1. Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and ground cinnamon until well combined.
3. Add the cold, cubed butter to the flour mixture. Using your fingertips or a pastry cutter, rub the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. This is a step I always take slowly, remembering how my mum taught me to handle butter gently so the dough stays tender.
4. Pour in the milk and vanilla extract. Stir gently with a wooden spoon until the dough just comes together — don’t overmix! The dough should be soft but not sticky.
5. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead it briefly, just enough to bring it into a smooth ball.
6. Roll the dough out into a rectangle about 1/4 inch thick (around 6mm). This part always feels a bit like painting a memory, rolling out the dough into the perfect shape.
7. Brush the surface with melted butter, then sprinkle evenly with the cinnamon-sugar coating mixture.
8. Cut the dough into strips about 1 inch wide and 6 inches long.
9. Take each strip and gently twist it a few times, then place it on the prepared baking sheet, leaving some space between each twist.
10. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until golden brown and crisp around the edges. The smell at this point will transport you right back to my mum’s kitchen.
11. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly before serving.

One little secret I’ve learned over the years? Don’t rush the twisting. Taking your time to twist each strip carefully means you get those lovely layers where the cinnamon sugar settles perfectly. When my kitchen is quiet and the morning light streams through the window, that’s when I find the whole process most meditative.