How To Make Cinnamon Tea

Nothing makes a house smell more Christmasy and warm than brewing a cup of cinnamon tea! It’s a delicious way to warm up on a blustery fall evening or a cold winter day. Enjoy a cup of cinnamon tea with these melt-in-your-mouth lemon shortbread cookies.

Cinnamon tea is a mildly spicy, slightly sweet herbal tea brewed from cinnamon sticks, cinnamon powder, or cinnamon tea bags. It is usually brewed along with a true tea such as black tea, green tea, or oolong tea.

Cinnamon bark comes from the Cinnamomum tree native to Southeast Asia. There are many varieties of cinnamon, but only two varieties are commonly used.

Ceylon cinnamon, or true cinnamon, is produced in Sir Lanka and is the most expensive type of cinnamon.

Cassia cinnamon is much cheaper and the one most commonly found in grocery stores and used in food production.

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While drinking cinnamon tea is a delicious way to warm up, drinking a lot of cinnamon tea in one day can lead to excessive intake of coumarin, a naturally occurring compound that can have some negative health effects. 

If you are concerned about how much you should be drinking, check with your doctor or other healthcare providers before adding it to your daily routine.

Ceylon cinnamon contains much less coumarin than Cassia, so whenever possible, opt for Ceylon cinnamon sticks.

Benefits of Cinnamon Tea

Cinnamon tea is full of antioxidants and has anti-inflammatory properties. Some studies have shown that cinnamon may even help to lower blood sugar levels. (Effects of short-term cinnamon ingestion on in vivo glucose tolerance).

Cinnamon has a long history of use as a herbal remedy. It has been used to soothe sore throats, reduce inflammation and joint pain, and help treat infections. Cinnamon is a common ingredient in traditional Chinese medicine.

How to Make Cinnamon Tea

There are a few different ways to make a cinnamon tea recipe, depending on whether you want to make one cup or several to share with a friend. The recipe card has instructions for 4 cups.

To make 1 cup:

• Boil 1 cup of water in a tea kettle or small saucepan.
• Place a cinnamon stick in a tall mug.
• Cover with hot water and allow to steep for about 10 minutes.
• Add your tea of choice, either a tea bag or loose leaf in a diffuser.
• Allow to steep for an additional 2-3 minutes (longer if you like a stronger tea).
• Remove the cinnamon stick and tea, add sweetener and enjoy.

To make several cups:

• Place your cinnamon sticks in a pot. (2-3)
• Add water and bring to a boil.
• Reduce heat to low and allow the cinnamon to simmer gently for about 10 minutes.
• Remove the pot from the stove and add the tea bags or loose tea.
• Allow this mixture to steep for 2-3 minutes. 
• Strain the tea into a warmed teapot.
• Serve and add sweetener if desired.

Flavor Variations

True Tea: As mentioned above, cinnamon tea is usually brewed along with true tea. You can try black tea, green tea, oolong, or any other type of tea for a delicious robust cup of tea. 

Decaf: If you don’t want a caffeinated drink, try using a decaffeinated tea along with your cinnamon.

Spices: You can also add other warming spices to your tea to get even more flavor. Try adding a pinch of nutmeg to get an “apple pie” type flavor. A whole clove or a small slice of ginger would give a nice, cozy drink on cold days.

Citrus: Add citrus notes to your tea. A slice of lemon or orange or a teaspoon of lemon or orange zest is really good with the cinnamon flavor and has a wonderful aroma. Alternatively, you can add a squeeze of lemon juice or orange juice for a delicious tea.

Apple: Try out this delicious Apple Cinnamon Tea recipe. A healthy, warming tea for fall.

Sweetener: Sweeten your brew with a touch of honey, maple syrup, sugar, or sweetener of your choice.

Milk: If you want a creamier drink, add warm milk, cream, or plant milk to make cinnamon milk tea.

Cinnamon Iced Tea: Allow your tea to cool completely in the fridge. Add ice to a tall glass and pour the cinnamon tea over the ice.