Eat This Now: Cinnamon Roll at Cleo and Leo on Elm Street

Cleo and Leo opened its doors in October, and since have been crafting pastries that pack a punch. // Photo by Sophia Lail

To me, there is no such thing as too many bakeries. If a new bakery opens, trust that I’ll stagger in there ready to binge my heart out on opening day. So you can imagine my excitement when I caught wind of the opening of Cleo and Leo on Elm Street—a small but mighty bakery in Lawrence that packs a punch. 

Their most loved pastry is an upscale take on the classic cinnamon roll—hearty cinnamon, and sugar-infused dough with what seems like a pound of cream cheese frosting on top ($3.75). It doesn’t get better than that. The cinnamon and sugar to dough ratio is perfect, not overbearing but definitely not stingy. No wonder this cinnamon roll has a devout following. 

More often than not, I’ve found that cinnamon roll dough teeters on the line of tasting processed, but not this baby. No processed dough here. The dough is bouncy, flaky, and melts in your mouth; just how God intended. 

Although I may be biased, as cream cheese frosting is my favorite, it truly takes this pastry from classic to more refined. This incredibly sweet and decadent frosting takes it to the next level, complementing the cinnamon perfectly.

Cleo and Leo’s lineup of pastries made it difficult to choose the shining star, as this cinnamon roll was competing with a chocolate muffin that did not skimp on the chocolate, and a raspberry white chocolate cookie that was dangerous to leave unmonitored around my roommates. No matter what you end up leaving with, it’s sure to be a winner.

Alongside their bakery offerings, they have a full-service coffee bar, as well as other non-espresso drinks. Cleo and Leo’s also pride themselves on being the only Lawrence coffee bar to use Thou Mayest Beans—a local Kansas City coffee roaster located in the West Bottoms. 

Whether you’re going in for a warm cinnamon roll or a dangerously good cookie, this new contender in the LFK food scene is worth checking out. You won’t be disappointed; take it from a pastry fanatic.

Cleo and Leo on Elm Street is located at 300 Elm Street, Lawrence, KS 66044.