My caffeine tolerance has always been one of my favorite hidden talents (right up there with that funny thing I can do with my knuckle. Remind me to show you that sometime.)

The other day, however, I was bragging to Mike (again) about being able to chug a soda right before bed and I realized something. For years I’ve slurped my coke right up until bedtime. And for years I’ve had trouble getting enough sleep. Hrm.

Must be a coincidence.

My soda adoration is not a new thing. An entry in my baby book illustrates its rich history. When I was less than a year old, my mother records that I’d screech with joy upon receiving Coke and get obnoxious when it was taken away.

(We’ll generously assume that my mother was sleep deprived when she offered soda to a toddler. And gleefully recorded my reaction in my baby book.)

My love for cola has only grown. I love classic Coke, Coke in glass bottles, fountain Coke, Coke Zero, and a good diet Sunkist now and again. I love the tingly feeling of drinking soda after eating something sweet or just waking up. I love sodas on hot days and sodas on cold days. I love funky ginger sodas that burn my throat. I love diet orange creme soda. I can get a little carried away.

(The only thing I don’t love is Pepsi. Don’t even get me started on that mess. And sorry, Cheerwine tastes like cough syrup. Did I just get kicked out of the South? Maybe.)

My penchant for soda isn’t particularly healthy, but it’s served me well this week. I needed that caffeine boost. I don’t know about you, but I’ve had approximately eleventy-billion things to do in preparation for the holidays. Gift shopping, gift wrapping, baking, decorating, attending various gatherings, bathing the dog and trying not to kill her after a particularly messy incident involving puppy chow. You know. Typical Christmas preparations.

Good news if you’re a fellow headless chicken: These little Cinnamon Sparkled Pastry Stix are tasty, cute, and easy to make ahead. They can be prepped and refrigerated overnight to pop into the oven for a simple breakfast.

If you can plan a few days in advance to make your own homemade puff pastry, you should. They’re good either way, but I promise I’m not being a snob when I say there’s a pronounced difference between store-bought and homemade in this case! Once you have your pastry, it’s just a matter of brushing it with butter, sprinkling on some goodies, and making your twists. And then pouring yourself a celebratory glass of Coke, of course.

What’s been keeping you busiest this week?

Cinnamon Sparkled Pastry Stix with Egg Nog Glaze


Recipe by: Willow Bird Baking, with pastry inspired by King Arthur Flour and Gale Gand and glaze inspired by Betty Crocker
Yield: 20+ stix

These puff pastry stix are sparkled with cinnamon, sugar, and buttery cinnamon chips. They’re simple to make ahead and chill in the fridge overnight. Pop them in the oven in the morning and drizzle on some sweet eggnog glaze for a quick, festive breakfast. If you can spare the time, make your own homemade puff pastry — it may seem like a lot of effort, but it really does pay off in flavor!

Stix Ingredients:
1 sheet puff pastry, thawed (or make homemade puff pastry!)
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
3/4 cup sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 cup cinnamon chips (you can replace these with more cinnamon-sugar if you don’t have them around)
2 tablespoons milk

Egg Nog Glaze Ingredients:
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons eggnog
cinnamon, nutmeg to taste

Directions:
NOTE: If you’re making homemade puff pastry from scratch, you’ll want to start that process 3 days before your meal.

1 day in advance: Mix sugar and cinnamon in a bowl. On a silicone mat or lightly floured surface, roll your puff pastry sheet out to a 10″ x 15″ rectangle. Brush half of it (a 5″ x 15″ strip) with melted butter and sprinkle on cinnamon chips and half of the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Fold the unfilled side of the pastry over and press to seal around the edges. Brush the top of the now 5″ x 15″ rectangle with the milk and sprinkle on the rest of the cinnamon and sugar.

With a pizza cutter (spray it a little with vegetable spray if it sticks to the dough), cut the square into 1/2″ stix (they’ll be 5″ long). Press them a little to ensure cinnamon chips are snug, but don’t fret when some inevitably fall out. Take each strip by both ends and gently, carefully twist like you’re wringing out a rag. Scoop up cinnamon and sugar that has fallen off the twists and resprinkle them. Place them on a parchment lined baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap. Stick them in the fridge overnight (you could also bake immediately).

The morning of: Take baking sheet out of the fridge and let it sit at room temperature while you preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Remove plastic wrap and bake stix about 20 minutes, or until puffed and golden brown. Some of the cinnamon chips might leak out, but don’t worry about it. While the stix cool slightly, mix up your glaze. In a small bowl, mix all glaze ingredients until smooth. Add more eggnog if not thin enough to drizzle, tasting as you go. Drizzle over slightly warm pastry stix and serve.

Coca-Cola didn’t sponsor this post, but they probably should’ve, right?

If you liked this post, please:
–Subscribe to Willow Bird Baking
–Follow Willow Bird Baking on Twitter
–Follow Willow Bird Baking on Facebook
–Give this post a thumbs up on StumbleUpon
–Pin It


Shareother ways to share this post with friends

by | 43 Comments

43 Comments on Cinnamon Sparkled Pastry Stix with Egg Nog Glaze

  1. Nicole
    December 21, 2011 at 3:23 am (13 years ago)

    I have given up soda. Yes, it’s true. But back in the day (two years ago), I loved me some Cheerwine. For the very reason you dislike it. It tastes like cough syrup. When I was a kid,my Mom had to hide the cough syrup because I drank it straight out of the bottle. I love Singapore Slings (that old mixed drink that requires you to have 80’s hair and glitter eyeshadow) because it reminds me or Robitussin. Ah,memories. But I have to say…I totally agree with you about Pepsi. Bleugh.

    This week I’ve been swamped with Christmas baking! 12 dz chocolate almond freezer cookies (Maida Heatter, can’t go wrong with that!), 10 dz double chocolate chip walnut cookies (David leibovitz is a god, I tell ya), 16 pecan tarts, 2 batches of black walnut fudge, 1 batch of white chocolate pecan craisin fudge, one batch of pumpkin fudge, one batch of maple cream caramels rolled in toasted chopped pecans, and 3 batches of Giada’s spicy cocktail nuts. WHEW! And yes, I gave it all away.

    Reply
    • Nicole
      December 21, 2011 at 3:23 am (13 years ago)

      Should be sixteen DOZEN pecan tarts.

      Reply
      • Julie @ Willow Bird Baking
        December 21, 2011 at 3:29 am (13 years ago)

        So first off, Nicole, that bit about the cough syrup made me LOL. Second, you are one busy lady! I totally need to stop whining about how busy I am at this point. HA! 😉

        I’m glad everything came out successfully! Now when do you get to put your feet up and sing carols, missy?!

        Reply
  2. Maggie @ A Bitchin' Kitchen
    December 21, 2011 at 4:51 am (13 years ago)

    Ahh, it’s always nice to hear about another addict haha.

    I can’t stand regular Coke, but I drink between 6-10 Diet Cokes a day. Drinking one is the first thing I do in the morning, even before showering!

    These look like a delicious breakfast (or a delicious treat to have with a Diet Coke 🙂 )

    Reply
    • Julie @ Willow Bird Baking
      December 21, 2011 at 5:44 am (13 years ago)

      I’m so impressed that you’ll admit to a number on the internet! I was going to, but chickened out! Put it this way: sometimes my students see all the cans in the recycling box in my classroom and are a bit alarmed. 😉

      Thanks, Maggie!

      Reply
  3. Tina@flourtrader
    December 21, 2011 at 10:30 am (13 years ago)

    I am just imagining how delicious one of these cinnamony stix must taste, especially with those chips. I know I could put away a few with my morning coffee!
    Soda is not my thing though. When I was little and that was all people offered I used to wait until it was flat to drink it at all! Even then I was not liking it either. I know-I am in the small percentage when it comes to soda.
    Anyhow, I love the recipe- enjoy the day!

    Reply
    • Julie @ Willow Bird Baking
      December 21, 2011 at 5:59 pm (13 years ago)

      Thanks, Tina! That’s like Mike re: the soda. He hates the tingle — acts like it’s downright painful!

      Reply
  4. Lauren at Keep It Sweet
    December 21, 2011 at 1:15 pm (13 years ago)

    These look wonderful and I am so tempted to spend tomorrow making homemade puffed pastry!

    I am a Diet Coke girl and no, Pepsi of any sort will never do!

    Reply
    • Julie @ Willow Bird Baking
      December 21, 2011 at 6:00 pm (13 years ago)

      You should, you should! It’s such a fun project to make it from scratch — makes you feel like a rockstar! Thanks, Lauren!

      Reply
  5. Sandra
    December 21, 2011 at 2:03 pm (13 years ago)

    These would be almost as addicting as cola!

    Reply
  7. Stephanie @ okie dokie artichokie
    December 21, 2011 at 3:40 pm (13 years ago)

    You are so cute with the whole coca-cola thing. 🙂 I went through a fierce stage of soda drinking a couple years back. I would have these intense desires for something carbonated and sweet (i.e. soda) and it just wouldn’t quit until I satiated that desire. And like you, the crave would come right before bedtime! That’s so funny. It got so bad I even tried to convince my husband to buy a mini-fridge to put in our bedroom so that, if I wake up super thirsty, I could just crack a can open. Oy. I don’t drink much soda nowadays but when I do get the jonesing for one, it’s usually a really crisp 7-up (definitely NOT Sprite!) or a Sunkist or Coke.

    Reply
    • Julie @ Willow Bird Baking
      December 21, 2011 at 6:01 pm (13 years ago)

      LOL, I love the mini-fridge idea! I’m stealin’ that! 😉

      Thanks, Stephanie!

      Reply
  8. Amanda @ Once Upon a Recipe
    December 21, 2011 at 4:39 pm (13 years ago)

    Fellow headless chicken, right here. I’m not a soda girl, but I’ve been drinking coffee like it’s going out of style. These look delicious – I love that they can be made ahead of time!

    Reply
  9. Rachel @ Baked by Rachel
    December 21, 2011 at 5:39 pm (13 years ago)

    My kids are crazy enough without soda so I’ll pass on the adventure your mom went through lol But I DO want to try these and I bet my kids would adore them!! 🙂

    Reply
    • Julie @ Willow Bird Baking
      December 21, 2011 at 6:01 pm (13 years ago)

      LOL, I have no idea what my mom was thinking, but it sure did start a lifetime love of soda 😉 Thanks, Rachel!

      Reply
  10. Stephanie
    December 21, 2011 at 5:52 pm (13 years ago)

    These look delicious!!! What brand of cinnamon chips did you use? The only kind I can find in my area are Hershey’s, but I have seen bad reviews for those.

    Reply
    • Julie @ Willow Bird Baking
      December 21, 2011 at 5:58 pm (13 years ago)

      Oh really? I used Hershey’s and I love them! They have a great buttery taste, imo!

      Reply
      • Stephanie
        December 22, 2011 at 2:05 am (13 years ago)

        Oh great! Thanks! That is what I will use.

        Reply
        • Julie @ Willow Bird Baking
          December 22, 2011 at 2:21 am (13 years ago)

          No problem! Let me know what you think of them. I’m totally addicted — I could eat spoonfuls of the things!

          Reply
  11. FallsconsMate
    December 21, 2011 at 7:27 pm (13 years ago)

    my ex thought giving a toddler Mt Dew was a good idea.

    so i let the child have some and went to the store, alone. somehow, my ex changed his mind. 😉

    my pepsi mama raised a COKE ONLY girl. but i’m too sensitive to caffiene now, so i can only have it before 3 pm, and then it has to be cherry coke zero.

    those look WONDERFUL!! 😀

    Reply
    • Julie @ Willow Bird Baking
      December 22, 2011 at 2:19 am (13 years ago)

      I love Cherry Coke Zero too! My coworker is addicted to it! Also, LOL about the Mt. Dew incident! Lessons learned the hard way…

      Thanks 😉

      Reply
  12. ginger
    December 21, 2011 at 8:38 pm (13 years ago)

    Right here with all of you…I have had diet Coke for generations…lol…but then I was told carbonation was bad for your bones, leaches it out…yikes…gave up Coke for 6 months, but have gone back to having a few now and then…yes I also used to drink it first thing in the morning..Joked that if they took blood, it would be part Coke…
    Love these cinnamon twists, have to pin those for all to see…My baking starts tomorrow…was this a bad time to start Weight Watchers???? lol…

    Reply
    • Julie @ Willow Bird Baking
      December 22, 2011 at 2:19 am (13 years ago)

      It might’ve been the hardest time of the year for WW, but maybe also the best! LOL! I hear ya on the health concerns — I let myself have this one vice, but I should probably manage it a bit!

      Reply
  13. Joanne
    December 22, 2011 at 12:53 am (13 years ago)

    I’ve been a sucker for coke zero since the day it was created and I do handle my caffeine quite well, thank you. I know because I’m perfectly capable of falling asleep MID quadruple espresso shot americano in the middle of class. 😛

    These little sticks are so cute! What a fun treat.

    Reply
    • Julie @ Willow Bird Baking
      December 22, 2011 at 2:20 am (13 years ago)

      I know, Joanne — I’d been dealing with Diet Coke for years and when Coke Zero came out, it was this beacon of deliciousness. I’m so in love with the stuff.

      Thanks 😉

      Reply
  14. DessertForTwo
    December 22, 2011 at 4:56 am (13 years ago)

    You’re so cute! I didn’t know about your soda addiction! So have you bought yourself one of those soda maker machines? I’m addicted to mine. I make bubbly water and throw in a strip of lemon or orange zest and slurp it up!

    Merry Christmas, pretty lady! 🙂
    xo

    Reply
    • Julie @ Willow Bird Baking
      December 23, 2011 at 4:07 am (13 years ago)

      Oh my goodness, I haven’t yet, but it sounds yummy!! Thanks, Christina! Merry Christmas 🙂

      Reply
  15. LeAndra
    December 22, 2011 at 5:42 pm (13 years ago)

    I hope you get a SodaStream as a Christmas gift. I would love to read about homemade soda making adventures on Willow Bird Baking.

    On another note, I used to work with a woman who, during an otherwise boring meeting, professed “Pepsi tastes like gasoline!” As a Coke drinker, I though you might like that. Happy holidays!

    Reply
  16. Julie @ Sugarfoot Eats
    December 23, 2011 at 2:01 am (13 years ago)

    I totally agree about the Coke, yay! Pepsi, bleck. I’m more of a coffee addict over Coke though.

    Reply
    • Julie @ Willow Bird Baking
      December 23, 2011 at 4:08 am (13 years ago)

      I haven’t been bitten by the coffee bug yet! I’m trying to stay away so I won’t acquire another addiction 😉

      Reply
  17. gracehatter
    December 23, 2011 at 10:21 am (13 years ago)

    Pepsi is awful…Coke is King!

    Reply
  19. Meike
    July 2, 2012 at 11:49 am (12 years ago)

    These look fantastic. I’ll definitely try to make them.
    I do have a question though: is there a substitute for egg nog I can use?

    Reply
  20. ambrosia
    January 8, 2013 at 11:46 pm (12 years ago)

    I will be making these sometime soon! They are making me hungry!

    Reply
  21. Alice
    August 3, 2014 at 11:31 pm (10 years ago)

    wow,just found ur blog,and read a few recipes there fabulous!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1I love a good Christmas recipe and i hope 2 try this 1 this Christmas!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I totally like soda true,but ive never drank coke b4(really)!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!My parents always decided it had 2 much caffine-like coffee.But i do love soda,that wonderful feeling u get.Odly it never gives me that much energy,mayb im not drinking enough:) LOL

    thxs 4 the gr8 recipe!!!!!!!!!also its sooooooooooo adorable that ur mom kept a baby book!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:)is it a tradition?

    Reply

1Pingbacks & Trackbacks on Cinnamon Sparkled Pastry Stix with Egg Nog Glaze

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Comment *