Simple Ways To Incorporate Cinnamon Into Your Recipes

Whether you’re craving warm autumn cinnamon dishes or yearning for meals with a rich Caribbean essence, there are straightforward and scrumptious ways to utilize cinnamon to elevate every dish on your table for a festive experience. If you’ve never contemplated incorporating cinnamon into meals beyond breakfast and baked goods, here are various approaches to introduce this timeless spice into different facets of your cooking adventures. From enhancing pot roast to crafting unusual pasta desserts, there’s a recipe for every occasion.

Cinnamon introduces an unanticipated depth to any pot of chili, from your beloved family recipe to the latest revelation you’ve encountered on the internet. You may have even stumbled upon concoctions that blend chocolate and cinnamon together, creating an additional dimension for the spice to interact with. Its synergy with the variety of ingredients found in most chilies makes it an excellent additive in whatever quantity suits your taste buds, thus making it ready for ingenuity at any moment.

Incorporating cinnamon is a swift way to enhance richness without displacing the familiar flavors from their comfort zones, too. Whether you opt for ground meat, steak, or just beans and tomatoes as your foundation, cinnamon provides the surrounding sauce with an elevation that you may not initially recognize. More discerning taste testers will immediately catch on to what they’re savoring, and their expressions will likely brighten in astonishment at how effectively cinnamon can boost even a basic chili recipe.

You might not be aware, but cinnamon is one of the ingredients found in traditional jerk seasoning blend. By embracing island traditions, you can connect to the rich history of cinnamon as a treasured spice for modern chefs. Jerk seasoning is a Caribbean favorite that combines cinnamon with ginger, garlic, and scotch bonnet peppers, creating a rub for chicken and fish. Despite the other elements in the blend, cinnamon stands out as a fundamental layer and signature ingredient of the spicier side of tropical flavors.

Not only does it elevate meat-based dishes, jerk seasoning is also fantastic on vegetables, particularly grilled zucchini and asparagus. This is excellent news for vegetarians seeking to incorporate more cinnamon into their diets without resorting to simply sprinkling it on their oatmeal. Start by adding a dash over olive oil-coated vegetable slices that are roasted or grilled and adjust to taste as needed.

Cinnamon harmonizes perfectly with potatoes of all varieties, providing your roasted tubers with an infusion of warmth without being overwhelming. Adding it to plain white or yellow potatoes may not be an idea that immediately comes to mind for home cooks. However, cinnamon offers a playful alternative to the standard garlic or paprika that have become the usual seasonings to enhance starchy foods, particularly when considering roasted potatoes, where both garlic and cinnamon can shine in the same recipe.

Certainly, cinnamon creates a delightful balance to the earthy sweetness of sweet potatoes and frequently appears in baked and roasted sweet potato dishes. You might blend in nutmeg and cloves to develop a more intricate cinnamon-based spice mix. Alternatively, try a fully-loaded baked sweet potato that incorporates cinnamon into the mix. With a dab of butter or a dollop of plain yogurt or sour cream, the enticing combination of sweet, spicy, creamy, and tangy presents a playful flavor explosion enhanced with a subtle cinnamon note.

North African cuisine has historically incorporated cinnamon as a vital ingredient since it was introduced by Arabs in the 7th century. The neutral, nutty flavor of properly prepared couscous makes this versatile grain an ideal candidate for exploring Moroccan traditions that feature cinnamon.

Kosher.com presents a variation that simplifies the creation of this subtly sweet dish, making it as effortless as preparing a pot of grains. Prepare an 8-ounce packet using a combination of 1 cup of milk, ½ cup of water, a tablespoon of brown sugar, and 4 tablespoons of butter. After fluffing it with a fork, enhance the couscous with cinnamon and honey, making it ready for numerous applications, from a side salad garnished with raisins and pistachios to a base for larger chicken, beef, or fish main courses.

If you have savored butternut squash with brown sugar and butter, you’ve overlooked an even more comforting creation if you haven’t integrated cinnamon into the mix. The mild taste of the squash allows whatever toppings you apply to stand out, with cinnamon being an ideal choice. Although it’s generally seen as a savory dish garnished with garlic and herbs, combining brown sugar and butter with your cinnamon-spiced butternut squash can transform it into a sweet treat reminiscent of pumpkin.

The most straightforward way to prepare this cinnamon-adorned gourd is to split your squash in half lengthwise and coat both inner surfaces with a blend of butter or olive oil, cinnamon, and maple syrup. Additionally, incorporating chili powder with cinnamon introduces a hint of sweet heat that will impress your dinner guests while enticing your palate. Roast until soft and experience the enchantment cinnamon brings to a humble gourd vegetable striving for bold flavor.

One of the most straightforward and adaptable applications of cinnamon in the kitchen is mixing it into butter to create a delightful seasoned spread. It adds a homey touch to whatever you serve, particularly when drizzled over corn on the cob, but anyone acquainted with this delicious delight knows it pairs flawlessly with cornbread and biscuits. It’s a staple at Texas Roadhouse, where the rolls and cinnamon honey butter are standout elements.

However, there’s no need to book a reservation at the Roadhouse to relish cinnamon butter. The simplest method involves following an easy-to-make copycat recipe that includes whipping unsalted butter with cinnamon, powdered sugar, and honey. Feel free to add extra cinnamon or a bit of brown sugar for additional sweetness or a deeper flavor, then spread it on everything from dinner rolls to pancakes to oatmeal to enjoy a traditional pairing that allows you to incorporate cinnamon into any meal. It also serves as a fantastic homemade gift for the cinnamon enthusiasts in your life.

You might not associate pasta with dessert, but a quick online search will unveil a realm of sweet pasta options that are common in areas like Hungary, Croatia, and Romania. You will stumble upon creations featuring strawberry sauce over noodles and rigatoni baked into chocolate cakes! By adding cinnamon and brown sugar instead of the traditional savory seasonings, you’ll create an intriguing dish designed to amaze your guests with its inventiveness and comforting flavors.

One variation of sweet cinnamon pasta includes mixing cinnamon and sugar into pasta chips for a crispy snack, a task you can easily undertake in your kitchen. Food blogger Cristina’s Kitchen shares a simple cinnamon-centered sweet pasta recipe that can broaden your dessert repertoire. Boil 250 grams of your chosen pasta in a liter of milk with 2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon and 5 tablespoons of brown sugar to form a creamy sauce. Top with additional cinnamon and brown sugar, garnishing with roasted almonds or pistachios to introduce a delightful crunchy element.

Cooking baked apples is a timeless tradition that provides contemporary cooks an uncomplicated method to incorporate cinnamon into their culinary practices. There are various effortless ways to add cinnamon to a baked apple dish, the easiest being to slice six peeled and cored sweet apples, then topping them with a combination of cinnamon, brown sugar, and lemon juice. Arrange them in a buttered casserole dish and bake in a 350-degree Fahrenheit oven for 45 to 50 minutes, stirring and adding a bit of water halfway through the process.

For a more refined presentation, cut off the tops of your apples and scoop out their insides, then mash the apple flesh with walnuts, raisins, and butter. Replace the tops and bake in a 350-degree Fahrenheit oven for 45 to 50 minutes, covering them with foil after 20 minutes. This is an excellent way to adorn your autumn or winter holiday table with a sweet and spicy cinnamon creation that will fill the air with a festive aroma.

Cinnamon over rice may…bring to mind a more pudding-like rice specialty, yet it also offers a savory accompaniment that can introduce surprising taste to your meals. You can evoke either variant to enhance your dinner selections, or experiment with both and explore how far you can stretch the cinnamon-and-rice idea. Mexican cinnamon rice, featuring a combination of cinnamon, raisins, garlic, and onions, harmonizes the finest of sweet and savory features in a textural dish that can transform your dinner into an engaging side that expands your definition of Latin cuisine.

For an uncomplicated rice pudding, simmer prepared rice in your selected milk and incorporate sugar and cinnamon according to your preference. The outcome will develop a creamy, starchy consistency enriched with warm spices and a hint of sweetness. Sprinkle some nuts or granola on top along with a few dried fruits such as raisins or dates, and you can present it as a straightforward dessert, or even enjoy it for breakfast instead of oatmeal.

Cinnamon is an excellent means to amplify the flavor of burgers and various red meat meals, particularly those that are slow-cooked like classic pot roasts. It delivers a punch of robust richness that you can accentuate with chili powder or paprika to amplify the spice for an intriguingly complex blend. It might seem unusual at first to combine cinnamon with your prime cut, but as you catch the wafting aroma of the simmering spices in your kitchen, you’ll realize how much cinnamon contributes to the meal. The umami undertones of the roast become even more captivating with cinnamon included, enriching the juices as they reduce and adding comforting depth.

Just a teaspoon of cinnamon blended with your selected seasonings is all it takes to spruce up your roast. Consider adding it to your favorite mixture or experimenting with a new combination that places cinnamon at the forefront of the recipe. You can even incorporate beer like stout and citrus flavors to infuse the meat with an even more vibrant taste that harmonizes splendidly with cinnamon’s versatile nature.

As an essential component of traditional chai, cinnamon is a perfect addition to your tea-based poaching liquid, providing delicious flavor to shrimp. The inherent sweetness of the shrimp merges with the cinnamon and other spices, imparting an added taste that stimulates a completely different area of your palate. It’s also light enough to avoid overwhelming your senses should you have other strong flavors on the plate.

To create chai-poached shrimp, simply brew your black tea and spice mixture of ginger, anise, peppercorn, cloves, and cinnamon, bringing it to a boil and letting it steep for about 15 minutes. Lower to a simmer and add your shrimp, cooking for approximately 10 minutes to allow the flavors to infuse. Strain and drain them, and serve over a bed of white or jasmine rice, or incorporate them into a more elaborate dish—ranging from Japanese to Indian to American surf and turf.

Cinnamon often appears as a common element in Thai recipes, particularly in those where the spice blend requires a delicate balance of sweetness and earthiness. Thai cuisine is celebrated for its expert utilization of spices and seasonings, a practice that incorporates cinnamon into rich layered dishes. Noodles, such as those found in classic pad Thai, frequently showcase cinnamon, enhancing the other components of the meal.

While poaching your shrimp in chai may seem unconventional, having cinnamon as a primary spice in the blend is an ideal match for the sweetness of shrimp, transporting your meal firmly into the realm of Asian-Pacific cuisine. A dish by Nigella Lawson features Thai noodles seasoned with cinnamon, garnished with prawns in a savory combination of chicken stock and soy sauce. This pairing brings both the aroma and taste of cinnamon into a genuine dish that proudly reflects its Asian-Pacific roots.

Sauces present a feasible avenue to incorporate more cinnamon into your meals. For Asian-inspired dishes, enhancing soy sauce is simple when you consider cinnamon as an option in the blend. A spiced sweet soy sauce is a key ingredient in Sichuan recipes that can elevate your home recreations of Chinese classics with restaurant-level finesse and authenticity. This sprinkle-on sauce also includes anise, peppercorns, and fennel seeds, delivering bold spice where cinnamon fits naturally and plays an essential role in the overall flavor profile.

Mexican sauces, such as mole, incorporate the hearty warmth of cinnamon by combining it with unsweetened chocolate for a more umami version of the usual pairing. You don’t need to start from scratch; simply take a canned or jarred mole and blend in a teaspoon or so of cinnamon to enrich the flavor harmoniously with the other ingredients. Additionally, you can drizzle a basic cinnamon syrup over your morning meals to enhance your favorite breakfast items. It’s merely a straightforward syrup made with white and brown sugar, water, and vanilla, with enough cinnamon to brighten your day.

Image Source: Kritchai7752 / Shutterstock