Where do you buy your cinnamon?
So, I’ve taken to sourcing my cinnamon from one of my sponsors, Cinnamon Hill. They sell the finest fresh Ceylon sticks from Sri Lanka and Saigon sticks from Vietnam, so you get a choice of the two best types in the world. That’s “real cinnamon” and it’s the only place you can buy it.
Where does cinnamon come from and how old is it?
Moreover, much of the cinnamon sold in grocery stores and supermarkets is, like much that you can find among mass-marketed brand items, a mystery food. The bark comes from an unknown source. Who knows how old it is? There is no information about processing and aging factors.
Why can’t I find cinnamon sticks in the store?
Not all stores carry cinnamon sticks, so if you’re having trouble finding them, the store you’re at may not carry them. This is uncommon, but it does happen. Before giving up your search you can always ask a store employee, or the store manager for help.
Where to find cinnamon sticks in Safeway?
In Safeway, you can find cinnamon sticks in the spice aisle fairly close to the ground cinnamon. Safeway’s spice aisle is usually part of the baking aisle.
What aisle would cinnamon be in?
I've often bought cinnamon from the sprout farmer's market. You can find it in the baking aisle or anywhere close to kitchen spices.
Is cinnamon sold in supermarkets?
Cinnamon is a very popular spice. Not only is it delicious, its many health benefits are also impressive. Cinnamon is cheap and widely available in most supermarkets.
What's the best cinnamon for baking?
Ceylon cinnamonIf you're using cinnamon mainly for baking, cassia cinnamon is a safe choice. It's less expensive and while it's a stronger flavor out of the jar, it gets milder during cooking. If you're looking for a milder flavor to begin with, Ceylon cinnamon is the way to go.
How does cinnamon look like?
It is of a golden-yellow colour, with the characteristic odour of cinnamon and a very hot aromatic taste. The pungent taste and scent come from cinnamaldehyde (about 90% of the essential oil from the bark) and, by reaction with oxygen as it ages, it darkens in colour and forms resinous compounds.
What is real cinnamon called?
Most cinnamon sold in the United States is from the Cassia variety. The scientific name for Cassia is Cinnamomum cassia. The scientific name for Celyon is Cinnamomum verum— “verum,” meaning 'true.
Is cinnamon powder the same as ground cinnamon?
Ground cinnamon and cinnamon powder are essentially the same thing; the latter may be a bit finer, but both incorporate into recipes smoothly. Both have the same flavor, too, as long as they're the same type of cinnamon.
How can I buy real cinnamon?
Look for true cinnamon to be more tan-brown in color, as opposed to the reddish-brown hue of cassia. And if you open the package and find a smell that's not exactly pungent, that's a good thing. True cinnamon is delicate and sweet, creating a subtle flavor while not overpowering the rest of your ingredients.
Is ground cinnamon and cinnamon sticks the same?
Ground cinnamon and cinnamon sticks are cut from the same cloth -- or rather, from the bark of the same tree. Ground cinnamon is made from cinnamon sticks that are broken down until they form powder.
Sprout Farmers Market
I’ve often bought cinnamon from the sprout farmer’s market. You can find it in the baking aisle or anywhere close to kitchen spices. They are stored in transparent bottles and kept on the top shelf.
Walmart
Inside Walmart, you will find the cinnamon sticks in the spice section. They are stores in containers not more than 9oz.
Safeway
Safeway has many assorted types of cinnamon. The most popular ones are the Morton and Basset, Badie and McCormick – which you will find in the spice or organic food aisle.
Target
The spice section at target is where cinnamon sticks are stored. They have options from different brands you can choose from.
Amazon
Amazon is a great go-to place to find cinnamon sticks delivered to your doorstep. It’s easy to find many options from brands. Prices on Amazon tend to be cheaper as well.
Kroger
Inside Kroger, walk down to the baking or spice aisle. It’s usually stored on the top shelf.
Does Cinnamon Go Bad?
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has reported that cinnamon never expires. On a condition it is stored at a suitable room temperature, else you lose its flavor.
Our Favorite Cinnamon: Frontier Co-Op Korintje
This Indonesian variety from Frontier Co-Op had a much bolder presence when cooked onto cinnamon toast than any of the other cassia varieties we tried.
The Best Ceylon Cinnamon: Simply Organic
My personal favorite cinnamon was made by Simply Organic. Like all Ceylon varieties, it has a more floral presence than cassia cinnamon. Deputy editor Anya Hoffman compared the flavor—not favorably—to ripe bananas, and social media editor Becky Hughes called out its smokiness. For what it's worth, I didn't detect either of those elements.
What We Were Looking For
We set out to find the best ground cinnamon for baking, but that shouldn't stop you from using either of our winners in your favorite soups, stews, and savory spice rubs. We chose to taste all varieties of cinnamon available at our local markets—including cassia, Indonesian, Saigon, Ceylon, and any other types we saw on grocery-store shelves.
How We Tested
A panel of Epicurious editors and staff tasted our chosen cinnamon brands in two rounds. Since no one should be downing spoonfuls of the stuff, we first mixed equal amounts of cinnamon with softened butter and sugar and then slathered the spread onto plain water crackers.
The Other Cinnamon Brands We Tasted
All products featured on Epicurious are independently selected by our editors. If you buy something through our retail links, we may earn a small affiliate commission.
2 Kinds of Cinnamon
There’s no doubt that Cinnamon had become a part of our daily lives. Most of the time, we use it to boost the flavor of our meals and baked goodies. We even add it to our beverages to help us relax our stressed-out mind. What we don’t know is that we may have been taking in toxins in our body.
How To Identify Ceylon Cinnamon from Cassia Cinnamon?
The first thing you’ll notice right away when it comes to spotting the difference between Cassia Cinnamon and Ceylon Cinnamon is their color. Cassia has a reddish-brown color, which is close to the mahogany color.
Where To Buy Ceylon Cinnamon?
If you’re wondering where to buy Ceylon Cinnamon locally, finding one on the grocery store near you can be difficult. This is because Cassia Cinnamon is more common in the global market as compared to Ceylon Cinnamon. However, this doesn’t mean that your local grocery store doesn’t sell it. With a little bit of patience, you can find one.
The differences between Ceylon & Cassia cinnamon
Before I go into describing what I call “fake” cinnamon, let’s bust a myth wide open.
So, how do you get your hands on fresh cinnamon?
You have to buy from a trusted source — a source that discloses harvest dates as well as type of cinnamon (and where it comes from!).
What are the Different Types of Cinnamon
Contrary to popular belief, there are actually five (not four) botanical species of the tree bark commonly referred to as cinnamon. They are as follows:
What's the Most Common Type?
Cassia cinnamon is the type you typically see in the supermarket spice aisle, and in food product/supplement formulations when the label only states “cinnamon.” It’s the cheapest and most widely available of the five types, so many manufacturers use it to reduce costs.
Health Benefits of Cinnamon
Cinnamon is a potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory, especially in extract form. Its polyphenols, namely rutin, catechin, quercetin, kaempferol and isorhamnetin are responsible for most of its health-promoting effects.
Toxins in Cinnamon
The main reason why Ceylon cinnamon, colloquially known as “true cinnamon” is considered the healthiest type is because it has essentially zero toxins. All forms of cinnamon contain a compound called coumarin which is toxic to humans. But the levels vary drastically.
So Which is the Healthiest?
Ceylon cinnamon contains all of the health-promoting properties of cinnamon with none of the toxic properties, which is why it’s the healthiest type of cinnamon. We analyzed all of this research while formulating our Ceylon Cinnamon Extract Supplement, which has a potency based on the medical research standard.
How To Store Cinnamon?
To ensure the best quality for your cinnamon, it has to be stored properly. If not, the taste will be less intense and in the end, you may be unable to achieve the goal you had in mind. Depending on whether you prefer ground up cinnamon or quill cinnamon, you’ll want to take different approaches when storing it to ensure freshness.
Should Cinnamon Be Refrigerated?
The best way to approach buying spices is by figuring out how much you will need for your recipe and trying to buy the closest possible amount. Typically, that would mean the smallest container on the supermarket shelf. If you have to buy more, it’s better to buy whole spices.
Can Cinnamon Go Bad?
Technically, cinnamon does go bad if stored long enough. Every pack of cinnamon you purchase will have a best used by date somewhere on it. However, unlike other food products this date does not indicate a time after which cinnamon will be unsafe for consumption. Typically, I recommend discarding it by the best used date.
How To Tell If Cinnamon Is Bad?
Although the cinnamon, like many other spices, doesn’t go bad, there are few things that can make it unusable. There are a few things you should look out for, mostly water or any other kind of moisture getting inside the cinnamon container.
