Best Classic American Cinnamon Rolls

Soft enriched dough, a thick brown sugar and cinnamon filling, baked snug in a pan so the sides stay tender: this is the roll most people picture when they hear the words cinnamon roll. It is also the least settled style, because nobody agrees on the finish. Cream cheese frosting, a plain glaze, or nothing at all, and every bakery here has quietly picked a side. It is the biggest style on the map by a wide margin, 211 spots across 9 countries. Here are the ones worth the trip.

Ranked by Google rating weighted for review volume, plus press coverage and whether a bakery specializes in the roll. A 4.9 from a handful of reviews does not outrank a 4.8 from hundreds.

Hewn Bakery

⭐ 4.8

Chicago · Bakery📍 1733 Central St, Evanston

Cinnamon brioche bun of local organic flour and slow fermentation.

Roll Style

Classic American

Featured by

Food & WineNew York TimesChicago TribuneSaveur

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All About The Cinnamon

⭐ 4.9

Los Angeles · Bakery📍 4341 Van Nuys Blvd, Sherman Oaks

Oversized rolls named after hip-hop artists, 28 of them, plus a toppings counter.

Roll Style

Classic American

Featured by

LAmagThe InfatuationNBC Los AngelesABC7

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Se7enBites

⭐ 4.5

Orlando · Bakery📍 617 N Primrose Dr, Orlando

Southern comfort baking in the Milk District; the cinnamon roll turns up in the rotating case.

Roll Style

Classic American

Featured by

Michelin GuideFood NetworkOrlando SentinelForbesEater

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Bakery Nouveau

⭐ 4.8|$4.75

Seattle · Bakery📍 4737 California Ave SW, Seattle

Tightly wound with Vietnamese cinnamon, served warm under citrusy cream cheese icing.

Roll Style

Classic American

Featured by

ZagatSeattle TimesGood Food Awards

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Just What I Kneaded

⭐ 4.6|$10

Los Angeles · Bakery📍 2029 Blake Ave #104, Los Angeles

Vegan rolls good enough to fool the butter loyalists.

Roll Style

Classic AmericanDairy-freeVegan

Featured by

The InfatuationTime Out Los AngelesPBS SoCalVegOut Magazine

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If this style reads as too sweet, the same dough leavened differently becomes a sourdough roll, and the Nordic answer to the same question is over in the Scandinavian guide. For the head to head, read American vs Scandinavian.