Customization in restaurants is not a novel experience these days. Multiple times a day, we pare down our food orders to individual ingredients, from the one-pump vanilla soy milk latte we eat in the morning to the vegan chorizo burrito we eat at lunch to the cacao drizzle-topped frozen yogurt we grab for dessert. . While we’re used to having it our way, the idea of making your own vegan cinnamon roll shop floored us. It’s the ultimate treat, and Cinnaholic is wowing sweet-toothed customers across the country with its 60-plus franchised locations and huge, gooey, vegan cinnamon rolls. This chain has been oozing sweetness since 2010, but even though you know Sinnahlik, you don’t know it like an insider. We sat down with two Cinaholic staff members to discover all the delicious flavor combinations possible at this delightful plant-based bakery.
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Thousands of combinations
Like Coldstone Creamery and other sweet shops, Sinahlik offers a tight menu of recommended pairings to ease the tiresome anxiety-ridden mind of the decision. It’s easy to stick to something safe—like an old school one with plain vanilla icing—or something that sounds reliably good—like a caramel apple pie topped with caramel frosting, fresh apples, pecans, pie crumble, and caramel sauce. Undoubtedly, you can’t go wrong with those options. But if you stick with what you know, you’re missing out on literally thousands of fool-worthy combinations. All Cinaholic carries over 20 different frosting and topping selections and all of them are vegan. The store has every single base covered. Love decadence? They’ve got brownie bites, homemade cookie dough and cake batter icing. Swing results? Try raspberry frosting or fresh fruit toppings. Think you’re a little nuts? Try peanut butter frosting with pretzels on top. If you crave it, Sinnahlik most likely has it.
Of course, these options can be overwhelming, so we asked Eleni Dandelakis, Franchise Operations Manager (aka Culinary Product Development Manager), what her favorite customizations are. “My go-to roll is perfect for brunch time,” she says “I customize mine with maple frosting and top with fresh strawberries, raspberries and raspberry jam. Tastes like pancakes.”
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More than just cinnamon rolls
Dandelakis continues to open our eyes to the wonderful array of possibilities by shifting our gaze away from the heavy, fluffy rolls and towards the other equally desirable baked goods on offer.
“A lot of people don’t know that we are more than just cinnamon rolls. You can top any of our homemade treats with frosting and toppings. Think homemade chocolate chip banana bread, brownies, cina-doodle cookies, and chocolate chip cookies. Plus, customers can make a cookie sandwich with their favorite frosting flavor or make cookie dough year-round,” Dandelakis explained.
Let’s mention that he glosses over the fact that you can make a cookie sandwich with cookie dough as a filling. Not even Willy Wonka could have imagined that.
Our Cinnaholic guide continues to point out seasonal, non-roll options to look forward to this fall. The chain will bake fresh vegan pumpkin bread daily, and while a crusty slice is heavenly, Dandelakis suggests we top it with coffee frosting and cina-dust for a treat that tastes like a pumpkin spice latte. Pair it with a hot coffee (yes, they sell that too) for a breakfast or brunch that will keep you going throughout the day.
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The secret menu is a must try
With more than a baker’s dozen’s worth of frosting and topping options, it’s inevitable that something gets overlooked. Dandelakis says customers gravitate toward vanilla and cream cheese frosting, and homemade edible cookie dough is by far the most popular topping. Sure, these options are reliable, but have you noticed the choi frosting or the fudgy, homemade brownies? Dandelakis tells us what he believes deserves equal attention.
“Maple and crème brûlée frosting needs more love!” Dandelakis Prof. “I always recommend these two flavors. Additionally, our Homemade Chocolate Chip Banana Bread needs more hype. Our corporate team doesn’t like it too cakey and it’s perfectly moist. Finally, our homemade pie crumble and in-house made PB cups are very underrated toppings.”
Given these guidelines, here are our picks for your next Cinnaholic order.
1 PB&J Banana Bread Open-Faced Sandwich
Start with your base: a soft, thick slice of chocolate chip banana bread. Ask for it topped with peanut butter frosting and fresh banana slices and strawberry jam.
2 Chocolate-Covered Banana Sandwich
Again, star chocolate chip banana bread, this time smothered with chocolate frosting. Top it off with banana slices and chocolate sauce.
3 Salted Maple Pumpkin Bread
This fall, order a slice of not-too-sweet pumpkin bread covered in maple frosting. Top with pretzels for a sweet and salty pumpkin pairing.
4 Peanut Butter Cup Brownies
This is for those who want decadence. Start with a brownie, top it with chocolate or peanut butter icing and homemade PB cups. Add a chocolate drizzle if you dare.
5 Creme Brulee Roll
Sure, it’s missing the crackle on top, but the flavor of this French dessert is still there. Start with a classic cinnamon roll and slather it with crème brûlée icing. Finish the treat with fresh strawberries or raspberries. Crave Crunch? A pie crust topping would work beautifully here.
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How to switch it up
Still need some guidance to lead you to your perfect sinnahlic creation? Dandelakis wants to help. We threw out a few simple flavor profiles and tasked him with recommending a fully built-out roll. Here’s what he suggested:
If you love cream cheese frosting, you should try: Caramel Frosting.
If you love cookie dough, you should try: A classic Sina-Doodle cookie on a roll.
If you like pampering, you should try: a Cinnastack! It’s a homemade edible cookie dough roll with frosting and toppings.
If you love fruit, you should try: Raspberry Frosting topped with strawberries and powdered sugar.
To learn more about vegan baked goods, read:
Tanya Flink is a digital editor for VegNews as well as a writer and runner living in Orange County, CA.