Preheat the oven: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper so the cinnamon twists don’t stick and are easy to remove once baked.

Prepare the cinnamon sugar: In a small mixing bowl, combine the granulated sugar and ground cinnamon. Stir until evenly mixed and set aside. This will be the sweet, fragrant coating for the pastry.

Roll out the puff pastry: Lightly flour your work surface and lay the thawed puff pastry sheet on top. Gently roll it out with a rolling pin if needed to even the edges and slightly thin the dough. In a separate bowl, mix the melted butter with vanilla extract if using.

Brush with butter and add cinnamon sugar: Use a pastry brush to coat the entire surface of the puff pastry with a layer of melted butter. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture generously and evenly over the buttered pastry so every bite is full of flavor.

Slice the pastry into strips: With a sharp knife or pizza cutter, slice the pastry into strips about 1 inch (2.5 cm) wide. If you like shorter twists, you can cut the pastry in half lengthwise before slicing the strips.

Twist the strips: Take each strip of pastry, hold both ends, and gently twist several times to create a spiral shape. Place each twisted strip onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving some space between them for puffing up in the oven.

Brush and bake: Lightly brush the tops of the twists with any remaining melted butter and, if desired, sprinkle a little extra cinnamon sugar on top. Bake for 12–15 minutes, or until the twists are puffed, golden brown, and crisp at the edges. The kitchen should smell warmly of cinnamon and butter.

Cool and finish: Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let the cinnamon twists cool for a few minutes. Dust lightly with powdered sugar if you like. Serve warm for the best soft, flaky, sweet texture.