Cinnabon is finally selling its frosting by the pint, and I used it to make a delicious appetizer, dessert, and side dish (2024)

After reading all of the buzz about this famous frosting pint, I knew that I had to pick one up for myself.

Read on for my experience trying the signature Cinnabon frosting pint and its recipes:

I ventured to the nearest mall to pick up my cream-cheese frosting pint for around $7.99

Although I found it to be a bit expensive, I remembered this is no ordinary frosting.

The limited-edition container had an adorable snowman design, and according to Cinnabon, the frosting pairs well with holiday cooking, baking, or movie watching. I was more than ready to do all three.

There were no instructions for how to store the frosting anywhere on the packaging, so I messaged Cinnabon on Twitter to find out whether it needed to be kept in the refrigerator. It turns out the frosting is best kept chilled and lasts approximately eight to 10 days.

It's been several years since I've eaten a Cinnabon cinnamon roll, so I was pretty eager to taste test the frosting

Unlike store-bought cinnamon-roll icing, which tends to be runnier like a glaze, this cream-cheese frosting appeared to be thick and fluffy.

My inner child couldn't resist grabbing a spoon and trying it straight out of the carton. Just as I remembered, it was rich, sweet, and creamy.

What sets the Cinnabon product apart from regular frosting is the cream-cheese base, which gives it a faint savory tang. It also had a pleasant vanilla aroma that reminded me of the inside of a bakery.

I couldn't help but smile the moment I tasted it.

I definitely could've eaten several heaping spoonfuls right then and there, but I was determined to save the cream-cheese frosting for the three official Cinnabon recipes I wanted to try.

The lid has a QR code that links to a webpage filled with recipe ideas

Why plaster one single recipe on the side of the container when you can put a link to several?

When I scanned the code with my phone, it redirected me to a page on the Cinnabon website that features several cool recipe ideas for the frosting.

For my own taste test, I decided to experiment with the frosting-swirled brownies, savory frosting herb cheese ball, and frosting-topped sweet potatoes to get a sense of both how the frosting tasted and how it could be used.

The frosting-swirled brownies were easy to put together and an absolute smash

It turns out all you need to get a bakery-quality dessert is boxed brownie mix and a little bit of Cinnabon magic.

Seriously, this recipe was so simple and it barely required any effort or extra ingredients. I'm still shocked by how delicious it tasted.

To make the frosting-swirled brownies, I followed the recipe instructions on the boxed brownie mix and used a cookie scoop to dollop six generous-sized globs of frosting onto the batter.

I then used a spoon to spread it around the pan and a rubber spatula to swirl it into the lower layer of the batter.

After less than an hour of baking, the brownies were finished and smelled like heaven.

The cream-cheese frosting turned the brownies into fudgy, decadent dessert bars

I've made tons of boxed brownies in my life and fully admit none of them could hold a candle to how delicious these were. The Cinnabon frosting added pockets of yummy, rich vanilla that balanced out the dark-chocolate flavor.

If you blindfolded me and told me these were cheesecake brownies from a bakery, I probably would've believed you.

I didn't have any ice cream, but I imagined these brownies would serve as a terrific base for a festive peppermint sundae.

If I can get my hands on another Cinnabon frosting pint, I will absolutely make these brownies again.

The savory frosting cheese ball was challenging to put together but worth the reward

There are some recipes that seem like they shouldn't make sense but do. A garlic-herb dip with cinnamon-roll frosting is one of them.

To be completely honest, preparing this cheese ball was a lot more messy and challenging than I anticipated.

My hands got very sticky during the process, and I struggled to form the cheese-frosting mixture into a perfectly round ball like the one in the display picture.

As a result, my cheese ball was more of a cheese mound

Thankfully the shape didn't have too much of an effect on the overall flavor, which was a delightful medley of sweet, tart, and savory.

If eating frosting in a savory food is wrong, then I don't want to be right.

I enjoyed how the frosting added pockets of sweetness to an otherwise savory, herbaceous dip. The cranberries on the outside also paired beautifully with the rich cream-cheese frosting and added a chewy texture to the dip.

The recipe also called for walnuts, but I avoided incorporating them into the dish because my roommate is allergic. However, I can only imagine how delightful and complex this would taste with a nutty component added to it.

Every bite had a unique contrast that reminded me of the appetizer table at a holiday dinner party.

My roommate and I thought it was delicious and we finished almost the entire ball over the course of a single movie night.

Never in a million years would I have imagined a cinnamon-roll topping would be perfect as a savory snack, but I can confidently say that I am now convinced.

The frosting-topped sweet potatoes took my favorite side dish to the next level

Let me begin by saying I loved that this recipe didn't require any dicing or peeling. I just cleaned the sweet potatoes, tossed them in oil, and rolled them around in a cinnamon-sugar mixture before slow-roasting them in the oven for an hour.

I then transferred the cooked sweet potatoes to a cooling rack where I carefully split them open with a knife.

The cream-cheese frosting immediately melted into the steaming-hot sweet potatoes

Next, I plopped two heaping dollops of Cinnabon cream-cheese frosting between each sweet potato and finished it off with a sprinkle of brown sugar and cinnamon.

I wish I could have captured the intoxicating, cinnamony aroma of this dish in a jar. I felt like I was standing in the middle of a bakery — the scent of cinnamon and sugar filled the entire room.

Within seconds, the creamy Cinnabon frosting spilled out the sides of the sweet potato like melted snow. I was already salivating the moment they came out of the oven but after seeing how that frosting melted from the sides like some kind of sugary avalanche, I knew I had to dig in immediately.

It reminded me of marshmallow cream, which is typically paired with sweet potatoes around this time of year. But unlike marshmallow cream, this wasn't sticky — just a rich and smooth mixture of pure bliss.

As I anticipated, the combination of sugar, cinnamon, frosting, and sweet potatoes was absolutely amazing

The Cinnabon frosting seriously amplified the buttery notes of the sweet potato. On top of that, the cinnamon-sugar mix crusted on the outside of the sweet potatoes as they caramelized in the oven, making the skin quite tasty.

Although this was undoubtedly a sugary dish, the subtle tanginess of the cream-cheese frosting kept everything from being cloyingly sweet.

In my opinion, a traditional buttercream frosting or icing would've been way too sugary to put on top of these sweet potatoes.

The tangy Cinnabon cream-cheese frosting is the perfect topping because it means you can serve this as a sweet breakfast, brunch, side dish, or dessert at a holiday gathering.

Overall, I highly recommend everyone add this Cinnabon frosting to their holiday shopping lists

After preparing all three recipes, I still had just under a quarter of a container left of the frosting. Given that the pint was under $10, I find this to be an excellent value for the price.

I also believe it would make a great gift for people of all ages.

Above all, I'm happy I purchased it because it instantly put me in the mood for the holidays. I plan to use the remaining frosting with another baked good sometime later this week.

Keep in mind that these pints won't be around forever, so be sure to order yours as soon as possible if you don't want to miss out.

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