Best Cinnamon Buns In NYC

Summary

Episode Summary: "Best Cinnamon Buns In NYC" – All Of It by WNYC

Release Date: April 30, 2025
Host: Alison Stewart
Guests: Molly Fitzpatrick and Willa Moore (Infatuation Staff Writers)

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Introduction

In this delectable episode of All Of It, host Alison Stewart delves into the sweet world of cinnamon buns in New York City. Supported by Progressive Insurance, Alison welcomes listeners to explore the finest spots for these beloved pastries with insights from Molly Fitzpatrick and Willa Moore of Infatuation. The discussion not only highlights top-tier bakeries but also invites community engagement through listener recommendations, making it a comprehensive guide for cinnamon bun enthusiasts.

Exploring the Best Cinnamon Buns with Infatuation Experts

Molly Fitzpatrick and Willa Moore share their expertise on the current cinnamon bun trend in NYC. They discuss the nostalgic and comforting aspects of cinnamon buns, which have seen a surge in popularity with numerous bakeries opening dedicated to crafting the perfect bun.

• Nostalgia and Comfort:
  [02:45] Molly Fitzpatrick:
  "Cinnamon rolls, buns, however you want to call them, are super nostalgic. They're super comforting. Maybe you had a Cinnabon at the mall when you were a child."

• Rise in Popularity:
  [03:08] Molly Fitzpatrick:
  "A bunch of the spots on our list have actually opened within the past year or two, so we've definitely seen a rise in cinnamon buns."

Criteria for Ranking:

The Infatuation team evaluated cinnamon buns based on their resemblance to the classic Cinnabon, texture, sweetness, and overall flavor profile. They emphasized that personal preferences play a significant role, whether one prefers a gooey center or a more sophisticated, less sweet bun.

• Closeness to Cinnabon:
  [06:54] Willa Moore:
  "We ranked them in closeness to Cinnabon. So I know Willa can speak to exactly what that entailed."

• Texture and Frosting Preferences:
  [04:13] Alison Stewart:
  "Do you taste all that in that particular bun?"

  [04:40] Molly Fitzpatrick:
  "Radio Bakery is maybe a little less close to a Cinnabon. It has this glaze, which sort of reminds me more of a glazed donut."

Listener Recommendations

Alison Stewart opens the lines for listener contributions, receiving a plethora of recommendations from across NYC and its surrounding areas. Each caller shares their favorite spots, highlighting unique features that set each bakery apart.

1. Super Nice, Harlem:
   [05:36] Julia from NeuroShell:
   "Super Nice in Harlem has a cinnamon bun that's just off the chains. It's so delicious... like, one of the most delicious things you can put in your mouth."

2. IKEA, Fort Lee:
   [06:09] Hank from Fort Lee:
   "IKEA Red Hook has amazing cinnamon buns. They're perfect—not overly sweet and not overly doughy."

3. Duck Island Bread Company, Huntington:
   [10:26] Sheila from Huntington:
   "Duck Island Bread Company in Huntington has a white frosted cinnamon bun that melts in your mouth and is just amazing."

4. Nosberry Farm, Queens:
   [11:05] Jeff from Queens:
   "Nosberry Farm has legendary cinnamon buns that sell out daily, with lines out the door."

5. Welcome Home, Bed Stuy:
   [12:16] Christina from Manhattan:
   "Welcome Home in Bed Stuy offers Cinnabons that are moist, buttery, and served fresh daily."

6. Gingered Peach, Lawrenceville:
   [14:58] Emily from Lawrenceville:
   "The Gingered Peach makes the best ooey gooey soft cinnamon rolls, including unique variations like the Sticky Piggy with pecans, raisins, and bacon."

7. Breads and Bakes, Pound Ridge:
   [17:04] Kristen from Chappaqua:
   "Breads and Bakes in Pound Ridge offers laminated cinnamon buns with a light glaze and a slightly sticky bottom."

8. Chloe, Bleecker:
   [15:49] Emily from Lawrenceville:
   "Chloe on Bleecker Street has a fully vegan cinnamon roll that's super soft, almost like under-baked in the middle."

9. Bredivore, Park Slope:
   [19:35] Jay from Brooklyn:
   "Bredivore in Park Slope offers a cinnamon cardamom roll that's beautifully braided with both cinnamon and cardamom flavors."

In-Depth Discussions and Insights

Trends and Techniques:

The conversation highlights the diverse techniques bakeries employ, such as using laminated dough for a flaky texture versus traditional dough for a sticky, glazed finish. The preference for frosting varies among both the hosts and listeners, with some favoring the rich cream cheese topping while others prefer a lighter glaze.

• Laminated vs. Traditional Dough:
  [13:54] Molly Fitzpatrick:
  "A laminated bun would be more like a croissant. So flaky, buttery layers."

• Frosting Preferences:
  [08:55] Willa Moore:
  "I am staunchly pro frosting... One of my favorite cinnamon rolls is from Peter Pan Bakery... it's deeply glazed and sticky."

Unique Variations:

Innovative twists on the classic cinnamon bun, such as the addition of bacon or the incorporation of cardamom, showcase the evolving nature of this beloved pastry. These variations cater to diverse palates and elevate the traditional taste profile.

• Sticky Piggy Variation:
  [15:43] Emily from Lawrenceville:
  "The Sticky Piggy has pecans, raisins, and bacon. It's traditional plus a savory twist."

Notable Quotes

• On Nostalgia:
  [02:45] Molly Fitzpatrick:
  "Cinnamon rolls are super nostalgic. They’re super comforting."

• On Waiting in Lines:
  [03:17] Willa Moore:
  "It was really delicious. So I always think it's up to the individual if you're in the mood for a really special treat."

• On Laminated Dough:
  [13:56] Molly Fitzpatrick:
  "The dough used in a laminated cinnamon bun would be more like a croissant."

• On Variations:
  [15:46] Willa Moore:
  "Something you'd unwrap from plastic. And it's so deeply glazed and sticky."

Conclusion

The episode of All Of It offers a mouthwatering tour of New York City's best cinnamon buns, guided by the knowledgeable Infatuation team and enriched by passionate listener contributions. From traditional favorites to innovative creations, the discussion underscores the city's culinary diversity and the timeless appeal of a well-crafted cinnamon bun. Whether you're a local or a visitor, this episode serves as a delightful guide to satisfying your sweet tooth in the Big Apple.

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For more episodes and cultural insights, tune in to All Of It with Alison Stewart, weekdays from 12:00 - 2:00 PM on WNYC.

Transcript

[Alison Stewart]

All of it is supported by Progressive Insurance. You chose to hit play on this podcast today. Smart Choice. Make another smart choice with Auto Quote Explorer to compare rates for multiple car insurance companies all at once. Try [e-mail] Progressive Casualty Insurance Company and affiliates not available in all states or situations. Prices vary based on how you buy. This is all of it. I'm Alison Stewart live from the WNYC studios in soho. Thanks for sharing part of your day with us. I'm really grateful that you are here. On today's show, we'll talk about the movie Sinners with Morehouse professor Stephanie Dunn. New Yorker magazine cartoonist and author Harry Bliss joins us to discuss his new book, you Can Never A Graphic Memoir. And we'll wrap up Poetry Month by listening to some of the poems that you submitted to WNYC's Poetry Month C series. That's our plan. So let's get this started with a little something sweet. Cinnamon rolls are back, baby. Recently, it seems like more bakeries are investing in making the best, gooiest, softest cinnamon buns they can. And the writers at the Infatuation took notice. They recently listed 17 of the best cinnamon rolls in New York City and were also ranked by how close they were to approximating a classic Cinnabon. Here to walk us through some of the best spots in the city for an amazing cinnamon roll are Infatuation staff writers Molly Fitzpatrick. Hey, Molly. Hi. And Willa Moore. Hi, Willa. Hello, listeners. We want your recommendations. Where is your favorite place to get a cinnamon roll in the city? We'll also take cinnamon roll recommendations outside the city. We won't discriminate when it becomes these delicious treats. Give us a call. 2124-3396-9221-2433. WNYC. You can call in, join us on the air or you can text to us or you can go to our Instagram story at Olive nyc. Leave your recommendation there. All right. So I was going for some testing last week, some medical testing, and I had to fast for 24 hours. I thought, I'm gonna have a Cinnabon as my last meal. I don't know why it's got in my head. And I march up to this local place and I was blown away by how good it was. It was amazing. It was apartment 4F.

[Caller]

Oh.

[Alison Stewart]

And then I went, okay, I'm going to go look online. And there was your article, like the same day that it dropped. Why do you think there is a trend right now around Cinnabuns? Who wants to go first I can start.

[Molly Fitzpatrick]

Okay. I think that cinnamon rolls, buns, however you want to call them, are. They're super nostalgic. They're super comforting. You know, maybe you had a Cinnabon at the mall when you. A child. Who knows? And, yeah, a bunch of the spots on our list have actually opened within the past year or two, so we've definitely seen a rise in cinnamon buns.

[Alison Stewart]

Yeah, a lot of these lines are long, really long pastry lines. What do you think about waiting in a long line for a pastry? They sure are.

[Willa Moore]

I mean, Willa and I are in the unusual position of getting to do it and get paid to do it. So at the Infatuation, we offer expert restaurant restaurant recommendations for every situation we're dining out. Five, six, seven, sometimes ten times a week. Showing up anonymously, unannounced, paying for ourselves, all so we can give honest, reliable opinions on where to eat. And a lot of times, that means going where the treats are. Just last week, I got in line at 8:20am for the opening of a Japanese mega popular donut chain called I'm Donut in Times Square. Would I necessarily say everyone should take two hours out of their weekday morning to do that? Probably not, but it was really delicious. So I always think it's up to the individual if you're in the mood for a really special treat. If this feels like an adventure, you want to get a cup of coffee and a friend, do it. But oftentimes, if you wait a little bit, the hype will die down.

[Alison Stewart]

Let's talk about Radio Bakery, known for its long lines. On their Instagram, they say our cinnamon buns are made with our croissant trimming that after a couple of folds ends up with a buttery brioche texture. It's filled with dark moscato, sugar and cinnamon, baked, then dipped in a nostalgic vanilla glaze. Do you taste all that in that particular bun? Do you taste all that sort of exotic presentation?

[Molly Fitzpatrick]

I think you definitely do. Yeah. When we approached this guy, we wanted to do it in a fun way. So we actually ended up ranking our cinnamon rolls by their closeness to the Cinnabon. Radio Bakery is maybe a little less close to a Cinnabon. As you said, it's a laminated bun. It has this glaze, which sort of reminds me more of a glazed donut. So, you know, like Molly was saying, it sort of depends on what you're looking for. If a laminated dough is sort of what you're after, that's fantastic. If you're looking for Something with a lot more glaze and a lot more cinnamon sugar. We've got recommendations for that as well.

[Alison Stewart]

Just to be clear, Molly, is there a difference between a cinnamon roll and a cinnamon bun?

[Willa Moore]

That's a great question. My personal truth is I use them interchangeably.

[Molly Fitzpatrick]

Me too.

[Alison Stewart]

All right, we're using them interchangeably here. Let's talk to Julia from NeuroShell on line two. Hi, Julia. Thanks for making the time to call. All of it.

[Caller]

Thank you so much for taking my call. I am a new transplant in Neurochelle. I lived in Harlem for many, many years, and before the cinnamon bun craze, I was going to Super Nice in Harlem for my coffee. And their cinnamon bun is just off the chains. It is so delicious. And everything they make is delicious. It's just. It's chef's kiss. I don't know how to explain it. It's like, one of the most delicious things you can put in your mouth.

[Alison Stewart]

Thank you for calling. Let's talk to Hank in Fort Lee. Hey, Hank.

[Caller]

Hey, Alison. Great segment. Believe it or not, IKEA Red Hook or any Ikea has amazing cinnamon buns. And not for nothing, their chocolate lace cookies are incredible.

[Alison Stewart]

What makes it amazing to you?

[Caller]

Well, they're perfect. They really are. They're not overly sweet, and they're not overly doughy that the dough is not dead. Like, you know, I hate to use that word, but, you know, dead dough. And I try not to go to IKEA for little things like dish brushes so that I don't buy them.

[Alison Stewart]

Gotcha. Thanks for calling in. Let's talk about your criteria. Molly, what was your criteria when you were looking at these cinnamon buns? Right.

[Willa Moore]

Well, like Willa has already mentioned, no two people share an exact platonic ideal of a cinnamon bun. You might want something super ooey gooey. You might want something a little more sophisticated and not so sweet some. So we don't discriminate among all those genres. There's a mood and a day for everything. So Willa had an idea that appeals very much to my product of North Jersey, Shout out to Hank and Fort Lee Mall Food Court Heart.

[Alison Stewart]

Oh, yes.

[Willa Moore]

To rank them in closeness to Cinnabon. So I know Willa can speak to exactly what that entailed.

[Alison Stewart]

Please.

[Molly Fitzpatrick]

Well, it entailed trying many over the course of a few weeks and really thinking about which ones taste closest to the kind that I tried in a mall on Long island just a few weeks ago for research.

[Alison Stewart]

Oh, you went to a Cinnabon?

[Molly Fitzpatrick]

I did, yes.

[Willa Moore]

Okay.

[Molly Fitzpatrick]

Wait a Minute I want to scroll.

[Alison Stewart]

All the way back. Tell me about the Cinnabon trip.

[Molly Fitzpatrick]

Well, when we started talking about this guide, I think something that came up was that there is so many different types of Cinnabon, cinnamon roll, cinnamon bun, whatever you want to call it. The laminated, the doughier. And so I wanted to start straight to the source. So the first cinnamon roll I tried was at a Cinnabon in the mall on Long island. And it was fantastic. I think that some characteristics of a cinnamon bun at Cinnabon are the bottom is so caramelized, it achieves this brown color. The sticky cinnamon sugar bottom, that is just fantastic to look at. Obviously better to eat. So that really informed my research, which started at Ma Zedar, which is a bakery with a few locations in the city. And that one makes a pretty good Cinnabon impersonator. I remember eating it alone on a bench and feeling very happy with myself.

[Alison Stewart]

Well, it has a cream cheese frosting.

[Molly Fitzpatrick]

It does. Which does differ a little from a classic Cinnabon, which is why it's not spot number one per se.

[Alison Stewart]

How do you feel about frosting? Where do you stand on it?

[Willa Moore]

I, for one, am staunchly pro frosting. Sometimes I'm in a mood where I want something a little more restrained. But one of my favorite cinnamon rolls on the list is actually from probably the oldest spot on the list, Peter Pan Bakery in Greenpoint. The greatest of all time. Open 1953. Hasn't really changed. I believe we were just double checking the price of their cinnamon rump bun. I think it was like $3.25. Definitely one of the most affordable on the list. It is like a Frisbee, both in terms of circumference and, like, aerodynamic efficiency. It's not super cinnamony. It's more almost like a little Debbie's honey bun. Like you. And I mean that in the most complimentary way. Something you'd unwrap from plastic. And it's so deeply glazed and sticky. There's no way you're not coming out of that eating experience needing to wash your hands three times, or better yet, just like, licking your hands intensely. So that amount of glaze for me, with, like, some black coffee, it's pretty much perfect.

[Alison Stewart]

We are talking about cinnamon buns, cinnamon rolls. Where to get the best in New York City. Infatuation. Staff writers Willa Moore and Molly Fitzpatrick are your guides for this. We want your recommendations. Where's your favorite place to get a cinnamon roll? Either here in the city or surrounding areas. Our number is 2124-3396-9221-2433. WNYCK. Our phone lines are lit up. Let's roll through a few. Let's talk to Sheila from Huntington, Long Island. Hi, Sheila, thanks for calling all of it.

[Caller]

Hi, can you hear me?

[Alison Stewart]

Hear you? Great. Go for it.

[Caller]

Oh, great. I love your show. I'm not someone that ever had a Cinnabon, but there's a bakery called Duck Island Bread Company in Huntington, New York, and everything they make is amazing. But they have a white frosted cinnamon bun that, that is melts, melts in your mouth and just amazing. The first time I had it, it maybe just came out of the oven and it was warm and oh my God. So I wanted to just offer that.

[Alison Stewart]

Thank you so much. Let's talk to Jeff from Queens. Hi, Jeff, thanks for calling all of it. What's your recommendation?

[Caller]

Hi, good afternoon. So first of all, I apologize. I told your screener that the place I'm going to recommend, Nosberry Farm, which is in which. Which I affectionately call the sixth borough of New York, Miami, the Miami, Florida area that they were Mennonites. I was wrong. They're dunkers, which is a type of German Baptist. But anyway, they operate a farm that's only open in season, usually late fall through the spring. And they've been doing it for at least 50 plus years. And their cinnamon buns are legendary. They do ship nationwide. They usually sell out every day. There's usually a line out the door. And when you consider that this is in an area called the Redlands, which is really far south, South Florida, it's amazing that people will drive an hour, hour and a half just to get these pastries. So it's sort of a legendary place. It's one of those places if, you know, you know.

[Alison Stewart]

Gotcha.

[Caller]

Unfortunately, you can't. You can't get their strawberry milkshake ship. But they're also very legendary. But they're cinnamon.

[Alison Stewart]

He's got a whole list for us. We apprec. Thanks for calling. Let's talk to Christina, who is calling from Manhattan. Hey, Christina, where should I go to get a cinnamon bun?

[Caller]

Welcome home in Bed Stuy, Brooklyn. It is a new bakery and I have to tell you, everything they make is amazing. But they're Cinnabons. Oh, my goodness. It is moist, it is buttery. It has no raisins, which I love that. I don't like raisins. And it's made fresh. Every day they sell out. And that fresh frosting, it is light. It is cheesy. It is perfect. It's the kind of thing you want to put on everything. Is that frosting? It is the best. And it comes out warm, and they serve in a little box and oh, my goodness, you are in heaven. Heaven.

[Alison Stewart]

Thank you for the recommendation. You got two thumbs up from the infatuation crew. You want to weigh in and welcome home?

[Molly Fitzpatrick]

Yeah, absolutely. Christina, I just want to let you know first that I did not try a single cinnamon bun with raisins. So we are okay here. But welcome Home actually was our number one greatest Cinnabon impersonator. So I absolutely agree with you. And I love how it's a bakery and beds dye. It opened last year. I love how when you go there, they ask if you want the cinnamon buns at the edge of the tray or in the center, and you obviously want the center.

[Alison Stewart]

You do want the center.

[Molly Fitzpatrick]

But I appreciate them asking, and I appreciate them giving me the center when I finally got it. It's sometimes hard to track down, which is a problem with a few of the spots on our list that they sell out or they're only available on a certain. So that made research a little difficult sometimes. But welcome home. We love it.

[Alison Stewart]

One of our texts says, please explain laminated relative to buns. I think you used the word laminated.

[Molly Fitzpatrick]

Yes, we did.

[Alison Stewart]

What do you mean? Just.

[Molly Fitzpatrick]

What I mean is that the dough used in a laminated cinnamon bun would be more like a croissant. So flaky, buttery layers that shards more on your shirt. I think a bunch the ones that we tried were often stickier, had more glaze or frosting, and, you know, tasted more like a classic bun or brioche, things like that.

[Alison Stewart]

Let's talk to Jeff in Hoboken. Hey, Jeff. Thanks for calling Olivet.

[Caller]

Hey, how are ya doing?

[Alison Stewart]

Okay.

[Caller]

Thanks for taking my call. I just wanted to let you know about the cine from the Hive in Hoboken. Just delicious. Really kind of has become a phenomenon in town. Just terrific icing, and, you know, people love it.

[Alison Stewart]

All right, thanks for calling in. Let's talk to. I believe it is. Who should I talk to? Emily in Lawrenceville, New Jersey. Hi, Emily.

[Caller]

Hello. I am so excited about this topic because we here in Lawrenceville, New Jersey, have a bakery that is worth driving down from the city to go to. The Gingered Peach. The baker and founder, Joanne Canaday Brown, makes the best ooey gooey soft cinnamon rolls that you will ever eat. And she has it leveled up because she also has the traditional version, but she has a virgin A version called the Sticky, which has pecans and raisins. And then to level that up, she has the Sticky Piggy, which has pecans, raisins, and bacon. But the traditional is. Is an amazing favorite. It's just incredible.

[Alison Stewart]

You should have seen all our faces went, oh, you said bacon.

[Willa Moore]

You're blowing our minds, Emily. That's wild.

[Alison Stewart]

We got a recommendation for best vegan cinnamon roll. Chloe on Bleecker. That was on your list as well? Yeah.

[Molly Fitzpatrick]

Yes. That is a fully vegan restaurant on Bleecker Street.

[Alison Stewart]

How does a vegan cinnamon roll compare to a regular cinnamon roll? Molly?

[Willa Moore]

You know, I have not personally tried the one at Chloe, but I've had a few that come very close. You can make a really good vegan cinnamon roll. And specifically, from what I understand at the one at Chloe that my colleagues have tried, it's super soft, almost like under baked in the middle. Really? I mean, it sounds like an incredibly satisfying experience that under baked.

[Alison Stewart]

We should talk about that a little bit. Because in cinnamon roll, it's sort of like you're chewing, you're like, is it baked? Is it not? I don't know, but I kind of like that texture. You know what I mean?

[Molly Fitzpatrick]

Exactly. Yes.

[Alison Stewart]

We've got more. Oh, so many recommendations. The cinnamon buns at the Ginger Pete in Lawrenceville. She just talked to us. Brooklyn Kolache Club in Bed Stuy. Does anybody know about that? Got a shout out. Not exactly a cinnamon bun, but Wilton, Connecticut's Rise Donut makes the most amazing Aztec cinnamon donuts. Made fresh doughnuts daily. Let's talk to Kristen in Chappaqua. Hi, Kristen, thanks for calling, all of it.

[Caller]

Hi, how are you doing? I have a recommendation for a small bakery in Pound Ridge, New York, called Breads and Bakes. Everything they produce there is absolutely fantastic. But their cinnamon buns are to die for. They are laminated so they pull apart beautifully. Light glaze. They always are slightly warm because they make them continuously throughout the day. And, you know, they have a little bit of a sticky bottom, which is also delightful. And I think I gained about 7 pounds last year because I was stopping there every day on my drive through. My drive through Pound Ridge is coming to an end, and I'm going to have to make a special drive out there from now on.

[Alison Stewart]

Thanks for the call. I wanted to ask, there were four bakeries in Park Slope.

[Molly Fitzpatrick]

Yes.

[Alison Stewart]

Why do you think Park Slope is such the hot spot for cinnamon buns?

[Molly Fitzpatrick]

You know, I can't be sure, but I grew up in Park Slope, so I Feel a tremendous amount of pride over my bakeries in Park Slope. I especially want to shout out Little Red Kitchen Bake Shop, which was a pop up for a long time and recently got a brick and mortar on fourth Avenue in Park Slope. They only do cinnamon rolls on Saturdays. They do a special bun on Fridays, but they are just so gooey. Like you were saying, that sort of under baked center is almost the entirety of the roll. But yeah, there's actually so many great bakeries in Park Slope, South Slope area right now.

[Alison Stewart]

Any others you can recommend?

[Molly Fitzpatrick]

Yeah, absolutely. Yard sale is also around there. Their cinnamon roll is almost tastes like a babka. They also make a great babka, so recommend stopping there and winner, which great name. Great sandwiches and their cinnamon rolls have this sort of lemony icing. If you're looking for maybe a bit more balance in your roll, let's take.

[Alison Stewart]

A call from Jay in Brooklyn. Jay, you have a question for our guest from the Infatuation, Willa Moore and Molly Fitzpatrick. Go for it. Yo, Jay, you there? Jay has put us on hold. Well, I'll read what it says here. He had a recommendation for a cardamom bun. It's good to mix it up a bit. Any recommendation for a cardamom bun which is kind of cinnamon adjacent?

[Molly Fitzpatrick]

Yeah, Jay, the final spot on our list is a bakery called Bredivore and they actually do a cinnamon cardamom roll. So it's got a little bit of everything in it. It is also in the Park Slope South Slope area. It also opened about a year ago and I would definitely seek it out. It's sort of like braided and really beautiful and you get both that cinnamon and that cardamom.

[Alison Stewart]

My guests are the Infatuation staff writers Willa Moore and Molly Fitzgerald Patrick. We're talking about their ranking of the best cinnamon rolls in New York City. Listeners, we want to hear from you. What's your favorite place to get a cinnamon roll either here in the city or surrounding areas? Our number is 2124-3396-9221-2433 wnyc. This says RIP to Jane. Sweet buns on St. Mark's just buns of rotating flavors. It was short lived but good. This says most commercial cinnamon buns are way too sweet. Bess. Made by my mother. Or sometimes the time to roll out plain bread dough. It was interesting because I went on the Instagram pages of all these places and they do show you how they make it and sometimes it looks sort of like we just throw the cinnamon on and other times it is really precise, like they're measuring out the buns, you know, by inch by inch. Do you have a preference of whether it's like, hey, this one might be good, this one might be a little bit better, or do you like them to be exact? What do you think?

[Willa Moore]

For me, I'm just happy if it tastes good. That makes me a very happy gal. And I love, I love the different techniques and vibes that go into these. I agree. It's so much fun to see the behind the scenes. I'm always peeking around on Instagram.

[Alison Stewart]

Let's talk to Sydney in the East Village. Hey, Sydney, thanks for calling, all of it.

[Caller]

Hi, yeah, thanks for taking my call. I'm so excited for the cinnamon bun discourse because this is like one of my favorite foods. I grew up going to, I grew up in New Jersey going to the mall on the weekends and going to Cinnabon. So shout out to Menlo park and Woodbridge malls for that. And yeah, so there's really good cinnamon bun options in the East Village. My favorites are Honeys, which kind of recently opened, I believe, and also petit choux and also an actual a Cinnabon. It's a cinnamon bun carvel combo store recently opened at like 14th and A. And I've unfortunately gone there like already like at least three times in the past month.

[Alison Stewart]

So.

[Caller]

Yeah. Oh, and also one last sort of, sort of an outlier one I'm surprised that I like because it is laminated and sort of. But it's so good because it's like got this like the cinnamon and the sugar has become crackly and caramelized. Is Limprimery's cinnamon rolls out in Ridgewood.

[Alison Stewart]

Thank you for all of the recommendations. Honey's was on your list?

[Molly Fitzpatrick]

Yeah, yeah, it was. It's one of a few places in the East Village. So there's Honey's and then just a few blocks away from there, Redgate Bakery. They make an excellent cinnamon bun on Wednesdays and Thursdays. So the first time I went, I did show up on a Friday. So I'm just telling you, repeat my mistake. But yes, Honeys was on our list and it's fantastic.

[Alison Stewart]

Let's talk to Charles, who's calling from the Upper west side. Hi, Charles.

[Caller]

Thank you so much. Alison. Just want to say there's a place that's been around from I think, the late 60s and early 80s called the Hungarian Pastry Shop. It's early Greek owned. They just use that name, but they make a really good pastry. And I wanted to say that they have had a dinner place a few blocks away in Ily Gazan. The filmmaker, when his son passed away, had his. Had his son. Greeks celebrate when someone dies. And he used the restaurant for his son's goodbye. Thanks again for taking my call.

[Alison Stewart]

That's so nice. Thank you for calling in. Let's talk to Julie, who's calling in from Glen Rock, New Jersey. Hi, Julie. Thank you so much for calling all of it.

[Caller]

Hi. Thank you. I've never called in before, so. Yeah, hi. This is a shout out to a small bakery called Rising above Bakery. They're up in Nyack, New York, and their mission actually is employing adults with neurodevelopmental disabilities. Son is one of the bakers there. So their mission is perfect and their product is unbelievable. They do everything from cinnamon buns to scones to delicious homemade organic sourdough bread. So, yeah, that's my place, Rising Above Bakery in Nyack. And they do have a website.

[Alison Stewart]

Thanks so much.

[Caller]

You can order from them.

[Alison Stewart]

Yeah, thanks for calling in. Okay, I have to check about this. There's a place called Losers in Oho and the buns cost $21.

[Molly Fitzpatrick]

They do cost $21.

[Alison Stewart]

That's just a fact.

[Molly Fitzpatrick]

But let me defend them. Losers, also known as Losers eating house, is actually a pop up. So I had this at night, it's not a bakery. It happens at Jeans in Noho, which is a very sceny restaurant. But on Monday, it's pretty quiet. And the bun is $21, but it is truly the size of a dinner plate, a standard dinner plate. And I think you could eat it amongst six friends. So we could all go, you know, we could.

[Alison Stewart]

Okay, do you go? What time?

[Molly Fitzpatrick]

What day? Well, next Monday, as soon as you're.

[Willa Moore]

Off the air, we're going Monday.

[Alison Stewart]

Before I let you go, what was your favorite place that you visited that you just really have like a warm feeling about? The cinnamon roll? What do you think? They were all great. But if you had one and you were like, I got a good feeling about this place, what would you say?

[Willa Moore]

You know, it's funny, for me, it's one I was a little bit skeptical of. That really won me over. Not skeptical of the bakery. It's an amazing bakery. Nick and Sons, they just opened a new location in Greenpoint right next to McCarran Park. Their croissants are incredible. And I went to check out their cinnamon roll for our research. And as I've mentioned before, I am very much of the Cinnabon school of cream cheese slathered frosting and their cinnamon roll is very different. It does not have glaze, it has powdered sugar. The dough itself is only lightly sweet. It's much more a showcase for cinnamon. And all the ridges instead of being soaked with frosting, have this like lovely caramelized, crispy surface area from the heat of the oven. And I loved it. And I have a special place in my heart for that one forever because I had kind of written it off. But it just goes to show there's a cinnamon roll for every mood.

[Alison Stewart]

How about for you born and bred New Yorker? What do you think?

[Molly Fitzpatrick]

I think I have to shout out again, welcome home. I mean we already discussed it but it is close to my house and it is excellent. And just the bottom, that browned bottom, you will not regret it except you will be have a lot of glaze on your hands for probably a few hours.

[Alison Stewart]

My guests have been Infatuation staff writers Willa Moore and Molly Fitzpatrick. We have been discussing the best cinnamon rolls in New York City. Thanks for coming to the studio.

[Molly Fitzpatrick]

Thank you. Thank you so much. Alison.

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