Cinnabon Copycat Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret ingredient in Cinnabon? ›

Cinnabon's Secret Ingredient

This special Indonesian cinnamon, called Makara, is trademarked by Cinnabon. And because of that trademark, you won't find this product in your local grocery store spice aisle.

Cinnabon^® Classic Roll

Our world-famous cinnamon roll is made with a combination of warm dough, legendary Makara cinnamon, and signature cream cheese for a freshly baked, irresistible sweet treat. Product availability and varieties vary by market.

At the heart of Cinnabon's soft rolls is their premium quality dough. This dough is made using special wheat and a perfect mix of ingredients that ensure it remains light and fluffy. Another key to the softness is the careful proofing process. Proofing allows the dough to rise and develop its flavors fully.

Cinnabon is known for the enticing aroma and gooey sweetness of their signature cinnamon rolls. Classic Cinnabon cinnamon rolls are large and dense, rich in fat and carbs and contain 880 calories each (15). But these are not even the most unhealthy item on the menu. That honor is reserved for the Caramel Pecanbon.

If there are no buns in the oven, some store operators warm baking sheets of cinnamon and brown sugar to strengthen the aromas. "Aroma is who we are," Bill Gellert, president of Gellfam Management Corp., a restaurant franchisee that owns several Cinnabon restaurants, told WSJ. "It is our greatest asset."

Brown Sugar vs White Sugar

It is claimed that Cinnabon uses mostly soft brown sugar in their filling to make it extra gooey.

so yeast and flour, eggs, warm milk, sugar, butter and a little salt. The filling is Brown sugar, cinnamon and butter.

The smooth, Ooey-Gooey™ topping of Cinnabon^® cream cheese frosting adds another depth of flavor. Painted all over our rolls, it's a final layer to perfection.

The most significant difference between cinnamon rolls and cinnamon buns is the inclusion of nuts. Cinnamon buns often have pecans, walnuts, or even raisins in the filling. They occasionally have nuts sprinkled on top after baking.

Why you shouldn't refrigerate Cinnabon. According to Serious Eats, after baking, the starch molecules in bread begin to recrystallize and harden, which is how bread goes stale. Refrigeration only accelerates that process.

Does Cinnabon use real cinnamon? ›

Clearly cinnamon isn't a secret ingredient in the recipe for cinnamon rolls, but it's the type of cinnamon they use that's key. They call it Makara. It's a less sweet, but way more flavorful, cinnamon from the Korintjie region of West Sumatra in Indonesia.

Their dough is formulated to be simple to make by people who aren't professional bakers, so flavor development isn't a priority in their production. They are also intentionally under baked leaving them gummy and unpleasant to eat. Raw-ish bread dough is something I just can't stand.

You want a pan of puffy-looking rolls even before baking. Additionally, be sure to add only as much flour as you need to make a workable dough. This is a soft and tacky dough and it's not supposed to be tough and hard. Too much flour will give you stiff, dense, dry cinnamon rolls.

Unlike the common cinnamon varieties found in grocery stores, Cinnabon sources a special cinnamon called Makara. This unique cinnamon comes from the mountains of Indonesia and is known for its rich, sweet, and slightly spicy flavor profile.

Where Can You Buy It? Although Makara cinnamon is grown in Sri Lanka, you can purchase it online or at some specialty spice stores. If you want to make Cinnabon-style cinnamon rolls at home, you'll need Makara cinnamon as it's the key ingredient in their secret recipe. You can find Makara cinnamon on Amazon.

Cinnabon^® Classic Roll

That superior flavor and unmistakable, far-reaching aroma comes from Makara® Cinnamon, which originates in the mountains of West Sumatra, Indonesia. Combined with our smooth, tender dough and fluffy signature frosting, this isn't your average cinnamon roll.