cinnamon

cassia
ground
4.9
based on 46 reviews
try me sample
0.28 oz
75¢
shaker jar
2 oz
$8
refill
2 oz
$7
large refill
8 oz
$24
view packaging
VARIANTS
chips - cassia
2 3/4" quills - cassia
ground - cassia
bark pieces, various sizes
Ground cassia cinnamon is spicy, warm, dark reddish brown and is the variety found in most homespun recipes calling for cinnamon. Its fiery flavor profile and distinctive aroma is the most popular of the cinnamons and will be instantly recognizable in your baked treats.

Though ground cinnamon is a familiar spice to many, it is still easy to be dumbfounded by the varieties and choices available for purchase. Cassia cinnamon from any of the places in which it is grown is not true cinnamon (also called Ceylon cinnamon or Sri Lankan cinnamon), but it is what Americans have primarily used for decades and has thus set our cinnamon taste expectations.
QUICK INFO
cinnamon , ground
PLANT PART
inner bark
PROCESSING / FORM
ground
BOTANICAL NAME
Cinnamomum cassia
ORIGIN
Vietnam
BOTANICAL NAME
Cinnamomum cassia
AKA
cassia cinnamon
cassia
Most forms of cassia cinnamon are harvested from the inner bark of Cinnamomum cassia, an evergreen tree species.

Harvesting is done twice a year after a heavy rain from mature trees. Branches are chopped, and sometimes entire trees felled; this process (called coppicing) will allow new shoots to sprout from the stump for a few generations thus ensuring future crops. In Indonesia this is often a second income for local farmers.

The outer bark is peeled away to reveal the aromatic inner bark below. Sometimes the branch is beaten with a mallet to loosen bark layers first. The inner bark is processed immediately after harvesting while it is still wet and pliable. It naturally curls as it dries into sticks called quills.
CONFUSIONS

A collection of cassias
Broadly speaking there are two types of cinnamon that we use in America: Ceylon cinnamon and cassia cinnamon. The most common is cassia, which itself can be divided into three different kinds depending on origin: Korintje from Indonesia (Cinnamomum burmannii), Saigon from Vietnam (Cinnamomum loureiroi), and somewhat confusingly, cassia from China (Cinnamomum cassia). These three are largely similar enough in taste and aroma that they have been roughly grouped under the name cassia.

Also known as
It's worth noting, that matters are further confused as these three cassias might go by different common name monikers; Korintje can be called Indonesian cinnamon, Saigon can be called Vietnamese cinnamon or Vietnamese cassia; and cassia can be called Chinese cinnamon.

Cinnamon truths
The other main type of cinnamon is Cinnamomum verum called Ceylon cinnamon, true cinnamon, or sometimes Mexican cinnamon. It is what is primarily sold in Europe and in Mexico (as canela) for cinnamon. It is more a more subtle and will yield a different taste if substituted. It is more expensive than the cassia types and is marked for having a very low coumarin content.

USAGE HINT

Cassia cinnamon quills are thicker, larger, and contain more essential oils than Sri Lankan/Ceylon cinnamon so home-grinding is not recommended.

QUICK FACT

Though now considered common and accessible cinnamon—like many other spices in the past—was considered a luxury for centuries. It wasn't until the late 1700s when prices peaked and then later still when cinnamon began to appear in European recipes. Folks in Sweden developed recipes for the now famed/favorited cinnamon roll; and it is presumed that cinnamon and treats featuring the spice migrated to America via German settlers.

 
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REVIEWS (46)