Cinnamon comes from the genus Cinnamomum, in the laurel species of trees. Although there are two types available on the market, cassia and Ceylon, both are made from the bark of the tree. The bark, in stick or ground form, contains oils and cellulose that will not dissolve in liquid. To get the most cinnamon flavor from your spice, make an infusion.
Float the cinnamon stick in the hot liquid or boiling water for 15 minutes to release the oils and flavors. Remove the stick before consuming.
Place a cinnamon stick in a spice grinder to make fresh ground cinnamon for infusing. Grind it based on the manufacturer’s instructions. Skip this step if you bought pre-ground cinnamon.
Fill a tea ball with ground cinnamon. Use a teaspoon per cup of liquid for a strong cinnamon flavor. Place the tea ball in a cup of hot liquid like tea or soup and let it steep for 10 minutes. Ground cinnamon doesn’t require as much steeping time as cinnamon sticks.