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Cinnabon Delights are a popular dessert item from Taco Bell’s menu. They are essentially bite-sized pastries filled with a Cinnabon frosting and covered in a golden, sugary exterior. When bitten into, the creamy, sweet frosting inside complements the crispy outer layer, providing a mix of textures and the classic cinnamon flavor associated with Cinnabon. They are typically sold in packs, and over the years, they’ve garnered a dedicated following among Taco Bell customers due to their sweet and rich taste, serving as a dessert option in contrast to the primarily savory menu.
To craft these delectable Cinnabon delights with ease, we’re taking a clever shortcut. Instead of laboriously preparing dough from scratch, we’ll be using store-bought frozen dinner rolls. Specifically, I’d highly suggest opting for Rhodes Dinner Rolls, as they offer an excellent texture and flavor that’s perfectly suited for this treat.
Begin by letting the frozen dinner rolls sit out, allowing them to thaw for approximately 30 minutes. This ensures they transform into a pliable dough, ready to be shaped and filled for our delightful dessert.
After the dough has thoroughly defrosted, lay each roll on a cutting board individually.
Carefully slice the dough in half, transforming them from standard dinner roll size to more manageable, bite-sized portions. This adjustment not only makes them easier to enjoy but also enhances the overall eating experience, ensuring every bite is filled with flavor and the perfect amount of filling.
Finally, gently mold each halved portion back into a spherical shape. This step is crucial to retain that iconic Cinnabon Delight silhouette, ensuring they closely resemble the classic treat. The perfectly rounded form also guarantees even cooking and a uniform texture throughout, providing an authentic Cinnabon Delight experience in every bite.
The Cinnabon Delight filling is a luscious combination of ingredients that come together to create a harmonious blend of rich flavors and creamy textures. Drawing inspiration from the beloved treat from Taco Bell, here’s how to craft this delectable filling:
For this filling, you will need:
Conclude the process by increasing the mixer’s speed for a final blend, ensuring a fluffy and homogenized consistency. It’s recommended to let the filling chill briefly before use, allowing the flavors to coalesce and the texture to set, creating an experience reminiscent of the classic Cinnabon Delights.
Achieving the exact consistency of fillings, especially those from well-established chains like Taco Bell, can be a challenging feat. While the filling you’ve prepared is reminiscent of Taco Bell’s Cinnabon Delights, there are a few reasons it might differ slightly in consistency:
It’s worth noting that homemade versions, while close, might always have subtle differences due to these variables. However, this uniqueness often adds a personal touch, making the treat even more special. If you’re aiming to get even closer to their texture, it might take a few trials, adjusting ingredients, or methods based on your observations.
Deep frying Cinnabon Delights in a Dutch oven is a technique that ensures even cooking and a beautifully golden exterior. The process is relatively straightforward, but attention to detail is crucial to achieve the desired outcome. Here’s a step-by-step guide:
Just like that, your frozen dinner rolls have transformed into golden brown ball of greatness. Set aside as you begin to coat them in cinnamon sugar and fill them with the…filling.
Coating the deep-fried delights with sugar and cinnamon, and subsequently filling them, is a delightful process that elevates the treats to a whole new level.
After draining the deep-fried pastries, while they are still warm, it’s essential to coat them to ensure the sugar adheres effectively. In a separate bowl, mix together granulated sugar and ground cinnamon until evenly combined. Toss the warm delights in this mixture, ensuring they’re fully coated. The warmth from the freshly fried pastries will make the sugar mixture adhere, imparting a sweet and aromatic exterior that’s signature to Cinnabon Delights.
Combine 1/3 cup of sugar with 2 tablespoons of cinnamon to craft the perfect cinnamon sugar blend.
Once the pastries are coated, you’ll need to create an opening for the filling. Taking a metal straw or a similar tool, gently but firmly puncture a hole into each pastry. Ensure the hole is deep enough to accommodate a generous amount of filling but be cautious not to pierce all the way through. This creates a cavity inside the pastry where the filling will reside.
Using a piping bag fitted with a narrow nozzle, fill it with the prepared Cinnabon filling. Insert the tip of the nozzle into the hole created in each pastry. Gently squeeze the piping bag to fill the interior of the pastry with the luscious cream. Be mindful not to overfill as this might cause the pastry to burst or the filling to ooze out excessively.
Cinnabon Delights are best enjoyed fresh, ensuring the contrast between the crisp exterior and soft, creamy interior is at its peak. To serve, place them on a decorative plate or in a shallow bowl. If you’ve prepared a batch, consider arranging them in a cascading pile or in a circular pattern for visual appeal.
Unless you’re me and you just throw them on a white plate and call it a day. Also, keep some filling on the side in case you want to dip your treats in it later.
Enjoy!
Gene Takavic, Cinnabon Employee in Omaha, Nebraska
Cinnabon Delights are a creation from Taco Bell, a popular fast-food chain known primarily for its Mexican-inspired cuisine. Their introduction to the Taco Bell menu represented a diversion from the brand’s usual offerings, showcasing the chain’s versatility and willingness to experiment.
While Taco Bell had previously delved into breakfast and dessert items, the introduction of Cinnabon Delights was a significant hit among consumers. These bite-sized pastries were a collaborative effort between Taco Bell and Cinnabon, another well-known brand famous for its cinnamon rolls. Merging the strengths of both brands, they crafted a dessert that combined the best of both worlds: the portability and convenience of fast food and the indulgent, sweet flavors associated with Cinnabon.
Cinnabon Delights are essentially mini donuts filled with Cinnabon’s signature cream cheese frosting and dusted with a cinnamon-sugar mix. Their inception aimed to offer customers a quick, sweet treat that wasn’t overly filling but still satisfying. The collaboration was a strategic move, capitalizing on Cinnabon’s established reputation for delectable cinnamon rolls and integrating it into the fast-food market via Taco Bell’s extensive reach.
Since their introduction, Cinnabon Delights have found a dedicated fanbase, appealing to both Taco Bell regulars and those with a sweet tooth. Their success showcases the potential of brand collaborations in creating innovative, memorable products that resonate with a broad audience.
