Ever wish you could capture those delicious pockets of cinnamon sweetness found in bakery treats? Now you can! These Homemade Cinnamon Sweet Bits are easy to make with just a handful of pantry ingredients. Whether you’re baking cinnamon roll focaccia, muffins, or quick breads, these little gems melt into gooey bursts of cinnamon flavor. Plus, they’re made without preservatives — a simple, fresh alternative to store-bought options.
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Ingredients – Here’s What You’ll Need
All you need are five simple ingredients to make these versatile Cinnamon Sweet Bits.
How to Make Cinnamon Sweet Bits: Simple Steps
- First, I whisked together the granulated sugar and the ground cinnamon in a medium bowl.
- Next, I added the remaining ingredients: corn syrup, vegetable shortening, and vanilla extract.
- I used a silicone spatula to mash the ingredients together until their texture resembled wet beach sand.
- I transferred the mixture to a piece of parchment paper. I covered it with another piece of parchment paper and rolled to a ¼-inch thick slab..
- I removed the parchment paper and transferred the slab on the bottom piece of parchment paper to a half-sheet pan. I baked it in a preheated 325°F oven for around 35 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through the time.
- After 35 minutes, I transferred the pan to a wire rack to allow the slab to cool completely.
- Once it had cooled completely, I used a pizza cutter to cut it into small bits—around ¼ inch.
I ended up with around ½-cup of Cinnamon Sweet Bits that I transferred to a small mason jar with a lid.
As you can see, making your own Cinnamon Sweet Bits at home couldn’t be easier. With just a few ingredients and a little time, you’ll have a batch of flavorful cinnamon bursts ready to elevate your favorite baked goods.
Plus, they store beautifully, making them perfect for planning ahead. Yum!
Frequently Asked Questions
Honey can be used instead of light corn syrup. However, using corn syrup gives a firmer, more commercial-style cinnamon bit. Also, the Karo light corn syrup doesn’t contain any high fructose corn syrup if you’re concerned about that.
You can substitute refined coconut oil for the vegetable shortening. However, vegetable shortening produces Cinnamon Sweet Bits closer to the commercial product. With coconut oil, the bits will be softer.
These Cinnamon Sweet Bits can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. Refrigerate them in an airtight container for longer storage. Then can also be frozen for up to a month.
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- During mixing, the mixture should go from sandy to slightly wet to a clumpy, cohesive texture that resembles wet beach sand.
- Don’t worry if, during baking, you see some bubbling or slight oil pooling — that’s normal.
- When the slab is done, it should look dry across the surface, not wet or shiny.
- When cooled, the slab should be solid and slightly brittle. If it’s still flexible, pop it back into the oven for another 5–8 minutes and cool completely before cutting.
- Lightly coat the cinnamon bits in flour before adding them to batter or dough. This will help keep the bits suspended as opposed to dropping to the bottom.
Serving Suggestions
If you’re a fan of cinnamon, you’ll appreciate the versatility of these little bits.
- Fold the bits into cinnamon roll focaccia for an added treat.
- Add the bits to muffin batter for cinnamon-sugar surprises.
- Sprinkle the bits over coffee cake before baking.
- Stir into pancake or waffle batter for a cinnamon twist.
- Add to oatmeal for an enhanced flavor.
- Press into the tops of scones before baking.
- And the list goes on and on!
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Recipe
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Homemade Cinnamon Sweet Bits
Equipment
- Rolling pin with ¼-inch guide rings.
- half-sheet pan
- 2 sheets of parchment paper
- Silicone Spatula
Ingredients
- ⅓ (2.33 ounces) cup granulated sugar
- 1 ½ tablespoons ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
- 1 tablespoon (0.5 ounces) solid shortening cut into smaller pieces (See Tip 1)
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 225°F. Line a half-sheet pan with parchment paper and set aside.
- Whisk the sugar and cinnamon together in a medium bowl until well combined.
- Drizzle on the light corn syrup; add the Crisco and vanilla extract. Using a fork, stir, pressing and folding until the mixture forms a slightly wet, packable, crumbly dough, similar to wet sand at the beach.
- Transfer the mixture to the parchment-lined baking pan. Top with another piece of parchment paper and roll to a ¼-inch slab.
- Remove the top piece of parchment paper and bake in a preheated 225°F oven for 25 to 30 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through. (See Tip 1)
- Remove from the oven; cool completely on the pan for at least 30 minutes. (See Tip 2)
- Once cooled, cut into small pieces about the size of mini chocolate chips using a chef’s knife, bench scraper, or pizza cutter.
- Store the homemade cinnamon chips in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Video
Tips/Notes
- I used Crisco.
- It’s normal to see some bubbling or slight oil pooling during baking. Also, when done, the slab should look dry across the surface, not wet or shiny.
- When cooled, the slab should be solid and slightly brittle. If it’s still flexible, pop it back into the oven for another 5–8 minutes.
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