Pizza Hut introduced the world to their cinnamon sticks in the early 2000’s as a dessert option at the pizza chain. They’re essentially a version of Pizza Hut’s breadsticks but in dessert form. In keeping with tradition, the cinnamon sticks have a long rectangular form. The dough is topped with butter and a blend of cinnamon and sugar, baked until golden brown then served with an icing for dipping.
My version creates the same dessert with very little effort. The reason it’s “easy” is we use a store-bought refrigerated puff pastry. I like the brand Jus-Rol as it’s very easy to roll out right out of the refrigerator. It doesn’t puff up as much as other brands, which is nice for this particular recipe becuase you want the rectangle shapes to remain throughout baking.
You do want to keep your dough as cold as possible. The recipe calls for you to roll out, cut and then place the sheet pan with the cut dough back in the refrigerator while you prepare the other ingredients. While we don’t want too much puffing, if your dough gets too warm it won’t puff at all.
The rest of the preparation is simple. Pour and spread out half the melted butter over the puff pastry, cover in the cinnamon and sugar mixture then pour over the rest of the melted butter and bake. If your oven hasn’t been preheating this whole time, you’ll want to put the prepared sticks back in the refrigerator until it’s time to go into the oven. While the sticks bake make your icing by whisking powdered sugar, milk and vanilla together. Wait a few minutes before pouring over the hot sticks or else it will melt. Serve immediately as these are best hot and fresh.
While Pizza Hut considers these dessert, I make them for breakfast when I don’t have it in me to make my homemade cinnamon rolls. While nothing can replace cinnamon rolls, these cinnamon sticks bring that perfect bite of sweet with a fraction of the time and effort.
Easy Pizza Hut Cinnamon Sticks
Ingredients
- 1 refrigerated puff pastry sheet Jus-Rol
- 4 tbsp salted butter melted
Cinnamon & Sugar
- 1/2 c brown sugar packed
- 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
Glaze
- 1/2 c powder sugar
- 1 1/2 tbsp milk
- 1/4 tsp vanilla
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
- Roll out a refrigerated puff pastry on a lined sheet pan.
- Using a pizza cutter cut down the center, longways. Make about 10 cuts in the opposite direction an inch or so apart to create the sticks.
- Place the pan in the fridge while you get the rest of the ingredients together. You want the pastry to stay as cold as possible.
- Melt 4 tablespoons of butter on the stove or in the microwave. Set aside.
- To a bowl combine the cinnamon and sugar.
- Remove the puff pastry from the refrigerator and pour half the butter on top and brush on evenly.
- Cover in all of the brown sugar and cinnmon.
- Pour the remaining melted butter over the cinnamon and sugar.
- Bake in the middle rack for 13-14 minutes.
- While that makes the glaze by whisking together the powdered sugar, milk and vanilla. Set aside.
- When the sticks come out of the oven allow to cool for a few minutes before pouring over the glaze.
- Serve immediately.