Cinnamon Sticks Recipe

Preheat and prepare

Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease it. Lightly dust a clean work surface with the all-purpose flour.

Portion dough: Using 1 lb of room-temperature or slightly chilled house-made pizza dough, shape it into a rough rectangle. Let rest 5 minutes if it resists stretching.

Roll out the dough to a rectangle approximately 10 x 12 inches and about 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick. Try to keep edges even so sticks bake uniformly.

Make the flavored butter: In a small microwave-safe bowl or in a saucepan over low heat, melt the 4 tbsp unsalted butter until just liquid. Whisk in granulated sugar, brown sugar, ground cinnamon, and a pinch of salt until smooth and evenly combined.

Brush: Using a pastry brush, generously brush about two-thirds of the cinnamon-sugar butter over the rolled dough, leaving a small margin at one long edge to help seal when cutting. Reserve roughly 1 tbsp of the butter mixture for brushing the tops before baking if desired.

Roll and slice: Starting at the long side opposite the unbuttered margin, roll the dough tightly into a log (jelly-roll style). Pinch the seam closed to seal. Using a sharp knife or bench scraper, cut the log into 8 equal pieces (each will become one stick). Alternatively, for flat sticks, after brushing, slice the dough into 8 long strips and twist each strip before placing on the sheet; either method yields 8 sticks—this recipe assumes log slices for even spirals.

Arrange: Place the 8 sticks cut-side up (or twisted side up) on the prepared baking sheet about 1 inch apart. If reserved butter remains, lightly brush the tops of each stick.

Bake: Bake in the preheated 425°F (220°C) oven for 12–16 minutes, until golden brown on top and cooked through. Rotate the pan halfway through baking for even color. Baking time may vary slightly depending on your oven and dough thickness.

Cool briefly: Remove from oven and let sticks cool on the sheet for 3–4 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack for 5–7 minutes before icing so the icing will set properly but not melt away completely.

Make the icing: In a small bowl, whisk the powdered sugar with the milk, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt until smooth and pourable. If too thick, add milk 1/2 tsp at a time; if too thin, add powdered sugar 1 tsp at a time. Target consistency should be thick enough to coat sticks but pourable for drizzling.

Serve: Drizzle or dip each warm cinnamon stick in the icing. For a standard 3 oz (approx.) serving of icing across some sticks, use about 3 oz (roughly 1/3 cup) total; this icing adds approximately 260 calories per 3 oz serving. Serve immediately while warm. Leftover icing can be refrigerated up to 3 days; bring to room temperature and stir before using.