# Cinnamon rolls with chili- is this a nationwide thing? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** food-cooking\ **Created:** [December 9, 2022, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cinnamon-rolls-with-chili-is-this-a-nationwide-thing/976273 "2022-12-09T19:13:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2022, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cinnamon-rolls-with-chili-is-this-a-nationwide-thing/976273/1 "2022-12-09T19:13:14Z")
I’ve experienced this combination in several places across the nation. Is this a thing, and if so, what’s the origin? ---
**Author:** ![ParallelLines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/parallellines/32/3575_2.png) [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2022, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cinnamon-rolls-with-chili-is-this-a-nationwide-thing/976273/2 "2022-12-09T19:17:51Z")
I haven’t seen it near me in Colorado, but I almost never go the the sweet side of my grocery bakery, or out to get baked sweets. But, sweet and heat is a very, Very common combination of flavors. Most of my Latin influenced hot chocolates (and puddings) have a combination of cinnamon/cassia and chili peppers of some sort or another. For example > **[Easy Mexican Chocolate Sauce Recipe - Grace and Good Eats](https://www.graceandgoodeats.com/mexican-hot-fudge-sauce/)** > > This Mexican Chocolate Sauce is perfect over ice cream or as a dip for fruit. A hot fudge sauce recipe with just the right amount of heat! ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2022, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cinnamon-rolls-with-chili-is-this-a-nationwide-thing/976273/3 "2022-12-09T20:43:05Z")
I became ill just thinking of cinnamon rolls with Chili. You owe me a roll of Tums.™ ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2022, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cinnamon-rolls-with-chili-is-this-a-nationwide-thing/976273/4 "2022-12-09T20:50:08Z")
I have never heard of that and the combo sounds vomit-inducing. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2022, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cinnamon-rolls-with-chili-is-this-a-nationwide-thing/976273/5 "2022-12-09T20:54:03Z")
I want to say I’ve never heard of it, but the combo sounds very vaguely familiar. That said, I’ve not seen it. The flavors make sense to me, but I’m a cornbread guy. Chicago for my area. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2022, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cinnamon-rolls-with-chili-is-this-a-nationwide-thing/976273/6 "2022-12-09T20:55:48Z")
I know that some chili styles (in particular, Cincinnati / Skyline style\*) contain cinnamon as an ingredient, but no, I’ve never seen cinnamon rolls specifically marketed alongside / in combination with chili. @Son_of_a_Rich , you mention seeing this “in several places” – it might be helpful, for this conversation, if you could provide some details (region, type of restaurant, etc.) \*- And, yes, I know, many chili fans don’t consider that to actually be chili. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2022, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cinnamon-rolls-with-chili-is-this-a-nationwide-thing/976273/7 "2022-12-09T21:12:37Z")
Did the OP mean cinnamon rolls with some sort of chili powder as an added ingredient? I think that’s what @ParallelLines was responding to, and that makes sense to me. Cinnamon is already a warm spice, and chili is just warmer, so I can see adding some chili to a cinnamon roll recipe. Maybe reducing the sugar at the same time (because so many cinnamon rolls are way too sweet anyway). More of a balance between the sweet and the heat. There are some bulk black teas, at various purveyors of same, called Hot Cinnamon Spice, and not all of them rely on cinnamon for the heat. They are very good, and I would go for a sweet roll with that flavor profile. ---
**Author:** ![Chingon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chingon/32/17645_2.png) [@Chingon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chingon)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2022, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cinnamon-rolls-with-chili-is-this-a-nationwide-thing/976273/8 "2022-12-09T21:14:33Z")
No, they mean chili is paired with a cinnamon roll as a sweet side. Very common in Kansas. > **[Enjoy Fall Like a Heartland Kid and Dip Your Cinnamon Rolls in Chili](https://www.eater.com/23439374/cinnamon-rolls-chili-heartland-midwest-school-lunch)** > > The oddly satisfying pairing of beef-and-bean chili and gooey cinnamon rolls is ubiquitous across the Great Plains. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2022, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cinnamon-rolls-with-chili-is-this-a-nationwide-thing/976273/9 "2022-12-09T21:18:46Z")
So, several articles agree with this, as a regional thing, in the western part of the Midwest, and the Northwest. The articles suggest it might have originated in school lunches. The quote is from the first link below (Smithsonian): > [@](#): > > It turns out that the pairing of chili and cinnamon rolls is a big, beloved deal in regional pockets of the Midwest and across western states like Wyoming and Washington. > **[What's Up With the Pairing of Chili and Cinnamon Rolls?](https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/whats-up-with-the-pairing-of-chili-and-cinnamon-rolls-180979407/)** > > Why kids across the western United States came to find the unlikely combination in their school lunches > **[The Midwest Is Obsessed with Eating Chili and Cinnamon Rolls Together](https://www.bhg.com/recipes/soup/chili-with-cinnamon-rolls/)** > > Chili and cinnamon rolls? You bet! For people in parts of the Midwest, this combination is a lunch staple, a tradition begun more than 70 years ago. > **[Chili with Cinnamon Rolls Is a Match Made in Heaven](https://www.tasteofhome.com/article/chili-and-cinnamon-rolls/)** > > This strange—and controversial—combination is a Midwest classic. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2022, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cinnamon-rolls-with-chili-is-this-a-nationwide-thing/976273/10 "2022-12-09T21:30:05Z")
For what it’s worth, I lived in the Midwest for a major chunk of my adult life and never heard of cinnamon rolls as a preferred side with chili. So, saying “the Midwest is obsessed” with this combo is a grotesque exaggeration. \*I only tried Skyline chili once in my life, it was nothing special, and I don’t recall seeing cinnamon rolls on the menu. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2022, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cinnamon-rolls-with-chili-is-this-a-nationwide-thing/976273/11 "2022-12-09T21:33:04Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > So, saying “the Midwest is obsessed” with this combo is a grotesque exaggeration. Definitely agreed; I’m more-or-less a lifelong Midwesterner, but in Wisconsin and Illinois; the “obsession” appears to be in particular pockets of the Midwest, and not around anywhere that I’ve lived, or visited regularly. ---
**Author:** ![Chingon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chingon/32/17645_2.png) [@Chingon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chingon)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2022, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cinnamon-rolls-with-chili-is-this-a-nationwide-thing/976273/12 "2022-12-09T21:39:51Z")
It’s people mislabeling the Great Plains as part of the Midwest. ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2022, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cinnamon-rolls-with-chili-is-this-a-nationwide-thing/976273/13 "2022-12-09T21:43:52Z")
From the local drive thru chain: > **[Our Menu](https://www.runza.com/menu/product/chili-&-cinnamon-roll-meal)** ---
**Author:** ![ParallelLines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/parallellines/32/3575_2.png) [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2022, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cinnamon-rolls-with-chili-is-this-a-nationwide-thing/976273/14 "2022-12-09T21:46:33Z")
Well then, I was wrong in my assumptions, and apologize for it. However, thanks to the correction, and the resulting imagery, I also developed instant heartburn, and like @carnivorousplant, want a roll of tums and my precious, precious ignorance back! ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2022, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cinnamon-rolls-with-chili-is-this-a-nationwide-thing/976273/15 "2022-12-09T21:47:22Z")
> [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](#): > > From the local drive thru chain: Which fits with the articles I found, indicating that Nebraska was a state in which it is a popular combination. That said, I only knew that you were referring to Nebraska as “local,” because I’ve heard of Runza. Is there any reason why you’re shy about actually naming the state? (I don’t know you well enough to know what “local” means to you. 😉 ) ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2022, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cinnamon-rolls-with-chili-is-this-a-nationwide-thing/976273/16 "2022-12-09T21:48:22Z")
This is the first I’ve heard of it, so Minnesota is apparently not part of the Midwest. ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2022, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cinnamon-rolls-with-chili-is-this-a-nationwide-thing/976273/17 "2022-12-09T21:50:44Z")
I’ve heard of it online but never seen chili & cinnamon rolls offered together. I’m a rice & balsamic vinegar guy myself. ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2022, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cinnamon-rolls-with-chili-is-this-a-nationwide-thing/976273/18 "2022-12-09T21:58:20Z")
Actually it was school meals in Kansas City, Fort Dodge, Iowa, and Lincoln, Nebraska (my current locale) so I guess it’s kind of a dead center of the country thing. I was thinking at one point that maybe it was some how a gummint thing. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2022, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cinnamon-rolls-with-chili-is-this-a-nationwide-thing/976273/19 "2022-12-09T22:45:10Z")
And, in an interesting coincidence, I just saw a post from Alton Brown on my Facebook feed, which he had made yesterday, from a Runza restaurant in Lincoln, Nebraska…and he is, in fact, eating chili on a cinnamon roll. 😉 https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=1080&width=1920&href=https://www.facebook.com/altonbrown/videos/so-im-lincolnnebraska-they-eat-chili-on-cinnamon-rolls/822171429064893/ ---
**Author:** ![Kron](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kron/32/12444_2.png) [@Kron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kron)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2022, 6:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cinnamon-rolls-with-chili-is-this-a-nationwide-thing/976273/20 "2022-12-10T06:49:06Z")
Cinnamon rolls and chili is normal for me. Grew up in South Dakota, grandparents moved there from Ohio. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cinnamon-rolls-with-chili-is-this-a-nationwide-thing/976273.md?page=2)