Should You Buy Cinnamon or Grind It Yourself? For me, the answer is a resounding and unquestionable Yes. Cinnamon is one of my favourite spices, but I never buy it already ground.
Cinnamon is one of the best spices in terms of flavour because of the volatile oils it contains, which are responsible for a mystically satisfying flavour profile.
Making sure the flavours in your recipes are well-balanced can completely transform a bite, deeping, sip, or scoop. Several variations are possible. It comes in a wide variety of forms, including liquid, stick, and powder. It’s great for your health and has anti-aging and anti-inflammatory properties.
Reasons why you should grind your own cinnamon
If you don’t have a good grinder or if this is your first time grinding spices, it may be easier to just buy cinnamon powder from the store.
What follows is an explanation of the benefits of grinding your own cinnamon, as well as a guide to the various methods available for doing so.
Nutrients Retention
There is no need to include the letter “c,” which stands for cinnamon, when referring to spices, even though they are among the healthiest of all natural ingredients.
Even if you don’t use your freshly ground cinnamon for a week or two, it will still retain all of its nutritional elements because of its lack of exposure to air. This means that you should buy whole cinnamon sticks and grind them yourself.
Better taste or freshness of flavours
A freshly ground cinnamon powder can’t possibly have a stale taste, right? Using freshly ground cinnamon toasts is a perk of doing your own grinding. When cinnamon is fresh, it adds a special something to any dish.
The use of ground cinnamon is not without merit, but one must wonder how long it has been ground and how fresh the flavour is when purchased. These are the justifications for doing your own cinnamon grinding.
Health benefits
Cinnamon comes in many forms: sugar, spice, and both ( which can come in different forms of sticks or powder). These shapes play critical roles in maintaining our health. Sugar flavoured with cinnamon, for instance, has more flavour than regular sugar.
Overconsumption of regular sugar can lead to health problems like diabetes, but cinnamon sugar has the consistency of honey and a pleasantly refreshing flavour.
It’s safe to use it as a dough mixer or to dip baked goods in before eating.
Both the ground spice and the sticks have anti-inflammatory and fat-reducing properties.
How can I grind cinnamon sticks?
Grinding cinnamon requires first roasting the whole sticks over a low flame for two minutes to dry them out, and then crushing them into a fine powder.
You can use a mortar and pestle, if you have the strength, or a food processor, spice grinder, or coffee grinder. For every cup of cinnamon sticks you grind, be sure to add one teaspoon of brown sugar.
Spice grinder
This type of appliance was developed for the sole purpose of making fine, smooth, granular blends of spices for optimal flavouring in cooking.
If you use a spice grinder, the burrs inside will grind the cinnamon sticks into a fine powder without letting any large pieces slip through. Cinnamon powder can be made from them easily because of how finely ground they are.
Food processor
It is highly recommended that you utilise a food processor to powder your cinnamon sticks. As a high-powered, commercial-grade machine, the food processor makes quick work of the grinding process. The flavour it imparts will be pleasant as well.
It has specialised burrs to break down cinnamon sticks into the fine powder you need for your cooking. If you’re looking for a quick and simple solution to the grinding process, then this machine is for you.
Coffee grinder
The natural strength of coffee beans is slightly higher than that of cinnamon sticks (except in extremely over-roasted and dried sticks), so coffee grinders are ideal for achieving a fine cinnamon ground.
Make sure your coffee grinder isn’t completely full, then grind your sticks into powder using as many cycles as necessary.
Mortar and pestle
If you don’t have a grinder, you can still grind your cinnamon stick into powder. The use of a mortar and pestle, on the other hand, is more primitive, but it is also more efficient and requires no extra money or power. Stop wondering how and why I said that. While a grinder would be more effective, this method still gets the job done.
Put as many cinnamon sticks as you like in your mortar (the more room for accommodation, the more effective they are), grab your pestle, and pound them gently so they don’t pop out of the mortar.
You can stop pounding when you get the desired amount of powder or when your hands become too tired to continue.
Nonetheless, I’m afraid this technique might not provide you with the desired results if you’re looking for a very fine or silky cinnamon powder.
If you don’t have access to a blender, grinder, or food processor, you’ll have to pound until you can’t pound any more. It’s possible that one day you’ll be successful in achieving your goal.
Grater or Zester
Cinnamon sticks are easily grated. You can use a zester or a box grater to grate your quills, whichever you prefer or have on hand.
These are perfect for breaking up cinnamon sticks into manageable chunks, after which you can run them through your spice grinder, blender, food processor, or coffee grinder to get them to the consistency you prefer.
Using the sharp blades of a grater or a zester, you can grate your sticks into a bowl.
FAQs
Is it better to use cinnamon sticks than powder?
If you want to infuse liquid with a wonderful cinnamon flavour, cinnamon sticks are your best bet, but if you want that same flavour in a solid like cake, you’ll need to use the powdered form of cinnamon and sprinkle as little or as much as the recipe calls for on top.
While cinnamon powder is more affordable, cinnamon sticks are more costly. However, the former provides superior flavour when freshly ground.
Is fresh ground cinnamon stronger?
There is a positive response to this question. The reason for this is that there is a wider variety of flavours available in it than what can be found commercially. The question is whether you want to use less or have a great, robust cinnamon flavour.
You won’t believe what a huge difference there is between store-bought cinnamon spice and freshly ground cinnamon. But I’m on the side that appreciates excellent flavour.
Are ground cinnamon and cinnamon powder the same?
Each term is equivalent to the other in meaning. Although the latter is slightly finer in texture, they both work equally well in cooking. As long as you’re using the same species of cinnamon, ground cinnamon and cinnamon powder will taste identical.
This is due to the fact that different varieties of cinnamon have distinctive flavour profiles due to their unique chemical compositions.
Can you grind cinnamon sticks in a blender?
Certainly, you are welcome to. Simply place your cinnamon sticks in the blender cup, connect the cup to the blades, and press the “start” button to obtain a smooth blend. In the unlikely event that the result of your blending is not as silky as you’d like, you can always start over.
Also, to prevent jamming the blades and preventing a smooth blending experience, don’t put too many of these sticks into the blender at once. Cinnamon sticks can be finely and smoothly ground using the Magic bullet blender, which is widely regarded as one of the best spice blenders available.
Should You Grind Your Own Cinnamon – Conclusion
When we use cinnamon as a spice, it improves the overall flavour and texture of our food. Only those who have been there can attest to its veracity. In its liquid form, it can be used to flavour dough that can then be dipped in it for a tasty snack.
You can use any of these methods to grind cinnamon sticks and add 1 teaspoon per cup. If you want fresh cinnamon, grinding your own is preferable to buying a jar from the store. Store-bought cinnamon powder, on the other hand, is more cost-effective without sacrificing flavour.
In contrast to the reddish appearance of cassia cinnamon, the real stuff has a tan colour, and its flavour and texture are more subtle and sweet.
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