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At a glance
- Time: 5 minutes, one small saucepan, no coffee machine.
- Cinnamon: 1 teaspoon of Ceylon cinnamon powder per cup, whisked into hot milk. Cinnamon does not dissolve; whisking it into hot milk with a little sweetener is what keeps it suspended instead of sinking.
- Why Ceylon: true Ceylon cinnamon is lighter, sweeter and faintly floral, so a full teaspoon tastes warm rather than harsh. The same amount of cassia (most supermarket "cinnamon") comes out hot and slightly bitter.
This is the drink we make on the first cold evening of the year, and most evenings after that. It is not a coffee drink, despite the name; there is no espresso and no caffeine unless you add some. It is warm milk, cinnamon, a little honey and vanilla, and it takes about as long as boiling a kettle.
Ingredients (1 mug)
- 1 cup milk, dairy or plant-based (oat milk froths best of the plant milks)
- 1 teaspoon Ceylon cinnamon powder, plus a pinch for the top
- 1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, optional
Method
- Put the cinnamon and honey in the bottom of the saucepan with 2 tablespoons of the milk and stir to a smooth paste. This is the step that stops the cinnamon clumping and sinking.
- Add the rest of the milk and warm over medium heat, whisking now and then, until it is steaming and small bubbles form at the edge. Do not let it boil; boiled milk tastes flat and skins over.
- Take it off the heat and stir in the vanilla.
- For foam, whisk hard for 20 seconds in the pan, or use a handheld milk frother, or pour it into a jar with a lid, let it cool for a moment, and shake.
- Pour into a warmed mug, dust the top with a pinch of cinnamon, and drink it hot.
Variations
- Cinnamon coffee latte: add a shot of espresso or ¼ cup of strong coffee to the mug before pouring the milk.
- Chai-leaning: add one crushed whole clove and a grind of black pepper to the milk as it heats, and strain before pouring.
- Golden: add ¼ teaspoon of turmeric with the cinnamon for a turmeric-cinnamon milk.
- Iced: make the paste with hot milk, then top with cold milk and ice. Cinnamon suspends better if the paste step is done hot.
The cinnamon in this cup
True Ceylon cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum) from a single Sri Lankan origin, naturally low in coumarin. USDA Organic, Fair Trade Certified, GMO Free. A 1 lb pouch is roughly 175 lattes.
Ceylon Cinnamon Powder — 1 lb pouch → · Read the Ceylon cinnamon guide
FAQ
Why does the cinnamon sink to the bottom?
Cinnamon is ground bark; it does not dissolve in milk. Making a paste with the sweetener and a splash of milk first, then whisking as it heats, keeps it suspended for the length of a mug. A final whisk before pouring helps too.
Can I use regular cinnamon?
Yes, but use half a teaspoon. Most "cinnamon" sold in US stores is cassia, which is hotter and more bitter than Ceylon and carries far more coumarin, a compound worth keeping low if you drink this daily. The Ceylon vs cassia guide explains the difference.
Does it have caffeine?
Not as written. Add espresso or coffee if you want a true latte.
Can I make it in the microwave?
Yes. Make the paste in the mug, add the milk, heat in 30-second bursts, whisking between them, until steaming.
More on cinnamon: Know Your Cinnamon · Coumarin in cinnamon, by the numbers · Golden turmeric milkshake
