These homemade cinnamon baking chips rival store-bought cinnamon chips any day. Unlike their competitors, they're made with real cinnamon, and just a few other simple ingredients that might already be in your pantry. They add incredible cinnamon flavor to muffin, scones, cookies, and so many other recipes!
If you've ever tried sourcing cinnamon chips for a baking recipe, you may have noticed that they're a little bit hard to find - especially in stores. And when shipping a bag of cinnamon chips costs more than the bag itself, it's hard to justify an online purchase. Then there's the real shocker: some cinnamon chips (I'm looking at you, Hershey's) aren't even made with cinnamon!
The solution? Make your own cinnamon baking chips! You'll only need 4 ingredients, about 15 minutes of active free time, a bowl, a spoon, and an oven. You can use these in all of your favorite recipes - like these incredible cinnamon chip muffins - and they actually taste like cinnamon!
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Ingredients in cinnamon chips
While store-bought cinnamon chips tend to use heavily-processed and/or artificial ingredients, these homemade cinnamon morsels are made with just a handful of basic ingredients you've likely baked with before:
- Granulated sugar
- Cinnamon - You'll need a full 3 tablespoons, so I recommend buying this in bulk to keep costs down. I like to stock up on ground saigon cinnamon at Costco.
- Honey - You can also use any other sticky, viscous sweetener. Light corn syrup makes a good vegan option.
- Coconut oil - It should be just slightly softened, not melted. The coconut flavor doesn't come through, but if you're worried about that, I'd suggest using refined coconut oil. You can also sub vegetable shortening (but NOT vegetable oil).
With such a simple ingredient list, these homemade cinnamon baking chips are naturally gluten-free and dairy-free. You can easily make them organic as well!
How to make cinnamon baking chips
Assuming you already have all of the ingredients on hand, making cinnamon chips is seriously easier than running to the store to buy them!
Step one - Oven and pan prep: Preheat your oven to 200ºF and line a standard baking sheet with parchment paper. Spray the paper lightly with non-stick cooking spray.
Step two - Combine all ingredients: In a medium bowl, mix together the sugar, cinnamon, honey, and 1 ½ tablespoons of coconut oil until everything is fully combined. The mixture should be slightly damp and clumpy.
Depending on how cold your coconut oil is, you may need to use your hands to work all of the ingredients together. You can add the remaining ½ tablespoon of coconut oil as needed if it seems overly dry.
Step three - Transfer to baking sheet: Spread the mixture out on the prepared baking sheet and flatten it into a rectangle about ¼" thick. I like to do this with a flat spatula, but you can also just use your hands. Tip: to prevent sticking, place another sheet of parchment on top of the mixture first!
Step four - Bake and cool: Bake the cinnamon mixture in your preheated oven for about 35 minutes, or until it appears to have melted into a single slab. It will still be fairly soft! Let it cool completely before slicing.
Step five - Slice: Use a sharp knife or pizza wheel to cut the slab into individual cinnamon chips. It's easiest to cut vertical strips first (I make mine about ¼" wide) and then cut horizontal strips in the opposite direction, as if you were cutting along a grid. Feel free to cut thinner strips if you want mini cinnamon chips!
Step six - Coat with cinnamon sugar: You can (optionally) toss the chips in cinnamon sugar at this point, which is what I did here! If you find that your cinnamon chips seem a little sticky, this extra step will help combat that. You can aim for a cinnamon-sugar ratio of 1:3, although I typically just eyeball it.
Storage and shelf life
Store your homemade cinnamon baking chips in an airtight container or zip-top bag. Keep them in a relatively cool, dry spot, such as a pantry. They should keep well in this environment for at least a few months.
Recipes for cinnamon chips
Although these may not look like the cinnamon chips you can buy in stores, they're a perfect substitute in most any recipe! Try adding these cinnamon bits to:
- Buttery cinnamon chip muffins
- A batch of Panera-inspired cinnamon chip scones
- These crunchy cinnamon chip biscotti!
I'll bet they'd also be an incredible swap for the chocolate chips in my favorite oatmeal cookies!
Have you made this recipe?
If so, I'd love to hear your feedback; you can leave a rating and review in the comments section below!
Help spread the word by sharing this post on your favorite social media channel! If you happen to snap a photo of something you've baked, be sure to share it on Instagram and tag me (@brighteyedbaker) so I can give you a shoutout!
Recipe Card
Cinnamon Baking Chips
Cinnamon baking chips can be hard to find in stores, but they're easy to make at home! This DIY version is made with real cinnamon and just a few other simple ingredients you likely already have on hand. Use these homemade morsels to add incredible bits of cinnamon flavor to all of your favorite baked good recipes!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: about 1 ½ cups 1x
- Category: candy
- Method: baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 4 ⅝ ounces (⅔ cup) granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 ½-2 tablespoons coconut oil (softened, not melted)
- cinnamon sugar, for coating (optional)
Instructions
- Oven and pan prep: Preheat oven to 200º F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spray paper lightly with non-stick cooking spray.
- Combine ingredients: In a medium-size bowl, mix together the sugar, cinnamon, honey, and 1 ½ tablespoons coconut oil until totally combined into a slightly damp, clumpy mixture. You may need to use your hands to work everything together. Add the remaining ½ tablespoons oil as needed if the mixture feels too dry to come together.
- Transfer to baking sheet: Spread the mixture out on the prepared baking sheet, flattening into a rectangle about ¼" thick. You can do this with your hands or a flat spatula; use another sheet of parchment paper as a barrier to prevent sticking.
- Bake and cool: Bake in the preheated oven for 35 minutes, or until the mixture has melted into a single slab. It will still be relatively soft. Let cool completely.
- Slice: Use a knife or pizza wheel to slice the cooled slab into small square chips, about ¼" wide.
- Coat with cinnamon sugar: Optionally, toss chips in cinnamon sugar before storing.
Notes
Ingredient substitutions:
- For vegan cinnamon chips, use light corn syrup or another sticky, viscous sweetener in place of the honey.
- Coconut oil can be substituted with vegetable shortening. I would recommend increasing the shortening to 2 tablespoons.
Storage and shelf life:
- Store cinnamon chips in an airtight container or zip-top bag in a pantry, or another cool, dry place. They should keep well for at least a few months.
Recipe adapted from: Mind Over Batter
Erika
These were perfect for making. Store bought cinnamon chips are just not the same flavor or quality these are easy to make. I would highly recommend cutting with kitchen scissors. It’s really hard to cut with a knife or pizza cutter. Love this recipe!
Alexandra Azary
Thanks so much! Great tip about the scissors. :)
Victoria Jensen
My family absolutely LOVES these! I make double and triple batches just so I have enough for everyone to take
some home for pancakes! I've also used them in cinnamon roll cheesecake, I cut them into steps that I spiraled thru the batter before baking... YUM!
Alexandra Azary
Amazing! So happy to hear that. The cheesecake sounds incredible!
JayJay
First time making the recipe and was worried that using agave nectar instead of honey would affect the taste, but these came out so amazing that I was eating them while cutting the chips! These were delicious in scones and in batch of cinnamon ice cream! Will definitely be making more (but will need supervision to prevent overeating)
Alexandra Azary
That cinnamon ice cream sounds amazing! Happy to hear the recipe worked well for you. :)
Ira
These were good but I’m wondering a few things. I don’t cook with coconut oil much so..
1. These had an oily residue on the top after 35 mins, should I have cut the oil back? I used 2T.
2. Does it melt melt or just turn out softly? They were almost like a cinnamon leather after removed from the oven and once cooled :)
3. I opted to put them in the fridge which does make them stick together. If I left them out at room temp, would they stay soft or would they melt like coconut oil can? Or does this not happen once cooked lol.
4. Finally, should I have expected them to be soft or harder like store bought chips? Just want to know what to expect next time haha.
They tasted so good in muffins and pancakes.
alexandra
Hi Ira,
I'll number my answers to your questions so it's easier to follow:
1. The cinnamon chips do tend to have a bit of a slick/oily finish after baking, which is part of the reason I like to coat them in cinnamon-sugar once they've cooled. That said, you might also want to try cutting back on the oil (to 1 1/2 T) next time.
2. After baking they do look a bit like fruit leather, but if you find them to be too sticky to cut, this is also an indication that you may need to cut back on the oil.
3. You can leave them at room temperature and they should not melt. Coating them in cinnamon sugar also helps to prevent them from sticking together.
4. These are softer than store-bought cinnamon chips, but if you use less oil, they will be slightly more firm.
Hope this helps!
Mary
Absolutely delicious! I’m going to admit that I had never heard of cinnamon chips until someone gifted us a loaf of bread from a local bakery. Due to my grandson’s allergies, I had to find recipes that allow him to enjoy this treat. I followed recipe exactly and they came out perfect and tasty! Thanks again!
CSS
Hi, I just made these and was wondering what the texture is like baked through a bread dough, is it chewy like how they are or do they become soft. I wanted to put it through hot cross bun dough for easter, but really wanted to know the texture before adding it in, thank you.
Alexandra Azary
Hi, these will melt a bit when added to baked goods, similar to chocolate chips!
Pepper Saffron
The recipe was too dry and didn't "melt" to a solid. It is very crumbly. Some parts are slightly more solid, but only stay that way with very gentle handling. I'd like to try this again and welcome suggestions for adjustments. (Yes, I followed the recipe precisely.) TIA
alexandra
Hi there,
I would suggest increasing the coconut oil or shortening to 2 tablespoons if you find that the mixture is too dry. I hope this helps!
Alex
S
I was wondering if these chips behave similarly to chocolate chips. Will they melt if you heat them? Could I use them for a ganache???
alexandra
They work in most any recipe that requires baking chocolate chips, but they don't melt like chocolate chips, so it would not work for ganache.
Sandra
Brilliant!
Carole
Hi there... looking to make these chips but without the shortening or syrup? Coconut oil and honey perhaps?
alexandra
Hi Carole,
I haven't tested it myself, but I have heard from readers who made these with coconut oil and honey and said it worked well. I'd love to hear about your experience if you try it!
Lexi
These are SO easy to make and come in handy when I can’t find cinnamon chips at the grocery store (which happens often). The cinnamon flavor is so much better than the packaged chips too!
Erin
Is the vegetable shortening that use you solid like Crisco or liquid like vegetable oil? Thank you so much for this recipe - finding cinnamon chips in the store is a challenge!
alexandra
Solid, like crisco
Kim
I've been searching every where for these darn chips. My son fell in love with some snickerdoodle bread a coworker made and I told him I'd make some for him. The price online is outrageous. I'm trying this recipe out tomorrow so I can start making some if this bread for Christmas for my family. Thanks so much! Happy holidays!
alexandra
I hope it worked out well for you!
Kim
Made 2 loaves of snickerdoodle bread last night, but haven't tried them yet. I used the coconut oil n honey as that's what I had in pantry. They were very easy to make n made my whole house smell like Christmas....thanks again...will keep ya posted on taste later. ????