Did you ever eat red hots as a kid?
I loved their spicy cinnamon flavor when I was little!
Yet now, I have no plans to eat them again. I’m not going to even bother reading the label! Because this simple treat tastes just the same but is about 1000 times better for you…
Cinnamon-Infused Honey!
When I tried it for the first time, I was blown away by its pure decadence. Admittedly, I do like to eat a bit of raw honey right off the spoon. So if it’s infused honey, you may want to hide the jar! 😉
Infused honey is one of the easiest things to make, ever. Ever made an herbal tincture or vanilla extract? Then you can make infused honey! The principles are simple and extremely hard to mess up.
Ceylon Cinnamon Vs. Cassia Cinnamon
I used Ceylon cinnamon instead of Cassia cinnamon. Ceylon is soft and brittle with layers that peel apart. Cassia is a single roll and more firm — the kind most familiar to those in the States. I prefer to use Ceylon which already has a more complex and gentle flavor. It is the typical cinnamon found in most Mexican markets. Its intoxicating flavor gives this honey its unique, red-hot flavor. Cassia will still taste wonderfully, but not quite the same.
Keeping The Honey Raw
I use 2 methods — one slowly without heat, thus preserving all of honey’s nutritional benefits, and the other with a gentle heat over a period of a couple hours. The latter does destroy some (but not all) of honey’s health benefits. Both methods create a delicious cinnamon-infused honey.
My favorite honey to use is raw orange and mango bloom. I was delighted to find 1 jar left in my cupboard to make the trip back to the USA with me! Any type of raw honey will work well.
Cinnamon-Infused Honey — 2 Ways
No Heat Cinnamon-Infused Honey
This slow, no heat method, preserves all of honey's nutritional benefits. Makes about 1 quart.
Ingredients
- 15 cinnamon sticks
- 1 quart raw honey
Instructions
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Place cinnamon sticks in a 1 quart Mason jar.
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Fill jar with honey to 1/2 inch below rim.
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Stir and tap the sides to remove any air bubbles.
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Screw on the lid.
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Place the jar in a cupboard or some other dark place where you will see the jar every day.
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Flip the jar upside down and shake gently once a day to move the honey around the cinnamon.
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Leave for at least one month.
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Once the honey is infused, pour through a small strainer to remove the cinnamon from the honey.
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Store in a glass jar.
Gentle Heat Cinnamon-Infused Honey
Use gentle heat over a period of a couple hours to retain many of honey's health benefits. Makes about 1 quart.
Ingredients
- 15 cinnamon sticks
- 1 quart raw honey
Instructions
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Place cinnamon sticks in a double-boiler.
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Cover with 1 quart of honey.
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Cover the pot and bring the water to a gentle simmer.
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Allow the cinnamon to steep in the honey for 2 hours.
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Remove the honey from the heat.
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Pour through a small strainer to remove the cinnamon from the honey.
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Store in a glass jar.
Have you made infused honey before? What kind did you make?
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I was not aware of the differences between ceylon and cassia cinnamon. I’ll try to be more mindful of this in the future. How do you use your honey Katie? Do you bake with it or stir it into tea? It’s beautiful. In a pretty jar I think it would make a nice gift.
I normally just use it in my tea or coffee.
I thought cassia was banned in the US and EU for use in food products. I read that it is used as an ingredient to make rat poison in Germany. It does have a chemical that harms kidneys, that is if you take it like a teaspoon of the stuff at a time for blood sugar control. This chemical is absent in Ceylon Cinnamon.
No, it is not banned.
Ceylon sticks can be bought at Sprouts. Cheap. I always buy all they have on the floor and ask if they have any more in the back. Cinnamon honey add to your oatmeal or steel cuts oats, turns it into pudding. I am Ceylon Cinnamon crazy. Grind my own powder for maximum freshness.
I do onion, garlic, ginger honey. With all together great for when I feel a cold coming on or when I am sick I’ll sip it all day
I’ve done garlic, onion and oregano in honey for colds, I love the idea of using ginger!
I have done elderberry honey for years…actually pick our own in the mtns in the fall, also adding oranges, lemons, clove, cinnamon, keeping it pretty much on the sweet side.
great for colds…also infuse elderberry in brandy for winter colds!
This sounds great; but how many ounces is 15 cinnamon sticks?
I have never measured, it will still taste wonderful if you are off by a stick or two.
Just to let you know, that Ceylon is now known as Sri Lanka and has been for awhile.
Yes, you are right that the country of Sri Lanka is no longer called Ceylon. The cinnamon is still most commonly referred to as Ceylon. The latin name for the tree is “Cinnamomum verum”. Its synonym is “Cinnamomum zeylanicum “which was derived from the word Ceylon. Sorry for the confusion!
My favorite morning drink is just hot water, but i mix 1/4 tsp fine ground organic cinnamon with my tsp. of honey, then stir together.
Sounds tasty!
Where do you get the Ceylon cinnamon?
I am so sorry I missed this! I bought mine at a Mexican market, you could check there, an online herb store, or possibly Amazon.
Hello. I am from malaysia. I am making infused cinnamon ceylon honney,with wild honney. after two weeks of soaking the honey turns watery an there is alot of bubbles at the top but the taste is still good. Is the honey still good?
Yes. It’s most likely spontaneously fermenting. 🙂
if you dont mind can i email you the picture my honey? the white foam bubbles makes me worry. can i have your email address?
How long can the honey be stored? Can you waterbath it for longer storage?
Sounds really good!
Hi Katie,
I am interested to try out your recipe of cinnamon infused honey with wild honey. May I know how many grams of honey you used (as per your recipe, you mentioned fill the jar with honey to 1/2 inch below rim, that is roughly how many grams if I am not using Mason jars)?
What will be the length and diameter of the cinnamon? Can I have a picture of your honey?
Thank you so much.
I have been making it for years and love it. Since I like it very strong, I use cinnamon sticks and powder. Here a recipe for a tea that uses the cinnammom honey and is great for cold m but can also be drauk with ice cubes in summer: In a large stainless steal pan add 3 litter of water, 1 cinnamon stick, about 10 cloves, 2 (very ripe) passion fruits (just the inside!) and about 5oz of fresh ginger (cut in 3 pieces or so and can have the skin on if well washed). Bring to a boil and let it boil for 5 minutes. or so. Cover while warm and set aside for 24 hours (on countertop, no problem). Repeat the boiling process for two more days. On the 3rd day, let it cool down, strain it and when totally cool, put it a bottle (i use an empty plastic mineral water bottle as it is clean and can be discarded after the tea is gone). It stays good for a week in the fridge or for 3 days on the countertop. If you have a cold, or just want to warm up, warm the tea and add the cinnamon honey. If you a hot and want to chill, have it cold with ice cubes. it is delicious and healthy…..and great for cold symptoms.
I make cinnamon infused honey and I’m trying to find a way to use the cinnamon sticks after infusion. Do you have any suggestions?