First order at the fair? Molnar's gooey cinnamon roll

CANFIELD

You can’t start a day at the Canfield Fair without a Molnar’s cinnamon roll. That’s what one customer yelled to me as I was about to take a bite right out of the center of my gooey, cinnamon-sugary, buttery roll.

After finishing that roll, I’d say she’s right.

This year, I decided to learn how one of my favorite fair foods is made.

I called up Faith McGee, a hard-working, second-generation Molnar’s concession-stand operator, to learn the history behind the fair favorite.

McGee’s father, Jim Molnar, started the Austintown-based business back in 1968. He didn’t start with cinnamon rolls, though. He stuck with the fried foods, ice cream novelties and the pickle-on-a-stick treat.

Cinnamon rolls came in 1984.

“He went to the state fair and they were just starting to hit,” McGee said. “It was inevitable it would come out to the [Canfield Fair].”

So, Molnar’s got to working on a recipe of cinnamon, sugar, butter and dough mixed to gooey perfection.

“That first year, we were unorganized, and we had no idea how it would be received,” McGee said.

The rolls were a hit. Lines and lines of people waited for the newest Molnar’s offering.

“We couldn’t keep up,” McGee said.

Read more about the making of this fair favorite in Saturday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.