Julie Clark
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Cinnamon Chips
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Have a favorite cinnamon dessert? Take it to the next level with these homemade cinnamon chips. Only 5 ingredients and easy to make!
Have you ever tried Hershey cinnamon chips in any of your cookie recipes or cake recipes? They are certainly convenient if you can find them. But here’s a little secret….cinnamon isn’t even listed as an ingredient.
Seriously….go take a look. All the ingredients say is “natural flavor”. So yes, some of that flavor could be cinnamon. I’m not a nutritional expert, but I would think that when I want these chips, there is going to be actual cinnamon in them.
So what’s a girl to do? Make your own homemade cinnamon chips!
What is in cinnamon chips?
There are only 5 necessary ingredients:
- sugar
- cinnamon
- shortening
- corn syrup
- vanilla
We prefer Saigon cinnamon for baking. We introduced it to you when we shared our apple pie recipe. It has an amazing, rich flavor that will pop in all of your cinnamon recipes. We purchase large containers of Saigon cinnamon from Costco, but you can most likely find it in your local grocery store, too.
How to Make Cinnamon Chips
- Prepare. Preheat oven to 200º Fahrenheit. If your oven runs cool, you may want to up the temperature to 225º Fahrenheit. Then line a cookie sheet with a piece of parchment paper sprayed with cooking spray. Make sure you don’t skip that step. Melted sugar is a beast to get off pans.
- Mix. Combine the sugar, cinnamon, shortening, corn syrup and vanilla in a medium size bowl. Use a wooden spoon or two forks to combine the mixture until it is well mixed.
- Press. Pour the cinnamon mixture on the prepared sheet. Use the palms of your hands to press and flatten the mixture to be about 1/4″ thick.
- Bake. Bake until cinnamon sugar mixture is melted and slightly bubbly. This will take about 40-45 minutes, but watch it closely.
- Cool. Cool completely, and then cut into small pieces.
How do you store cinnamon chips?
You can store your cinnamon chips in an airtight container at room temperature if you plan to use them relatively soon.
Can you freeze cinnamon chips?
Yes! We’ve frozen cinnamon chips in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Allow them to defrost, then add them to your desserts.
Cinnamon Chips
Have a favorite cinnamon dessert? Take it to the next level with these homemade cinnamon chips. Only 5 ingredients and easy to make!
Servings 8
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar (136 grams)
- 3 tablespoons ground Saigon cinnamon (16 grams)
- 2 tablespoons vegetable shortening (25 grams)
- 2 tablespoons light corn syrup (46 grams)
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (2 grams)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 200º Fahrenheit.
- Line a cookie sheet with a piece of parchment paper sprayed with cooking spray.
- Combine the sugar, cinnamon, shortening, corn syrup and vanilla in a medium size bowl.
- Use a wooden spoon to combine the mixture until it is well mixed.
- Pour the cinnamon mixture on the prepared sheet. Use the palms of your hands to press and flatten the mixture to be about 1/4" thick.
- Bake until cinnamon sugar mixture is melted and slightly bubbly. This will take about 40-45 minutes, but watch it closely.
- Cool completely, and then cut into small pieces.
Notes
This recipe makes about 2 cups. We often double the recipe.
The calories shown are based on the recipe making 2 cups, with 1 serving being ¼ cup of chips. Since different brands of ingredients have different nutritional information, the calories shown are just an estimate. **We are not dietitians and recommend you seek a nutritionist for exact nutritional information.**
Nutrition
Calories: 116kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 4mg | Potassium: 13mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 21g | Vitamin A: 9IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 30mg | Iron: 1mg
Recipe from Mind Over Batter
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you use butter instead of shortening?
You can use butter instead of shortening, but butter has a higher melting point so the chips will get a little crispier than they will with shortening. We prefer shortening because it keeps the chips soft and tender.
Can you use butter flavor shortening?
Yes. If you prefer butter flavor shortening you can use it, but we use plain shortening.
My cinnamon mixture isn’t melting in the oven. Why?
This can happen for many reasons such as oven temperature, type of pan used, and how thick you’ve pressed out the mixture. If you feel like you need to give it more time, you can. We find that about 45 minutes is good.
My cinnamon chips aren’t bubbling in the middle. Is that ok?
They may only bubble on the edges. That’s just fine! As long as the sugar looks melted in the middle, they should work.
Can you use pumpkin spice or nutmeg along with the cinnamon?
Yes! We think that is a great idea. I would still use cinnamon, but add in other spices of your choice to equal the 3 tablespoons.
Can I melt these cinnamon chips to make a smooth glaze or drizzle?
No. These cinnamon chips will not melt like other packaged chocolate chips after they are made. They are best used baked, cooled and as an addition to batters and doughs.
Recipes with Cinnamon
I don’t have shortening on hand. I have many oils, butter, even ghee. I was thinking peanut oil since the smoke point is quite high.
Can you use a silicone mat instead of parchment paper?
Not sure I did it correctly, the disc seeped the oil out but I was able to cut them up and use in the scone. The scones were tender and moist and the chips did give that extra burst of cinnamon but the leaked out of the scone while baking. I’m going to try again . I did weigh my ingredients for exact measurement so not sure if that what was supposed to happen .
An absolute essential for my Pecan Streusel Coffee Cake and Cinnamon Scones. This is the easiest recipe ever. If you can find the British Lyle’s Golden Syrup it could sub for Corn Syrup. I don’t bother although I might try it sometime
How dry are the chips after cooling? Could I put them in a dry muffin mix to store for later, or are they moist enough to make the mix clump?
Sounds delicious. Can there be a substitute for corn syrup?
Can this recipe be made with a sugar substitute e.g.: Splenda?
Cinnamon Chips
I don’t keep shortening on hand so it’s either coconut oil or butter, which would be best?