Ceylon Cinnamon Tea from Powder (Without the Grit)

To make Ceylon cinnamon tea from powder, whisk 1/2 teaspoon of ground Ceylon cinnamon into a cup of cold water, simmer it gently for 5 minutes, let it rest for 2, then pour it through a paper coffee filter. The filter is the step most recipes skip. Ground cinnamon is bark and does not dissolve, so without it you drink a layer of sludge at the bottom of the mug.

Ingredients

• 1 cup (240 ml) cold water
• 1/2 teaspoon ground Ceylon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup (optional)
• 1 thin slice lemon or orange (optional)
• 1 to 2 tablespoons milk or oat milk (optional)

Equipment: a small saucepan, a small whisk or fork, and a paper coffee filter in a pour-over cone (a bare sieve will not hold a paper filter open).

Method

1. Pour the cold water into a small saucepan, add the cinnamon and whisk until no dry powder floats on top.
2. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, then lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes, until the water turns light amber and smells of cinnamon.
3. Take the pan off the heat and leave it for 2 minutes so the heavier bits sink.
4. Set the paper filter in a pour-over cone over your mug and pour the tea through slowly in two or three pours, leaving the last spoonful of sediment in the pan.
5. Stir in honey or maple syrup, and add the citrus slice or a splash of milk if you like.

Why it works

Cinnamon powder is finely ground bark, so the flavor comes out of the particles into the water, and the particles themselves stay solid. Whisking into cold water stops the powder floating in a dry raft, the way it does when you shake it onto hot water. A short simmer pulls out more flavor than steeping in a mug. Paper catches the fine particles that slip through a metal tea strainer.

Ceylon cinnamon is the gentler choice for a cup like this. Food scientist Harold McGee describes it as subtle, with floral and clove notes, where the cassia types are harsher and more burning.¹ Cassia tea can taste sharp and woody; Ceylon tastes rounder.

Variations

• Stronger: use 3/4 teaspoon and simmer for 7 minutes.
• Iced: make it with 3/4 teaspoon of cinnamon, filter, cool, then pour over ice with a squeeze of orange.
• With black tea: after the 2 minute rest, add a black tea bag to the pan for 3 minutes, then filter as usual.
• Spiced: add 2 whole cloves and a thin slice of fresh ginger to the water at the start.

If something goes wrong

• Gritty: the filter was metal, or you poured the last of the pan. Use paper and leave the dregs behind.
• Slow to drain: the powder has clogged the paper. Lift the filter and let it drip, or stir the top gently once.
• Bitter or harsh: the cinnamon may be cassia, or you used too much. Check the label for Cinnamomum verum, or our guide to telling Ceylon from cassia.
• Weak: simmer longer, or add another 1/4 teaspoon next time.

Does it matter which cinnamon you use?

For flavor, yes, as above. If cinnamon tea becomes a daily habit, species matters for another reason. Germany's Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) says cassia types contain more coumarin than mild Ceylon cinnamon, and advises people who use a lot of cinnamon often to choose Ceylon.² That is German guidance, not a US rule. Our article on coumarin in Ceylon and cassia covers the details. Most grocery cinnamon in the US is cassia,¹ and our brand-by-brand label check shows which is which.

FAQ

Can you use powdered cinnamon to make cinnamon tea?

Yes. Whisk it into cold water, simmer for 5 minutes and filter through paper. Powder gives a stronger cup faster than a stick, but it has to be filtered.

How much cinnamon powder per cup of tea?

Start with 1/2 teaspoon of Ceylon per cup of water. Go up to 3/4 teaspoon for a stronger cup. Cassia is stronger, so start with 1/4 teaspoon.

Why is my cinnamon tea gritty?

Ground cinnamon does not dissolve. A metal strainer lets the finest particles through; a paper coffee filter catches them.

Can I make cinnamon tea in the microwave?

Yes. Whisk the powder into cold water in a large mug, heat until steaming, let it stand for 2 minutes, then filter through paper in a pour-over cone.