Cinnabon Delights Recipe

This is a straightforward homemade version of Taco Bell’s Cinnabon Delights — soft, golden dough balls stuffed with warm cream cheese and dusted in cinnamon sugar. They’re like donut holes that got their life together and went full indulgence. Honestly? Unfairly good.

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Quick Summary

• Prep time: about 2 hrs (most of that’s waiting)
• Cook time: 15 mins
• Flavor: sweet, creamy, cinnamony
• Great for: dessert cravings, weekend chaos, baking therapy

Why I Like This Recipe

I made these once while procrastinating literally everything. Thought I’d freeze half. Didn’t. Ate 6. Burned my mouth on the filling — still didn’t stop. They’re melty inside, soft and chewy outside, and that cinnamon sugar just clings to your fingers like a reminder of your sins. Absolute bliss.

Ingredients

Filling:

• 400g cream cheese
• 100g sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla extract

Tangzhong (don’t skip this!):

• 20g bread flour
• 100ml whole milk

Dough:

• 330g bread flour
• 60g sugar
• 30g milk powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 8g instant yeast
• 1 egg
• 1 egg yolk
• the tangzhong from earlier
• 120ml warm milk
• 60g butter, softened

Cinnamon Sugar:

• 100g sugar
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon

How To Make Cinnabon Delights

1. Make the filling: Mix cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla until smooth. Scoop into 25 little blobs. Freeze ’em.
2. Make the tangzhong: Milk + flour in a pot, stir over medium heat until it thickens like a weird paste. Chill for 10 mins.
3. Make the dough: Throw all the dough stuff (except butter) in a bowl, including the cooled tangzhong. Mix. Add butter. Knead 10 mins. It’s sticky. That’s normal.
4. First rise: Toss dough into a greased bowl, cover, let rise 1–2 hrs till puffy.
5. Shape: Cut dough into 25g pieces. Flatten one, plop a frozen filling blob in, seal and roll into a ball. Repeat 25 times.
6. Second rise: Let your little dough balls rest 30 mins. Cover them.
7. Fry: Oil at 170°C–180°C. Fry a few at a time ‘til golden brown. Drain on paper towels.
8. Roll in cinnamon sugar: While still hot — don’t wait. The sugar sticks better when they’re warm and kinda greasy.

Tips for Success

• Freeze the filling solid or it’ll leak.
• Sticky dough? Lightly flour your hands, not the dough.
• Don’t overstuff or underseal — the filling will escape in the oil.
• Oil temp matters — too hot and they burn, too cold and they get oily.
• Eat warm. Please. You deserve it.

Storage and Reheating

• Fridge: They’re best fresh, but you can keep them in an airtight container overnight.
• Reheat: Oven at 300°F or quick zap in the microwave (10 sec).
• Freezer: Freeze post-fry, before sugar coat. Reheat, then toss in cinnamon sugar.

FAQs

Common Mistakes and How to Dodge Them

• Too much filling → bursts open in oil. Keep it small and sealed.
• Skipping second rise → leads to dense sad balls. Let them puff.
• Undermixing dough → gluten needs time. Knead for full 10 mins.
• Not chilling tangzhong → messes with dough texture. Chill it first.
• Letting them sit too long after frying → sugar won’t stick. Roll in sugar while hot.

Nutrition Facts (Per Delight – est.)

• Calories: ~210 kcal
• Total Fat: 10g
• Saturated Fat: 5g
• Cholesterol: 30mg
• Sodium: 95mg
• Total Carbs: 24g
• Sugars: 8g
• Protein: 3g