Copycat Cinnabon' for the Bread Machine Recipe - Food.com (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.

Bread flour is hands down the best option when making cinnamon rolls. Any good cinnamon rolls recipe is going to usually call for bread flour instead of other kinds of flour. This is because bread flour is high in protein, usually containing 11% to 13% more protein than other kinds of flour.

CONTAINS 2% OR LESS OF: HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP, BAKING POWDER (BAKING SODA, SODIUM ACID PYROPHOSPHATE, SODIUM ALUMINUM PHOSPHATE), CORN SYRUP, CORN SYRUP SOLIDS, CINNAMON, MONO AND DIGLYCERIDES, CORN STARCH, VITAL WHEAT GLUTEN, SALT, POTASSIUM CHLORIDE, SODIUM STEAROYL LACTYLATE, NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR, WHEAT ...

The flooded icing on top melts into every part of the bun, resulting in so much soft gooiness.

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.

Cinnabon's creators set out to find the most flavorful and aromatic cinnamon possible, and settled on "Korintje" or "Makara," a variety that can only be harvested from cassia trees in the mountains of Indonesia. It's considered the gold standard of the spice.

Its liquid migrates up into the rolls, making them moister. And the remaining fat, milk solids, and milk sugars coalesce into a sweet, sticky syrup that coats the rolls' bottom (which become their top when you turn them out of the pan).

If your butter/milk mixture is too hot, it will kill the yeast and you won't really notice until you're far into the recipe… when the rolls won't rise! Keep the temperature warm to the touch, around 100–110°F (38–43°C). An instant read thermometer is a handy tool for this baking recipe and many others.

For the filling, Cinnabon uses margarine instead of butter because margarine has a lower melting point than butter so it should make the rolls gooey-saucy-melty. Let's face the fact that most people have butter on hand more than margarine so I don't think you need to go out and get some just for today's rolls.

SUGAR: As noted earlier, a Cinnabon Classic Cinnamon Roll is a straight-up sugar factory. Inside, you'll find four different types of the insulin-spiking ingredients: brown sugar, powdered sugar, high fructose corn syrup (glucose-fructose) and molasses.

Does Cinnabon use real cinnamon? ›

Under the canopy of the tropical forests in Indonesia, the cassia tree produces the sweet, luscious flavor that is exclusively known as Cinnabon^® Makara^® Cinnamon. It creates a one-of-a-kind experience you can smell and taste.

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.

A Cinnabon Classic contains 880 calories and 36 grams of fat, 17 of which are saturated. By comparison, a Big Mac contains 550 calories and 29 grams of fat, 10 of which are saturated. Don't forget that this is a dessert, however, so there's nearly 60 grams of sugar, the equivalent of nearly two cans of co*ke.

The Sweet Reasons Behind Cinnabon's Pricing

Cinnabon doesn't skimp when it comes to the components of their famous rolls. From the rich cream cheese frosting to the Indonesian cinnamon that gives them their signature taste, each element contributes to the cost. Another factor is the in-store experience.

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."

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.