I compared store-bought cinnamon rolls, and the best brand almost tasted like a croissant

By: Erin McDowell

8 December 2024 at 06:49

cinnamon rolls from five different brands on a white plate — I tried store-bought cinnamon rolls from four different brands and ranked them from worst to best.
Erin McDowell/Business Insider

I tried cinnamon rolls from Pillsbury, Immaculate Baking Company, Annie's, and Amazon.
The Pillsbury Grands flaky cinnamon rolls blew me away with their fluffy, doughnut-like texture.
The Amazon-brand cinnamon rolls were a little too bread-like for my taste.

For many people, there's nothing better than the smell of cinnamon rolls straight out of the oven wafting through the house, especially around the holidays.

The comforting aroma of cinnamon rolls is more than nostalgic — it's also a major business driver, especially during the holiday season when sales of seasonal products like store-bought cinnamon rolls rise.

Pillsbury is one brand dominating the ready-to-bake market, but smaller brands like Immaculate Baking Company and Annie's Organic also have their own versions. Even Amazon, which has its own e-commerce grocery brand, has joined the competition with its own line of cinnamon rolls.

I tried five different kinds of store-bought, canned cinnamon rolls from Pillsbury's, Immaculate Baking Company, Annie's Organic, and Amazon to see which brand had the best-canned cinnamon rolls.

Here's how the store-bought cinnamon rolls ranked, from worst to best.

Ahead of the holiday season, I tried cinnamon rolls from four different brands.

canned cinnamon rolls from Pillsbury's, Immaculate Baking Company, Annie's Organic, and Amazon — The five different kinds of cinnamon rolls I tried.
Erin McDowell/Business Insider

I tried cinnamon rolls from Pillsbury, Immaculate Baking Company, Annie's, and Amazon's Happy Belly, which has since rebranded as Amazon Fresh.

To make the cinnamon rolls, I greased a baking sheet and baked them according to the instructions on each can. They all took around 20 minutes to bake in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Each can of cinnamon rolls also came with icing, which I allowed to come to room temperature while the rolls were baking.

My least favorite brand was Amazon's Happy Belly cinnamon rolls, which have since rebranded to Amazon Fresh.

amazon fresh cinnamon rolls — I tried the Amazon Fresh cinnamon rolls.
Erin McDowell/Business Insider

The can cost $2.49 and included eight rolls plus a bag of icing. This was the least expensive brand I tried, and it came with the most rolls.

The can contained more rolls than the other brands.

However, each cinnamon roll was smaller. The icing, which came in a small plastic bag, melted nicely onto the rolls when they were fresh out of the oven.

I thought the texture of the cinnamon roll was a little bread-like.

I didn't love the texture of this cinnamon roll. It was a little stodgy and thick rather than flaky.

It also lacked the spiced flavor I expect from a cinnamon roll. It was a touch bland, and all I could taste was the sweet, sticky icing. It wasn't bad, per se, but it wasn't my favorite out of all of the rolls I tried.

My fourth-favorite brand of cinnamon roll was from Immaculate Baking Company.

immaculate cinnamon rolls — Next up was the Immaculate cinnamon rolls.
Erin McDowell/Business Insider

The can came with five cinnamon rolls and icing. It cost $8.49, making it the most expensive brand I tried.

The cinnamon rolls were medium-sized.

This made them easy to hold and bite into. I could see a rich layer of cinnamon swirled inside the bun.

The texture was on the thicker side, but fluffier than the Amazon-brand cinnamon rolls.

The cinnamon roll was sweet, spicy, and buttery, and the icing wasn't too sweet — it was just right. However, for such a high price tag, I expected to be more impressed with these rolls than I was.

The Pillsbury Grands cinnamon rolls landed square in the middle of my ranking.

A can of five rolls, including Cinnabon icing, cost $3.49.

The cinnamon roll was among the largest of the rolls and rose a significant amount while baking.

The Pillsbury Grands cinnamon rolls were the largest I tried.
Erin McDowell/Business Insider

The icing, which came in a small plastic tub, did require a knife to spread over the top of the roll, which added an extra step. However, I thought it was worth it.

The cinnamon roll was light and flaky, with a balanced amount of sweetness.

The roll was slightly crispy on the outside but fluffy in the center. The Cinnabon icing was also very decadent, without being sickly sweet or toothache-inducing.

The second-best brand I tried was Annie's organic cinnamon rolls.

annies cinnamon rolls — I also tried Annie's Organic cinnamon rolls.
Erin McDowell/Business Insider

The can came with five cinnamon rolls and cost $7.99.

These cinnamon rolls were packed with cinnamon flavor.

The icing settled into a creamy coating over the top of the rolls.

The texture was also very flaky, almost like a croissant.

I thought these cinnamon rolls had the perfect balance between buttery and flaky texture, without being too sweet.

But my favorite brand that I tried was the Pillsbury Flaky Grands cinnamon rolls.

A can of five rolls, including Cinnabon icing, cost $7.69.

The cinnamon roll was the largest of the ones I tried.

Its texture was super flaky, just as the packaging promised, and the texture of the roll was very similar to a croissant.

When I bit in, the roll reminded me of a buttery, flaky doughnut.

The roll had just the right amount of cinnamon and butter flavor, but its texture blew me away. It practically melted in my mouth.

I enjoyed all of the rolls, but the flakiest one was the winner in my book.

finished cinnamon rolls with bite taken out of each one — The finished cinnamon rolls.
Erin McDowell/Business Insider

Not only did the Pillsbury Flaky Grands cinnamon rolls have the best flavor and texture, but I also thought they were well-priced for such a decadent dessert. They tasted like they could have come from an actual bakery.

The next time I'm looking to make a cozy, holiday breakfast, I know which brand I'll be reaching for at the grocery store.

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