I Just Found Out That Mixing Chili And Cinnamon Rolls Is A Thing And I'm Confused

    I can't stop thinking about this.

    Caleb Chin
    by Caleb Chin

    BuzzFeed Social Media Strategist

    OK, so I'm sure you know about chili. It looks like this and it's delicious as hell. If you don't know about it, stop reading here and come back after you've tried some.

    Wikipedia Commons / Via upload.wikimedia.org

    And I'm also sure you know about cinnamon rolls. They're equally as delicious and dangerously addictive.

    Wikipedia Commons / Via upload.wikimedia.org

    Lastly, I hope you know about Kansas. It's a state that's right smack-dab in the middle of the United States and also where I grew up during middle school, high school, and college. (Please keep the Wizard of Oz jokes to a minimum.)

    Wikipedia Commons / Via upload.wikimedia.org

    So, the other day I was scrolling through Twitter when I noticed this tweet:

    Hannah Gill / Via Twitter: @hanngilll

    Excuse me.

    What.

    I decided to embark on some intensive, rigorous investigative journalism by posting a Facebook status asking my Kansas friends if this was actually a thing and not just some elaborate prank.

    Caleb Chin / Via calebchin.com

    And I was immediately met with an overwhelming "YES, IT IS ABSOLUTELY A THING."

    Caleb Chin / Via Facebook.com

    There's 55 more comments saying the same thing but you get the point.

    And APPARENTLY it was also served at school lunches:

    Caleb Chin / Via Facebook.com

    Here's PHOTOGRAPHIC EVIDENCE because apparently I blocked all of this out:

    SES Library @SESTrojansRead

    It's that time of year...SES famous chili & cinnamon rolls! #yummy

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    SES Library / Via Twitter: @SESTrojansRead
    Lindsay Blackwell / Via Twitter: @linguangst

    But wait, there's more! I thought it was just a Kansas thing, but as if that wasn't enough, it looks like it's also a popular pairing in other states in the Midwest. Like Nebraska:

    Lee Hibbard @theinsomniakid

    Cinnamon rolls + chili is a very Nebraskan thing, in case y'all didn't know.

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    Lee Hibbard / Via Twitter: @theinsomniakid

    And Iowa:

    Whitley Ellison @WhitleyLSN

    Today I learned that people from Iowa dip cinnamon rolls into their chili. I am shook.

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    Whitley Ellison / Via Twitter: @WhitleyLSN

    And there's even a Midwest fast food restaurant chain called Runza that serves the combo:

    Runza® Restaurants @Runza

    Chili & Cinnamon Rolls: Created by lunch ladies, perfected by us, and confusing for anyone not from around here.

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    Runza / Via Twitter: @Runza
    Runza® Restaurants @Runza

    If you think it's crazy to pair chili with cinnamon rolls, then you're probably not from around here. #MidwestIsBest

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    Runza / Via Twitter: @Runza
    Runza® Restaurants @Runza

    Why chili and cinnamon rolls? Because every once in a while, you deserve to eat a meal that's half dessert.

    Reply Retweet Favorite
    Runza / Via Twitter: @Runza

    Aaand here are some tweets to prove that I'm NOT the only person shaken to their core by this revelation:

    Kyla Moss @k_weezyy

    apparently ppl from Kansas eat cinnamon rolls with their chili 🤢 yeah they can keep that over yonder

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    Kyla Moss / Via Twitter: @k_weezyy
    Mario Villafana @mario_villafana

    @bayyy_gillig @hannnahreynolds Chili with cinnamon rolls??

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    Mario Villafana / Via Twitter: @mario_villafana
    Ryan Colaianni @rcolaianni

    @CaitlinWise I lived in Kansas for 4 years and never saw this. Chili and cinnamon rolls is insane.

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    Ryan Colaianni / Via Twitter: @rcolaianni

    The more I think about it, the more questions I have. Like who discovered this combination? And what are the logistics of eating the chili and cinnamon rolls together? Do you dip the cinnamon roll in the chili like chips and salsa?

    Does the chili go on top of the cinnamon roll?

    SI Eats @SI_Eats

    Chili + cinnamon rolls together?? The Full Leaded Jacket from Leadbelly is #2 on our best college town meals list:… https://t.co/C1Wsp8srfa

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    SI Eats / Via Twitter: @SI_Eats

    And why hasn't Tasty made a video about this yet? (Tasty, let me join your team.)