The Absolute Best Cinnamon Rolls In The US
Few things scream weekend breakfast like a fresh cinnamon roll. They can come fluffy or flaky, rich or light, dainty or monstrous. Aside from the fact that they're a spiral-shaped baked good with cinnamon and butter rolled into the layers, it's hard to say what exactly defines them. And deciding what makes one particular cinnamon roll the best is an even harder task.
This list showcases delicious treats from all corners of the country, highlighting local excellence and breakfasts of dreams. You'll find these decadent cinnamon rolls in pizza parlors, cafes, and bakeries. They're a collection of road-trip-worthy lip smackers for all tastes, and they'll take you on a culinary adventure through breakfast country. Some of the best might even make you rethink what you really love about cinnamon rolls in the first place.
Be sure to bring a friend on your journey to discover the best cinnamon rolls in the U.S., because some of these baked goods are more than one diner can face alone. Sometimes, the clean plate club requires a group effort.
Kanela - Chicago
You know a shop has great cinnamon rolls when they have the titular spice in their name. Kanela Breakfast Club in Chicago is named after the Greek word for cinnamon, and the spot has a glorious Glazed Kanela Roll that draws crowds. Kanela doesn't take reservations, and with so many fans, you should expect a bit of a wait. However, the wait for these fluffy breakfast treats is well worth it.
Large enough to earn respect, the sweet rolls are great on their own or as a dessert at the end of your brunch (if you can handle it). The cream cheese icing is the true hero of the experience, elevating a really good cinnamon roll into a rich treat for the senses. Kanela aims to source local and organic ingredients whenever possible, so this is a decadent delight you can feel good about. These rolls start with people who know their cinnamon and end with people who appreciate it. It's like the circle of life but in a spiral.
Lodge Bread Co. - Los Angeles
What sets an exceptional cinnamon roll apart from the pack? Maybe it's big, super fluffy, or has incredible frosting. Lodge Bread Co. from Los Angeles specializes in slow bread with their famous sourdough recipe. Luckily for customers, that sourdough has taken on a gloriously twisted form.
You've probably never tried a sourdough cinnamon roll before, but this is the best place to do so. The bakers work with fresh dough every day to make something special, and it's certainly a tasty twist on a regular roll. This is an LA cinnamon roll and it honors its roots. Instead of basic icing, it kicks things up to 11 with a whipped citrus cream topping.
Fresh is the name of the game at Lodge Bread Co. but adventure might as well be their catch-phrase. This is a must-try for hard-core cinnamon roll lovers and foodies left feeling jaded by more traditional swirls of dough. Be forewarned: It may ruin all other cinnamon rolls for you.
Breads Bakery - New York City
This place will make you reexamine what you expect from a good cinnamon roll. The specimen in question isn't fluffy at all, but rather a bit crisp without icing. So, what makes it so good? Breads Bakery, a traditional Jewish establishment in New York City brings old-world flavors to new-world appetites. Here, you'll find the alternative cinnamon roll you never knew you needed. Come with high expectations but be open to a new experience.
Breads Bakery's disc-shaped cinnamon roll is a wheel of tightly coiled, flaky pastry dipped in cinnamon sugar, as described by countless Yelp reviews. Rather than a mouthful of cloud, this twist on the old classic provides a crunchy bite. Think of the consistency of an authentic croissant instead of a dinner roll. This delicacy is also easy to eat on the go, which is always a plus on a busy day in the city. Just be ready to brush off a few flakes from your jacket.
Knaus Berry Farm - Miami
A poorly kept but much-loved secret of the Miami, Florida area, the family-run Knaus Berry Farm sells produce and has an old-school bakery on the premises. The owners do some things the way they've done them for decades, which includes making arguably the best cinnamon rolls in the state.
These ooey-gooey cinnamon rolls are undeniably decadent. Although they're great when cool, the best way to enjoy a Knaus Berry Farm cinnamon bun is hot from the oven. Sold by the unit, half dozen, or dozen, there's enough to feed a family, a gaggle of friends, or a single foodie for several days.
Hot tip: The farm store is a cash-based business, and you may not find an ATM on-site. Make sure to have cash in hand before you arrive and be ready for a line if you stop by on a weekend. Locals love this place as much as (or more than) the tourists.
Biagio's Donut Shop and Pizzeria - Cleveland
Cinnamon is delicious. So is chocolate. When they come together in a single baked good, it's a thing of beauty. It's also one of the highlights at Biagio's Donut Shop and Pizzeria in Cleveland, Ohio. Donuts and pizza may not sound like two food groups you'd find sharing a menu, but just like cinnamon and chocolate, they play well as a team. Biagio's chocolate-covered cinnamon rolls are like something out of a childhood fantasy. The chocolate frosting fills all the little gaps in the wheel of dough, adding a hint of moisture to make the flavors a little richer. Meanwhile, the standard glazed rolls are nothing to scoff at.
Sometimes called cinnamon buns instead of rolls, these desserts are the same treat, just under a different name. These hot buns fly out of the display case and you should be ready for a short wait. Celebrate your good fortune if there are no chocolate iced cinnamon buns waiting behind the counter because they'll be handed to you straight from the oven instead, according to satisfied customers.
Ann Sather - Chicago
For over 70 years, Ann Sather Restaurant has been in the business of delivering Swedish-inspired recipes to Chicago diners' plates. The most beloved plate filler of all is the house cinnamon roll. It isn't just good, it's legendary.
These luscious, fork-worthy cinnamon rolls come dripping with the perfect amount of vanilla cream glaze. If you need a reason to eat cinnamon every day, this is it. They come boxed up to go if you don't have time to sit down at the restaurant, but you'll definitely want to find some cutlery and a place to park it before you even attempt to do these beauties justice.
Cinnamon rolls from Ann Sather are so popular, locals often assume everyone they know has had one. If you haven't tasted it at least once, then you must be from out of town, according to Insider. Even during the most brutal Chicago winters, the right touch of cinnamon in a fluffy roll can warm the soul.
The Corner Cafe - Kansas City
In the wonderful world of cinnamon rolls, size matters. The Corner Cafe in Kansas City, Missouri, has cinnamon rolls as big as the plate upon which they are served. We're not talking about miniature dessert plates; these bad boys fill a whole dinner plate. They're so big, they've even put off diners who don't believe they can finish them (via Tripadvisor). These monstrous baked goods make an excellent dessert for a table of three or four. Yes, we are talking about just one roll.
While there's no rule that says you can't eat it all in one go, don't save it for the end of your meal because you may not have room. These cinnamon rolls are a challenge that demands advance planning to defeat. As for those who believe in the fine art of leftovers, you can easily get two meals out of a single roll. Even if you can't finish The Corner Cafe's enormous roll, it will probably steal your heart. It isn't just big; it's also delicious.
Donut King - Kansas City
Another highlight of the Kansas City cinnamon roll culture, Donut King offers a feast for the senses. Although they technically have a few options on the menu (glazed, vanilla, chocolate, and cream cheese icing), the caramel pecan cinnamon roll steals the show. Pecan rolls are the Southern cousins of the cinnamon roll, and Donut King has found the missing link between these two baked goods.
Packed with the buttery cinnamon you'd expect, a generous amount of pecans, and bound together in sticky caramel, this is a treat you won't want to put down. It's a finger-licking kind of cinnamon roll, but if you're shy you can always try it with a fork. The customer reviews are clear: You may just fall in love. Guard your heart, and don't bring along a jealous date. It's hard to let go of caramel — it sticks to your heart as well as your fingers.
Old West Cinnamon Rolls - Pismo Beach, California
A place that specializes in cinnamon rolls must have something great to offer. Old West Cinnamon Rolls has a menu bursting with clever twists, but the most unique and noteworthy option is pretty crumbly, but in a good way. The cinnamon roll crumb comes dressed to impress with a kind of streusel topping. The team of flavors and textures offers something special for the cinnamon roll fan who's seen it all. Who needs a gallon of icing when you have a crumble topping your roll?
If you like to get to know your cinnamon roll before you dine, you're in luck. According to the Tripadvisor comments, you'll get to watch as bakers roll, slather, and bake each batch of piping hot treats. By the time you get your order hot from the oven, it may already feel like you're old friends. After all, you watched your cinnamon roll grow up, or at least rise a little.
Mrs. Powell's Bakery - Idaho Falls, Idaho
Mrs. Powell's Bakery brings the joy of cinnamon rolls to Idaho. It's worth going out of your way for a visit because these aren't your regular cinnamon rolls. While a basic roll in any other bakery has cinnamon, sugar, and probably a touch of glaze, Mrs. Powell's packs in a bit more. The original cinnamon roll comes with a surprise. Beneath a generous layer of frosting that veils most of the roll's swirls, you'll find more than cinnamon, sugar, and fluffy pastry. You'll find some of the luckiest raisins in America.
This local favorite is so wildly popular, it has inspired copycat recipes online. Make no mistake, though: This baked treat is best when it comes from the expert's oven. Fans insist Mrs. Powell's cinnamon rolls will melt in your mouth (via Only in Your State). Neither tough nor doughy, they ride the fine line of excellence, and they do it with raisin passengers by their side.
Cupboard Cafe - New Harbor, Maine
The Cupboard Café in New Harbor, Maine, didn't anticipate just how popular its cinnamon rolls would become. Called buns locally, these cinnamon-sugared swirls were — and still are — made in small batches following a family recipe. They've also gained the kind of status that draws crowds to collect the buns fresh from the oven. The restaurant now has the reputation for having "The Best Buns," and if you ever wander up north, you should put them to the test.
Each buttery mouthful has the perfect amount of icing. You know it's good icing too because it melts into the roll and creates the faintest crust of hardened sugar on top as it cools. This is the real deal. You will definitely need an appetite and fork to do these beauties justice. Bring along a friend, as each behemoth is enough to serve as a meal or enjoy as a shareable dessert, per Tripadvisor comments.
Ooey Gooey Cinnamon Rolls - Nashville, Indiana
If you like your cinnamon rolls rich, Ooey Gooey Cinnamon Rolls in Nashville, Indiana, is the place to meet your soulmate. Don't let the endless options on the menu distract you, either. All the cinnamon rolls here come with both ooey gooey caramel sauce and the house-made white icing. The best, however, have something more.
Nothing balances sugary sweet flavors like the unexpected addition of bacon. Bacon makes most desserts better, and it makes the maple bacon roll the unspoken king of the Ooey Gooey Cinnamon Rolls menu. If maple, bacon, caramel, and icing sounds like a little too much, you can ask the bakers to hold the caramel or icing. You can even skip both if you want to keep things super simple, or as simple as you can with cinnamon, sugar, maple, and bacon.
It sounds like a lot because it is, but these rolls support all the toppings with sturdy dough. If you're ever in Nashville and want to explore the sweet and savory side of the cinnamon roll, then there's a maple bacon wheel of yumminess with your name on it.
Flavors Bakery - Cullman, Alabama
A traditional cinnamon roll is a thing of beauty, but if you spin things around like Flavors Bakery, you're in for a fancier feast. Made in Alabama, these aren't your typical cinnamon rolls. Instead, you'll find something closer to a danish in texture, and these flaky treats make a dainty handful that will have you demanding seconds.
The trick is hidden in the recipe, which consists of brioche dough, layered with quality cinnamon from Vietnam. These cinnamon sweet rolls come in pretty little paper holders, so you don't need a fork to keep your hands clean. While they're still a good handful, their presentation matters as much as their size. These sweet treats are tea party ready. Not only do they look great, but customers rave about the amazing taste. The brioche dough makes these sweet rolls stand out in a crowd, and the obvious care put into their looks will have you eating with your eyes first.
Koala Kolache - Cyprus, Texas
Koala Kolache in Texas brings old bakery favorites to life in new and interesting ways. The baked goods are all made from scratch and each one delivers exciting flavors. Nevertheless, even on a menu packed with creativity, it's hard for a Nutella cinnamon roll to just blend in.
The hazelnut chocolate spread mixes with cinnamon sugar from the roll's multiple layers, and a cheeky smudge on top lets you know what's hiding within. Cream cheese frosting adds complexity to the flavor. Per Yelp reviews, these rolls are as big as your head, so be sure to arrive hungry and plan to roll home. The taste is sweet but not overly, and the dough holds up under all the toppings without collapsing into a wet mess.
This is another local favorite that regularly sells out, so be sure to arrive early to snag a Nutella cinnamon roll because you'll have competition. Ordering a day ahead to reserve your breakfast treats is the surest way to avoid heartbreak.