Category Archives: Bakery rolls

Kowalski’s Market Cinnamon Roll

The Short:

An extremely good cinnamon roll.  Currently a tie with Isles Bun for the title of “best cinnamon roll in Minneapolis” 10/10

The long:

Kowalski’s Market is a small chain of high-end supermarkets in the Twin Cities area.  They are known for a variety of things, one of which is their bakery.  When I learned that their bakers turned out cinnamon rolls, well, I turned up my nose and said, “No way am I going to try another chain cinnamon roll.”

Just kidding.  I got in my car and sped there as fast as I could.

True to the rumors, a big tray of man-sized cinnamon rolls was on display in the bakery department.  I scoffed at the neighboring caramel rolls, plucked one of the cinnamon rolls from its resting place, and made my way to the cashier.

Kowalski's Market Cinnamon Roll

Kowalski's Market Cinnamon Roll

Once home, I dug in.  It. Was. Fantastic.  Imagine a flaky croissant with arms, cinnamon separating each swirl, and thick cream cheese frosting on top.  Tender with just the right amount of chewiness.  Enough cinnamon flavor to make a statement, but not so much as to be overpowering.  And that frosting, oh my.

I’ve been a bit concerned lately about day-to-day consistency in the cinnamon rolls from certain stores, so about a week after that first cinnamon zen experience, I went to a different Kowalski’s at a different time of day and tried the cinnamon roll again.  Once again, it was amazing.

If you like a light, flaky cinnamon roll, then Kowalski’s is your best best in the Minneapolis area.  If you prefer a heavy, doughy cinnamon roll (not a bad thing, mind you), then Isles Bun is still the winner.  Co-champions.  Appropriate for the Twin Cities, don’t you think?

Where to get it:

Kowalski’s Market

1261 Grand Avenue, St. Paul, MN

Baker’s Wife cinnamon roll

The short:

About average.  Frosting tasted like marshmallows. 4/10

The long:

I really wanted to like the Baker’s Wife cinnamon roll.  I’d heard good things about the bakery in general, and they have a wonderful painted statue of a cow near the store’s door.  The store had a lot of character, and I mean that in a good way.

At first, the cinnamon roll looked promising.  It was served with care in a boat-type paper tray, and it was of the soft-sided variety (where a bunch of rolls are packed in a pan to bake, rather than baked individually), which I generally prefer.

A Baker's Wife cinnamon roll

A Baker's Wife cinnamon roll

Unfortunately, the taste did not live up to the expectations.  It wasn’t bad, it just wasn’t particularly good.

The frosting might have been the biggest let-down.  Cinnamon rolls are supposed to have cream cheese frosting (says me), but the Baker’s Wife roll had frosting that tasted like marshmallows.  If the deviation had worked, everything would have been fine, but sadly that was not the case.

All that being said, the cookies at the Bakers Wife looked delicious, and there was a steady stream of customers, so I will be making a return journey.  Just not for cinnamon rolls.

Where to get it:

A Baker’s Wife

4200 28th Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN

Isles Bun Cinnamon Roll

The Short:

Now that’s a cinnamon roll. The new standard.  Highly recommended. 10/10

The long:

With a name like Isles Bun and Coffee, you wouldn’t expect to find a good burger.  You’d expect to find buns and coffee.  Duh.  Fortunately, that’s exactly what’s there: decent coffee and the most amazing cinnamon rolls I’ve ever tasted.

Isles Bun Cinnamon Roll

Isles Bun Cinnamon Roll. Delicious.

Isles Bun and Coffee is a small shop in the Uptown district of Minneapolis.  When you walk in, you instantly feel the focus of the owners: cinnamon rolls and caramel rolls.   Sure, they sell a few other treats too, like cookies, but the rolls rule the show.

You get your monstrous slab of a roll on a paper plate.  It’s served warm, and it comes with as much or as little cream cheese frosting as you desire.

My roll had the perfect balance of sweetness, butter, and cinnamon.  All of the ingredients worked in harmony for a splendid experience.  And the bread?  Not overdone; not underdone; just right.

While there are a few tables inside, the better place to enjoy your wheat-and-butter prize is at one of the outdoor tables on a nice day.  Preferably after a long run, because damned if these aren’t unhealthy.

Yes, ooey gooey delicious  cinnamon sin.

The roll was excellent.  In fact, it was so good that I went back and bumped down the ratings of all of the previously reviewed buns.  Sorry about the lack of consistency, but the Isles Bun entry merited far more space at the top end of the scale.  Even now, it could be worthy of an 11/10.

Update 23 May 2011:

I went back for another taste and got a better photo of the roll.  Enjoy!

A better photo of the delicious Isles Bun cinnamon roll

Key stats:

  • $3.50 + tax per roll
  • Size: Ginormous. 450 g +
  • Icing: Excellent cream cheese icing.  As much as you want.
  • Temperature when eaten: Warm from oven
  • Time since baked: Less than an hour?
  • Best cinnamon roll in the Twin Cities (for now)

Where to get it:

Isles Bun and Coffee

1424 west 28th Street, Minneapolis, MN