20 Cinnamon Recipes That Celebrate Everyone’s Favorite Spice From streusel cake to spiced syrup, these recipes are the sweetest way to spice up your life. Close Credit: Brie Goldman Much loved and much used, cinnamon is everyone’s favorite spice and for good reason, as these cinnamon recipes prove. It's warming and sweet, and stars in everything from cozy baked goods and apple desserts to hot teas and boozy beverages, even in hearty tagines and other tasty main dishes. Why does cinnamon always take first place in the popularity stakes? It all comes down to its flavor and aroma; nothing says warm and comforting like a whiff of cinnamon from the kitchen. Much as we love nutmeg and cloves, cardamom and ginger, none are as easy-going and pair with just about any food as cinnamon does. Whether you use cinnamon sticks or the ground spice, you'll enjoy the soothing, homely flavor of this versatile spice in all kinds of recipes. All About Ginger: Understanding the Differences Between Fresh, Ground, and Crystallized Ginger 01 of 20 Cinnamon Rolls Credit: Lennart Weibull Fragrant with cinnamon and enriched with a cream-cheese glaze, these yeast-leavened morning buns make an unforgettable breakfast. We like to make them ahead of time, freeze them, and then let them thaw in the refrigerator overnight before baking them the next day. View Recipe 02 of 20 Bourbon Hot Toddy Credit: Bryan Gardner Cinnamon sticks and cloves spice this bourbon-based take on the coziest of classic cocktails. View Recipe 03 of 20 Snickerdoodles Credit: Jake Sternquist The taste of cinnamon sets snickerdoodles apart and makes them a favorite cookie. We also love them for their crackly edges and chewy centers. It’s hard to eat just one. View Recipe 04 of 20 Cinnamon Poached Apples With Toasted Walnuts Credit: Bryan Gardner Apples are cooked in apple juice spiced with a cinnamon stick and topped with toasted walnuts for serving in this healthy treat. Serve them with yogurt for breakfast or a scoop of ice cream for dessert. View Recipe 05 of 20 Cinnamon and Orange Tea Credit: Aaron Dyer This soothing beverage combines fresh citrus with mint leaves and cinnamon sticks for a warming and calming brew. View Recipe 06 of 20 Cinnamon-Swirl Apple Slab Pie Credit: Will Anderson A spectacular dessert, this cinnamon-scented twist on apple slab pie is a natural for Thanksgiving dinner or a potluck. The same dough forms the base and the topping. The magic happens when a sweetened cinnamon butter is spread on half of the dough, rolled up, then sliced into swirly rounds, and shingled on top of the spiced apple filling. View Recipe 07 of 20 Lamb and Squash Tagine Credit: Bryan Gardner Cinnamon is the only spice, bringing its sweet, fragrant aroma and flavor to this meaty dish of boneless lamb shoulder with butternut squash. View Recipe 08 of 20 Cinnamon-Raisin French Toast Casserole Credit: Romulo Yanes Baked French toast is the best breakfast or brunch dish. Instead of standing at the stove flipping individual slices, the oven does the work for this rendition. Made with cinnamon-raisin bread, we up the cinnamon flavor by spicing the custard for the French toast with more of our favorite spice. View Recipe 09 of 20 Cinnamon Streusel Coffee Cake Credit: Brie Goldman Each bite of this coffee cake is flavored with the perfect amount of brown sugar and cinnamon, and the cake is so moist it practically melts in your mouth. It’s a must-make recipe. View Recipe 10 of 20 Pineapple Smoothie Credit: Kelsey Hansen A touch of cinnamon sweetens all kinds of smoothies, but we particularly love it in this pineapple version, where it plays nicely with fresh ginger and yogurt. View Recipe 11 of 20 Loaded Baked Sweet Potatoes Credit: Chris Simpson A touch of cinnamon spices the beans that fill this healthy, plant-powered meal. A little avocado, crème fraîche or sour cream, and toasted seeds bring it all together deliciously. View Recipe 12 of 20 Chocolate Cinnamon-Swirl Bread Credit: Con Poulos Chocolate and cinnamon are a sublime pairing, as this rich, babka-inspired swirl bread proves. To make sure the filling is infused into every pillowy bite, the dough is braided together before being placed in the loaf pan to proof and then baked. View Recipe 13 of 20 Spiced Cinnamon Syrup Credit: Chelsea Cavanaugh A cinnamon-forward take on simple syrup, you can add this elixir to your coffee, use it for homemade soda, shake it up in cocktails, or drizzle it over ice cream. View Recipe 14 of 20 Cinnamon Sugar Popovers Credit: Ryan Liebe Light, airy, and full of cinnamon flavor, these popovers are not to be missed. Slather them with butter or dunk them in your coffee—we won’t tell. View Recipe 15 of 20 Cinnamon Swirl Cookies Sugar and spice, these spiral cookies combine all things nice! They’re a cookie version of cinnamon buns, yeast-free and much easier to make, but with all brown sugar-walnut-cinnamon filling that few can resist. View Recipe 16 of 20 Cinnamon-Raisin Pound Cake Classic pound cake, but better. Adding ground cinnamon and plump raisins makes a good thing even better. Then, we add a simple icing glaze to take this treat to the next level. View Recipe 17 of 20 Cherry-Cinnamon Liqueur Credit: Justin Walker The magical combination of fresh or frozen sweet or tart cherries with cinnamon, vodka, and simple syrup creates this singular ruby-hued liqueur. Making it is quick, but you’ll need to wait 3 days for the flavors to mingle before you sample it as a spritz or gift it to friends. View Recipe 18 of 20 Spiced Snacking Cake Credit: Lennart Weibull Easy and delicious, this cinnamon and cardamom-scented single-layer cake is great for after dinner, after school, or a midafternoon treat, but also works well with coffee—and we hear it makes a special breakfast. View Recipe 19 of 20 Picadillo Style Chili Credit: Yuki Sugiura Cinnamon and cumin spice this decidedly different and delicious chili. It's a Spanish dish that's light on tomatoes but big on flavor with poblanos, almonds, olives, and currants all in the mix. View Recipe 20 of 20 Warm Cider and Rum Punch Cinnamon sticks and fresh ginger add a warming spice to this punch, perfect for a winter gathering. Skip the rum for a family-friendly version of this apple cider-based drink. View Recipe Explore more: Food & Cooking Recipes