Milwaukee's Best Cinnamon Rolls: The ultimate Guide

Whether you're celebrating a lazy Saturday morning or seeking the perfect post-soccer-game treat, the greater Milwaukee area offers an impressive lineup of bakeries serving cinnamon rolls that range from towering brioche beauties to old-school classics your grandmother would approve of.

Simply Cinnamon Bakery in Pewaukee consistently tops local rankings, but hidden gems throughout the North Shore, Wauwatosa, and Milwaukee proper mean you'll never be far from warm, frosting-drizzled perfection. This guide covers everything families need to plan sweet adventures across the region—from addresses and pricing to insider tips on catching those rolls fresh from the oven.

The cinnamon roll specialist

Simply Cinnamon Bakery has earned its place at the top of Yelp's Milwaukee cinnamon roll rankings for good reason. Owner and baker Barbara Sweet has perfected her craft over 36 years, and this small-batch bakery focuses almost exclusively on what they do best.

Simply Cinnamon Bakery
115 Oakton Ave, Pewaukee, WI 53072
(262) 691-4022
Hours: Wednesday 8am–12pm; Thursday–Sunday 8am–1pm; Closed Monday–Tuesday

The rolls here strike the ideal balance of sweetness and density, with frosting that regulars describe as "amazing." The 6-pack is the insider's choice—smaller rolls mean a better icing-to-roll ratio, which devotees swear makes all the difference. Beyond cinnamon rolls, Simply Cinnamon offers coffee cakes, scones, decorated sugar cookies, and Sunday hot ham with homemade rolls. Prices are described as "excellent and reasonable" by loyal customers. Pro tip: Arrive early—limited hours and loyal following mean items sell quickly. Their products are also available at local Woodman's stores if you can't make the trip.

Milwaukee's artisan bakeries bring European flair to the classic roll

For those who appreciate a more sophisticated take on cinnamon rolls, Milwaukee proper offers several destination-worthy bakeries where trained pastry chefs elevate this comfort food to new heights.

Amaranth Bakery & Café in the Walnut Hill neighborhood has been turning out what fans call "world-class pastries" since 2006. Their cinnamon rolls feature buttery brioche dough with a signature crisp crust surrounding soft, tender insides. The bakery uses a heritage sourdough starter born in the neighborhood and organic flour sourced from New York. Sticky buns and kouign-amann round out the cinnamon-spiced offerings.

Amaranth Bakery & Café
3329 W. Lisbon Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53208
(414) 934-0587
Hours: Thursday–Saturday 7am–2pm; Closed Sunday–Wednesday
Pricing: Items generally $4–6
Insider tip: Cinnamon buns sell out frequently—arrive early, especially on Saturdays

Poppy Bakery represents Milwaukee's newest addition to the artisan cinnamon roll scene, having opened in June 2025 on the Lower East Side. Owner Amy Gorski brings over 12 years of professional pastry experience to this seasonally-driven bakery. The fluffy brioche cinnamon roll ($5.25–$5.50) comes topped with vanilla buttermilk cream cheese icing. Maple pecan sticky buns ($5.50–$6.75) offer an alternative for sticky bun enthusiasts.

Poppy Bakery
2021 E Ivanhoe Pl, Milwaukee, WI 53202
poppybakery.com | poppybakerymke@gmail.com | Instagram: @poppybakery_mke
Hours: Thursday–Friday 8am–2pm; Saturday–Sunday 9am–2pm (or until sellout)
Family-friendly note: No artificial food colorings or sprinkles—appealing for parents who prefer simpler ingredients

Wauwatosa's bakery row

Families looking to maximize their cinnamon roll expedition should head to Wauwatosa, where three acclaimed bakeries sit within easy driving distance of each other along the North Avenue corridor.

Rocket Baby Bakery has claimed Milwaukee Magazine's "Best Bakery" readers' choice award in both 2024 and 2025. Their cinnamon roll is described as a "moist pastry smothered in frosting," and the monkey bread makes a fantastic shareable option for families. The bakery also attends the Shorewood Farmers Market on Sundays and South Shore Farmers Market on Saturdays from June through October—perfect for combining a farmers market stroll with fresh pastries.

Rocket Baby Bakery
6822 W North Ave, Wauwatosa, WI 53213
(414) 502-7323 | rocketbabybakery.com
Hours: Weekdays 7am–2pm; Weekends 8am–2pm
Note: Closed December 25–January 1 for winter break

Simma's Bakery offers a European twist with their legendary morning buns—laminated dough swirled with cinnamon sugar that creates a crispy, crunchy exterior with soft layers inside. While technically not a traditional cinnamon roll, these items (around $0.95 each) consistently draw morning bun devotees who consider them "absolutely one of the best in Wisconsin." The family-owned bakery also earned the Wisconsin Bakers Association's Bakery Operation of the Year award in 2017.

Simma's Bakery
817 N 68th St, Wauwatosa, WI 53213
(414) 257-0998 | simmasbakery.com
Hours: Tuesday–Friday 8am–6pm; Saturday 8am–4pm; Closed Sunday–Monday

Cranky Al's rounds out Wauwatosa's offerings with a cinnamon roll donut ($2.25) that combines the best of both worlds. Celebrity chef Alton Brown has praised this beloved doughnut shop, where gluten-friendly and vegan-friendly options make it accessible to families with dietary restrictions. The shop opens at 6am Tuesday through Sunday and regularly sells out by 8:30am—set your alarm accordingly.

Cranky Al's
6901 W North Ave, Wauwatosa, WI 53213
(414) 258-5282 | crankyals.com
Hours: Tuesday–Sunday 6am–1pm (or sellout)

Brady Street's Italian landmark serves generously-sized rolls

Peter Sciortino Bakery has anchored Milwaukee's Brady Street neighborhood since 1946, and their "very large in size" cinnamon buns carry on an authentic Italian bakery tradition. Named "Milwaukee's Best Bakery" by both Shepherd Express and OnMilwaukee.com, this is the spot when you want to combine cinnamon rolls with legendary Italian cookies, sfogliatelle, and cannoli. The Vella family, longtime employees who purchased the bakery in 1997, maintains the commitment to scratch baking with highest-quality ingredients.

Peter Sciortino Bakery
1101 E. Brady St, Milwaukee, WI 53202
(414) 272-4623 | petersciortinosbakery.com
Hours: Tuesday–Saturday 7am–4pm; Sunday 7am–1pm; Closed Monday
Pre-ordering: Allow 48 hours advance notice for larger orders
Shipping: Available nationwide via priority mail

Colectivo locations

For convenience without sacrificing quality, Colectivo Coffee's Troubadour Bakery produces cinnamon rolls served across a dozen Milwaukee-area locations. The operation runs 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, turning out 40,000–50,000 bakery items weekly. Their cinnamon rolls—made from brioche dough with sweet icing—are "big enough for two" according to regular customers. Seasonal specialties like pumpkin cinnamon rolls appear in fall.

Colectivo/Troubadour Bakery Key Locations:

• Bay View Bakery: 2301 S. Kinnickinnic Ave (main bakery, freshest selection)

• Third Ward: 223 E. St. Paul Ave

• Shorewood: 4500 N. Oakland Ave

• Prospect (East Side): 2211 N. Prospect Ave

• Lakefront: 1701 N. Lincoln Memorial Dr

Hours: Generally 6am–5pm daily
Pricing: Approximately $6.00 for cinnamon rolls
Tip: The Bay View location, where the bakery is attached, offers the freshest selection

Old-school bakery tradition

Families seeking traditional bakery experiences will find satisfaction in Milwaukee's western suburbs, where multi-generational family bakeries have perfected their craft over decades.

National Bakery & Deli earned the Wisconsin Bakers Association's 2025 Bakery of the Year designation. Their cinnamon bread features cinnamon paste rolled in sweet dough, brushed with butter, and topped with cinnamon sugar. Sweet rolls are available daily at both locations. The legendary "6 Free Hard Rolls with purchase of 1 lb Badger Ham" deal makes this an excellent family stop.

National Bakery & Deli
Brookfield: 13820 W Greenfield Ave, Brookfield, WI 53005 | (262) 827-4097
Greendale: 5673 Broad St, Greendale, WI 53129 | (414) 423-4620
nationalbakery.com
Hours: Monday–Friday 6:30am–3pm; Saturday 6:30am–2pm; Closed Sunday
Online orders: Require 4 business days lead time

Aggie's Bakery & Cake Shop brings Sicilian family recipes dating to 1977. Now run by the third generation, they're known for cinnamon rolls alongside cherry and cheese danish that reviewers call "exceptionally good—loaded, light and flaky." Seven-time Couple's Choice Award winner for wedding cakes, this is where to go when you want variety.

Aggie's Bakery & Cake Shop
7328 W Greenfield Ave, West Allis, WI 53214
(414) 482-1288 | aggiesbakery.com
Hours: Monday–Friday 7am–6pm; Saturday 7am–5pm; Sunday 7am–1pm
Pricing: Crumb cakes $2.50, muffins $1.95, danish $2.95
Delivery: Available throughout Milwaukee County

Grebe's Bakery—a fourth-generation family operation since 1937—offers cinnamon raisin bread ($5.95) that's delicious toasted or used for French toast. Their buttercream-filled and streusel coffee cakes ($8.50–$9.50) satisfy cinnamon cravings in shareable form. Products are also distributed to Sendik's, Woodman's, Pick 'n Save, and other area grocers.

Grebe's Bakery
5132 W Lincoln Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53219
(414) 543-7000 | grebesbakery.com
Hours: Open daily; online orders require 48 hours notice
Pickup: Not available Mondays

North Shore options

While the North Shore doesn't have a dedicated cinnamon roll shop, several bakeries offer excellent alternatives without requiring a longer drive.

Breadsmith of Whitefish Bay has served the community since 1998, and their Cinnamon Cobblestone Loaf—sweet cream butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, eggs, and vanilla extract—disappears "lickety split" according to customers. Call by 1pm the day before to reserve specific breads. Their Bread Card loyalty program earns free bread for frequent visitors.

Breadsmith of Whitefish Bay
420 E Silver Spring Dr, Whitefish Bay, WI 53217
(414) 962-6203 | breadsmith.com/whitefishbay
Hours: Monday–Saturday 7am–6pm; Closed Sunday
Pricing: Breads $5.50–$7.75; specialty cookies $7.00

Blooming Lotus Bakery in Shorewood provides allergen-friendly cinnamon rolls for families navigating dietary restrictions—completely grain-free, gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free, and processed-sugar-free. Their apple cinnamon scone is a customer favorite, and everything is naturally sweetened with fruit and coconut palm sugar.

Blooming Lotus Bakery
3948 N Maryland Ave, Milwaukee (Shorewood), WI
Main location: 2215 E North Ave, Milwaukee
(414) 800-5030 | blbmke.com
Shorewood Hours: Saturday–Sunday 9am–1pm only
Main Location Hours: Monday–Saturday 8am–6pm; Sunday 9am–5pm
Pricing: Scones and pastries generally $4–7

North Shore Boulangerie in Shorewood focuses on authentic French/Alsatian pastries rather than American-style cinnamon rolls, but their croissants ($3.25–$4.25), cherry danish ($3.50), and Berliner beignets ($2.75) offer excellent alternatives for families seeking European-style morning pastries.

North Shore Boulangerie
4401 N Oakland Ave, Shorewood, WI 53211
(414) 963-2153 | northshoreboulangerie.com
Hours: Monday–Saturday 7am–5pm; Sunday 7am–3pm

Brunch find in the Historic Third Ward

Smoke Shack might seem like an unlikely cinnamon roll destination given its BBQ focus, but their weekend brunch features "The Shack Scratch Cinnamon Roll" ($6.75)—a massive, made-from-scratch roll that multiple reviewers describe as "one of the best cinnamon rolls I've ever had." Live blues music accompanies Saturday brunch, making this a fun outing for families who appreciate both great food and atmosphere.

Smoke Shack
332 N Milwaukee St, Milwaukee, WI 53202
(414) 431-1119 | smoke-shack.com
Brunch Hours: Saturday & Sunday 10am–2pm
Tip: Call ahead to confirm cinnamon roll availability, as it may be complimentary with brunch orders or a rotating menu item

Planning your cinnamon roll adventure

For families mapping out a dedicated cinnamon roll excursion, here's how to maximize your morning based on your priorities:

For the absolute best traditional cinnamon rolls: Make the drive to Simply Cinnamon Bakery in Pewaukee. Arrive by 8:30am Wednesday through Sunday, grab a 6-pack, and consider picking up their decorated cookies for the kids.

For a multi-stop Wauwatosa morning: Start at Cranky Al's when doors open at 6am, then head to Rocket Baby Bakery or Simma's as they open at 7am and 8am respectively. All three sit along North Avenue within a few minutes of each other.

For North Shore convenience: Breadsmith in Whitefish Bay opens at 7am for cinnamon cobblestone loaf, or hit Blooming Lotus on weekend mornings for allergen-friendly options in Shorewood.

For combining with a larger outing: Colectivo's Bay View location offers fresh Troubadour Bakery cinnamon rolls steps from Kinnickinnic Avenue shopping, while Peter Sciortino on Brady Street pairs perfectly with exploring the East Side.

For brunch with entertainment: Smoke Shack's Saturday brunch combines giant cinnamon rolls with live blues—a memorable experience for the whole family.

Most bakeries sell out of popular items by late morning, so plan to arrive within the first hour or two of opening for the best selection. Several locations—including Simply Cinnamon, Breadsmith, and National Bakery—offer pre-ordering for families who want guaranteed availability.

A final note on freshness and timing

The best cinnamon rolls are fresh cinnamon rolls, and timing matters. Bakeries typically bake in the early morning hours, meaning rolls pulled before 9am will still be warm at most locations. Weekend mornings see higher demand, so weekday visits often mean shorter lines and better selection. Many bakeries close early or sell out—checking hours before your visit prevents disappointment, especially when bringing eager young cinnamon roll enthusiasts along for the adventure.