Are Taco Bell's Cinnamon Twists Really Made From Pasta?

Rumors have long circulated that Taco Bell's Cinnamon Twists are made of fried pasta thanks to videos floating around the internet that show how Taco Bell employees make the twists. Workers scoop what appears to be spiral pasta out of a bin, and those spirals are then tossed into the deep fryer, where they puff up into the final shape we know. The process is hypnotic and entertaining at the same time. If you want to see the magic for yourself, a TikTok video from user @ceofastoodhacks documents the process in a Taco Bell kitchen.

@ceofastfoodhacks

how we make our cinnamon twist 😁 #tacobell #tacobelltingz #tacobellhack #foryoupage #fyp

♬ original sound – LETS EAT😋

Because of their shape, it's easy to assume that the Cinnamon Twists are rotini noodles, because they certainly look similar, but in this case, appearances are deceiving. The ingredients for the Cinnamon Twists listed on Taco Bell's website indicate that they're made primarily of wheat flour, yellow corn meal, and rice flour. This is unlike traditional dry pasta (like rotini or fusilli), which is typically made only with wheat flour.

So just what are they? It turns out Cinnamon Twists aren't made of pasta, but are much closer to an ingredient called duros, also known as pasta para duros or duros de harina. Though the word "pasta" is sometimes included in their name, duros are not the type of noodles you boil and toss in sauce. 

Duros start out hard and dry, but once they're fried, they turn into a crisp snack that is light and puffy in texture. They're mainly made with wheat flour but also contain additions such as corn starch. One particular ingredient that allows them to expand once they hit the fryer oil is baking soda. Baking soda helps create tiny bubbles that make the duros puff up. Street vendors in my neighborhood often sell them in giant bags on their carts alongside elotes (we highly suggest you make elotes at home), cups of fresh cut-up fruit, and other snacks.

Duros come in multiple shapes, like rectangular crisps, wagon wheels, and those familiar twists you already know thanks to Taco Bell. If you don't have friendly neighborhood vendors like mine, you can buy uncooked duros in their dry pasta-like form online, and fry them at home on your stovetop. In my experience, you can either eat them straight from the bag or dress them with savory ingredients such as a dash of hot sauce or chile powder and a squeeze of lime juice. But of course, you can dust them in cinnamon sugar too, if you're looking for that Cinnamon Twist flavor. 

So no, Taco Bell's Cinnamon Twists aren't made out of pasta, and, if you try frying rotini in oil, you'll be sorely disappointed (and possibly wondering if you chipped some teeth). It might just be easier to hit the drive-thru, but if you want to make your own version, now you know exactly what to search for before embarking on your own cinnamon-dusted journey.