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Everyone loves Homemade Cinnamon Rolls. This recipe uses sour cream and a twist presentation to change up your traditional cinnamon rolls.
These Homemade Cinnamon Roll Twists are a recipe that my mom grew up on. Waking in the early morning to the smell of these rolls baking in the oven was enough to get her up and going.
The recipe is prepared on top of the stove, then moved to a stand mixer for kneading.
Making bread may seem intimidating, but these rolls only have one rise and then you pop them in the oven for 10-12 minutes and they are done.
Ingredients
You will see simple, common ingredients in these cinnamon roll twists.
The recipe includes sour cream to add moisture and flavor.
Shortening provides fat to help make it tender and helps provide a consistent texture. for the recipe.
Sugar, besides providing flavor, helps tenderize the dough, helps it brown when baked, and also helps activate the yeast.
Baking soda when activated, forms air pockets of carbon dioxide, helping to lighten the texture of the twists.
Salt enhances the flavors of other ingredients.
An egg is added to help add color, and flavor to a recipe. It also adds structure by binding the recipe ingredients together.
Yeast is the key ingredient that allows the roll to lighten and rise. Once active, when mixed with liquid and sugar, it grows and multiplies, creating carbon dioxide when helps stretch and rise the dough.
Flour contains gluten. Gluten is formed from the protein in the bread when it is mixed with liquid. Gluten is what stretches when the carbon dioxide from the yeast and other ingredients is formed. Flour provides the structure for the rolls.
There is also a filling of ground cinnamon, sugar, and butter.
The cinnamon roll twists are finished with a powdered sugar icing made from powdered sugar, half & half, and almond flavoring.
Breakfast Roll Preparation
First, add sour cream to the pan. Heat over low heat until it just begins to boil. Remove the pan from heat. This is important. You ideally want your mixture to be around 110F when you add your yeast so it stays active.
Next, stir in shortening, sugar, baking soda, and salt. Use a temperature probe to check the mixture's temperature. Aim for 110-120F. I use a temperature probe like this one. #ad
Stir in whisked egg.
Stir in flour and yeast. Mix with a spoon until the flour is almost completely incorporated.
At this point, transfer the dough to a stand mixer with a dough hook. Allow the mixer to knead the dough on a low setting for 5-7 minutes.
Once the flour is incorporated and kneaded, the dough should be slightly sticky and will start to climb up the dough hook.
Place a folded damp paper towel over the pan and let sit for 5 minutes.
Roll dough into roughly a 6 inch by 24-inch rectangle. The dough will be approximately 1/4 inch thick.
I use a silicone mat like this one to roll my dough. Depending on the dough you may need to add a little flour to the mat to prevent sticking.
Spread melted butter over the dough. Combine cinnamon and sugar. Sprinkle half the dough with a cinnamon-sugar mixture.
Fold dough in half lengthwise.
Cut into 1-inch strips. Twist and place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet.
Cover with plastic wrap lightly coated with cooking spray. Let dough rise for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Bake at 375F for 12-15 minutes until golden brown.
Mix powdered sugar, vanilla, and half and half together. Drizzle the twists with glaze and enjoy with a cup of coffee.
Frequently Asked Questions
Make the dough and knead in a stand mixer. Follow directions to create twists.
Place twists on a parchment-lined baking tray. Cover with plastic wrap coated with cooking spray and store in the refrigerator overnight.
In the morning, remove the dough and allow it to come to room temperature.
Allow rising for 1 1/2 hours. Bake per recipe directions.
Breakfast Recipes
This recipe for the Best Homemade Cinnamon Roll Twists is one where the dough can be made the night before and stored in the refrigerator. In the morning, the dough can be rolled out, cut, and allowed to rise to save on time.
For other healthy breakfast ideas, check out my post the Best Healthy Breakfast Ideas.
Best Homemade Cinnamon Roll Twists
Ingredients
Dough
- 1 cup sour cream
- 2 tbsp shortening
- 1 lg egg
- 3 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp water with beaten egg to measure 1/4 cup
- 2 1/4 tsp yeast equal to one packet
- 2 3/4 cups flour all purpose
- 1/8 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
Filling
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1 tbsp cinnamon
Icing
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tbsp half and half
- 1/8 tsp almond flavoring
Instructions
Dough
- Add sour cream to large pan. Heat over medium low heat until is just starts to boil. Remove pan from heat.
- Add shortening, sugar, baking soda, and salt. Blend well. Check temperature with probe. Temperature should be 100-120°F.
- Add large beaten egg and water measured to 1/4 cup.
- Add 2 3/4 cups of flour and yeast. Mix with a spoon until flour and wet mixture is incorporated into a rough sticky dough. If dough feels dry, add an additional tablespoon of water.
- Hand knead in pan for 5 minutes or transfer dough to a stand mixer with dough hook and knead for 5-7 minutes.
- Place a folded damp paper towel over the pan and let sit for 5 minutes.
- Roll dough into a 6 inch by 24 inch rectangle.
- Melt butter and spread over dough.
- Sprinkle mixture of sugar and cinnamon over half the dough lengthwise.
- Fold dough lengthwise over sugar cinnamon mixture.
- Cut 20-24 1-inch strips depending on dough.
- Twist the dough and lay on parchment lined baking sheet.
- Cover with cooking spray coated plastic wrap and let rise for 1 hour and 15 minutes.
- Bake in oven on the bottom rack for 11-12 minutes until golden brown.
Glaze
- Mix powdered sugar, half and half, and almond flavoring in a small bowl. Drizzle over rolls while warm.
Notes
Nutrition
September 2021 Update: Updated Ingredients, and Preparation in post. Added Other Breakfast recipes and new images. Minor updates to the recipe card.
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