It doesn’t feel like you need a recipe to make cinnamon sugar. After all, the two ingredients are in the title. But I find myself searching for the ratio every time I make it. If you love the flavor of cinnamon, the ratio for you (as it is for me) is 1:4 cinnamon to sugar. Read on for a few notes about variations and adjustments.

This started simple enough, with winging it one morning to make my daughter cinnamon toast for breakfast, but the recipe developer in me wondered…what is the best ratio of sugar to cinnamon in this popular seasoning? And so I tested it! We had a feast of cinnamon toast and had a clear winner. 

When it comes to cinnamon sugar a 1:4 ratio of cinnamon to sugar is the perfect starting point. Use less cinnamon in the mixture and you’ll lose the spice’s unique flavor. But if you love cinnamon flavor, you can always add more. And bonus that 1:4 is so easy to measure. Just get out a tablespoon for the cinnamon and a ¼ cup for the sugar and combine them. Or if you’re using a scale, use 25 grams of ground cinnamon for 100 grams of sugar. 

Easy!

Looking for ways to use cinnamon sugar? Cinnamon toast or using it to crust French toast is classic. Stir it into butter to make Cinnamon Butter, use it to make cinnamon sugar chips, easy cinnamon rolls, or cinnamon star bread.

Adjusting for Saigon Cinnamon

Saigon cinnamon is stronger in flavor than most traditional ground cinnamon, so reduce your ratio to 1:8, using ½ tablespoon of Saigon cinnamon for ¼ cup of sugar.

Want a less intense version?

Just start with the 1:4 ratio, measuring 1 tablespoon of cinnamon and 4 tablespoons of sugar and then add additional sugar 1 tablespoon at a time until it tastes just right. You can go all the way up to 1 tablespoon of ground cinnamon and 8 tablespoons of sugar for a 1:8 ratio.

Other variations

• Add a pinch of salt to balance the sweetness
• Add nutmeg or allspice for more dimension
• Use brown sugar for a caramel flavor (just rub it between your fingers to break up any clumps)

More Homemade Seasoning Recipes

Pumpkin Pie Spice

Tex Mex Seasoning

Ranch Seasoning

Jerk Seasoning