Cinnabon is one of those shops that you can’t ignore when you visit a mall, because the aroma is just so enticing. If you ever visit one of these shops, you owe it to yourself to get one of their cinnamon rolls. It’s just fantastic.
But not everything in the Cinnabon menu will be as great as these cinnamon rolls. Here are some menu options that really fall short of the mark:
Classic BonBites
The BonBites cost about $4.86, and we aren’t saying that you’re wasting your money with this offer. It’s just that at Cinnabon, you have much better treats to get.
An order gets you 4 bite-sized rolls, and these are mini versions of the classic cinnamon rolls. Logically, you’d think that it should be as great like its larger counterpart. Unfortunately, it doesn’t quite match up. The presentation isn’t as nice because these rolls are just smaller and therefore not as impressive. And they’re placed in the box somewhat untidily.
The taste is also merely good, and not quite to the fantastic level of its bigger brother. The cinnamon flavor is unmistakably there, and you get that expected tangy flavor from the cream cheese frosting with each bite. The whole order should suffice for an individual, but you can leave some for later. You just need a bite or two for each piece.
But while the regular cinnamon generally stays moist throughout, with the BonBites you get very dry dough. You’ll need to eat this with a large serving of cream cheese frosting to compensate for this dryness.
The Black Coffee
You get a black coffee when you order the Hot Coffee or the Cold Brew Iced Coffee Black (also known as the plain cold brew). Cinnabon tries hard with their black coffee, and they’re even made with “premium, high-altitude Arabica” beans. They also smell almost as amazing as the cinnamon rolls. But they’re not quite perfect.
In fact, to actually not hate these coffee options, you have to really like strong black coffee. Because these coffees are really strong. They will keep you awake, which makes them great during the day when you want to be alert, but bad for your sleep if you drink this in the evening.
But the problem with both the hot coffee and the plain cold brew is that they both have this bitter aftertaste that’s decidedly nasty. And there’s a lingering suspicion that Cinnabon did this deliberately because it all balances out when you drink this while enjoying their cinnamon rolls, which are super-sweet.
But if you drink any of these drinks alone, you’re in for a bitter time.
The Classic Lemonades
Actually, the Raspberry Lemonade from Cinnabon is an excellent choice. The pink color looks nice. You’ve got small flecks of lemon and raspberry attesting to the genuine freshly-squeezed flavor. It’s a natural raspberry flavor you’ll like, devoid of any artificial flavoring that come from flavored syrups.
The flavor balance is just right, mixing sweet and tart nicely. The raspberry flavor is the obvious star of the show, but it doesn’t drown out the flavor of the lemon.
But then we have the Classic Lemonade and the Frozen Classic Lemonade. Whichever you choose, you’re in for a really sour time. The sourness is so overwhelming that you’ll only be able to get a few sips in before you quit. Even in the Frozen version with the ice blended in, the Classic Lemonade is just too tart.
Center of the Roll, Classic and Caramel Pecan
These come in nicely small containers, so they’re easy to carry around. The center of the roll is theoretically the tastiest part of the cinnamon roll, so these options should be good. But it’s not quite good at all.
With the classic version, you get the pieces of cinnamon rolls covered with cinnamon sugar, and then topped with a generous serving of cream cheese frosting. It’s true that this comes with plenty of cinnamon and sugar, and that’s a good thing. Unfortunately, that’s about it.
The pieces of baked cinnamon roll here are not moist and fluffy at all. They’re really dry, at a level that might get you to suspect staleness issues. The cream cheese frosting does help to compensate for this, but you don’t get enough of the cream cheese frosting on top. Towards the bottom of the cup, there’s no cream cheese frosting at all, and you really get worried about the staleness.
With the Caramel Pecan Center of the Roll, you don’t get the cream cheese frosting at all. Instead, you have creamy caramel sauce and pieces of pecan on top. These extra toppings do a better job in covering up the staleness, with the pecans giving you a great crunch to balance the sweetness.
But again, the center of the roll is supposed to be the tastiest part, and this is entirely disproven with these items. The dry dough is a true disappointment, and with this version you’ll also notice that once you get to the bottom half of the cup.
