Your Cinnamon Roll Icing Could Use Some Cinnamon As Well

Making cinnamon rolls is a process that can be slightly involved, but your efforts pay off once those buttery rolls are out of the oven. Made correctly, you end up with a gooey, sticky treat that's full of warm flavors complemented by a sweet icing.

If you love the cozy feel that the cinnamon brings out, there's an easy way to amp up the spice's presence in your cinnamon rolls. All you have to do is add a dash of cinnamon to your icing to highlight the flavor of the spice and give your rolls an additional kick of flavor.

Now, although that's the gist of this trick, there are a couple of things to keep in mind to help ensure your cinnamon rolls end up with the perfect balance of sweetness and winter spiciness. Plus, there are a couple of variations you can try to further enhance the flavors of your cinnamon rolls.

If you're going to add cinnamon to your rolls' icing, first think about the type of icing you'll use. You can make a cream cheese frosting for your cinnamon rolls, or a thick, butter-based icing with cream and powdered sugar, or opt for a simple powdered sugar glaze, and add cinnamon to any of them. A cream cheese icing has a light tanginess, which can reduce some of the sweetness in the cinnamon roll and stand up to a good punch of additional cinnamon. A buttery icing is sweeter and more creamy; a glaze made with powdered sugar and water or milk is sweeter still. Less cinnamon in those icings will still stand out.

Once you've chosen what type of icing you'll go with, think about what kind of cinnamon to use. Although some people think cinnamon is cinnamon, there are two main varieties, cassia and Ceylon. Cassia cinnamon comes from China, Indonesia, and Vietnam; Ceylon, from Sri Lanka. Each of these varieties has a unique flavor that will influence your cinnamon roll icing. Cassia cinnamons are the most common types sold in supermarkets in the U.S., and their flavors tend to be strong, with a spicy kick. Ceylon cinnamon, which is harder to find and has to be ordered online in some areas, has a much milder and more complex flavor profile. 

Adding cinnamon to the icing is just one way to enhance the topping you put on your cinnamon rolls. Another easy trick to take things to another flavor level is to experiment with other spices. For instance, if you want a truly autumnal feel, you could add a pumpkin spice blend to the icing. Or, you could choose seasonings that complement cinnamon, such as nutmeg, allspice, and cloves. For an unexpected hint of heat, ginger would be a delightful pick.

Moving away from spices, another way to add flavor to your frosting is to play around with essences. Maple extract or syrup, for instance, can add a rich, deep, seasonal flavor to your cinnamon roll icing, while a touch of almond extract will impart a nutty taste. Or, get even more creative and play around with adding extracts like butterscotch or coconut. More ways to elevate your cinnamon rolls are by adding chopped nuts or dried fruit to the icing. These can add some texture to your rolls while also introducing new flavors. Whichever one of these tricks you go with, start by enhancing your cinnamon roll icing with the treat's signature spice.