Made from simple granulated sugar and ground cinnamon, cinnamon sugar is a pantry essential that brightens cookies, pies, toast and more. Learn how to make homemade cinnamon sugar with this quick, two-ingredient recipe so you never need to buy a pre-made jar again.
If a recipe calls for cinnamon sugar, there’s no need to spend money on a packaged jar. You can mix a batch in seconds, store it in a jar in your baking pantry, or gift it in a mason jar as a simple homemade present.
Ingredients
The ingredient list is short and likely already in your cupboard.
- granulated sugar
- ground cinnamon
The ratio is flexible depending on how strong you want the cinnamon flavor. A good starting point is about 1 tablespoon of cinnamon per cup of sugar, but you can increase the cinnamon for a bolder result. Adjust to taste.
Variations
This classic base is easy to adapt:
- Spices: Add ground cardamom, a pumpkin spice blend, or other warming spices to create flavored sugars for seasonal baking.
- Sugar: Swap granulated white sugar for brown sugar or maple sugar for a different texture, color and flavor profile.
How to Make it
Making cinnamon sugar is incredibly simple.
Step 1: Combine the cinnamon and sugar in a bowl.
Step 2: Whisk until evenly blended. A fork works well if your whisk is too large.
That’s it. Transfer the mixture to an airtight container such as a mason jar and store it in a cool, dry place. It keeps essentially indefinitely, though the cinnamon’s aroma may mellow over time.
How to Use it
Cinnamon sugar is perfect for coating and finishing baked goods.
The simplest treat is cinnamon toast: toast a slice of bread until golden, butter it, then sprinkle generously with cinnamon sugar. Salted butter is a great choice for a sweet-and-salty contrast. It’s an easy breakfast or snack for all ages.
Other uses include sprinkling it over pie crusts before baking to add sparkle and flavor, tossing warm donuts or beignets in it for a classic coating, or sprinkling the top of quick breads, muffins and cookies before baking for a subtle crunch and aroma. You can also use it to flavor pie dough scraps for impromptu cookies or to finish banana bread, pumpkin loafs and other loaf cakes.
What You Can’t Do With It
Don’t assume you can substitute cinnamon sugar for straight ground cinnamon one-for-one in recipes. Cinnamon sugar is mostly sugar, so its cinnamon concentration is much lower and it will add extra sweetness.
If you must replace cinnamon with cinnamon sugar, consider these adjustments:
- Use two to three times the volume of cinnamon sugar to approach the same cinnamon intensity. For example, replace 1 teaspoon of cinnamon with about 1 tablespoon of cinnamon sugar.
- Reduce the other sugar in the recipe to compensate. If you add 1 tablespoon of cinnamon sugar, remove about 1 tablespoon of granulated or brown sugar from the recipe.
Alternatively, you can swap some or all of the recipe’s granulated sugar with cinnamon sugar for a mild cinnamon-scented sweetness, depending on the final result you want.
If you try this cinnamon sugar recipe, leave a star rating and a comment to share how it turned out. Feedback helps improve recipes and gives ideas for future variations!
📖 Recipe
Cinnamon Sugar
Equipment
- Mason jars or an airtight container
Ingredients
- 200 grams granulated sugar
- 30 mL ground cinnamon (add more if you prefer a stronger cinnamon flavor)
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk the granulated sugar and ground cinnamon until evenly combined. A fork works fine if a whisk is too large.
- Transfer to a mason jar or airtight container and store in a cool, dry place.
Notes
- Adjust the cinnamon to taste for a milder or stronger flavor.
- Try different spices like cardamom or pumpkin spice for seasonal versions.
- Experiment with brown sugar or maple sugar for richer flavor variations.
Nutrition
Nutrition values are approximate.
- Calories: 16 kcal
- Carbohydrates: 4 g
- Sugar: 4 g