Marion's Sour Cream Cinnamon Twists

These are a Porter family staple at Christmas. It took me years and years to get brave enough to try making them. They looked sooo complex to me, but are actually pretty simple. Thank goodness. They're delicious.

The recipe below is from my husband's grandma, Marion Porter. Such a wonderful lady. Wanted to preserve her handwriting so I also posted her recipe cards below for memories, but recommend you follow the typed recipe that comes after that.

Love you, Marion!

Let's Get Started!

Ingredients

• 3 1/2 cups flour

• 1 tsp salt

• 1 c. shortening (see note at the end)***

• 1 envelope (or I Tbsp) of yeast, disolved in 1/4 c. warm (not hot) water.

• 1/2 tsp lemon zest (optional, leave out if you have picky eaters)

• 1 c. sour cream

• 1 whole egg

• 2 egg yolks

• 1 tsp vanilla

For coating:

• 1 c. sugar

• 1 tsp cinnamon

Directions:

1. Add flour, salt and shortening to a large mixing bowl. Blend with hand mixer until crumbly like cornmeal or pie crust mixture.

2. In a small bowl or mug combine yeast and warm water and set aside.

3. In another small bowl, combine sour cream, lemon zest, whole egg and egg yolks. Stir together and set aside.

4. Add yeast to the sour cream mixture.

5. Add the sour cream mixture to the flour mixture. Stir with hand mixer or by hand with wooden spoon (or hands) :) just until combined.

6. Add mixture to a gallon-sized ziplock bag and let chill overnight.

   
   

Next day, folding and cutting instructions:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees

  
  

• Take out half of the cold mixture.

  

  Sprinkle the counter with some of the cinnamon sugar mixture.

  
  

  Roll out into a rectangle (about 12 inch by 8 inch) - it's okay if it's a wonky shape.

  

  Sprinkle cinnamon sugar in the center third and fold over the right side third

  
  

  

  then sprinkle some more cinnamon sugar on that, and fold over the remaining third.

  
  

  

  Roll out again to the 12x8 rectangle and repeat the sugar and folding process.

  
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  After the final fold, roll the dough out to the 12x8 size again and grab a pizza cutter or sharp knife.

  

  Cut the 8 in side in half creating two 4x12 in sections.

  

  Then cut 1/2 inch vertically along the 12 in side, creating 4 in by 1/2 inch pieces.

  

  Grab either end and twist in opposite directions 2-3 times and place on a sprayed or parchment-lined cookie sheet.

• 

  Bake at 375 for about 11-18 minutes (time depends on your oven). They are done when the under-edge (touching the hot pan) starts to show a light golden brown color. Tops might still look slightly underdone. I usually pick one of the twists up to see if there is browning underneath. This makes a soft cinnamon twist that will still be soft tomorrow.

  

  You can cook longer, if you like a crispier twist.

• Once you're satisfied with the color. Transfer to a cooling rack and let cool completely.

  

  Store in an airtight container (sugar might get a little sticky in some humid climates)

*** note about shortening. I use butter-flavored crisco. The recipe says "part butter" so you can do 1/2 c. shortening (any flavor) and 1/2 c. cold butter if you prefer.

Enjoy!