Air Fryer Cinnamon Twists (Printable)

Flaky cinnamon sugar twists baked quickly in an air fryer for a golden, sweet start.

# What You'll Need:

→ Dough

01 - 1 can (8 oz) refrigerated crescent roll dough or pizza dough

→ Filling

02 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
03 - 1/4 cup (50 g) brown sugar
04 - 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

→ Glaze

05 - 1/2 cup (60 g) powdered sugar
06 - 1–2 tablespoons milk
07 - 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat air fryer to 350°F for 3 minutes.
02 - Unroll dough on a lightly floured surface and press to seal any seams.
03 - Brush entire dough surface evenly with melted butter.
04 - Combine brown sugar and cinnamon, then sprinkle mixture evenly over buttered dough.
05 - Fold dough in half lengthwise and gently press edges to seal.
06 - Cut folded dough into 8 strips. Twist each strip multiple times and pinch the ends to secure.
07 - Place twists in air fryer basket with space between each to prevent sticking; cook in batches if needed.
08 - Air-fry for 7 to 8 minutes until golden brown and cooked through.
09 - Whisk powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth while twists cool slightly.
10 - Drizzle glaze over warm twists and serve immediately.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • They come together faster than ordering pastries, and your kitchen smells incredible without any of the guilt.
  • The air fryer gives you that bakery crunch on the outside while keeping everything tender inside, which feels like a small kitchen miracle.
  • Once you nail the twist technique, you can make them in your sleep, which means unexpected guests become an opportunity instead of a panic.
02 -
  • If you don't preheat your air fryer fully, the bottoms won't crisp—I learned this the hard way and ended up with soft, slightly greasy twists the first time.
  • Spacing matters far more than speed; crowded twists turn into a block of dough instead of individual golden pieces, so work in two batches if your basket is small.
  • Cold glaze on warm twists looks sad and slides right off, so always make it while they're cooling but still steaming.
03 -
  • If your glaze is too thick, add milk one half-teaspoon at a time rather than guessing—it's easier to thin than to thicken.
  • Don't walk away during cooking; set a timer and check at the six-minute mark so you catch them at peak golden and don't end up with burnt edges.
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