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New York’s newest dessert fad is hundreds of years old, but taking on new form and flavor at hyperspecific bakeries across Manhattan. Cinnamon rolls, in all their leavened, frosted glory, can be found at new bakehouses dedicated to the pastry, including Sunday Morning, Benji’s Buns, Spirals, and beyond.
And of course, each cinnamon roll destination has a distinct New York City twist.
In the West Village, Benji’s Buns is one of the few bakeries across the boroughs open after dinnertime, cranking out fresh cinnamon rolls every hour from 10pm to 10pm on weeknights and until midnight on weekends. Special flavors change every two weeks, and have included the popular Dubai chocolate, tres leches, cornbread for Thanksgiving, and banana bread. Most importantly, the buns are always warm, thanks to an oven piping out treats throughout business hours.
“It’s been incredible. We’ve got people coming from Jersey,” says Benji’s Founder Benjamin Michael, who started the business as a pop-up in London. “Now I dream about the foods I crave and the flavors I can incorporate.”
Across town, Spirals is cooking up fluffy cinnamon rolls in creative flavors—think cookie dough, strawberry matcha, and cookies and cream. The concept started in 2023, when Spirals’ founder Arin Senior, then working in the beauty industry, spent her nights and weekends testing cinnamon roll recipes. To scale, she worked with a professional chef. Each creation is topped with a signature spiral sugar cookie. Cute cinnamon roll-themed merch is also available at the bakery.
“Cinnamon rolls are so popular now because they have been reinvented to an extent,” says Senior. “By creating new flavors, we've made them adaptable and versatile, which makes them more relevant in the current food landscape and has broadened the target market.”
In addition to seasonal flavors, Spirals always offers a special savory flavor, such as pesto burrata or French onion soup. Mini rolls are also available for catering orders.
If you want to cinnamon roll-maxx, look no further than Loser’s Eating House, known for its face-size cinnamon rolls that sell out almost as soon as they’re advertised for pre-order online.
Loser’s started out as a sold-out dinner party pop-up by Lizzy Koury. As demand grew, she decided to focus on sweets, particularly cinnamon rolls, which were a common request at her catering gigs. She started making her signature sourdough cinnamon rolls topped with olive oil icing in extra-large sizes, both appropriate for a viral moment at Jean’s (also known for their big cookies), and an internet sensation that sells out. Currently, Loser’s cinnamon rolls are only available for pickup at a ghost kitchen, and a weekly preorder email goes out to claim the limited quantities.
As to why the pastry is having a moment: Millennial hopecore (maybe). “Millennials grew up on them, and now we're kind of setting the trends,” Koury says. “Cinnamon rolls are a very nostalgic food for many, and to provide a little glimpse of childhood really makes it all worth it… Every time we hand a roll over to a customer, they smile so big and brightly, it sparks so much joy for them, and us.”