Crunchy Cinnamon Swirl
Prep. Time
45 minutes
Cook Time
25 minutes
Servings
12-15 swirls
Difficulty
Expert
There’s something wonderfully whimsical about baking when it starts to feel more like crafting than cooking. You know the kind of recipe—where dough becomes more than dough, where a few simple steps morph into an almost meditative ritual, and by the end, you’re left not just with something delicious, but with something you made with your hands, piece by piece, swirl by satisfying swirl.
This one’s got a bit of magic to it.
At first glance, it might look like something you’d find in the window of a cozy street-side bakery somewhere in Europe, tucked between flaky pastries and sugar-dusted tarts. But what you’re making here doesn’t require a passport, just a bit of time, a warm kitchen, and a willingness to twist and roll your way into something truly special. There’s a kind of slow, old-world joy to this process—something about watching a simple pillow of dough puff up and come to life, then transforming it into spirals around charming little wooden sticks. It’s tactile and cozy.
The scent alone—sweet and spiced—will probably have people wandering into the kitchen, pretending they don’t see you mid-wrap, just “checking in.” And when these come out of the oven, golden and crackling slightly as they cool, you’ll know exactly why they were drawn in.
Ingredients
For the Dough
25 oz (730g) all-purpose flour
10 tbsps granulated sugar
2 tbsps (10g) dry yeast
4 fl.oz (120mL) unsalted vegan butter (follow my recipe here, or use a store-bought option)
13 fl.oz (380mL) plant-based milk
For Coating
5 oz (150g) granulated sugar
2 tsps powdered cinnamon (if you like to have a stronger cinnamon signature, add a 3rd tsp)
Step by Step
For this recipe I was using short oven-safe wooden cylindric sticks that you can order online.
In a stand mixer, combine the flour, sugar and yeast, and manually mix for an even spread.
Place the butter in a microwave-safe small bowl or cup, and microwave it for 30 seconds. Mix a little to get it thoroughly melted.
Turn the mixer on low speed, and gradually add the melted butter and milk. Leave on for 10 minutes, so the dough is consistent and soft.
Turn the mixer off and remove the bowl from the mixer. Take out the dough and shape it to a "pillow", more or less, so it can rise in the bowl evenly.
Cover the bowl with a clean table cloth, and let it rise for 90 minutes, or until the dough doubled its volume.
Preheat the oven to 360F/180C. Meanwhile, prepare a plate with a mixture of granulated sugar and cinnamon.
Using a bread knife or a dough cutter, divide the dough into 8 pieces.
On a clean dry surface or on a long piece of parchment paper, using a rolling pin, flatten a dough piece.
Cut it to 3 even (more or less) strands. Line the wooden stick with a piece of parchment paper, then grab a strand of dough, and start to wrap the lined stick in a swirl, keeping the dough close together (without gaps, as much as possible).
*The parchment paper won't attach to the wooden stick, so you'll need to hold it, but once you swirled the dough around it, the whole "construct" will hold together nicely.
**I've made the mistake of not wrapping the wooden sticks before applying the dough, and the dough got stuck on the wooden sticks. Learn from my mistakes!
When you finish wrapping the dough around the stick, "glue" the dough ending with the rest of the dough but gently pressing them together.
Roll the dough-covered stick in the sugar/cinnamon plate until covered from all sides, and place it on a parchment-lined baking tray. Repeat for all other dough pieces.
Place the trays in the oven and bake for 20-30 minutes, or until golden.
Once removed from the oven, let it cool, and gently pull from the parchment/stick. It should pull rather easily, since the dough does not stick to the parchment lining.
Serve that day or freeze [in a closed container] for up to 1 month! You can simply thaw it in the oven again.