Cinnamon Sugar Twist Cookies are firm, mildly sweet cookies adapted from Greek Easter cookies. They are an ideal dunking cookie, with a buttery, cinnamon flavor that goes with just about everything!
For military care packages, easy ingredient adaptations can be made to make Cinnamon Sugar Twist Cookies desert safe.
Why you'll love this recipe
I adapted Cinnamon Sugar Twists from a recipe for Greek Easter Cookies (Koulourakia). They are a firm cookie that is only mildly sweet but full of buttery flavor.
Traditionally enjoyed with coffee, Cinnamon Sugar Twist Cookies are a munch-by-the-dozen type of cookie all on their own. The flavors are even better several days after baking.
Instructions
This is an overview of the instructions. The full instructions are in the recipe card below.
- Whisk together the dry ingredients.
- With an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in the egg, orange juice, and vanilla extract. Add the dry ingredients.
- Scoop 1 tablespoon dough balls and refrigerate about 10-15 minutes until easy to handle. Once the dough can be easily handled, knead a dough ball until smooth, then roll out to form a 6” snake.
- Fold the snake into an upside down “u”. Working from the right side each time, twist the right dough over the left three times, pressing the ends together after the final twist.
- Brush onto cookies twists with egg wash and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Bake until cookies are golden brown
Storage
When completely cool, store at room temperature in airtight container or ziplock bag for 2-3 weeks.
Tips
- The original recipe calls for sprinkling the cookies with sesame seeds. Instead, I added cinnamon inside and cinnamon sugar outside. There is a very delicate orange taste from orange juice in the recipe. For a more pronounced orange flavor, I suggest adding 1 teaspoon of orange zest.
- Cinnamon Sugar Twists can be baked with excellent results using desert-safe ingredients. Please note the desert-safe adaptations at the bottom of the recipe. The adaptations include substituting vegetable shortening for the butter and water for the orange juice.
- Though Cinnamon Sugar Twists are very cute twisted cookies, I realize that they don’t make a major color splash in a care package. To remedy that, I wrapped my Cinnamon Sugar Twists in plastic wrap and then packaged them in colorful plastic party bags tied with ribbons. Color splash issue resolved.
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Cinnamon Sugar Twist Cookies
Ingredients
Cookies
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ¼ teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ cup butter room temperature
- 1 cup confectioner’s sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons orange juice
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Topping
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 tablespoon milk
- 4 tablespoons sugar I used turbanado for large crystals and brown color,
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Lower mixer speed and add egg, orange juice, and vanilla extract, mixing thoroughly between additions.
- Slowly add dry ingredients until combined.
- Using small scoop ( 1 tablespoon size) or tablespoon, scoop dough and place balls on a plate. Refrigerate about 10-15 minutes until easy to handle.
- To form cookie: Mush a ball a few times in your hand to make dough smooth, then roll out on counter to look like a 6” long pencil. (Channel your playdough snake making days.) Gently fold dough snake into an upside down “u”. Working from the right side each time, twist the right dough over the left three times, pressing the ends together after the final twist.
- Gently move formed twists onto prepared baking sheet, placing 1” apart.
- Mix together egg and milk/water glaze. Brush onto cookies.
- Mix together cinnamon-sugar and sprinkle over egg glaze.
- Bake for 11-13 minutes until cookie (not just glaze) is golden brown. Cool on wire racks.
- When completely cool, store at room temperature in airtight container or ziplock bag for 2-3 weeks.
Notes
Nutrition
First Published: May 10, 2013. Last Updated: November 15, 2022. Updated for additional information, improved photos, and better reader experience.
Gina left the mall
I can't believe I missed your anniversary! I am so sorry. Life sometimes interferes with blogging.
Please accept my belated Congrats!! The shots look great and I love the warmth of the stories that are part of your blog "recipe." You're doing great!! Thanks also for the mention. We're all in this together 🙂
themondaybox
Thanks, Gina, for the very kind words and encouragement! It's been a wonderful beginning to a blogging adventure. There is always so much more to learn.:)
Reeni
Congratulations on 1 year! May you have many more! You've learned in one year what took me many. . .I really thought you had been blogging longer. The cookies are so pretty! And you know I'm a big fan of all things cinnamon.
themondaybox
Thank you so much, Reeni! The blog is a work in progress. 🙂 I am enjoying the journey! These cookies surprised me in many ways. They were so easy yet looked so pretty. Plus, I really enjoy a more simple, less over the top sweet cookie with a cup of tea or coffee.:)
Rosie @ Blueberry Kitchen
Happy 1 year of blogging! Your cookies look and sound totally yummy!
themondaybox
Thanks, Rosie! One year = a lot of cookies. 🙂
BruCrew Life
Congratulations on your blogiversary!!! Those are some pretty cookies..I love the fun twist!!!
themondaybox
Thanks, Jocelyn! I am thinking that lots of different flavors of dough can be twisted just for fun! (plus its a great dipping shape) 🙂
Ashley
Happy 1 year!! I love that you've gotten cookie dough on your ceiling : ) At least I'm not the only one who is insanely messy when baking or cooking! And then when I'm trying to be better, I end up making an even bigger mess lol. Go figure
themondaybox
Thanks, Ashley! I never make little messes, only big ones 🙂 The batter on the ceiling disaster was like something out of The Three Stooges, only I was alone in the kitchen! I hope I am learning from my mistakes....at least sometimes. 🙂
thatskinnychickcanbake
I love the look of these cookies! My snickerdoodle loving crew would love them. Happy anniversary to your blog 🙂
themondaybox
Thanks, Liz! I hope you'll give these a try. The consistency is very different than a snickerdoodle and there isn't the cream of tarter kind of sour of a snickerdoodle, but there is definitely the cinnamon-sugar taste. Plus, they are cute. 🙂
ohsweetbasil
those look and sound delicious!!
themondaybox
Thanks, Carrian! They aren't over the top sweet and make a great coffee/tea cookie.
shannon
Happy blog anniversary! Doesn't it feel great to get to that milestone? That's truly an accomplishment, and you picked a fantastic cookie to celebrate with: i LOVE these. Me and the Greek desserts go way back in terms of adoration, and i really love what you did with them.
themondaybox
Thank,Shannon! Going from a knowledge base of zero and growing and learning from there for a full year is something I am proud of. 🙂 Hopefully, the blog improved and will continue to improve over time! Due to my tree nut allergies, many Greek desserts have been off limits to me. Last year my son made me baklavah with peanuts so that I could taste a version of baklavah for the first time! 🙂 My very favorite is galaktoboureko with its custard-like filling. Every culture seems to have a long lasting butter cookie, great with tea/coffee/milk, and great for care packages. I'm on an international quest. 🙂
beyondfrosting
Congratulations!!! That's so exciting, I can't wait for my one year anniversary!
themondaybox
Thanks, Julianne! This has been and continues to be fun! 🙂
gottagetbaked
Happy 1 year blogiversary! These cookies look amazing - definitely worthy of celebrating this big milestone. I hear what you're saying and can totally relate. I've learned a ton since I started blogging last June but there's still so much I don't know. And I totally google weird random stuff all the time - thank goodness for the internet and the kindness of fellow bloggers. I look forward to following you for many years to come!
themondaybox
Thank you, Nancy! Your comment is the perfect example of the kind and encouraging nature of food bloggers! 🙂
Monica
Happy 1-year anniversary to your blog!! I love reading what you have to say and the premise of your blog is a great one. You are so right about all the learning involved in having a blog and how kind people are in general.
These cookies look delicious and I like really your spin on them! : )
themondaybox
Thanks, Monica! It's all about enjoying the journey, right? 🙂 My favorite part of blogging is the people!
Monica
I thought of you when I saw this book: http://www.thekitchn.com/the-flying-brownie-by-shirley-fan-new-cookbook-189267
: )
themondaybox
OMG, Monica! Thank you!!! The good news is that it sounds like a fantastic resource.....I am going to check it out immediately. The bad news is that someone has already written my book. 🙂 Well, I knew it was a good idea. I really appreciate your pointing this book out to me and to my care package readers!
Loretta | A Finn In The Kitchen
Congrats on the 1-year mark! I never remember to do anything really creative with my cookies, so these are especially impressive!
themondaybox
Thanks, Loretta! I get excited about every baby step forward with the blog. 🙂 These cookies are really fast and easy. I love it when a cookie looks impressive but really requires very little effort! 🙂
noyomoco
Beautiful cookies and congrats on your blogiversary!! My husband was in the Navy for 9 1/2 years, so I've put together a care package or two 😉
themondaybox
Thanks, Jennifer! You are certainly a care package pro! Any recipes or pointers you would be willing to share would be much appreciated!
Miss Messy
These look delicious 🙂 What a great idea. Happy 1 year! 😀
themondaybox
Thanks, Miss Messy!
Suzie
Aww...thank you for the mention, I will help anytime 🙂 Your photography is impressive. I have florescent lights in my kitchen which are horrible for pictures, thankfully photoshop can change my lighting though. Photoshop is pretty amazing really. The cookies sound great and they are so fun looking. I love how you colored them up with a baggy. Have a great weekend and Mother's day!
themondaybox
Happy Mother's Day, Suzie! I also use photo editing software (something that came with my Canon) and I agree it is a life saver. I take photos outside on a porch. Sometimes the sun cooperates and sometimes it doesn't! Also, its kind of goofy out there in the snow during the winter. 🙂 I do appreciate your help with military care packages. It is very new to me but I am trying to include as many desert safe recipes as possible now that it is getting to be summer. These cookies are especially good with a cup of tea, hot or cold, I think. 🙂