Okay, let’s play a word association game. Ready? When you say Wendy’s, I say… Cinnabon! What, you don’t understand why Cinnabon would be associated with Wendy’s? I don’t really get it either, but nonetheless, these two fast food giants are collaborating on a new treat that can only be found on Wendy’s breakfast menu, the Cinnabon Pull-Apart.
As the “Pull-Apart” in the name suggests, this isn’t one big treat like the rolls Cinnabon is best known for; instead, it’s a monkey bread-esque cluster of smaller dough nuggets clumped together, which you eat by simply breaking off each bite-size component.
Or that’s how it’s supposed to work anyway, but I didn’t find the experience quite so seamless. My piping hot Pull-Apart was actually pretty hard, so liberating the chunks required way more effort than was probably intended. I guess that’s why it’s not called the Cinnabon Gently-Fall-Apart (and I guess that’s also why a fork comes with it), but I do think it’s fair that I expected my fast food breakfast to be a little more convenient to consume.
The huge glob of congealed cream cheese frosting on top didn’t help with that either; the archetypical Cinnabon frosting is way more liquidy, so it doesn’t impede your mouthful, but this solid glob was so ginormous that the only way to even get to the Cinnabon bits seemed to be either eating the whole frosting blob in a couple big bites (no thank you) or expending yet more effort to attempt to distribute it more evenly, a graceless task as its thick consistency wasn’t exactly spreadable.
By this point in the review, my frustration with this dish is surely apparent, but you might still be hoping that it ended up tasting amazing enough to be worth all the hassle. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but I’ll have to go ahead and dash that hope.
Apparently, my Pull-Apart’s reluctance to do its first job, pulling apart, was a signal that it would also fail at its second job, tasting good. The first sentiment that came to my mind after managing my first mouthful was “dry” (actually, it was more like “dry, dry, dry, dry, dry”; I didn’t love or even really like the cream cheese frosting and its too-tangy sickly sweetness, but I was at least grateful it made me feel a little less like I was eating sand). The second sentiment that came to my mind was “yeasty.” The very distant third — like, this afterthought didn’t occur to me until maybe a full minute after my first bite — was, “I guess there was a whisper of cinnamon in there too.” There’s, of course, a handy visual cue for which bites of this ‘bon will be more flavorful — the dark cinnamon swirls are slightly softer and sweeter than the rest of the stiff, bland dough — but even they’re lackluster.
Granted, if you’re a diehard Cinna-fan you might find more to enjoy than I did, but if you’re on the fence about whether to try this, trust me that it’s not worth waffling over. In fact, I think a waffle would be a much better way to get your sweet breakfast fix.
Purchased Price: $3.69
Rating: 4 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 550 calories, 26 grams of fat, 11 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 35 milligrams of cholesterol, 440 milligrams of sodium, 70 grams of carbohydrates, 3 grams of fiber, 30 grams of sugar, and 8 grams of protein.
This pretty much sums up my experience with this as well. Big miss.
It would defeat the purpose of fast food but maybe microwaving would make the whole thing softer and more edible. But that seems like way too much trouble.
You must have different Wendy’s. My came very warm and the topping was like thick syrup. Flowed over the sides and puddled in the bottom of the cup. Roll was completely soft and pulled apart easily. I would rate it 10 and as a senior I’ve tasted a lot of cinnamon rolls. Hope our Wendy’s never serves them cold like yours.
This is ok, nothing like buying at Cinnabon. Seams really thick and heavy might buy again at different restaurants
Try the words, DRY, COLD and STALE, that is the best way I could describe the Cinnabon I purchased this morning at the Wendy’s in Florence, SC. Even after microwaving it was still DRY and STALE!!!!! Terrible, I will never buy this item at Wendy’s again and I would advise you not to waste your time and money!!!!!
I wish I had read these comments before I bought this. It was extremely hard and dry. Lacking in flavor. $4.29 wasted!
I wish I had read these comments before I bought this. It was extremely hard and dry. Lacking in flavor. $4.29 wasted! This is not a duplicate comment. This was my first time trying this.
Too bad I did not see your review before I decided to buy two! One for me and one for my son. Everything you said was right on. Eight dollars down the drain. Too bad I would either have to make a cinnamon roll at home or drive to a mall somewhere to get one.
Just got this to try. Nope, never again. Icing was ok just not very sweet. The cinnamon roll was hard as a rock. Not edible.
Tried this up in Canada today, mine came very hot and there was a ton of melty cream cheese icing all over. Not bad! I’d say 8/10.
Just tried the Cinnabon at Wendy’s it is a crime that they are selling this. It was terrible.