ONE Brands
Cinnamon Roll
TL:DR
In 2 Sentences
Dessert-level cinnamon roll flavor with an icing-like coating, 20g of dairy protein, and just 1g of sugar in a gluten-free bar.
When to choose ONE Brands Cinnamon Roll
A post-workout or afternoon treat that eats like dessert but delivers real protein; great if you want low sugar and gluten-free, less ideal if sugar alcohols upset your stomach.
What's in the ONE Brands bar?
ONE’s Cinnamon Roll bar aims for bakery‑case comfort with a sports‑nutrition engine under the hood. The protein is all dairy: milk protein isolate leads, with whey isolates and concentrates layered in, so you get a complete amino acid profile with relatively low lactose.
Sweetness and chew come less from sugar and more from engineered binders—starch‑derived fiber syrups and sugar alcohols—so the bar stays low in sugar while holding that soft, frosted‑bar bite. Fats skew to palm and sunflower oils (plus a little sunflower seed butter), which create a creamy, roll‑like texture with a mix of saturated and unsaturated fats.
Calories land a bit higher than average because this eats like a treat, but most of that energy rides in on protein and structured fats rather than a sugar flood. Cinnamon, natural flavor, and a touch of caramelized sugar supply the warm, classic “cinnamon roll” notes.
- Protein
- 20 g
- Fat
- 9 g
- Carbohydrates
- 23 g
- Sugar
- 1 g
- Calories
- 230
Protein
2015HIGHProtein comes from a dairy blend: milk protein isolate (a casein + whey combo) is first, joined by whey isolate/concentrate and a touch of hydrolyzed whey for softness. That mix is complete and highly digestible, and typically lower in lactose than milk, though it’s still a milk‑based bar. With 20g, it sits in the top tier among bars and feels built for genuine recovery, not just flavor.
Fat
99MIDMost fat comes from palm kernel oil and palm oil—semi‑solid plant fats that give structure—balanced by sunflower oil and sunflower seed butter for softer, unsaturated notes. That means a mix of saturated (from palm) and unsaturated (from sunflower) fats, more confection‑like than a nut‑butter bar. The overall fat is mid‑pack; if you’re watching LDL, note the palm oils, while the seed butter adds some heart‑friendly unsaturates.
Carbs
2320MIDCarbs are largely engineered for texture and lower sugar: refined fiber syrups (isomalto‑oligosaccharides, soluble corn fiber, polydextrose) provide bulk, while glycerin and the sugar alcohol maltitol add chew and mild sweetness; small amounts of rice/tapioca starch and a touch of caramelized sugar round it out. Compared with straight sugar, this blend generally blunts sharp spikes and delivers steadier energy, though some IMOs act partly like digestible carbs. If your gut is sensitive, multiple servings can mean gas or bloating from the fibers and polyols.
Sugar
14LOWSugar is kept to just 1g by leaning on sugar alcohols and refined fiber syrups for sweetness and body—maltitol, isomalto‑oligosaccharides, soluble corn fiber, polydextrose—plus a tiny lift from sucralose and a hint of caramelized sugar. This approach is typically gentler on blood sugar than sucrose, though some IMOs can be partly digestible and polyols may bother sensitive stomachs at higher intakes. It’s a low‑sugar strategy achieved with highly processed sweeteners rather than fruit.
Calories
230210MIDAt 230 calories, it’s a little higher than average because it eats like a dessert bar. Most energy comes from the dairy proteins and the palm/sunflower fats, with the carb side moderated by lower‑calorie fibers and polyols rather than table sugar. In practice, it works well as a satisfying snack or a bridge between meals.
Vitamins & Minerals
There aren’t standout vitamins here; no listed nutrient clears 10% DV. You do get a modest bump of calcium (about 8% DV) naturally from the milk proteins and a bit of skim milk, but this bar is about protein and flavor, not micronutrients.
Additives
Expect a modern, low‑sugar confectionery toolkit: moisture‑holders and fibers (glycerin, soluble corn fiber, polydextrose), a bulk sweetener (maltitol), and an intense sweetener (sucralose), plus soy lecithin for blending. These additives are highly refined and used to create a soft, candy‑bar texture with minimal sugar. Safe for most, but more processed—and potentially gassier for sensitive folks—than a short‑ingredient, date‑and‑nut bar.
Ingredient List
Skim cow milk
Oil palm fruit
Sunflower seeds
Cow's milk
Corn or tapioca
Fats and oils
Corn or wheat
glucose
Cow's milk
Sunflower plant seeds
What are people saying?
Sources
Range
“i just had a ONE glazed maple donut bar and it was so good. i recommend if that’s your thing.”
“The maple glazed are amazing!!”
“I LOVE ONE BARSSS I converted because they don’t give me acid reflux on my run. I have one about 20-40min before and it’s just simply such a worry and pain-free run without being hungry or worrying about my burp bringing up a surprise. I love the maple glazed donut and birthday cake. Just got a variety box on Amazon to try the other flavors. They’re perfectly sweet, not too much not too little.”
Main Praise
Taste is the headliner: across outlets and thousands of ratings, ONE gets consistent love for dessert-like flavors and a soft, candy-bar texture. The Cinnamon Roll profile plays to the brand’s strengths—warm spice, subtle frosting, and a chew that doesn’t feel like sawdust (as one Amazon reviewer put it).
With 20g of complete dairy protein, it’s not just a sweet tooth pacifier; it pulls its weight for recovery.
Editors at Men’s Health and Prevention have both called out ONE bars as a strong post-workout or snack pick for the protein-to-sugar ratio, and BarBend’s reviewer flat-out called them a favorite in taste tests.
Anecdotally, one runner on Reddit even praised ONE for being easy on their stomach before a run—no reflux, no drama.
Main Criticism
Not everyone is smitten. A handful of Reddit comments are blunt about off-notes—think “soapy” or “dog food”—which likely reflects flavor-to-flavor variance and sensitivity to sweeteners.
Texture can divide people too: some find it pasty or a little crumbly versus the pull-and-chew of competitors. It’s also a touch higher in calories than bars like Quest (230 versus ~170), which a few shoppers noted when comparing.
The ingredient list is long and decidedly modern, which turns off whole-food purists. And because sweetness leans on maltitol and fiber syrups, sensitive stomachs can experience bloating or gas, especially if you double up.
The Middle Ground
So where’s the truth between “favorite dessert bar” and “never again”? It’s mostly in what you want a bar to be.
If you like the idea of a frosted, bakery-inspired protein bar, Cinnamon Roll lands closer to “treat” than “trail mix,” and that’s exactly what many fans celebrate. If you’re expecting a date-and-nut square, you’ll notice the confectionery engineering—palm oils for structure, fiber syrups and sugar alcohols for sweetness with minimal sugar.
Even media reviewers note flavor variability: Men’s Health flagged some fruity flavors as more artificial; that actually bodes well for cinnamon roll, where warm spice and a hint of caramelized sugar tend to play nicer with sweeteners.
A Reddit commenter’s “pasty” might just be your “soft fudge center,” and vice versa. The consistent throughline is this: it delivers big protein with minimal sugar, but it does so with a modern, processed toolkit that won’t charm every palate—or every gut.
What's the bottom line?
ONE Brands’ Cinnamon Roll bar is a crowd-pleaser when you want dessert energy with gym macros: 20g of complete dairy protein, just 1g of sugar, and a soft, icing-adjacent bite that actually tastes like a cinnamon roll. At 230 calories and 9g of fat, it feels more like a satisfying snack than a tiny “diet” bar, which is part of the appeal. It’s not a short-ingredient, whole-food option, and the sweetness comes from fiber syrups and sugar alcohols—great for keeping sugar low, tougher if those bother your stomach.
If you’re flavor-curious, start with a single bar before buying a case. If you want a gluten-free, vegetarian-friendly, bakery-leaning protein hit—and you’re fine with milk proteins and soy lecithin—this is a strong pick. If you’re chasing ultra-natural ingredients or you’re polyol-sensitive, look elsewhere and save this one for the occasional dessert-y victory lap.