Copycat Taco Bell Cinnamon Twists

Copycat Taco Bell Cinnamon Twists is a fun dessert recipe with a perfectly crispy texture and cinnamon sugar flavor so you can make Taco Bell’s cinnamon twists at home.

You will need to have a larger pan to fry this copycat recipe or you can use a deep fryer too, however, this would not be a recipe to use with an air fryer. 

So, if you need an easy recipe for a crispy snack to satisfy your sweet tooth, this is a great way to do it without running out to a fast-food restaurant and still enjoy your favorite item from the Taco Bell menu.

Ingredients used to make this Copycat Taco Bell Cinnamon Twists Recipe:

• Canola oil (vegetable oil)
• Mexican Duros (twists) {the secret ingredient – Mexican pasta}
• Granulated sugar 
• Cinnamon

Equipment Needed

For this recipe, you only need a few simple kitchen tools. We recommend using the following equipment:

• Thermometer
• Saucepan (Large)
• Cooling Rack
• Mixing Bowl
• Spider Skimmer

How to make this Copycat Taco Bell Cinnamon Twists Recipe:

1. Prep. Clip a candy thermometer onto a 2-quart saucepan so that its sensor hits the bottom of the inside wall of the large pot (a Dutch oven could work too). Fill the saucepan halfway with canola oil. Heat over medium heat on the stovetop until the candy thermometer reads 350℉. Reduce the heat to medium-low. While the oil is heating, set a wire rack over a sheet pan near the stove. 
2. Make the cinnamon sugar. Next to the wire rack, place a large mixing bowl. Fill the mixing bowl with the combine sugar and cinnamon and mix together. 
3. Fry. Gently scoop 1 cup of Duros into the hot oil. They will sink to the bottom of the saucepan and remain unchanged for a few seconds. Then, they will suddenly puff up and float to the top of the oil. Once all of the Duros reach the top of the oil (this will happen fast), count to 20, flipping them occasionally until they are golden brown, before scooping them out with a spider skimmer or a slotted spoon and spreading them over the wire rack. 
4. Coat in cinnamon sugar. Give the oil a few seconds to drain from the fried Duros. Once cool enough to handle, transfer the fried twists to the bowl with cinnamon-sugar mixture and toss to coat. Transfer to a large serving bowl. 
5. Make the remaining cinnamon twists. Repeat steps 3 and 4 twice, frying 1 cup of Duros at a time. 

Is Mexican Duros regular pasta?

While this might look like the type of pasta that you would cook in water, it is not the same as traditional pasta. 

This is a special type of Mexican snack that is made of puffed wheat and then rolled in a cinnamon sugar mixture or sometimes a chili powder with lime.

These can be found at Mexican markets or sometimes in the Hispanic section of the local grocery store and come in different shapes too like the spiral duros. 

How to store homemade twists: 

After frying these crispy snacks and drying them on paper towels until they are room temperature, place them in an airtight container and store them for up to a week. 

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