Quick and Easy Cinnamon Sugar

By
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
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Updated on 05/11/24
Tested by
Victoria Heydt
Victoria Heydt
Tested by Victoria Heydt

Victoria Heydt is a food photographer, stylist, and the Editorial Director for The Spruce Eats. An Institute of Culinary Education grad, she also develops and tests recipes.

Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Prep: 2 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Total: 2 mins
Servings: 12 servings
Yield: 1/2 cup

Once you see how easy it is to put cinnamon sugar together, you may wonder why you ever bought it in a little jar in the spice aisle. And, like lots of things in the kitchen, it's more economical to do it yourself.

Cinnamon comes from the bark of plants from the genus Cinnamomum. It is usually labeled Sri Lanka or Ceylon and is considered "true cinnamon." It has a mild, sweet flavor. Cassia cinnamon, the most common and least expensive type, comes from a related species. It is the cinnamon usually found in the home cook's spice cabinet and the one most commonly used in cooking. Sometimes, it is labeled Saigon, Vietnamese, or Korintje; these are all types of cassia cinnamon. 

Light-brown cinnamon sugar in a glass jar and on a small wooden spoon

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If you love cinnamon, you can buy it in bulk in some specialty grocery stores or online spice and herb purveyors. These types of retailers will often specify the types of cinnamon they have available or offer a blend, so you can choose.

Once you have your stock ready and your cinnamon sugar made, you can level up your dishes in a variety of ways like sprinkling cinnamon sugar over a pie crust before baking, sweeten up your morning oatmeal, or give sliced apples a little cinnamon sweetness

What You'll Need to Make This Cinnamon Sugar Recipe
A Good Set of Measuring Spoons
A Small Mixing Bowl
An Airtight Storage Container

"Simple, affordable, and easy to make, this cinnamon sugar recipe has a great balance of cinnamon-to-sugar. Most people have these ingredients already available in their homes, so why pay for pre-made cinnamon sugar? I used this as a topping for a banana pudding recipe I made for dinner one night and everyone raved over it." —Victoria Heydt

How to Make Quick and Easy Cinnamon Sugar Tester Image
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Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar

  • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients. 

    Ingredients for cinnamon sugar recipe gathered

    The Spruce Eats

  2. Combine the 1/2 cup sugar and 1 tablespoon cinnamon in a small bowl and blend thoroughly.

    Thoroughly stirred cinnamon and sugar in a small white bowl on a marble counter

    The Spruce Eats

  3. Pour it into a small canning jar with a screw-top lid, another small, lidded container, or a zip-close food storage bag. Use as desired. Enjoy.

    Light-brown cinnamon sugar in a glass jar and on a small wooden spoon

    The Spruce Eats

How to Store Cinnamon Sugar Recipe

Cinnamon sugar will keep indefinitely, but because of the cinnamon, it may lose its potency over time.

  • Store it airtight - This recipe makes about 1/2 cup of cinnamon sugar. Once you've made it, store the cinnamon sugar in the pantry in a jar or sealed food storage bag.
  • Repurpose spice bottles -If you anticipate using it regularly, you can repurpose an used plastic spice container (ideally from cinnamon, to avoid flavor mixing) and keep that handy. Store the jar in the pantry, refilling from it as needed. 


Feeling Adventurous? Try This:

  • Add more spices - feel free to add in other spices like nutmeg or touch of cardamom powder for more warm flavors. For a little kick, add cayenne powder.
  • Double the cinnamon - add 2 tablespoons instead if you prefer a higher ratio of cinnamon to sugar.
  • Use brown sugar - consider using brown sugar for if you'd like a more caramelized flavor.
  • Make it nutty - Toss 1 or 2 tablespoons of cinnamon sugar with 1/4 cup of chopped pecans for a streusel-like topping.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
34 Calories
0g Fat
9g Carbs
0g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 12
Amount per serving
Calories 34
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 0mg 0%
Total Carbohydrate 9g 3%
Dietary Fiber 0g 1%
Total Sugars 8g
Protein 0g
Vitamin C 0mg 0%
Calcium 7mg 1%
Iron 0mg 0%
Potassium 3mg 0%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)