woman holding a book
In most contexts, cinnamon chips are small cinnamon-flavored bits used primarily in baking. They resemble chocolate chips and are designed to be used in many of the same contexts as the chocolate versions. The term “cinnamon chip” can also refer to a buttered, ground cinnamon, or flavored tortilla chip, although this usage is less common.
Cooks often add cinnamon chips to a variety of baked goods to impart a cinnamon flavor as well as add a sweetness not found in regular or ground cinnamon. Most cinnamon chips resemble chocolate chips; they are usually quite small and take the form of fallen pyramids. Shoppers can often find chips on the same supermarket shelf as chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, and other baked goods.
Cinnamon chips are usually made from natural oils and waxes that have been enhanced with cinnamon flavoring. Depending on the brand, this aroma can be totally or partially artificial. Some chips contain real cinnamon, but most do not.
One of the characteristics of cinnamon chips is their ability to melt quickly, whether on a double rack or in the oven. In baked goods, this often imparts a cinnamon flavor. Cooking with cinnamon chips is usually very easy. A wide variety of cinnamon desserts, including cinnamon buns and cinnamon cookies, get their flavor from sprinkles added directly to the dough.
Adding chips to cookies, bagels, and bread can create interesting variations on traditional breakfast favorites. Creative cooks can also add cinnamon chips to pancakes for a sweet morning breakfast or use the sprinkles as an ice cream topping. Melted potato chips can form a cinnamon-flavored syrup that can be added to fruit or yogurt or used as a sauce.
The term “cinnamon chip” can also refer to a more traditional tortilla chip that has a cinnamon flavor. Cinnamon chips of this variety are largely homemade, usually from fresh tortillas. Tortillas can be made fresh or purchased, then dusted with butter, ground cinnamon or ground cinnamon, and sugar. The cooks will then bake the tortillas, fry them, or fry them until crisp.
French fries of this style are usually sliced or shredded and then topped with fruit or sweet sauce. The taste and flavor of these chips are often reminiscent of churros, a popular Spanish and Latin American pastry. Most churros are made of thick dough and are almost always deep fried. Cinnamon tortilla chips impart a similar flavor, but are often a much healthier alternative.