Cinnabon Delights (Taco Bell Copycat)
My Cinnabon delights are crispy little cinnamon sugar donut holes filled with rich cream cheese frosting. These taste even better than what you get at Taco Bell!
I love getting a Mexican pizza, and these Cinnabon delights at my local Taco Bell. Since mine is almost 30 minutes away, I like to make copycat recipes at home. The first time I tried this recipe, I jumped up and down. They taste just like the ones you get at Taco Bell.We love making them for lazy weekend breakfasts, holiday brunch, and late-night munchies too. They're a great side to a our cinnamon roll pancakes or breakfast burger too.
You will be reaching back into the serving dish to get just one more. Love copycat donuts? You've got to try my Krispy Kreme recipe next.
What Makes My Recipe Unique
- From Scratch Recipe: There just isn't a mix or dough on the market that tastes enough like the original.
- Super Crispy: These fry up crunchy, just like your fast food favorite.
- Perfect Frosting: Cream cheese frosting is too thick, so we'll make more of a glaze that has the perfect texture.
Ingredient Notes & Shopping Tips
- Flour: Measure your flour by spooning flour into a measuring cup and leveling it off with a knife. If you scoop your cup into the flour, you'll get too much.
- Baking Powder: Replace every 6-12 months for optimal rising.
- Milk: Use full-fat milk for moist and fluffy donuts.
- Cream Cheese: Quickly soften cream cheese by placing it in a measuring cup of hot water for 2-3 minutes.
- Oil: Use a neutral oil with a high smoke point like vegetable or canola. Avoid reusing oil from savory foods like chicken or fish, as the flavors can transfer
- Save your oil to fry out sweet treats like these Italian Zeppole.
Cinnamon
Cinnabon uses Makara cinnamon, which is more fragrant and aromatic than other varieties. It is not required for this recipe. You can find it in specialty stores or even on Amazon.
Leftovers
These are best enjoyed warm right out of the fryer.
Krystle's Tips and Tricks
- Frying: I like to deep fry in a cast iron skillet. However, you can also use any deep pan or even a countertop deep fryer.
- Don't Overcrowd the Pan: Fry only four or five at a time. This will keep your oil temperature high and ensure your end product is crunchy, not greasy.
- Filling: The filling should be a little thicker than a glaze but not as thick as frosting. You'll know it's ready when it coats the back of your spoon.
Make Sure All Your Donuts are the Same Size:
Not only will they look good, but they will also cook evenly. I like to use a small ice cream scoop.
Frequently Asked Questions
No baking is not recommended.
Dough-based desserts like doughnuts don't work well in the air fryer. Air frying this recipe is not suggested as they'll fail to rise or crisp up.
Yes, make the dough up to a day in advance. Bring to room temperature before frying.
More Copycat Recipes I Love
📖 Recipe
Taco Bell Cinnabon Delights
Want to Save This Recipe?
Enter your email & I'll send it to your inbox. Plus, get great new recipes from me every week!
Ingredients
For the Donuts
- 1 ½ Cups All Purpose Flour
- ¼ Cup White Sugar
- 2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
- ½ Teaspoon Salt
- 1 Teaspoon Cinnamon
- 1 Egg
- ½ Cup Milk
- 2 Tablespoons Butter Melted
- 1 Pinch Nutmeg Optional
- Oil For Deep Frying
- Cinnamon Sugar
For the Cream Cheese Filling
- 1 Cup Powdered Sugar
- ¼ Cup Cream Cheese Softened
- 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- ¼ Cup Whole Milk
Instructions
For the Donuts
- In a large bowl, whisk flour sugar, cinnamon, salt, and baking powder. Stir in egg, milk, and melted butter. Do not over mix.
- Heat oil to 375 degrees F in a cast iron pan. Drop batter using a generous tablespoon into the hot oil. Fry 5 or 6 at a time, do not overcrowd the pan.
- Fry for about 2-3 minutes or until golden brown, turning once.
- Drain on paper towels, and roll in cinnamon sugar.
For the Cream Cheese Filling
- In a large bowl, whip cream cheese, and vanilla until smooth. Add in powdered sugar a little at a time until just combined.
- Add milk as needed until you reach your desired consistency.
- Pour into a squirt bottle or piping bag. Fill donuts with glaze, being sure to move the tip around so you get a generous amount of frosting.
Notes
- Flour: Measure your flour by spooning flour into a measuring cup and leveling it off with a knife.
- Baking Powder: Replace every 6-12 months for optimal rising.
- Cinnamon: Cinnabon uses Makara cinnamon.
- Milk: Use full-fat milk.
- Make Sure All Your Donuts are the Same Size: I like to use a small ice cream scoop.
- Frying: I like to deep fry in a cast iron skillet.
- Don't Overcrowd the Pan: Fry only four or five at a time.
- Filling: The filling should be a little thicker than a glaze but not as thick as frosting. You'll know it's ready when it coats the back of your spoon.
Nutrition
Amazing
Yum! Those cinnabon delights turned out perfectly! The whole family devoured them! i will definitely make them again!
Oh my, these are utterly addictive! Couldn't stop eating them and wanted them all to myself. The crunch of the cinnamon sugar against the creamy filling was so good!
Wow! This treat looks amazingly delicious and yummy! A perfect treat for any occasion! Totally loved it!
These are as easy to make as they are delicious!
These cinnabon delights were much easier to make than I thought. They disappeared before I knew it. Making another batch tomorrow!
These are way better than Taco Bell and so easy to make. I thought the filling was going to give me a problem but the directions are really good. It wasn’t too hard!
Absolutely delightful! This cinnamon delight recipe is scrumpteous!
Oh my goodness! My son loves donuts, so I had to make them for him. I didn't think it was possible to make donuts at home so easily. You can't beat the taste of homemade. And they were gone so quickly! Next time, I'll have to make two batches. Thank you for the great recipe!
Was like a walk down memory lane! I miss Taco Bell so much lol..... we don't have them where we are now and these were perfect and so delish.
These were a huge hit at my best friend's annual New Years Day brunch! Although I didn't have a fine enough piping tip so the filling kinda got everywhere. Messy, but delish!
Love these quick and easy Cinnabon donut holes! I can see why you frequented Taco Bell for these. Like you, I prefer the home version. I used coconut milk because it’s what I usually have at hand, and rolled the dough into small balls while dusting my hands lightly with flour. The cream cheese filling is perfect for this treat. Thanks!!
I would never think of using coconut milk, thanks for sharing your method Iris!