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    Home » Recipes » DIY & How-Tos

    Published: Jul 15, 2022 by alexandra · This post may contain affiliate links

    DIY: Cinnamon Baking Chips (gluten-free, vegan option)

    Jump to Recipe

    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!

    Close up of homemade cinnamon chips coated in cinnamon sugar. this recipe

    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, and they actually taste like cinnamon!

    Jump to:
    • Ingredients in cinnamon chips
    • How to make cinnamon baking chips
    • Storage and shelf life
    • Recipes for cinnamon chips
    • Have you made this recipe?
    • Recipe Card
    • 💬 Comments and Reviews

    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:

    Honey, cinnamon, sugar, and coconut oil in ingredient bowls.
    • 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.

    Sugar, cinnamon, honey, and coconut oil mixed together in a bowl.

    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!

    Cinnamon chip mixture flattened into a rectangle on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

    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.

    Melted cinnamon sugar mixture being sliced vertically to make cinnamon chips.
    The left portion of this image shows how the cinnamon chip mixture should look after baking. Wait until it's cool to start 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!

    Homemade cinnamon chips being sliced into individual pieces.

    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.

    Cinnamon chips coated with cinnamon sugar in a white bowl.

    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:

    • Streusel-topped 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!

    Cinnamon chips scattered over a white sheet of parchment alongside ground cinnamon and sugar.

    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!

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    Recipe Card

    Cinnamon Baking Chips

    Cinnamon chips coated with cinnamon sugar in a white bowl.
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    ★★★★

    4 from 4 reviews

    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!

    • Author: Alexandra
    • 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

    Scale
    • 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

    1. 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.
    2. 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.
    3. 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.
    4. 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.
    5. Slice: Use a knife or pizza wheel to slice the cooled slab into small square chips, about ¼" wide.
    6. 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

    Keywords: cinnamon chips, baking cinnamon chips, cinnamon chips for baking, cinnamon baking chips, gluten free cinnamon chips, vegan cinnamon chips

    Have you made this recipe?

    Tag @brighteyedbaker on Instagram and hashtag it #brighteyedbaker

    Digiprove sealCopyright protected by Digiprove © 2017-2023

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

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    1. Vicky says

      December 09, 2015 at 12:33 pm

      Can you use butter in place of shortening?

      Reply
      • alexandra says

        December 22, 2015 at 12:32 pm

        I've heard many people say coconut oil works well, so that leads me to believe butter would be okay too.

        Reply
    2. Debbie says

      October 25, 2015 at 2:41 am

      I'm in England and can't get corn syrup here. I'm also allergic to honey. I can get agave but it's pricey. Any other suggestions?

      Reply
      • alexandra says

        November 22, 2015 at 10:55 am

        Do you have golden syrup or any other kind of liquid sweetener like that?

        Reply
    3. Regan says

      October 12, 2015 at 8:37 am

      Thank you so much for sharing this recipe. It was easy and turned out great. I spent weeks looking for cinnamon chips in stores with no luck and the cinnamon chips for sale online were so expensive. I'm so glad I found your recipe. This was a wonderful solution!

      Reply
      • alexandra says

        October 19, 2015 at 10:16 pm

        I'm so glad you liked them!

        Reply
    4. Chrissy says

      September 27, 2015 at 2:30 pm

      These turned out great! I mixed them by hand, just put on gloves and it came out perfect ♡

      Reply
    5. Donna says

      September 26, 2015 at 9:40 am

      I have a Snickerdoodle recipe that calls for Cinnamon Chips. I plan on making this recipe, using honey and either butter or coconut oil as substitutes. Now, can I then use this recipe as a replacement for the packaged ones in this cookie recipe?

      Thank you for posting this recipe.

      Reply
      • alexandra says

        October 10, 2015 at 12:55 pm

        I've used the chips in these scones and they turned out really well, so I would say yes. You might get slightly different results using the substitutes, but many people have said honey and coconut work well, so I think you'll be fine.

        Reply
    6. B says

      September 16, 2015 at 11:39 am

      Hi :

      i made these the other day , and am not sure if i did it right. i followed the directions , except for the shortening .. i didn't have it , so i substituted veg. oil.

      they came out "sticky" .. soft , not crunchy , and wanted to stick to each other. i ended up freezing them , as i was to use them in a cinnamon loaf bread. the freezing helped , but were still sticky , and i ended up in a ball in my bread maker. i stopped the cycle , and spread them apart as best i could.
      should they be sticky , or like a choc chip ?

      Thanks !

      Reply
      • alexandra says

        September 16, 2015 at 6:27 pm

        The vegetable oil is most likely the cause of your problem; it won't play the same role as shortening since it has different characteristics. If you don't want to use vegetable oil, you could try coconut oil. I've had a number of readers tell me it works well here. Hope that helps! :)

        Reply
    7. Yvette says

      July 23, 2015 at 8:40 pm

      I love these! They are much better than the store bought cinnamon chips. They are really great in cinnamon bread. Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
      • alexandra says

        July 27, 2015 at 2:40 pm

        Yay - so happy to hear that! Thanks for taking the time to let me know!

        Reply
    8. Michael Nichols says

      April 22, 2015 at 11:00 am

      Thank you so much. A cinnamon bread recipe I wanted to try called for Cinnamon Chips. Never heard of such a thing...and then I found your recipe for home-made. The bread was INCREDIBLE....and such an extra benefit..my kitchen smelled so good for the next day....again..thank you ...

      Reply
      • alexandra says

        April 22, 2015 at 7:16 pm

        That's so good to hear! Sounds like an incredible bread!

        Reply
    9. Avery says

      March 23, 2015 at 5:54 am

      I just wanted to say thank you so much for this cinnamon chip recipe. Recently I lost the ability to consume chocolate due to various health problems but the transition has been really hard as I LOVE chocolate. However, these cinnamon chips are seriously so delicious I never thought I'd say this...but I don't really miss chocolate anymore! I used honey and coconut oil instead of vegetable shortening and corn syrup as suggested in the comments. All my friends think the chips are amazing which is a huge plus. My enthusiasm for baking has been reignited and I'm excited for the HUGE potential these chips hold. Keep up the great work!

      Reply
      • alexandra says

        March 24, 2015 at 3:09 pm

        Love hearing that! I'll definitely keep in mind to use honey and coconut oil next time myself - sounds like the way to go.

        Reply
    10. Sandy says

      January 29, 2015 at 12:51 pm

      I always used them in oatmeal raisin cookies. Will this mixture after baked in oven crumble so I can still use in cookies.

      Reply
      • alexandra says

        February 01, 2015 at 4:47 pm

        Hi Sandy! You cut the cinnamon chips up after you make them so you can use them in a recipe just like normal cinnamon chips. Is that what you're asking? :)

        Reply
    11. Franzis says

      December 28, 2014 at 10:53 am

      A BIG thank you from germany!!!!
      Here is no Way to get them . so i'm really really glad i found your reciepe!!!!

      Lovely greets from Germany
      Franzis

      Reply
      • alexandra says

        December 30, 2014 at 5:22 pm

        So happy the recipe helped you out! :)

        Reply
    12. Vic says

      November 26, 2014 at 3:56 pm

      I'd never heard of cinnamon chips before I saw one of your recipes calling for them, yum! I don't have vegetable shortening or coconut oil.....do you think butter or olive oil would work? Another idea for a substitute? Thanks so much!!

      Reply
      • alexandra says

        December 02, 2014 at 12:27 pm

        I definitely wouldn't suggest olive oil. Butter might work, but I haven't tried it myself so I can't say for sure. Let me know if you give it a go!

        Reply
    13. Laura M says

      November 25, 2014 at 7:21 pm

      these came out perfect! thanks!

      Reply
      • alexandra says

        December 02, 2014 at 12:34 pm

        Awesome! So glad to hear it. :)

        Reply
    14. Hilde says

      October 17, 2014 at 3:50 pm

      Thank you SO MUCH for posting this! I have tried to copy those cinnamon chips, too. I was sure there had to be a way, but my experiment failed. I have not tried yours yet, but I am very excited to. Sounds like many have and have had success, so I am happy about that. I just now thought maybe somewhere online there is a way to make those bits, but all I've found are cinnamon chips and that just doesn't seem like the right way to go about this. Then I found your recipe and I am so anxious to give it a go. Thank you so much for sharing!

      Reply
      • alexandra says

        October 18, 2014 at 12:37 pm

        Let me know how it works out for you! I'm glad it was what you were looking for. :)

        Reply
    15. kim thornton says

      August 27, 2014 at 12:37 pm

      I'm allergic to corn, so I'm wondering what I could substitute for the corn syrup. Do you think honey would work?

      Reply
      • alexandra says

        September 02, 2014 at 5:38 pm

        Hi Kim! So sorry I didn't get back to you earlier. I've heard from another reader who used honey, so that might work although I haven't tried it. Agave would be another thought as well since it's more taste-neutral.

        Reply
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