Air Fryer Cinnamon Twists (Printable)

Flaky cinnamon twists baked in minutes with a sweet glaze, perfect for breakfast or a tasty snack.

# What You'll Need:

→ Dough

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

→ Filling

02 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
03 - 1/4 cup brown sugar
04 - 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

→ Glaze

05 - 1/2 cup powdered sugar
06 - 1–2 tbsp milk
07 - 1/4 tsp vanilla extract

# Directions:

01 - Preheat your air fryer to 350°F (175°C) for 3 minutes.
02 - Unroll the dough on a lightly floured surface and press to seal any seams.
03 - Brush the entire surface with melted butter.
04 - Mix brown sugar and cinnamon together, then sprinkle evenly over the buttered dough.
05 - Fold the dough in half lengthwise and gently press to seal.
06 - Cut into 8 strips. Twist each strip several times and pinch the ends.
07 - Place twists in the air fryer basket, spacing them apart to avoid sticking. Work in batches if necessary.
08 - Air-fry for 7 to 8 minutes until golden brown and cooked through.
09 - While twists cool slightly, mix powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth.
10 - Drizzle glaze over warm twists and serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • They're ready in 18 minutes total, so you can serve warm pastries before anyone's even finished their coffee.
  • No kneading, no waiting for dough to rise—the air fryer does all the work while you sip your coffee.
  • The twists stay impossibly crispy outside and tender inside, nothing like the dense store-bought versions.
02 -
  • Don't skip the 3-minute preheat—a cold air fryer basket won't crisp these the way you want, and you'll end up with pale, doughy results instead of golden twists.
  • If your glaze is too thick to drizzle, add milk one teaspoon at a time rather than dumping it all in at once; you can always thin it, but you can't thicken it back up.
03 -
  • Twist each strip multiple times rather than just once or twice; more twists mean more surface area for the cinnamon sugar to caramelize and more layers of flaky goodness in every bite.
  • If your glaze is dripping off instead of coating, your twists might still be too hot; wait a full minute before drizzling so the surface can set slightly and grab onto the glaze.
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