Cinnamon Tea – Cookie and Kate

Let’s warm up with a mug of cinnamon tea! Cinnamon tea (té de canela in Spanish) has become my drink of choice during cool weather. It’s hot and nicely spicy but not overwhelmingly so. Cinnamon’s inherent sweetness makes it a well-balanced drink. Plus, it makes the house smell amazing.

If you enjoy the spice factor in masala chai tea, you’ll love cinnamon tea, and it’s so easy to make. Make your drink creamy with a splash of milk, or sweeten it with honey if you’d like. I like mine plain or with a splash of heavy cream, depending on my mood.

This cinnamon tea is caffeine-free, so it’s perfect for sipping past noon. My husband and I have gotten into the habit of sipping cinnamon tea after our daughter goes to bed, which is a lovely way to unwind.

Cinnamon Tea Benefits

Besides tasting great, cinnamon tea caught my attention as a way to potentially improve blood sugar levels and lower insulin resistance. Given the possibility, cinnamon tea may offer benefits to diabetics and women with PCOS. If lowering blood sugar is your goal, it’s best to avoid adding sweeteners like sugar or honey to your drink, which will have the opposite effect.

Cinnamon is also very high in polyphenol antioxidants, which may help your body fight off free radicals. Its anti-inflammatory properties can help improve cholesterol. Plus, it’s antibacterial and antifungal. I’m not a nutritionist, but cinnamon sure sounds like a winner!

Types of Cinnamon

When you read about the potential health benefits of cinnamon consumption, consider which type is referenced. Make your cinnamon tea with Ceylon cinnamon, otherwise known as “true cinnamon” or cinnamomum verum. Consuming large amounts of other types of cinnamon, particularly Cassia cinnamon, may damage the liver and increase the risk of bleeding.

You can try making cinnamon tea with any cinnamon sticks you have at home, but if you start drinking it regularly, please switch to Ceylon cinnamon sticks. I buy organic Ceylon cinnamon sticks from Frontier Co-op on Amazon.

How to Make Cinnamon Tea

While this recipe is simple, how long you simmer (and steep) the tea is surprisingly important. I made cinnamon tea over and over again to find the method that yields the best results with the purest cinnamon flavor.

Multiply the recipe as needed—for each cup of water, include one cinnamon stick.

1. In a saucepan, combine the water and cinnamon stick(s). Cover the pan so the water doesn’t evaporate. Bring the mixture to a hearty simmer over medium heat. 
2. Reduce the heat to low and gently simmer for 10 minutes, covered. If you simmer any longer, the tea tastes flat and turns a dull brown color.
3. Remove the pot from the heat and let it steep for 10 minutes. Cinnamon releases a significant amount of flavor as it cools.
4. Pour the mixture through a mesh strainer into your mug. Enjoy while warm, or chill it for up to four days (reheat or enjoy it cold). 

Shortcut Option

This shortcut method is super easy. The downside is that it uses twice as much cinnamon.

1. Bring one cup water to a boil, then pour it over two cinnamon sticks in a mug.
2. Let the cinnamon steep for 10 minutes before sipping or adding cream (it becomes spicier as it cools, and needs time to cool to a safe temperature anyway). You could carefully remove the cinnamon sticks at this point if they bother you, but I usually leave them there.

That’s it!

Watch How to Make Cinnamon Tea

Cinnamon Tea Variations

Here are a few delicious spins on cinnamon tea.

• Make it sweet: Stir in honey, maple syrup, or sugar, to taste. While I enjoy my tea unsweetened, cinnamon and honey is a match made in heaven.
• Make it creamy: Add a splash of half-and-half, cream, whole milk or any other plain creamer that you enjoy.
• Make it extra spicy: Add a couple of whole cloves, or a cardamom pod. You could also try thinly sliced fresh ginger or turmeric.
• Make it citrusy: Steep your tea with a couple thin slices of orange or lemon.
• Make it caffeinated: Once you’ve removed the pot from the heat, steep black or green tea for the length of time offered on the package. Or go rogue with the concept and try adding a cinnamon stick to your cup of hot coffee (I love it).
• Enjoy it cold: This tea is nice over ice as well. Let it cool to room temperature and refrigerate it for later.

Cinnamon Tea Notes

• Expect the intensity of your tea to vary a bit from batch to batch. Some cinnamon sticks weigh more than others (mine range from 4 to 7 grams) and some inherently seem to have stronger flavor than others.
• Some recipes suggest reusing your cinnamon sticks, but I don’t recommend it. They lose a significant amount of flavor each time they’re used. They take a long time to air dry, and I worried about mold or bacteria growing while wet.

More Drinks to Warm You Up

If you enjoy this cinnamon tea, check out these warming drinks. Browse more drinks here.

Please let me know how you like your cinnamon tea in the comments! I love hearing from you.

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