Sticky and sweet with just a hint of spice to perk up the palate. Great for a teatime snack or breakfast, cinnamon rolls are the best types of sugar rush for busy Singaporeans looking to fuel their day. Whether it’s from celebrated US brand Cinnabon – which just touched down in Singapore – or artisanal bakery Woodlands Sourdough, these list of the best cinnamon rolls and sticky buns in town will bring a smile to any face.
The origins of cinnamon rolls can be contentious. Its key ingredient, cinnamon, is a spice with a birthplace that traces back to Sri Lanka. One saying is that Roman spice traders from Sri Lanka to Europe via the silk route. Afterwards, bakers in the west then incorporated this spice into their pastries.
A well-known example would be kanelbulle (direct translated to cinnamon bun) in Sweden which locals enjoy for Fika, an afternoon tea gathering session with friends. It has since spawned variations like coffee scrolls, honey rolls, and sticky buns (topped with white sugar icing), which are popular in America. Its counterpart, the sticky bun, swaps out cinnamon for a caramel glaze and is topped with nuts like pecans or almonds.
What makes cinnamon rolls yummy?
Cinnamon rolls typically require four essential ingredients – yeast-leavened dough (which results in a fluffy and airy texture), cinnamon, sugar and butter. It’s a treat to have this generously sugar-coated swirled pastry in powdered cinnamon alongside a hot cuppa of dark coffee.
The sugar-coated cinnamon roll first made an impression in Singapore around the ’90s with the presence of Saint Cinnamon. Featuring different flavours of cinnamon rolls, the OG bakery also had stores in prime locations like Wisma Atria and Junction 8. The brand eventually exited the Singapore market in the late 2000s due to a decline in demand.
But it seems there’s been a renewed interest in cinnamon rolls in recent years. This is due to artisanal bakeries making unique versions using tweaked in-house recipes and also the debut of American baked goods chain store Cinnabon, which still boasts long queues for its freshly baked cinnamon rolls. Don’t fancy standing in line for Cinnabon, read on for other alternatives that are worth your calories.
(Feature and hero images credit: Cinnabon)
10 best bakeries to buy cinnamon rolls and sticky buns in Singapore:
Jump To / Table of Contents
1 /10
Get a taste of America through Cinnabon’s cinnamon rolls. The beloved American heritage bakery brand, which has more than 1,200 stores in over 48 countries worldwide, finally opened an outpost in Singapore.
Its signature item, the classic Cinnabon, is famous for its fragrant Makara cinnamon glaze and rich, sticky cream cheese frosting, making it a tasty treat. Other confections to have are the Caramel PecanBon (a baked roll topped with caramel frostings, crunchy pecans, and syrupy caramel sauce) and Cinnachips (crispy thin dried cinnamon bread chips in a cup).
(Image credit: Cinnabon)
2 /10
Proudly founded in Singapore by a former banker, rrooll (simply pronounced as ‘roll’) dubbed themselves as the first local bakery to specialise in cinnamon rolls. Making their debut at Jewel Changi, they have since expanded to heartland locations across the country like Causeway Point, Compass One, and Jurong Point.
Rrooll’s original classic cinnamon roll features Indonesian cinnamon and brown sugar, complete with cream cheese. Their Cinnamon Apple is also a delight to have, which leverages the perfect flavour pairing of these two ingredients. Adventurous diners can opt to try savoury renditions like Garlic Onion Cheese, and even the Hawaiian. The latter’s fluffy bun is decorated with tomato sauce, ham pieces, and pineapple bits for a savoury-sweet treat.
(Image credit: Rrooll)
3 /10
An offshoot of Singapore bakery brand Chewy Junior, Star Cinnamon’s star is obviously its cinnamon rolls. They take their role seriously too; three years of R&D was required to achieve the right texture, flavours, and concept for their Star Cinnamon rolls. Offering an impressive 22 flavours on their menu, the Star Cinnamon rolls feature a cinnamon sugar and creamy butter – perfect as an afternoon treat. Unique flavours include Cinnamon Crunch, Gula Melaka Coconut, and Caramel Crown, which are topped with its signature cream cheese frosting, sticky caramel or homemade chocolate fudge.
(Image credit: @cinnamonch19/Instagram)
4 /10
Popular Muslim-owned bakery Mother Dough knows how to elevate the iconic cinnamon roll with another spice: cardamom. Besides the fragrant spice, the artisanal bakery also offers a twist on the well-loved snack by way of its Medjool dates and cardamom espresso brioche bun. The sweet dates balance the spiciness of the cardamom and espresso’s intense flavour in the lean brioche bun.
(Image credit: @motherdoughbakery/Instagram)
5 /10
Konditori is the sister bakery shop of Swedish-Muslim cafe Fika, so you can expect quality and authentic daily Swedish-inspired fresh bakes. Located in the Kampong Glam neighbourhood, one of their signatures is the kanelbullar, a Swedish cinnamon bun made with a denser and firmer dough and completed with a sprinkle of white sugar granules.
(Image credit: @konditorisg/Instagram)
6 /10
As reflected in their name, sourdough is Woodlands Sourdough’s shining star. This is incorporated into their cinnamon roll too, resulting in well, a sourdough cinnamon roll. The result is a dense bite with a hint of cinnamon spice and pleasant sweetness from the layer of cream cheese frosting. Woodlands Sourdough also offers an alternative – the Saffron bun with Almond – that swaps out cinnamon with the exotic spice.
(Image credit: @woodlandssd/Instagram)
7 /10
A reputable artisanal bakery establishment located in One-North, Bread Yard churns out delicious handcrafted bakes using a combination of Japanese and European baking techniques. Their sticky cinnamon bun is substantially-sized and chewy, and lathered in cinnamon sugar glazed before being topped by crunchy pecans.
(Image credit: @breadyard/Instagram)
8 /10
French artisanal bakery Bread & Hearth is all about quality; their artisan bakes are made with French wheat imported from France which is unbleached and has no preservatives. This applies to their cinnamon buns too. Instead of the usual cinnamon rolls, Bread & Hearth’s cube-shaped eggless cinnamon buns are light and airy, which makes them easier to tear apart. The cinnamon spice isn’t overpowering either and complements the slather of cinnamon-infused cream cheese frosting.
(Image credit: @breadandhearth/Instagram)
9 /10
Conceptualised by global baker Dean Brettschneider, Baker & Cook has been producing quality artisanal bakes since 2012. Their Swedish Cinnamon Rolls are somewhat elusive and appear fresh in stores without any prior notice, so do enquire with the staff if there are any in stock. Of course, they are snapped up almost immediately as they are generously layered with cinnamon powder and a thick cream cheese spread.
(Image credit: @bakerandcooksg/Instagram)
10 /10
Located in a cosy vintage furniture-decorated store, Carpenter & Cook is an artisanal bakery that boasts an owner with experience from Cordon Bleu and renowned chocolate shop Cocomaya. Their cinnamon rolls, in particular, are loved by regular customers; the no-frills bun is rustic and delicious, and are best had with a hot cuppa coffee.
(Image credit: @carpenterandcook/Instagram)
Derrick Tan
digital writer
Derrick believes in Anais Nin's quote, "We write to taste life twice, in the moment and in retrospect." Always craving knowledge with a child-like mindset, he recognises the importance of digital journalism in the current state of media consumption. During downtime, he reads periodicals to keep up with current affairs and subcultures, being a wayfarer and can be seen at live music concerts.
Most Popular
