Sweet German Twists

Begin by adding yeast to warm water in a bowl and allowing it to become active while you proceed with the rest of the recipe.

Combine flour, salt, and butter slices in a food processor and pulse until they are well combined. Process for approximately 1 minute, ensuring the butter is fully incorporated into the flour mixture.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the yeast mixture, sour cream, egg, egg yolks, and vanilla extract until smooth. Then, pour the mixture into the food processor with the flour mixture and pulse several times, just until the dough starts to hold together. Be sure to clean the sides of the bowl to avoid overmixing.

Divide the dough in half and shape each portion into a thick disk. Wrap each disk in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight for the best texture.

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Line multiple baking sheets with parchment paper for easy cleanup.

Roll out one of the dough disks on a surface generously sprinkled with sugar into an 8x16-inch rectangle. Sprinkle the dough with a generous amount of sugar before folding it over in thirds, letter-style, and rolling it out again. Repeat this process two more times, sprinkling the dough with sugar each time, until you achieve a 4x14-inch rectangle about 1/4 inch thick. Repeat the process with the second dough disk.

Cut strips from the short side of the dough rectangles, making them 1/2 to 3/4 inch wide. Arrange these strips on the parchment-lined baking sheets, twisting and slightly stretching them as you go. You can also form them into horseshoe shapes if desired.

Place the baking sheets in the preheated oven and bake until the cookies are lightly golden brown, taking 12 to 15 minutes. The cookies will puff up slightly, revealing delicate layers.

Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool for about 5 minutes on the sheets before transferring them to wire cooling racks.