Baking · MILI’S PHOTO JOURNAL

Glazed Cinnamon Swirls

Name: Glazed Cinnamon Swirls
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 22 min
Total time: 62 min
Ingredients: 1 sheet all-butter puff pastry, thawed in the refrigerator (about 320 g; roughly 10 × 14 inches / 25 × 35 cm); 25 g unsalted butter (about 1¾ tbsp), melted and cooled; 60 g light brown sugar (about ¼ cup plus 1 tbsp, packed); 2 tsp ground cinnamon; ¼ tsp fine salt; 90 g powdered sugar (¾ cup); 15 ml whole milk (1 tbsp); ½ tsp vanilla extract

Buttery pastry spirals bake crisp at the edges, then catch a quick vanilla glaze.

1 hr 2 minEasy12 small pastry swirls

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By Mili · Photo-inspired recipe

Four glazed cinnamon swirls on a red-and-cream patterned plate.

A LITTLE KITCHEN BACKSTORY

Let’s make something lovely.

These little open spirals are inspired by the individual glazed swirls on the plate. This original shortcut version uses ready-made puff pastry for crisp layers and a quick start.

The filling is just butter, brown sugar and cinnamon. Roll it gently, chill it briefly and let the oven open up those spirals.

APRON OPTIONAL. APPETITE ENCOURAGED.

Glazed Cinnamon Swirls

PREP15 minCOOK22 minREST / COOL25 minTOTAL1 hr 2 minMAKES12 small pastry swirls

What you’ll need

Swirls

1 sheet all-butter puff pastry, thawed in the refrigerator (about 320 g; roughly 10 × 14 inches / 25 × 35 cm)
25 g unsalted butter (about 1¾ tbsp), melted and cooled
60 g light brown sugar (about ¼ cup plus 1 tbsp, packed)
2 tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp fine salt

Glaze

90 g powdered sugar (¾ cup)
15 ml whole milk (1 tbsp)
½ tsp vanilla extract

Let’s do this

1
Prepare the filling
Mix the brown sugar, cinnamon and salt. Unroll the cold pastry on its paper, with a long edge facing you.
2
Fill and roll
Brush the pastry with the melted, cooled butter, leaving a ½-inch (1 cm) strip bare along the far long edge. Scatter the cinnamon sugar evenly. Roll up from the near long edge into a 14-inch (35 cm) log; pinch the seam lightly.
3
Chill and slice
Refrigerate the log for 10 minutes. Heat the oven to 400°F (200°C), or 375°F (190°C) fan, and line a large baking sheet with parchment. Trim only any ragged ends, then cut into 12 equal spirals. Do not taste raw pastry dough.
4
Bake
Arrange cut-side up, about 2 inches (5 cm) apart. Bake for 18–22 minutes until risen, golden and crisp at the edges. The pastry at the center should be baked through, not translucent or gummy.
5
Glaze
Cool for 15 minutes. Stir the powdered sugar, milk and vanilla into a thick pourable glaze, then drizzle over the swirls.

Allergen heads-up

Wheat, Milk, Eggs may be present in packaged pastry; check labels. Check every ingredient and substitute for your own needs.

THE LITTLE THINGS THAT MAKE A DIFFERENCE

Before the happy first bite.

Keep puff pastry cold; soft pastry is difficult to slice and spreads more.

Use a sharp knife and a gentle sawing motion to keep the spirals round.

If your pastry sheet is a different shape, roll it gently to the specified rectangle before filling.

Save some for later

Best on the day baked. Refrigerate glazed swirls in a covered container at 40°F (4°C) or colder for up to 3 days. Re-crisp unglazed swirls at 325°F (165°C) for 5–8 minutes, then add glaze.

YOU MIGHT BE WONDERING

A few kitchen questions.

THE REAL-LIFE CAMERA ROLL

From my kitchen.

the beautiful & the messy

Glazed Cinnamon Swirls

Let’s make something lovely.

Glazed Cinnamon Swirls

What you’ll need

Swirls

Glaze

Let’s do this

Prepare the filling

Fill and roll

Chill and slice

Bake

Glaze

Before the happy first bite.

A few kitchen questions.

Are these the same as yeasted cinnamon rolls?

Can I skip the glaze?

Can I prepare them ahead?

From my kitchen.

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