite, these cinnamon twists are perfect for any occasion - just ask my brothers!
HOW TO: Form Cinnamon Twists
Make a batch of Brenda’s Favorite Dough Recipe, allow to rest for 40 minutes. While dough rests, continue on to next step.
Prepare the baking dish (illustrated in Window to B’s Kitchen below):
In order to prevent the cooking caramel overflowing in the oven, it is recommended to use a sheet pan with 2” sides = 15”x10”x2” (OR both a 13”x9” and a 9”x9”).
To the baking dish, add:
2 Tbsp butter, melted
2 Tbsp corn syrup
4 Tbsp brown sugar
Use a fork to mix the ingredients and then drag the fork through, pulling streaks of caramel until the entire bottom of the pan is coated. Set aside.
Prepare a large, clean surface by sprinkling with flour. You can use a rolling mat. Brenda’s preference is to use a large canvas cloth mat or a large silicon mat.
Using a rolling pin, roll the dough in a long rectangle shape about 1/2 inch thick and 12” wide. Keep the corners square (not rounded) so that the resulting twists will be equal in size.
Melt 2 tablespoons of butter. Spread the melted butter evenly over the long rectangle of dough using a rubber spatula, being sure to get all the way to the edge.
Top with a layer of brown sugar. Drop handfuls on and then sweep the sugar by hand to spread it out, resulting in a continuous layer over the full surface. Light brown sugar recommended.
Sprinkle with ground cinnamon. Start at one corner and sprinkle back and forth until reaching the opposite corner, then go back and fill in any "light" spots.
(Optional) Add chopped walnuts and/or raisins.
Using your hands, lightly flip 1/3 of the dough (about 4”) up and over center (the middle 4”), continuing this motion the full length of the long rectangle. Repeat with the other 1/3, bringing it back to over the top of the previous folded 2/3.
Mark the dough using a serrated knife to score the spot where it will be cut. Brenda uses a ruler for precise 1” marks.
Use a stainless steel dough scraper or a sharp knife to cut the strips at the 1” marks.
Carefully lift one section, keeping the dough folded in thirds. Twist your wrists in opposite directions to create the signature twist. Carefully place in the prepared pan. Repeat with all the sections, spacing evenly as the twists are added.
Let rise for 40-50 minutes or until fingerprint stays.
Bake at 350F for 25-30 minutes.
Remove from oven, immediately invert pan over baking sheet - dumping the twists bottom-side-up. Quickly scrape any caramel stuck to the pan onto the baked twists. Serve warm or cold.
Brenda tips:
Serving size: One batch makes approximately 3 dozen twists.
Window to B’s kitchen . . .
Prepping the pan with the caramel base
Shaping the dough
Twisting the dough (up close)
Monkey Bread
Cinnamon-sugar pull-apart bread
A classic pull-apart bread, this version is made from scratch with soft yeast dough and bakes up with crisp caramel edges.
Monkey Bread
Make a half-batch of Brenda’s Favorite Yeast Dough, allow to rise for 30 minutes.
Dump the prepared dough onto a clean, lightly floured surface
Roll about 3/4” thick
Cut a grid of 4 x 12 cubes
Prepare a Bundt pan by spraying with non-stick cooking spray.
To a small microwave-safe bowl, add:
1/4 cup butter
Melt the butter, microwaving 15 seconds at a time and stir until smooth. Set aside.
In a separate small bowl, combine:
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
Sift together.
Dunk the cubes of dough in the melted butter, then dredge in the cinnamon sugar
Layer the coated cubes in the prepared Bundt pan
Re-using the butter bowl, add:
1/4 cup butter
Melt the butter, microwaving 15 seconds at a time and stir until smooth. Add:
6 Tbsp brown sugar
Stir together and pour over the cinnamon-sugar dough in the Bundt pan.
Allow prepared bread to rest ~25 minutes, then bake at 350F for 30-35 minutes.
Invert over serving platter. Serve warm.
Brenda tips:
Serving size: 6 to 8 servings
No bundt pan? Substitute a pair of bread pans for similar results.
Window to B’s kitchen . . .
HOW TO: Form Cinnamon Rolls
Learn how to turn Brenda's Favorite Dough recipe into scrumptious Cinnamon Rolls.
HOW TO: Form Cinnamon Rolls
Prepare a large, clean surface by sprinkling with flour. You can use a rolling mat. Brenda’s preference is to use a large canvas cloth mat or a large silicon mat.
Using a rolling pin, roll the dough in a large rectangle shape about 1/2 inch thick. A true or close to true rectangle will result in uniform finished rolls. For large rolls, the rectangle should be approximately 24" x 18” from a single batch of dough.
Melt 2 tablespoons of butter. Spread the melted butter evenly over the rectangle of dough using a rubber spatula, being sure to get all the way to the edge.
Top with a layer of brown sugar. Drop handfuls on and then sweep the sugar by hand to spread it out, resulting in a continuous layer over the full surface. Light brown sugar recommended.
Sprinkle with ground cinnamon. Start at one corner and sprinkle back and forth until reaching the opposite corner, then go back and fill in any "light" spots.
(Optional) Add chopped walnuts and/or raisins.
Using your hands and starting at a convenient corner of the dough, lightly flip the edge up and over, continuing this motion the full 24” length of your rectangle. Once you reach the other end, reverse direction and roll the flipped edge under. As you go back and forth along the edge of the dough, your hands will quickly turn the rectangle of dough into a 24” long tube. To prevent the centers from "popping" when baking, be careful not to stretch the dough while rolling it up, simply coax it into a tube as if the dough were not elastic.
Mark the dough using a serrated knife to score the spot where it will be cut. Brenda uses a ruler for precise 2” tall rolls. To estimate 12 equal rolls, mark half, then half of each half, and then thirds of each quarter - 11 marks that result in 12 spirals when cut.
Use non-flavored dental floss (or a length of thread) to cut into individual rolls. Slide the floss under the long tube of dough to the first mark. Bring the two ends up over the top, cross, and pull tightly together - the dough will cut into a perfect swirl.
Place the rolls on a greased baking sheet. Brenda uses a roaster pan that is about 16" x 12" x 2.25" in order to make 2” tall cinnamon rolls stay within the pan and not hang over the edge. Brenda puts 12 rolls (4 rows of 3) in that pan, carefully placed so that each has maximum space to expand to their baked size of 4" square. If you don't have access to a similar pan, Brenda suggests a sheet pan with 2" sides or use a regular 13" x 9" as they generally have 2" sides.
Let rise for 40-50 minutes or until fingerprint stays. Bake 350F for 25-30 minutes. Cool. Frost. Eat.
Recommended Frosting: Cream Cheese Frosting
Dough Recipe: Brenda’s Favorite Dough Recipe
Window to B’s Kitchen…
1. Flour the surface
2. Roll dough into a large rectangle
3. Spread the melted butter
4. Cover with a layer of brown sugar
5. Sprinkle with cinnamon
6. Roll into a long tube
7. Score the dough with a sharp knife
8. Cut with unflavored dental floss (or strong thread)
. . . . resulting in a beautiful swirl
9. Cut rolls and space evenly in the baking dish
10. Let rest 40-50 minutes then bake at 350F for 25-30 minutes
Brenda's Favorite Yeast Dough
Brenda uses this dough recipe for donuts, scones, cinnamon rolls, dinner rolls…any type of roll.
Brenda uses this dough recipe for:
bread
…anything that needs dough!
If you’re new to kneading, check out Brenda's HOW TO: Knead Yeast Dough post.
Brenda’s Favorite Dough Recipe
To a large mixing bowl, add:
2 cups warm water
4 tsp yeast
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup potato flakes
2 1/4 cups flour
Stir until combined, then mix each in individually:
4 Tbsp butter, softened
2 eggs
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 cups flour
Dough should be somewhat “shaggy” indicating that it’s thickened enough to knead. Clean spoon and begin to knead, sprinkling in:
1 Tbsp increments flour, totaling 1/4-1/2 cup
Knead for about 10 minutes or until dough “blisters” and is soft and elastic.
Let rise 45 minutes.
Shape.
Proof 45 minutes.
Cook.
Let sit 5 minutes, then serve.
Brenda’s tips:
Brenda prefers to use a large, shallow, flat-bottomed bowl to make yeast dough as it makes kneading easy. Her very favorite bowl comes from this set.
New to kneading? Check out Brenda's HOW TO: Knead Yeast Dough post.
Brenda always recommends allowing any and all yeast baked goods to rest five minutes after baking. If you cut into a loaf prior to the five minutes, the loaf will "steam," causing the interior to clump and an inferior crumb to result. Wait five minutes and the loaf will cut cleanly and have a smooth open crumb.
Need to save some? Enclose in an airtight container or bag and freeze. Even if you're serving only 24 hours after baking. To thaw, remove from freezer about 1-2 hours prior to serving.
Proof means to allow the yeast to work (aka let the dough rise)
Yeast is a living organism. In order for yeast to cause the dough to rise, you must respect the ingredient and not kill the yeast early by:
burning it: too hot water
smothering it: butter/oil direct on yeast that hasn't yet bloomed will coat the yeast
poisoning it: salt added directly to yeast that hasn't bloomed