Description
Swedish Sour Cream Twists are delightful layered yeast cookies characterized by their tender, flaky texture and a sweet, crispy sugar coating. These twists are made by folding and rolling a sticky yeast dough enriched with sour cream, butter, and eggs, then generously sugared and baked until golden. Perfect alongside a cup of hot chocolate, they combine a subtle vanilla flavor with a satisfying crunch, making them a cherished Scandinavian treat.
Ingredients
Scale
Dough
- 1 cup salted butter, softened (2 sticks)
- 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
- 1 cup full-fat sour cream
- 2 large eggs
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Sugar for Rolling and Coating
- 1 ¼ cups white sugar (for rolling out dough, plus more as needed)
- ½ cup white sugar (for rolling twists in)
Instructions
- Beat the Butter and Flour: In a large bowl or stand mixer, beat the softened butter until it becomes light and fluffy. Gradually add the flour and continue beating well until combined.
- Activate Yeast in Sour Cream: In a separate medium bowl, stir the yeast into the full-fat sour cream, allowing it to start softening and activating the yeast.
- Add Eggs and Flavorings: Beat the eggs, kosher salt, and vanilla extract into the sour cream and yeast mixture thoroughly.
- Combine Dough Mixtures: Beat the sour cream mixture into the flour and butter mixture until well combined. The resulting dough will be very sticky.
- Chill the Dough: Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a clean towel and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight. Chilling helps to make the dough easier to handle and allows the yeast to develop flavor.
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheets: Heat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line several baking sheets with silicone mats (silpats) or parchment paper to prevent sticking.
- Prepare Sugary Rolling Surface: Sprinkle a generous amount of the 1 ¼ cups sugar on your work surface, using a pastry cloth or silpat mat for best results. Since the dough is sticky, ample sugar is essential to prevent sticking.
- Roll Out the Dough: Transfer the chilled dough onto the sugared surface, sprinkle more sugar on top, and pat it gently with your hands. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough into a rectangle shape.
- Layer with Sugar and Fold: Sprinkle more sugar over the rolled rectangle. Fold the dough in half, sprinkle again with sugar, then roll out into a rectangle once more. Repeat this sugaring, folding, and rolling process 3 to 4 times until the sugar is mostly used up, creating distinct layers.
- Final Folding: On the last roll-out, after sprinkling with sugar, fold the dough into thirds like a business envelope, adding sugar between layers.
- Roll into Strip: Roll the folded dough into a long strip approximately 4 to 5 inches wide and 22 to 24 inches long.
- Cut the Strips: Using a pizza cutter, slice the dough strip into ½-inch wide strips, each about 4 to 5 inches long.
- Twist and Sugar Coating: Twist each strip gently with your fingers, then roll it generously in the ½ cup sugar set aside for coating.
- Arrange on Baking Sheets: Place the twisted and sugared dough pieces on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart to allow for slight expansion.
- Repeat: Continue twisting and sugaring the remaining dough strips, placing them evenly on baking sheets.
- Bake the Twists: Bake in the preheated oven for 17 to 20 minutes or until the edges are lightly browned. For a crispier texture, suitable for dipping in coffee, leave them in the oven a few minutes longer.
- Cool and Serve: Remove from oven and allow the twists to cool slightly before serving. This recipe yields approximately 36 to 40 twists depending on their length.
- Enjoy: Serve these delicious Swedish Sour Cream Twists warm or at room temperature, ideally with a cup of hot chocolate for the perfect cozy treat.
Notes
- The dough is very sticky; keep your hands and rolling surface well sugared to manage it easily.
- Chilling the dough overnight enhances flavor and dramatically improves handling.
- For extra crispiness, bake a few minutes longer, watching carefully to prevent burning.
- If you don’t have a pastry cloth or silpat, generously sugar your countertop to avoid sticking.
- These twists are best enjoyed fresh but can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
