Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Food & Drink

The Manual may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site.

This is how to make antioxidant-rich cinnamon tea

Your guide to cinnamon tea

By
cinnamon tea
Joanna Kosinska / Unsplash

Cinnamon is one of the most unique spices, created from the inner bark of the Cinnamomum tree. Known for its warm and woody flavor, cinnamon has many roles in cooking and baking. But cinnamon’s unique flavor is also perfect in cinnamon tea, creating a light, natural sweetness made by steeping the bark of a cinnamon tree into boiling water.

Not only is cinnamon tea deliciously cozy, but it’s also easy to make and contains many antioxidants for a health boost, too. Below, discover everything you wanted to know (and more) about cinnamon tea and how to make it.

Recommended Videos

What is cinnamon tea?

Cinnamon
Angelos / Wirestock / Adobe Stock

Cinnamon tea is known as an herbal tisane since it cannot be classified as a true tea (cinnamon bark is used and not any tea leaves). When making cinnamon tea by infusing cinnamon bark into boiling water, this tea is naturally caffeine-free and has a very slight bit of natural sweetness. Pure cinnamon tea may be difficult to find, but it’s super simple to make at home.

In stores, you’ll likely see a variety of different cinnamon-flavored teas that use other teas as a base and add cinnamon flavor. For example, Bigelow Tea’s “Cinnamon Stick” variety is actually a black tea that has an added cinnamon flavor. This type of tea is a great option if you’re looking to get the delicious notes of cinnamon but want a tea that contains caffeine for an energy boost.

Most people traditionally enjoy cinnamon tea as a warm beverage, but it can also enjoyed as a cold, over ice such as in this Sweet Iced Cinnamon Tea recipe.

Why you should drink cinnamon tea

It’s no secret that cinnamon offers many health benefits, most commonly known for containing antioxidants that could help fight free radical damage in the body. Consuming cinnamon tea may play a helpful role in fighting chronic diseases such as cancer and heart disease. Drinking one or two cups of cinnamon tea a day is a great habit to work into your health and wellness routine!

Cinnamon also has a positive effect on lowering blood sugar, which is an important component of maintaining a healthy weight and preventing Type 2 Diabetes. Several studies suggest that cinnamon can lower blood glucose levels and may be a helpful, holistic tool for those who have insulin resistance or other metabolic issues. Cinnamon tea can also help soothe a sore throat if you’re sick.

How to make cinnamon tea

Glass teapot pouring black tea into a small glass cup
Petr Sidorov / Unsplash

Making cinnamon tea requires only two ingredients: your cinnamon sticks of choice and water. In only three simple steps, you can enjoy sipping on homemade, natural cinnamon tea. Here’s how:

Ingredients

  • 2 cinnamon sticks (or more if you prefer a stronger, more intense flavor)
  • 2 cups of water

Method

  1. Combine both cinnamon sticks and water in a small saucepan. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce to a low simmer for about 15 minutes. The simmering process is what gives your tea that rich cinnamon-infused flavor you’re looking for.
  2. Remove large cinnamon sticks from the water with a fork or spoon. Then, pour the tea through a strainer to catch any remaining pieces that may have broken off.
  3. Enjoy your cinnamon tea.

Note: Cinnamon tea can also be served with lemon juice or ginger to enhance the flavor. If you’re looking for a sweeter taste, honey or sugar can also be added for more of a treat. If you have any remaining tea from your batch, it can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.

Type of cinnamon to use

Thought all cinnamon was the same? There are four different types of cinnamon you may find in stores, each of which has a slightly different flavor profile. The two most common types of cinnamon are Cassia and Ceylon cinnamon. Many people enjoy using Ceylon cinnamon when making cinnamon tea because it is known to have a mild, delicate flavor. When making cinnamon tea, using the full cinnamon stick as opposed to ground cinnamon powder will create a more natural, infused taste.

When to enjoy cinnamon tea

Since cinnamon tea is naturally caffeine-free, it’s the perfect drink to enjoy after dinner or before bedtime to help you relax. However, it can be consumed at any point during the day. Some people who wish to maximize the blood-sugar-lowering effects of cinnamon tea may wish to consume it around mealtime to help stabilize spikes in blood glucose.

Editors' Recommendations

Emily Caldwell
Emily Caldwell
Contributor
Emily is a freelance writer with a special focus on health, fitness, lifestyle, food, and nutrition topics. She holds a B.S…
9 tips on how to roast a juicy whole chicken
Here are some tips to elevate your roasted chicken to new heights
Close-up of a roasted chicken on a cutting board at a table

There's a reason chicken is the most popular meat in America. Whether fried, broiled, sauteed, poached, braised, or boiled, it remains delicious. Roasting chicken is one of the more ancient forms of cooking chicken that is still used today. When man first started cooking the bountiful birds, they didn't have boiling pots or saute pans, just some sticks and an open fire. This radiant heat form of cooking is today more widely known as rotisserie.

How to roast a chicken is commonly answered by roasting it over an open fire, which is still a perfectly acceptable method of preparing your poultry. But it's now most commonly done in an oven with dry heat. If you prefer calling cooking in the oven baking, that's fine since the terms baked and roasted are often used interchangeably. However, if you want to split hairs, the term baking typically implies some other sort of carb-based ingredients, such as breading. Think classic shake and bake. With roasting, it's typically just the meat and some seasonings or perhaps a glaze.

Read more
The rich history of tequila: Paying homage to nature and culture
Painting depicting the history of the tequila making process in the historic town of tequila in Jalisco State Mexico

Tequila has been growing in popularity since the early 2000s, and it seems there's no sign of it slowing down. After all, tequila is among the most widely consumed liquors on the planet. But what is it exactly?

Tequila is a fermented drink made only from the blue agave plant. It is similar to pulque, the precursor to tequila and mezcal. Pulque is also made from the agave plant and has a milky white viscous appearance. Another agave plant product is mezcal but its production involves dozens of varieties of agave plants.

Read more
There’s an ancient art to making great soy sauce
Soy sauce is an ancient tradition
Soy sauce next to a plate of food

Like any number of staple food condiments, soy sauce is often overlooked. But the delicious umami liquid deserves more attention, especially as some of the best stuff out there is both meticulously crafted and full of complexity. Turns out, there's an ancient art to soy sauce.

Industrialization has made food-making a more efficient process but we're increasingly returning to the tried and true methods of old. When it comes to soy sauce, that means a patient process that honors tradition and produces maximum flavor. Read on to see how the stuff is made and why the approach of old is the way to go.
Low and slow

Read more