Throughout my childhood my mom kept three seasonings on the counter: salt, pepper, andcinnamon sugar. Amidst a jumble of countertop paraphernalia—keys! Junk mail! Rogue Ticonderoga pencils!—the cellar ofcinnamon sugar (yes, she stored it in asalt cellar) sparkled like pixie dust. Taking its omnipresence for granted, I never stopped for a moment to wonder how tomakecinnamon sugar—it was always just there, ready to be sprinkled onpancakes orbuttered toast.
While my five-year-old self was convinced that my mom’scinnamon sugar was some magical concoction, the truth is that the blend is remarkably easy to make at home. All it takes is two main ingredients (you guessed it:ground cinnamon andgranulated sugar) and just about two minutes ofprep time. Keep reading to discover thebest ratio of cinnamon to sugar to keep on hand forbreakfasts,baking projects, anddessert shortcuts; plus, find out my favorite ways to use a batch, which, yes, I do keep on the counter at all times.
How to MakeCinnamon Sugar
To make your owncinnamon sugar, you’ll needground cinnamon and a bag ofgranulated sugar. Theperfect cinnamon-sugar ratio is1 cupgranulated sugarto 1 Tbsp. cinnamon, plus, and you can quote me on this,a pinch of kosher salt. In asmall bowl, mix the sugar, cinnamon, and salt together with a whisk or a spoon. With atotal time of just 30 seconds, it really doesn’t get any easier than this.
This recipe makes 1cup of cinnamon sugar, which lasts about a month or two in my kitchen. If you want to make a bigger batch, go ahead and scale the recipe as you see fit. Just don’t forget to adjust the salt; the addition complements the sweetness and spice of thecinnamon sugar, heightening the blend’s warm flavors. I recommend usingwhite sugar for batchedcinnamon sugar—brown sugar’s tendency to clump makes it difficult to distribute the spice as evenly as in the good ol’ granulated stuff.
Keep in mind that thetype of cinnamon you use will impact the flavor profile. Most of the cinnamon you’ll find at the supermarket iscassia, a widely-produced variety with a strong, spicy flavor.Ceylon cinnamon, or “true” cinnamon, has a sweeter, more floral flavor thancassia, but it’s merely the runner-up to the Epi team’s favorite cinnamon variety, Korintje. The winner ofEpi’s cinnamon taste test, this Indonesian cinnamon brings its warm, sweet, refreshingly bold flavor and aroma to homemade cinnamon toast andCinnabon mall kiosks everywhere.
Frontier Organic Korintje Cinnamon
For the most potentcinnamon flavor, source high-quality cinnamon from an artisanal spice shop orfair trade spice company. I could rave on and on about Burlap & Barrel’sRoyal Cinnamon, an heirloom variety harvested in Vietnam with warm notes of brown butter and buckwheat honey. If you like your cinnamon bold and spicy, Diaspora Co.’s Sri LankanPeni Miris Cinnamon is heavy on the woodsy, peppery flavor, with notes of orange blossom and vetiver.
Keep in mind that artisanal spices are often more potent than the stuff you’ll find atgrocery stores—atablespoon of cinnamon might be too much for a cup of sugar. You’ll likely need less to have a similar impact, so start with1 tsp. artisanal cinnamonto 1 cupgranulated sugar. Taste and adjust accordingly.
