The Perfect Cinnamon Sugar Ratio (Easy Cinnamon Sugar Recipe)

Getting the cinnamon sugar ratio right makes for delicious cinnamon toast and other tasty goodies.

The perfect cinnamon sugar ratio is simple: 1 part ground cinnamon to 4 parts granulated sugar. This super easy cinnamon sugar recipe strikes the perfect balance of aromatic, slightly spicy cinnamon to sweet cane sugar. I always keep some on hand for those nights when I make cinnamon sugar toast for myself as a late-night snack, whether on regular sandwich bread or homemade English muffin bread.

But of course, you can do much more with this blend of cinnamon and sugar than make cinnamon toast! It’s also great for making cinnamon donuts, topping homemade apple pie or peach pie, sprinkling over cookies before baking, incorporating into French toast, and more. I even use a variation of it in my cinnamon roll cake and gooey cinnamon rolls!

Here’s how to use the perfect ratio to make your own cinnamon sugar at home.

How To Make Perfect Cinnamon Sugar

The perfect cinnamon sugar ratio is one part cinnamon to four parts sugar.

You’ll need:

1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup ground cinnamon

To make the perfect cinnamon sugar, just mix together a quarter cup of cinnamon and a cup of white granulated sugar.

Directions:

Add the sugar and ground cinnamon to small bowl and whisk until well combined.

To make less cinnamon sugar: Using your knowledge of the best ratio of cinnamon to sugar (1 part cinnamon to 4 parts sugar), it’s easy to make this cinnamon sugar mix in any amount you want. (For example, if you want to use 1/2 cup of sugar, you’d add 2 tablespoons of cinnamon.)

Note: If you regularly find yourself looking up how many tablespoons are in cup and other such kitchen conversions, be sure to download my free printable kitchen conversions and measurements charts!

An old-fashioned shaker like this is great for serving cinnamon sugar, but to keep it at peak flavor, seal it up and store it in a cool, dry place.

How To Store Cinnamon Sugar

Sugar is one a number of foods that don’t expire, and while ground cinnamon will stay good for a while, it will eventually lose some of its flavor. You’ll enjoy the best flavor from cinnamon within 6 months of opening it, after which it will start to lose some of its intensity of flavor and aroma.

I like to store my cinnamon sugar in a repurposed shaker container to make it quick and easy to sprinkle onto whatever I’m making. If you don’t use it very often, you may want to store your cinnamon sugar in the freezer to keep it fresh longer.

Cinnamon Sugar Variations

Using brown sugar and cinnamon gives your cinnamon sugar an earthy, hearty flavor.

Use Brown Sugar Instead Of White Sugar

For a tasty departure from classic cinnamon sugar, try using brown sugar instead of white sugar. With a rich depth of flavor and higher moisture level, this spiced sugar blend is frequently used to fill cinnamon rolls (and it’s also quite good on hot cereals like oatmeal!)

However, I personally think the perfect ratio of ground cinnamon and granulated sugar isn’t quite right for brown sugar. I usually use a ratio closer to 1 part cinnamon and 6 parts brown sugar (or 1 cup of brown sugar and about 2 1/2 tablespoons of cinnamon).

There are three different varieties of cinnamon, and all of them are just fine for cinnamon sugar.

Try A Different Type Of Cinnamon

While I’m happy to buy whatever sugar and cinnamon happen to be available at the grocery store or Costco, there are actually three different cinnamon varieties you find in specialty stores or online. Each variety has its own unique flavor and aroma, and can make a delicious impact when used in your favorite recipes!

Cassia Cinnamon: Dark, spicy, slightly bitter. Most common variety sold in grocery stores.
Ceylon Cinnamon (Sri Lankan Cinnamon): Sweet, subtle, and aromatic. Sometimes called “true cinnamon”. Sticks are soft and brittle.
Saigon Cinnamon (Vietnamese Cinnamon): Fragrant and warm, even a bit spicy. Sticks are tough and woody.

The 1:4 cinnamon sugar ratio is perfect if you’re using cassia and Saigon cinnamon. If you’re using Ceylon cinnamon, you may need to use a bit more of it to strike the right balance of sweetness and cinnamon flavor.

While I’m personally only familiar with the cassia variety, my daughter Britta has had only good things to say about the Sri Lankan cinnamon sticks she bought online recently use in her baking projects. According to her, the sticks were somewhat tricky to grate due to their softer texture, but the nuanced flavor and complex aroma it lended to her homemade snickerdoodles made it well worth the effort!

You can spice up your cinnamon sugar by adding a bit of allspice or nutmeg, or a variety of other spices.

Add Other Spices

Try adding other baking spices to cinnamon sugar to make your own spiced cinnamon sugar blend! Scoop a few tablespoons of cinnamon sugar into a small bowl, then mix it up by adding a dash of one of these spices: