Cinnamon-Cardamom Crescent Twists

Name: Cinnamon-Cardamom Crescent Twists
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons butter, melted; 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar; 1 tablespoon granulated sugar; 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon; 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom; 3/4 teaspoon fresh orange zest; 1 can (8 oz) refrigerated Pillsbury™ Original Crescent Dough Sheet; 1 tablespoon honey; 1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice; 2 tablespoons finely chopped hazelnuts

Prep time:15 min
Total time:25 min
Ingredients:10
Servings:6
Calories per serving:200

By Pillsbury Kitchens(Opens in a new tab)Updated 01/07/2025

Cinnamon-Cardamom Crescent Twists

Prep time:15 min
Total time:25 min
Ingredients:10
Servings:6
Calories per serving:200

Bake OffBake-Off® Contest 52, 2024. Kyla Shaw. Honolulu, Hawaii. Bake-Of

Kyla Shaw

Honolulu, Hawaii

Bake Off

Bake-Off® Contest 52, 2024

Bake-Of

Hello, morning! Sleepy heads everywhere will pop out of bed when the aroma of these easy crescent twists waft their direction. Tender, flaky crescent dough is filled with a sweet, fragrant filling made with ground cinnamon and cardamom. Brown and granulated sugar, melted butter, and the bright, citrusy flavor of fresh orange zest come together with the spices to make a simply delectable filling that is spread over the dough.

Just a few quick cuts and twists of the crescent dough sheet, and these pretty crescent twists are ready for the oven. Glazed with a warm lemon-honey mixture and topped with chopped hazelnuts, these scrumptious breakfast pastries will disappear in a hurry.

While they may look like they came from a bakery, these aromatic pastries are really simple to make. They go from casual grab-and-go breakfasts to festive holiday brunches. The only complaint you’ll get is why you didn’t make a double-batch!

How to Make Cinnamon-Cardamom Crescent Twists

Here are the steps it takes to make these cinnamon crescent twists. Refer to the complete recipe below for all the specific instructions you’ll need to make these beautiful breakfast breads:

Line a Cookie Sheet

A little of the buttery-rich filling in these twists can sneak out of the pastries as they bake. Be ready for it by lining your cookie sheet with cooking parchment paper before the twists hit the pan. It prevents them from tearing when they are removed from the cookie sheet and it makes clean up a breeze.

Mix and Spread the Filling

Here’s where the magic happens. Melted butter, both brown and granulated sugars, ground cinnamon, and cardamom with a little hit of orange zest come together to create a filling that’s anything but ordinary. All you have to do is unroll the dough and slather the filling evenly over the dough.

Fold and Twist the Dough

These twists may look like they are difficult to shape—but just wait--you won’t believe how easy they are to make. Starting with a short end, bring the dough to the opposite end, to fold dough in half. Use a pizza cutter to cut the dough horizontally into 6 strips. Work with one strip at a time and use both hands to pick up the strip at each end and twist it 2 or 3 times before placing it on the cookie sheet.

Bake and Top the Twists

Bake the twists until they are golden brown--it doesn’t take long! Microwave the honey and fresh lemon juice just long enough to warm the ingredients, and brush the mixture on the twists with a pastry brush. Quickly sprinkle the finely-chopped hazelnuts on the twists. They’ll stick to the honey mixture and get caught on the twists in the pastry, the perfect spots to hold them.

Cool and Enjoy

Give these cuties just a few minutes to cool before you dive in. The butter mixture can be hot enough to burn your tongue if you eat them too soon. But after a quick second, these rolls are ready to devour!

How to Store Cinnamon-Cardamom Crescent Twists

Crescent twist recipes like this one, are meant to be served warm from the oven. That’s when the flaky crescents have the best texture and the filling tastes it’s absolute best. If you do find yourself with any leftover pastries, it’s best to enjoy them the same day or the next, as the butter mixture begins to deflate the cloud-like texture of the dough as it soaks into the twists.

Room Temperature Storage

Wrap the cooled baked twists with plastic wrap or foil and store at room temperature up to 1 day.

Refrigerator and Freezer Storage

Cold storage in either the refrigerator or the freezer isn’t recommended, as the texture of the rolls becomes less fluffy and more tough.

Reheating Directions

Unwrap a twist and place it on a microwavable plate. Cover loosely and microwave on Medium-Low (30%) 10 to 20 seconds or just until barely warmed. The sugar and honey in the recipe are very attracted to the microwave’s electromagnetic waves, so they can become extremely hot quickly. Be careful when eating a microwaved twist, making sure it isn’t so hot that it burns your tongue.

What to Serve with Cinnamon-Cardamom Crescent Twists

Cinnamon-crescent twists are delicious served next to just about any savory breakfast dishes you love to eat. Try any of these main dishes from our list of favorite breakfast recipes, adding fresh fruit or juice, when you want to make a complete meal:

Scrambled Eggs: This easy-to-prepare breakfast main dish is elevated by serving next to the lovely crescent twists. It’s a match made in heaven.

Easy Quiche: A breakfast egg pie made with two kinds of cheeses and bacon. Undoubtedly would taste delicious with the cinnamon-cardamom twists.

Sausage Breakfast Casserole: Made in your slow cooker, this recipe can cook away, leaving the oven free to bake the crescent twists, so everything can be served at the same time.

Other Crescent Roll Pastry Recipes

Now that you’ve mastered the crescent twist technique (it sounds a lot harder to say than it is to do), try one of our other twist recipes, ranging from appetizers to desserts:

Olive Crescent Twists: These savory appetizers will be the hit of the party. They are cute, salty, and easy to eat while holding a cocktail.

Cinnamon-Sugar Crescent Twist Bread: Another breakfast bread stunner, this simple yet impressive twist is bursting with cinnamon-sugar flavor.

Raspberry Crescent Twists: These sweet twists are filled with raspberry pie filling and sliced almonds, topped with a smooth, almond-scented, powdered sugar glaze. They’d make another tasty breakfast pastry or an easy-to-pick-up dessert.