Why do we talk about two cinnamons?

The first time a customer asked me if all cinnamons were equal, I placed two sticks in front of him without saying a word. One thin, light, fragile, crumbling like rolled paper. The other thick, dark, hard as wood. He immediately understood they were not the same product. Yet, these are the two main families known as cinnamon: Ceylon cinnamon and Cassia cinnamon.

What few people know is that most cinnamons sold in supermarkets, especially ground, are Cassia. It is the most common, cheapest cinnamon with a powerful taste that we often associate with autumn and desserts. Ceylon cinnamon, on the other hand, is rarer, sweeter, more subtle, and is sometimes dubbed noble cinnamon. Understanding this difference is like moving from ordinary vanilla to single-origin terroir vanilla: suddenly, you don't cook quite the same way anymore.

At Le Comptoir de Toamasina, I am committed to making this distinction clear, because it changes both the flavor of your dishes and how you use the spice daily.

How to recognize them at a glance?

The good news is that the distinction is easily made by eye on whole sticks. Ceylon cinnamon comes in thin layers of bark rolled inside one another, like a small layered cigar. The stick is light, leaning towards golden brown, and is brittle, crumbly, easy to crush into powder. When looking at it end-on, you see multiple rolled layers, somewhat like tree rings.

Cassia, conversely, presents as a single thick layer of bark, rolled inward on itself into a dense, hard scroll. Its color is darker, often reddish-brown. The stick is sturdy, difficult to break by hand, almost woody. This structural difference is the most reliable way to spot them. In powder form, it is naturally trickier, but Ceylon yields a lighter, finer powder, whereas Cassia offers a darker, denser powder.

Ceylon cinnamon, sweet and fragrant, elevates brioches and fine pastries.

Does the taste really change?

Yes, and that is perhaps where the difference is felt most in cooking. Ceylon cinnamon has a delicate, floral, almost citrusy fragrance, with natural sweetness and very little bitterness. It coats the palate without dominating it, making it valuable in fine pastries, creams, fruit compotes, where finesse is sought over power.

Cassia plays a completely different tune. Its taste is warmer, more intense, fuller-bodied, with that sharp, slightly astringent note that many spontaneously identify as the taste of cinnamon. It gives character to stews, tagines, mulled wines, spice blends where presence is desired. Neither is inherently better: they simply don't serve the same purpose. As I often say at the counter, Ceylon whispers while Cassia speaks loudly.

Should we watch out for coumarin?

This is a point I want to address honestly, without dramatizing. Cassia naturally contains a substance called coumarin in significantly higher quantities than Ceylon cinnamon, which contains only traces. Coumarin is an aromatic compound found in several plants. Health authorities recommend avoiding excessive and regular consumption, which simply calls for moderation with Cassia, especially if you consume a lot of it every day.

This does not mean Cassia should be banned, far from it. Used normally, to flavor a dish or dessert occasionally, it poses no concern. But if you are someone who sprinkles cinnamon every morning in large quantities, Ceylon becomes a more suitable choice, precisely because it contains very little coumarin. This is also one of the arguments that, along with its finesse, justifies its reputation as noble cinnamon.