Can Dogs Eat Cinnamon Rolls? The Good & The Bad

It’s sunny noon, and you’re in the kitchen baking up a pleasant-smelling snack—cinnamon rolls.

Unsurprisingly, your dog comes around wagging its tail in barks.

You already know the signal—it is patiently waiting for you to get done to enjoy the delightful treat with you.

But then a question pops to mind, can dogs eat cinnamon rolls?

Cinnamon rolls are sweet treats for humans, but does that mean they are safe to feed to your pet dog?

Here’s everything you need to know before you decide to share cinnamon rolls with your canine buddy.

What are Cinnamon Rolls?

The origin of sweet rolls can be traced back to ancient times.

However, the discovery of cinnamon spice in Europe led to the creation of cinnamon rolls.

Cinnamon roll as we know it today is a sweet baked dough made with dough leavened yeast and cinnamon sugar filling with other toppings and ingredients such as peanut, caramel, chocolate nut, chocolate sauce, sugar glaze, and pecans.

It is thought to have originated from Sweden, where it is known as “kanelbulle” in the Swedish dialect.

Cinnamon rolls’ popularity in the US began in the southern states, and today it is a popular treat you’d find in almost every grocery store.

Can Dogs Eat Cinnamon Rolls?

Freshly Made Cinnamon Rolls with Chocolate on Tray

Cinnamon is not toxic to dogs, although too much consumption of it can result in gastrointestinal upset, diarrhea, and vomiting.

However, cinnamon rolls can be toxic to dogs due to the fact that they typically contain additional ingredients that are not only potentially harmful to dogs’ health but very high in sugar and fat.

Cinnamon in itself is beneficial to dogs as it improves cognitive functions and memory in dogs, regulates blood sugar levels and insulin resistance, and contains anti-inflammatory properties to fight against muscle soreness and arthritis in older dogs.

A study report even shows that cinnamon improves dogs’ heart rate and blood pressure. But, the same cannot be said for cinnamon rolls.

Below is a nutrient profile for 88g of cinnamon rolls.

Nutritional InfoAmount
Calories290
Total Fat9.9g
Sodium686mg
Carbohydrates47g
Fiber1.2g
Sugars19g
Protein3.8g
Vitamin C0.1%
Calcium1.9%
Iron9.4%

The nutrients chart above clearly shows that cinnamon roll, although having few beneficial nutrients for dogs, is outweighed by its dangers.

Related:
Can Dogs Eat Caramel? (w/ Popcorn, Rice Cakes)

Are Cinnamon Rolls Bad for Dogs?

As noted earlier, cinnamon roll contains many ingredients that are not safe for dogs consumption.

Below are some of the harmful ingredients used in baking cinnamon rolls.

Nutmegs, Raisins and Nuts

Nutmegs are an essential ingredient of cinnamon rolls, and they are toxic to dogs as they can cause seizures and hallucinations.

Besides nutmeg, cinnamon rolls contain other unharmful ingredients, such as raisins and macadamia nuts.

Chocolate

Chocolate hands-off are straight-up poison to dogs. Cinnamon rolls contain chocolate which makes them unsuitable for dogs consumption.

There’s also the likelihood of cinnamon rolls containing artificial sweeteners such as xylitol, which is undoubtedly also toxic to canines.

Sugar and Fat

You may wonder, what if cinnamon rolls are cooked without adding these toxic ingredients?

Are they still bad to feed to my pet dog?

The truth is that cinnamon rolls, even in the absence of toxic ingredients, contain a high amount of sugar and fat, which are bad for dogs.

What Happens if a Dog Eats Cinnamon Rolls?

Cinnamon Roll Bite

Cinnamon, in itself, is safe for dogs but may cause some symptoms like stomach upset if consumed in large quantities.

Also, a dog consuming cinnamon rolls in large quantities will, in effect, be eating an outrageous amount of sugar, which can cause indigestion and fatal pancreatitis.

If your dog has taken a bite of this tasty food, chances are it wouldn’t result in anything serious.

But, if your dog has eaten too much cinnamon rolls, keep an eye on your pup for any oddities.

If you notice any symptoms, take your dog to the vet without delay.

Healthy Alternatives to Cinnamon Rolls You Can Feed Your Dog

Sometimes it may be difficult to resist your dog’s pleading eyes and thus may be tempted to feed it cinnamon rolls.

Being aware of the consequence of dogs eating cinnamon rolls, you should rather opt for other healthy alternatives.

Below are healthy alternatives to consider feeding your dog

It can be challenging to resist the cuteness of your pup when it wants you to share your holiday treats.

It is never advisable to yield to your dog’s plea knowing the consequences.

Instead, you should do something special by making some of these safe dog treats.

Peanut Butter and Pumpkin Dog Treats

Dogs’ love for peanut butter is common knowledge among dog owners.

You could take advantage of it to make healthy dog treats out of peanut butter.

Peanut butter in itself is a nutritionally well-rounded delight to treat your dogs to.

They are an excellent source of folic acid, which aids cell growth and contains fiber, protein, and healthy fats.

Dogs generally also love pumpkin; hence, you could combine these two with some cinnamon to make a sumptuous delightful treat for your dog.

Healthy dog treats

There are several healthy treats made explicitly for dogs that you can consider as an alternative to cinnamon rolls.

A few examples are Pet Botanics Training Rewards Flavor Dog Treats, PureBites Chicken Breast Freeze-Dried Dog Treats, and more.

Related:
Can Dogs Eat Donuts? Will Donuts Hurt Dogs?

Related Questions

Can dogs have cinnamon bread? 

Absolutely no. Cinnamon bread contains raisins, which are poisonous and can kill your dog.

Raisins and Grapes are among the major causes of kidney failure in dogs.

If your dog has eaten cinnamon bread, take it immediately to the vet.

Does cinnamon cause diarrhea in dogs?

If a dog consumes large amounts of cinnamon, it can suffer from diarrhea, low blood sugar levels, vomiting, and changes in heart rate.

Before incorporating cinnamon into a dog’s diet, you should speak to a vet first.

How much cinnamon kills a dog?

Cinnamon cannot precisely kill dogs. However, if a dog eats a large amount of cinnamon, this can spell trouble as such dog is likely to suffer from vomiting, low blood sugar, altered heart rate, and diarrhea.

Are pecans safe for dogs to eat?

Pecan is toxic to dogs and, if fed to dogs, can potentially cause gastrointestinal distress or intestinal blockage, or even severe seizure symptoms.

Hence it would be best to not share it with your pup.

Bottom Line: Can Dogs Have Cinnamon Rolls?

Cinnamon rolls are not suitable for dogs to eat.

Although, if your dog has a few bites of cinnamon roll cooked without the addition of toxic ingredients, it may not likely harm it.

However, it is best to keep off these snacks, as they are primarily made for human consumption and are potentially harmful to dogs.

If you want to treat your dogs to healthy snacks, peanut butter or pumpkin are better alternatives.

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Can Dogs Eat Waffles? Are Waffles Safe For Dogs?

Authored By

Ben Pierce

Ben Pierce is a canine behavioral and nutritional specialist, professional dog trainer, and the CEO of Puplore. A former military working dog handler, Ben founded Puplore to provide owners with breed-specific information and to act as a go-to guide to health, nutrition, care, and to help them find the confidence they need to step up to the plate and become the best pup parents they can possibly be. A firm believer in treating all animals with kindness and compassion, and that positive discipline is paramount in achieving a harmonious canine-human relationship, Ben’s former and present careers have enabled him to become a leading light in his chosen profession and business.

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