Spice Science: Cinnamon

We carry two kinds of cinnamon, Ceylon and cassia. They come from different trees in the same family, and they taste different enough that we keep both on the shelf. Here's how to tell them apart and when we reach for each one.

Both are the dried inner bark of evergreen trees in the genus Cinnamomum, part of the laurel family. Growers peel the bark from young shoots, and it curls up as it dries. Ceylon is mild, sweet, and floral. Cassia is sweeter, with more heat. Most of the cinnamon sold in the United States is cassia.

Ceylon cinnamon

True Cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum) takes its other name from Ceylon, the old name for Sri Lanka, which still grows most of the world's supply. The "true" comes from verum (latin for true) in its botanical name.

The bark is shaved very thin and rolled in many papery layers, so a stick looks like a tightly packed cigar. It's pale tan and soft enough to crumble between your fingers or whir into powder in a spice grinder. Open the bag and you'll smell something lightly sweet and warm, with a floral note and less heat than cassia.

Mexico buys more Ceylon cinnamon than any other country, and as canela it goes into café de olla, arroz con leche, hot chocolate, and savory tomato sauces. Use it anywhere you want cinnamon to sit softly in the background: custards, rice pudding, poached pears, whipped cream, or a spoonful in your morning coffee. If you'd rather skip the grinder, True Cinnamon Powder is Sri Lankan true cinnamon, ground fine and ready to use.

Try True Cinnamon in:

• Advieh
• Pakistani Curry
• Our Café De Olla, spiced with True Cinnamon, cloves, and star anise

Cassia cinnamon

Cassia is a name for several closely related species. Their bark is thicker and harder, a darker reddish brown, and it curls inward from both edges into a single hollow scroll. If Ceylon looks like a rolled-up stack of paper, cassia looks like someone rolled up a piece of the tree. To be fair, that's what both of them are.

The flavor is bolder, sweet and spicy with a warm bite. We carry it a few ways:

• Indonesian Cinnamon (Cinnamomum burmannii) is our everyday ground cassia. It's high in oil, strong, and sweet. Reach for it for cinnamon rolls, snickerdoodles, apple crisp, and oatmeal.
• Vietnamese Cinnamon (Cinnamomum loureiroi), also called Saigon cinnamon, is the darkest and boldest of the three, with a fiery bite. Use it in gingerbread, spice cake, and savory rubs.
• Cinnamon Sticks and Cinnamon Cassia Chips are whole cassia for simmering. Drop a stick into mulled cider or a hot toddy. The chips give up more flavor than sticks and strain out easily, so we use them in chai and tea blends.

Try cassia in:

• Pumpkin Pie Spice, with both Indonesian and Vietnamese cinnamon
• Gingerbread Spice, with Vietnamese cinnamon
• Sassy Steak Spice, where Vietnamese cinnamon meets smoky chipotle

Can you substitute?

Yes, in either direction. In most American recipes, plain "cinnamon" means cassia. Use Ceylon in its place and you'll get a gentler, more floral result, so add a little extra if you want more cinnamon flavor. Going the other way, start with a bit less cassia than the recipe asks for and taste as you go.

For whole sticks in a simmering pot, cassia comes out in one piece. Ceylon sticks are more fragile and can break apart over a long simmer, so plan to strain.

You also don't have to choose. Plenty of bakers use both, and our Advieh blends True Cinnamon with Vietnamese Cinnamon in the same tin.

Which cinnamon is yours?

We'd love to hear what you make with your cinnamon of choice, whether it's a family arroz con leche or a pan of cinnamon rolls. Share it here.

We hope there's something warm with cinnamon in it on your stove this weekend.

- World Spice