Updated 9/9/20 with new pics and easier instructions.
These Cinnamon Twists are fondly referred to by Sam (hubby) as Mrs. Sniderman Cookies—after sweet family friend, Audrey, in his home town Calgary, Canada, who always sent some when his parents visited LA. She was kind enough to share her recipe with me.
I was happy to discover that it originated from Norene Gilletz—well-renowned Canadian cookbook author and personal mentor. (Sadly, Norene passed away in February 2020 so I will think of her fondly whenever I make them)
You can turn this versatile, easy-to-make dough into alphabet letters or any shape you like!
Aja had a blast mixing, rolling and shaping the cookies “all by herself.” This was a great exercise for me in completely giving up control.

Updated pics 9/10/20:
Whisk the dry ingredients together.
Whisk or mix the wet ingredients together.
Combine.
Refrigerate the dough for 20 – 30 minutes to make it easier to work with (especially if kiddos are making them)
Use a small cookie scoop to portion about 1 tablespoon of dough. Roll into 5 inch logs. Dip in cinnamon sugar. Twist. Bake.
Enjoy! (Or freeze when cool so you don’t eat 10 in one day ?)

Cinnamon Twists from OrnaBakes.com
OrnaEquipment
- small cookie scoop
- 2 cookie sheets/half sheet pans
- Parchment paper
Ingredients
- 3 large or extra-large eggs room temperature
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar or brown sugar lightly packed
- ½ cup (110g) canola oil
- 3 cups (390g) all-purpose flour plus more for rolling
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- cinnamon sugar: 1/3 cup (67g) granulated sugar mixed with 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon in a wide, shallow bowl
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325° F (160° C) CONVECTION or 350° F (180° C) REGULAR. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper—cut to fit.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt to combine; set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk or use a flexible spatula to combine the eggs, sugar, and oil.
- Add the flour mixture; mix with a flexible spatula or wooden spoon just until the flour disappears. (Do not over-mix or the cookies will be tough.) Cover and refrigerate the dough for 20 - 30 minutes to make it easier to work with.
- Use a small cookie scoop to portion about a tablespoon of dough. Place on a lightly floured counter (I love using my dough mat) and gently roll with your fingers into a pencil-thin rolls about 5 inches (12 centimeters) long. (They will puff up quite a bit, so don't make them too thick.)
- Coat in cinnamon sugar and shape into figure 8's, alphabet letters, or whatever shape your mini-baker desires!
- Place 1- inch (2 1/2 centimeters) apart on prepared baking sheets. Bake for 10 - 15 minutes until golden and crisp, depending on the shape and thickness of the cookies.
- Transfer the parchment to wire racks after 2 minutes and allow to cool completely. (If you can wait that long!)
- Place in an air tight container or zip top bag for 7 days or freeze for 3 months. (They will never last this long but just in case ? )
2 Responses
This is my second time checking and we do not have all the ingredients in the house. Not fair. They look absolutely delicious. I promise I can smell them after reading the recipe. Thank you. I am devoted fan of Orna and Aja.
You’re a darling – wish I could head over and bring you some (cookies not ingredients lol)! ❤️