I’ve been having some cravings for big, warm, gooey cinnamon rolls lately, so I decided it was time to start my own search for the best cinnamon rolls in Austin!
Also read: top 20 restaurants in Austin
I’ve had 3-4 favorites over the years, but I figured there were probably many more undisovered cinnamon rolls that I should try…so I went on a hunt to find the best cinnamon rolls in Austin!
Easier said than done! Most bakeries and coffee shops don’t list through online menus with all of their pastries, so I had to physically hunt for these decadent treats by walking into cafes, bakeries, coffeee shops, and restaurants all over Austin.
Was it worth it? YOU BET. Here are the BEST cinnamon rolls I found that are worthy of being on your to-try list:
A GUIDE TO THE BEST CINNAMON ROLLS IN AUSTIN
1. TEAL HOUSE COFFEE AND BAKERY (GF Available)
I adore this little family-owned bakery on South Congress! Go read their story; it’s really sweet. They work as a family to provide homemade cinnamon rolls, kolache, and a bunch of coffee drinks.
These are traditional homemade cinnamon rolls (they really do taste like they came straight from the oven! Nothing store-bought about them.) The frosting is made with lots of real cream cheese and has a lovely tart/sweet taste. 10 out of 10!!
They also offer gluten free cinnamon rolls!
Teal House Bakery
2304 S Congress Ave, Austin TX 78704
(512) 673-8710
Also See: 20 Best Desserts In Austin
2. MAÑANA
This one was my favorite in Austin before I started this whole dang search, and it’s still (in my opinion) the ultimate classic cinnamon roll: soft, gooey, warm, and covered in a thick layer of soft, melty icing. Because, really….there’s no good reason to skimp on the icing.
It’s big enough to share, but who really wants to share a cinnamon role? Undoubtedly, one person always ends up with the boring outer role while the other person steals all of the gooey center. Better just to indulge and eat the entire thing by yourself.
Psst: these are $4, but if you stop by from 5-7 pm you can get 1/2 off all pastries. $2 is SUCH a steal for this gorgeous roll!
Mañana
1603 S Congress Ave, Austin TX 78704
512-872-3144
3. Little Ola’s Biscuits
Little Ola’s Biscuits is a new shop in Wells Branch (far north Austin) that not only makes the most delicious soft, buttery biscuits, but also some pretty incredible cinnamon rolls.
This is from the team behind upscale southern restaurant Olamaie. The biscuits on their menu have always been a crowd favorite. They started a 2020 pandemic pop-up, and these biscuit sandwiches were such a hit that they opened a brick-and-mortar in 2021.
But back to the cinnamon rolls…because that’s why you’re here! These are currently $5 (+ a 20% automatic employee wellness tip), but I believe you’re really getting what you pay for here. They use good ingredients, and it shows! This cinnamon roll is caramelized around the edges and soft and fluffy on the inside. They don’t skimp on the cream cheese frosting, and they’re served in individual containers all warm and gooey.
Little Ola’s Biscuits
14735 Bratton Ln #310, Austin, TX 78728
Also See: The Best Breakfast Tacos In Austin
4. Tiny Boxwoods
This one is SO good! One of my favorites for sure, but it’s pretty expensive (over $5 once you add tax/tip.) It’s very similar to the big, fluffy cinnamon roll at Mañana. This one has a traditional sugar frosting instead of cream cheese.
Tiny Boxwoods
1515 W 35th St, Austin TX 78703
512-220-0698
5. Upper Crust Bakery
This of this more like a cinnamon croissant than a cinnamon roll… It’s flaky, covered with SO much cinnamon and sugar (don’t try to eat it in the car!), and one of my favorite unconventional cinnamon rolls in Austin.
Upper Crust Bakery
4508 Burnet Rd, Austin TX 78756
512-467-0102
6. Cranky Granny’s Sweet Rolls
Not for the faint of heart! Cranky Granny’s cinnamon rolls are giant and more in the “dessert” category than “breakfast.” There are all sorts of extreme and delicious flavors like banana pudding, peach cobbler, and peanut butter, plus options like vegan or mini rolls.
Cranky Granny’s
7408 Cameron Rd, Austin TX 78752
609-401-0090
Also see: 24 Coffee Shops In Austin You Should Try
7. Hot L Coffee
This one is as light as a cloud! It’s yeast-y and sweet and has a rich cinnamon flavor. They use a thin glaze rather than a thick frosting. Typically, I prefer a bunch of sweet frosting, but this glaze actually works really well! It’s just enough to help highlight the roll, so the bread is really the star of the show here.
WEBSITE | 400 Josephine St
Hot L Coffee
400 Josephine St, Austin TX 78704
512-682-5300
8. Great Harvest Bread Company
This is the only whole wheat cinnamon roll I could find in Austin. I mean…when it’s made with lots of butter and sugar, does whole wheat even help at all?? Maybe the fiber slows the digestion of the sugar. Idk. I’m not going to pretend to be a nutritionist right now.
Here’s what I know: this one was delightfully soft and sweet! It has a cream cheese frosting and tasted best heated up in the microwave for a few seconds.
Great Harvest Bread Company
110 Old Walsh Tarlton, Austin TX 78746
512-329-9216
9. Moonlight Bakery
This is a very inexpensive cinnamon roll (just $2) so it would be good if you want to get a bunch to share. It was really soft and gooey. You know those canned cinnamon rolls you can get at the grocery story? It kind of tastes like those! Now, I might be alone here, but I think those Pillsbury cinnamon rolls are delicious, and this one is a pretty good replica!
Moonlight Bakery
2300 S Lamar Blvd #102, Austin TX 78704
512-462-1302
Also see: Where to eat the best donuts in Austin
10. 1886 Cafe and Bakery
This is the one to try if you want to #doitforthegram. It’s a MASSIVE cinnamon roll, and it cost me $7.50 with tax + tip. (WAY too much for a cinnamon roll, if you ask me!)
But…it’s pretty darn tasty. 😉 It has a croissant-like dough, it’s very soft (but not gooey), and it DEFINITELY needs to be warmed up.
1886 Cafe and Bakery
604 Brazos St, Austin TX 78701
512-391-7066
11. Skull and Cakebones (Vegan)
If you follow a vegan lifestyle, this one is for you! Skull and Cakebones offers a sourdough cinnamon roll for $4.50 at their bakery in Dripping Springs.
I’m not vegan, but I was pretty impressed with the texture of this sourdough roll: so fluffy! This one had the best cinnamon fillings of all the rolls I tried (they must use a lot of cinnamon, sugar, and butter substitute before they roll it up and bake it!) and I really appreciated that.
Now, as someone who has the option of any cinnamon roll in Austin, I prefer some of the butter-based rolls over this one. But if I was 100% vegan? You can bet I’d be taking all sorts of weekend trips out to Dripping Springs to indulge in this pastry!
Skull and Cakebones
3991 E Hwy 290 a, Dripping Springs TX, 78620
512-348-8346
12. Round Rock Donuts
HELLO Texas-Sized cinnamon roll! If you want a massive roll, but you don’t want to spend as much $ as the roll at 1886 costs, head up to Round Rock (the city just north of Austin) and go to the famous Round Rock Donuts for this Texas-Sized Cinnamon Roll.
Their donuts are famously sweet, so it’s no surprise that this cinnamon roll is ridiculously sugary. I really appreciate that they put nuts on top of it to help balance out the sweetness.
Round Rock Donuts
106 W Liberty Ave, Round Rock TX 78664
512-255-3629
13. Swedish Hill
The cinnamon rolls at this charming Clarksville eatery are among the very best in the city: baked fresh daily, soft and pillowy dough, and a hearty amount of thick, sweet frosting. I’m including them at the end of the list because they are slightly overpriced for the size.. But the ambiance of this adorable restaurant makes up for that.
Swedish Hill
1120 West 6th Street, Austin TX 78703
512-472-1347
A few others to consider:
Quacks
I’ll admit it: this isn’t a cinnamon roll I would have ordered off of looks alone. From the pastry case, the iced roll looks dry and flaky, and the icing looks hard and cold.
But it’s just $2.75, so I ordered one and heated it up in the microwave in the bakery. The interior was pleasantly soft, fluffy, and loaded with great cinnamon flavor. I do wish that the frosting wasn’t so hard and crumbly. Next time I’ll probably just get the sugared cinnamon roll at Quack’s and avoid the iced one.
Russells
This is pretty similar to Upper Crust (laminated dough, croissant-like cinnamon roll), but I believe that Upper Crust’s is much better! They’re both in North Austin, so if you have to choose between the two, head to Upper Crust.
Sweet Lemon Kitchen (Georgetown)
I never had a chance to make it up to Georgetown to try this one (I will, someday!), but lots of y’all messaged me on instagram and told me that they make a great cinnamon roll! If you ever try it, snap a picture and tag me in it so I can see, will ya?
Gil’s Broiler (San Marcos)
This is another one I didn’t get to try, but the Manske Roll at Gil’s Broiler looks fabulous! They look sweet and sticky and covered in caramel…oh my goodness. I need to come up with an excuse to go down to San Marcos.
Bakery Lorraine
This is a San Antonio bakery that opened a shop at the Domain in north Austin! I love their pastries (I often get them at Merit Coffee), but I haven’t tried their cinnamon roll yet. I’ve heard it’s a good one, so keep it on your radar if you’re ever up at the Domain!
This guide is part of the Austin Food Blogger Alliance’s 2022 City Guide. Check out more of the best eats in Austin, curated by Austin food bloggers, on the full list of guides.
Two thumbs up for Mañana!