Kitchn Love Letters

These $4 Aldi Cinnamon Rolls Taste the Closest to Homemade

Patty Catalano
Patty CatalanoFood Editor at The Kitchn
The only subject that has ever held my attention has been food, because there’s no end to what you can taste, smell, learn, and cook. I patchworked my way to recipe development and food writing by earning degrees in Family & Consumer Sciences (you may have known it as Home Ec) and Food, Nutrition, and Culinary Science, and working anywhere that would take me: university food services, local bakeries, and the set of Good Eats on Food Network. Early on, I asked my mom how she knew what a cookbook recipe (with no pictures) would look and taste like. While my mom was there to teach me, I realized that not everyone has someone to turn to for trusted cooking guidance. I try every day to be that person for The Kitchn’s readers by sharing smart recipes they can feel proud to serve. Recipe development is the most fun job I can imagine, but it also comes with a lot of dirty dishes and hours spent in the grocery store. I’ve found that I actually really love grocery shopping — especially at Costco and Aldi — and it brings me such joy to share my finds with The Kitchn readers.
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published Mar 28, 2023
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Aldi Bake Shop Cinnamon Sweet Roll on plate
Credit: Patty Catalano

Have you taken a close look at Aldi’s bakery aisle lately? The budget-minded chain spares no expense when it comes to the breads, cakes, and pastries it sells. The shelves in this section of the store are stocked with budget buys for lunch-box sandwiches, buttery loaves of brioche, and crusty take-and-bake breads that are as close to homemade as many of us get.

On an impulse visit last Friday, I spied a new-to-me pastry package as I entered the store. Eight generously frosted cinnamon rolls were just waiting for an invitation to my weekend breakfast table. I quickly added the Bake Shop Bakery package to my quarter-powered cart and started looking forward to the extra minutes I could spend in bed now that breakfast was covered. 

I adore unraveling the soft swirl of homemade cinnamon rolls, but more often than not I’m unraveling a tube of refrigerated rolls. With the help of the internet, I learned how to hack the store-bought rolls into something more familiar. Still, l have been on the hunt for a ready-to-eat cinnamon roll that rivals homemade. It’s a search for the ultimate breakfast pastry that found its end at Aldi.

Credit: Patty Catalano

What’s So Great About Bake Shop Bakery Cinnamon Rolls?

Aldi’s Bake Shop Bakery cinnamon rolls are the closest to homemade that I’ve tasted from a store-bought cinnamon roll. The dough is plush and soft, the filling is packed with cinnamon flavor, and the icing is thick, rich, and sweet. Pre-made cinnamon rolls get stale quickly and become dry around the edges, but not these rolls. They remained soft even a few days post-purchase. The cinnamon filling was generous, infusing every bite with its namesake spiced flavor. The rolls are finished with a thick and fudgy powdered sugar glaze. While I can see it being too sweet for some, I adored the unexpected decadence of the frosting on this supermarket sweet.

Credit: Patty Catalano

What’s the Best Way to Serve Bake Shop Bakery Cinnamon Rolls?

The cinnamon rolls from Aldi’s bakery section are ready-to-eat right from the package. In fact, several members of my family actually preferred to eat the rolls at room temperature. (I mean, serving breakfast with these on hand just keeps getting easier!) The rolls can also be baked at 300°F until they are just warmed through and the icing begins to soften, about five minutes. Easily round out the meal with sausage, eggs, and fresh fruit.

Find it in stores: Aldi Bake Shop Bakery Cinnamon Rolls, $3.95 for 8

Have you tried these cinnamon rolls from Aldi? Tell us about it in the comments below.

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