Hello lovelies,
during Advent, the cinnamon jar is the most-used jar on our whole spice shelf.
Cinnamon goes into my cookies, cakes, pancakes and chai, so I wanted to know exactly what separates Ceylon from cassia, how much is too much, and which type belongs in which recipe. Here are the answers, with numbers from Austria's food safety agency AGES, context from the NIH, the FDA and a 2013 study of cinnamon sold in the US, plus my recipes with cinnamon.
Ceylon vs cassia cinnamon: what is the difference?
The biggest difference is coumarin: AGES says cassia contains about a hundred times more of it than Ceylon. Ceylon is known as true cinnamon and grows primarily in Sri Lanka, while cassia is the most common type sold in North America.
Both are the dried bark of Cinnamomum trees, as the NIH's National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health explains. Cassia isn't one single tree, though. A 2013 study of cinnamon sold in the US lists three cassia species sold there as cinnamon, C. cassia, C. loureiroi and C. burmannii, next to true cinnamon from C. verum.
In tests by AGES, cassia cinnamon contained 1,880 to 3,260 mg of coumarin per kg, while the highest value measured in Ceylon cinnamon was 185 mg per kg. The table sums up what the sources say about each type.
| What | Ceylon cinnamon | Cassia cinnamon |
|---|---|---|
| Also known as | true cinnamon, C. verum | C. cassia, C. loureiroi, C. burmannii |
| Where you find it | grows primarily in Sri Lanka | the most common type sold in North America |
| Coumarin measured by AGES | 185 mg per kg at most | 1,880 to 3,260 mg per kg |
| Coumarin in the 2013 study | only traces in C. verum bark | substantial amounts, especially C. loureiroi and C. burmannii |
| Sticks | much thinner layers, similar to a cigar | much thicker layers |
| Ground cinnamon | check the imprint on the package | check the imprint on the package |
What is coumarin, and where is it found?
Coumarin is a pleasant-smelling plant constituent that gives woodruff its typical taste and smell, according to AGES. It is found particularly in cassia cinnamon, tonka beans and woodruff.
On its page about coumarin, AGES says that coumarin taken in large quantities over a long period of time can have negative effects on the liver. That effect has only been observed when a drug containing coumarin was given over several weeks.
NCCIH adds that prolonged use of cassia cinnamon could be an issue for sensitive people, such as those with liver disease. In the US, coumarin can't simply be added to food: under FDA rule 21 CFR 189.130, food containing any added coumarin, as such or as a constituent of tonka beans or tonka extract, is deemed adulterated. Coumarin that gets into food from other natural ingredients is not regulated, the 2013 study notes, and its title names cassia cinnamon as one such source.
How much cinnamon is too much?
The tolerable daily intake for coumarin is 0.1 mg per kg of body weight a day, so a 60 kg (132 lb) person can consume 6 mg a day for the rest of their life, AGES says. For children, AGES advises no more than half a teaspoon of cinnamon a day.
NCCIH says cinnamon is likely safe when consumed in the amounts commonly used in foods as a spice or flavoring agent, and that consuming cassia cinnamon doesn't usually include enough coumarin to cause significant problems. Some cassia cinnamon products, though, contain high levels of coumarin.
There are no regulations for the use of cinnamon spice in the household, AGES notes, and because most people season by feel rather than by weighing, it is hard to judge how much cinnamon actually goes into a dish. If you bake with kids, my guide to Christmas cookies for little bakers sorts the recipes by age.
Which cinnamon should you use for Christmas cookies?
For cookies you bake often and eat a lot of, the AGES rule fits: whenever a larger amount of cinnamon spice is to be consumed, AGES says Ceylon cinnamon, with its significantly lower coumarin levels, should be used. At Christmas, AGES notes, cinnamon gets used a lot, in cinnamon stars, mulled wine or a spicy cinnamon coffee.
In our house, Ceylon goes into the cinnamon stars and gingerbread, because those are what we eat the most of in December.
My Christmas tree cookies made from almond cinnamon stars get cinnamon and gingerbread spice in the dough, along with ground almonds, spelt flour and vegan butter. Powdered sugar instead of granulated sugar keeps the dough fine, so the stars get a smooth surface. You can bake the stars up to 5 days ahead and keep them in an airtight tin, then stack them with snow shortly before serving. Don't freeze finished trees with snow, because the snow turns soft as it thaws.
There is cinnamon in the cocoa dough of my chocolate date caramel cookies with cinnamon too. Make the chocolate tablets first, so they are set by the time the cookies and caramel are ready. Soak hard or dry dates in hot water for 10 minutes and drain them well, otherwise the caramel won't turn creamy. In a clean, airtight jar, date caramel keeps for about 1 week in the fridge.
Which classic cookies work without eggs is in my guide to classic vegan Christmas cookies. It also shows how to replace beaten egg white in meringues and macaroons.
How can you tell Ceylon cinnamon from cassia?
Look at the stick: Ceylon cinnamon has much thinner layers, similar to a cigar, while cassia sticks consist of much thicker layers, AGES explains. For ground cinnamon, AGES says to look at the imprint on the package.
If the label simply says cinnamon, the type stays open, and in North America the odds favor cassia, the most common type sold there according to NCCIH. When I shop, I check the label for Ceylon.
Which cinnamon is sold in the US?
Mostly cassia: NCCIH calls it the most common type sold in North America. A 2013 study of cinnamon bought in the US found that the cinnamon in the cinnamon-flavored foods and food supplements it tested was probably Indonesian cassia, C. burmannii.
The 2013 study of cinnamon sold in the United States detected coumarin in all locally bought cinnamon, cinnamon-flavored foods and cinnamon food supplements. The bark of true cinnamon, C. verum, contained only traces of coumarin, while the three cassia species contained substantial amounts, especially C. loureiroi and C. burmannii.
In the EU, maximum levels for coumarin in foods are set in Annex III of the Flavourings Regulation 1334/2008, AGES notes, and coumarin may not be intentionally added to food as a pure substance there either, only as a component of spices.
Cinnamon at breakfast and dessert
In the pancakes and waffles in this guide, cinnamon goes straight into the batter, and for dessert it flavors a cashew creme and a cashew ice cream from my Christmas menu.
For my apple pancake baked on a sheet pan, cinnamon goes into the batter with buckwheat flour and maple syrup. The whole point of this recipe is that nobody stands at the stove while the others eat. Do use a small tray, on a large one the batter turns paper thin and dry. Once baked, the pancake keeps 2 days covered and warms through in 5 to 8 minutes at 160°C (320°F).
The photos of my apple waffles with freshly grated apple show the Sunday version: for that I cook 2 extra apples, diced, with a little butter, brown sugar and cinnamon for 5 minutes until soft. The base batter keeps up to 12 hours in the fridge. Leftover waffles I freeze singly and drop straight from frozen into the toaster in the morning.
For the cashew-cinnamon creme from my Christmas menu, soak the cashews in good time, it is easiest the evening before. Blend the mixture really long in a good high-speed blender, then the creme turns wonderfully velvety. The creme keeps well when made a day ahead and chilled, so dessert is served in no time on the day itself.
For the baked apple and cashew cinnamon ice cream, soak the cashews overnight and blend patiently until the mixture is completely smooth. That is the key to creamy ice cream. More cinnamon for breakfast: my vegan crêpes are lovely with cinnamon sugar, jam or chocolate, and the filled pancakes cook over medium heat, because over high heat they turn dark on the outside before the filling has melted.
Cinnamon in cakes, babka and chai
In my cakes, babka and chai, cinnamon often teams up with gingerbread spice, cardamom or vanilla, and two of these bakes can be baked a day ahead.
My vegan gingerbread spice slices with persimmon get cinnamon and gingerbread spice in the batter. The cake tastes even better on the second day, when the gingerbread base has settled, so feel free to bake it a day ahead. Because of the custard layer, keep it covered in the fridge, where it stays fresh for 2 to 3 days. You'll find more cakes in my roundup of 10 festive vegan bakes for Christmas, with a short section on cinnamon. That post also covers how long the cakes keep and which ones freeze.
My vegan chestnut cake with cinnamon and vanilla also tastes almost even better on the second day, once the chestnut flavor has settled in, so you can bake it a day ahead or freeze it. If you can't find ready-made chestnut puree, simmer cooked chestnuts with a little plant-based milk.
For my chocolate hazelnut babka with cardamom and cinnamon, knead the dough in the evening, cover it well and let it rise slowly in the fridge overnight. The milk really should only be lukewarm, otherwise the yeast suffers. Warm the chocolate hazelnut spread briefly in a warm water bath before spreading, then it goes on thinly without tearing the dough. Sliced, the babka freezes for about 3 months.
With my chai latte float with vegan vanilla ice cream, the cinnamon comes last: a few cacao nibs and a dusting of cinnamon on top add a lovely roasted note and crunch. Cinnamon is in these three recipes too, and my plum chocolate muffins stay moist for 2 to 3 days in an airtight container:
Ceylon or cassia: my rule of thumb
My rule of thumb: for anything we eat often and in larger amounts during Advent, I use Ceylon, just as AGES recommends whenever a larger amount of cinnamon is to be consumed. For a pinch in an apple cake, cassia is fine by me, since NCCIH considers cinnamon likely safe in the amounts commonly used in foods.
If kids are snacking along, keep in mind the half teaspoon of cinnamon a day that AGES names for children. And if you live in North America and have a jar labeled simply cinnamon, it is likely cassia, the most common type sold there according to NCCIH, so I would save it for recipes that need only a pinch.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Ceylon and cassia cinnamon?
Mostly coumarin: AGES says cassia contains about a hundred times more of it than Ceylon. Ceylon is known as true cinnamon and grows primarily in Sri Lanka, while cassia is the most common type sold in North America, according to NCCIH.
How much cinnamon is safe per day?
The tolerable daily intake for coumarin is 0.1 mg per kg of body weight, which is 6 mg a day for a 60 kg (132 lb) person, according to AGES. For children, AGES advises no more than half a teaspoon of cinnamon a day, and NCCIH says cinnamon is likely safe in the amounts commonly used in foods.
Which cinnamon is sold in the US?
Mostly cassia, which NCCIH calls the most common type sold in North America. A 2013 study detected coumarin in all locally bought cinnamon, cinnamon-flavored foods and cinnamon food supplements it tested, and the cinnamon in the flavored foods and supplements was probably Indonesian cassia, C. burmannii.
How can you tell if cinnamon is Ceylon?
Ceylon cinnamon sticks have much thinner layers, similar to a cigar, while cassia sticks consist of much thicker layers, according to AGES. For ground cinnamon, check the imprint on the package.
Is Ceylon cinnamon healthier?
It contains far less coumarin: AGES measured at most 185 mg per kg in Ceylon against 1,880 to 3,260 mg per kg in cassia. Beyond that, NCCIH says research doesn't clearly support using cinnamon for any health condition.
Which cinnamon is best for Christmas cookies?
For cookies you bake often and eat a lot of, Ceylon: AGES recommends Ceylon, with its significantly lower coumarin levels, whenever a larger amount of cinnamon is to be consumed. At Christmas, cinnamon gets used a lot, in cinnamon stars, mulled wine or a spicy cinnamon coffee.
Once you know about coumarin, you can enjoy cinnamon all through Advent, in cookies, cakes and chai. If you're giving cookies away, my vegan food gifts with a shelf life chart has ideas that keep. Now it's your turn: which cinnamon is in your spice cabinet right now, Ceylon or cassia?
Yours, Verena
Sources
- 1.National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NIH) · Cinnamon · 2024
- 2.Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry (PubMed) · Cassia cinnamon as a source of coumarin in cinnamon-flavored food and food supplements in the United States · 2013
- 3.Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety (AGES) · Coumarin · 2025
- 4.U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Code of Federal Regulations · 21 CFR 189.130 Coumarin · 2026
