Faith, Family & Cinnamon Rolls
Writer / Ashley Dykton
More than just gooey, delicious cinnamon rolls, Jodi Gietl, owner of Cinnovation, is using her love of baking to create personalized moments for people to share. Rooted in her faith and the legacy of the two most influential women who shaped her life — her mother and grandmother — Cinnovation, at its core, is the essence of kindness, connection and being present for one another.
Cinnovation developed from a series of real moments when, one Christmas morning, exhausted from all the holiday preparations, Gietl realized she had forgotten to make a Christmas breakfast for her family. Knowing her kids wouldn’t have minded cereal, she still felt the familiar mom guilt that she had let them down. Thankfully, a friend and neighbor, Sue Burks, had given her a cinnamon T-ring, which quickly saved the morning.
That thoughtful gift put Gietl on a trajectory that reminded her of a treasured cinnamon roll recipe from a dear family friend, Patsy Royer. Using it as a foundation, Gietl made adjustments to modify the recipe as her own and achieved the perfect gooey, buttery cinnamon roll. Beginning the following Christmas, Gietl decided to pay it forward, sharing the cinnamon rolls with her neighbors.
“My goal was simple: to make sure no parent ever felt like they failed on Christmas morning, and to remind everyone they are loved — by their neighbors and by God,” Gietl says.
Like mixing ingredients together to create the perfect dish, the name Cinnovation comes from combining the words cinnamon and innovation. Cinnamon represents Gietl’s specialty cinnamon rolls, and innovation reflects adapting cherished recipes into delicious treats she shares with the community.
“Cinnamon rolls will always be my favorite,” she says. “They carry memories of baking with my mom and grandma, raising my own children, and realizing just how much comfort and reassurance a tradition can bring. What started as something familiar became something deeply meaningful once I began sharing them with others.”
Growing up on a rural Indiana farm, Gietl spent her childhood making memories in the kitchen alongside her mother and grandmother. Those experiences were pivotal in shaping who she is today. Learning to bake alongside them, she saw how food brought people together and served as a way to express care for others.
“Cinnovation since 1934” is an acknowledgment of her mother.
“People knew right away that was for my mom, and it’s just been such a beautiful way to preserve a wonderful woman who blessed the lives of so many,” Gietl says. “My mom passed away a couple of years ago, and every cinnamon roll batch that I make, I just feel like she’s right here with me. It’s such a joy to carry on her legacy because all of us sisters, we all bake, and she left such a legacy with us. I want Cinnovation to always feel personal, thoughtful and rooted in the same story that started in my kitchen.”
Cinnovation specializes in handmade cinnamon rolls, which make up about 99% of what Gietl creates.
“On occasion, I will have customers who make special requests,” she says. “I love baking for special occasions and celebrations, whether that’s custom cinnamon rolls, cakes, cookies or special-request orders. Each occasion brings its own inspiration, and I enjoy creating desserts that feel personal and meaningful for the people they’re made for.”
For special requests, Gietl can make apple cinnamon, chocolate truffle and lemon lush cakes, triple chocolate chunk cookies and homemade noodles. No matter what she makes, Gietl tries to source local and organic ingredients as much as possible and can create gluten-free options upon request.
Cinnovation offers free delivery within Boone County, and Gietl works to accommodate customers when arranging delivery.
“It’s kind of fun having that personal interaction with customers,” she adds. “I love ringing people’s doorbells and delivering a box of cinnamon rolls — it doesn’t get any better than that.”
Cinnovation’s popularity has increased over the years through word of mouth within the community.
“I lived in the Zionsville community for more than 25 years, and the bulk of my business is in Zionsville. I love that now it’s starting to spread and the word is getting out even more. I’ll get texts and emails from all kinds of folks, and I’m just so blessed. I absolutely love doing it,” Gietl says.
Looking toward the future, Gietl hopes to one day open a storefront bakery space for Cinnovation, where the community can come together over her comforting desserts. She would also love the opportunity to share her cinnamon rolls around the world by shipping them across the United States and beyond.
“Whether it’s a holiday, family gathering or a meaningful moment someone wants to share, my favorite part is creating something that fits the moment,” Gietl says.
Those interested in placing an order with Cinnovation can contact Gietl by text at 317-730-1901, email at jodi@cinnovationbakery.com or through direct messaging on the Cinnovation Facebook page.
