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Coffee Drink

Cinnamon Latte Recipe: Ground Spice, Sticks or Syrup

By Mara EllisonReviewed by Online Coffee Guide editorial teamPublished Updated 5 min read

A cinnamon latte is espresso and milk flavored with cinnamon. This version uses ground spice without syrup or added sugar. Mixing the cinnamon with a little espresso first helps distribute it, although some sediment is normal.

Latte art with a dusting of brown spice and cinnamon sticks beside the cup.
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Drink Snapshot

Caffeine
About 75 mg (reference)36 g prepared espressoEstimate from USDA prepared-espresso data; beans and brewing affect caffeine.
Calories
About 100 kcalDefined recipe; all measured ingredients servedIngredient estimate is 101 kcal, rounded to 100; sweetener is excluded.
Serving, sugar and sources
Serving
36 g prepared espresso + 160 g (⅔ US cup) whole milk + 0.25 g (a scant ⅛ US tsp) cinnamon
Made with
Espresso + whole milk
Sugar
About 8.1 g total. Almost all of the sugar is naturally present in the milk; no added sugar.
Preparation
About 5 minutes; equipment ready

USDA composition references and named labels, checked 25 September 2026. Milk is weighed before heating; liquid left in the pitcher affects actual intake. See the full calculation or label comparison.

Key Takeaways

  • 1Start with 0.25 g (a scant ⅛ US tsp) ground cinnamon and mix it into a small part of the espresso before adding milk.
  • 2The 36 g espresso and 160 g (⅔ US cup) whole-milk recipe has about 100 kcal and 8.1 g total sugar, mainly from milk.
  • 3Ground spice, stick infusion and cinnamon syrup give different textures; syrup also changes sweetness.
On This Page11 Sections

How Can You Add Cinnamon to a Latte?

Choose the texture first. Ground cinnamon gives a direct spice flavor with some sediment. A strained stick infusion leaves fewer particles. Syrup makes mixing easier and usually adds sweetness.

How Can You Add Cinnamon to a Latte?Scrollable table
How Can You Add Cinnamon to a Latte?
MethodStarting approachMain tradeoff
Ground cinnamon0.25 g (a scant ⅛ US tsp) mixed into a little espresso, then the rest of the drinkSimple and unsweetened; fine particles remain
Cinnamon stickInfuse warm milk, remove the stick, then frothFewer particles; intensity depends on the stick and steep time
Cinnamon syrupMeasure according to the exact product and tasteConvenient; sweetness and calories follow the syrup label

The American Chemical Society's cinnamon activity explains why cinnamon tends to float and gather instead of readily wetting. Stirring a small amount into coffee helps distribute it; it does not turn ground bark into a completely dissolved liquid.

Cinnamon latte sequence: measure 0.25 g cinnamon, stir in 5 to 10 g from the 36 g espresso, then add the remaining espresso and 160 g milk
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The 5–10 g mixing portion comes from the 36 g espresso total; weigh the 160 g milk before steaming.

Ground Cinnamon Latte Recipe

One unsweetened latte, about 5 minutes with the equipment ready. Use a 250 ml (8.5 US fl oz) cup with room for the foam.

Recipe

Ground Cinnamon Latte

Makes:
1 serving
Time:
About 5 minutes; espresso equipment ready

Ingredients

  • 18 g coffee, ground for espresso
  • 160 g (⅔ US cup) cold whole milk
  • 0.25 g (a scant ⅛ US tsp) ground cinnamon

Equipment

  • Espresso equipment, fine scales, milk pitcher, spoon and 250 ml (8.5 US fl oz) cup

Method

  1. Put 0.25 g (a scant ⅛ US tsp) ground cinnamon in a warmed 250 ml (8.5 US fl oz) cup.
  2. Brew 18 g ground coffee to 36 g espresso. Stir 5–10 g of that espresso into the cinnamon, then add the rest.
  3. Steam 160 g (⅔ US cup) cold milk to 60–65°C (140–149°F) with fine, pourable foam.
  4. Pour all the milk into the cinnamon espresso, keeping the foam integrated.
  5. Stir gently and serve. Fine spice particles may settle; stir again if needed.

Estimated nutrition per serving: 100 calories; total sugar 8.1 g. Serving: One latte made with 36 g espresso and 160 g (⅔ US cup) milk.

Recipe notes

Milk is weighed before steaming; estimates assume all 160 g (⅔ US cup) is served.

No added sweetener. The caffeine estimate uses USDA espresso data.

If your steam wand cannot work well with 160 g (⅔ US cup) milk, use suitable smaller equipment or account for milk left behind; the nutrition calculation assumes all the measured milk is served.

Follow the espresso brewing method for the 18 g coffee dose and 36 g output. Add the cinnamon after extraction.

Steamed milk being poured into coffee in a ceramic cup.
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Measure 0.25 g cinnamon for the latte; the spice bowl holds more than one serving.

Adjust the grind until the espresso tastes balanced. See latte for the underlying milk-coffee method.

What Does a Cinnamon Latte Taste Like?

A cinnamon latte combines warm spice aroma with creamy milk and the roasted flavor of espresso.

I like cinnamon for its aroma, so I start with a small amount. A heavier dose brings more texture as well as flavor, and I don't enjoy a latte that feels dusty even when it smells inviting.

For honey sweetness with espresso, use the separate honey latte guide. Café con miel uses its own brewed-coffee, milk, honey and cinnamon recipe.

Cinnamon Latte with a Stick or Syrup

Stick infusion: as a home starting point, warm 160 g (⅔ US cup) milk with one small cinnamon-stick piece, 5 cm (2 in) long, then remove from heat and infuse for about 3 minutes. Remove the stick, strain if it sheds particles, and warm/froth the milk as needed. Taste before increasing the infusion time; stick thickness and freshness vary. Spice uptake varies, so the ground-spice nutrition estimate does not describe this infusion exactly.

Syrup: mix a measured small portion into the espresso, then add milk. Follow the bottle's portion and sugar information. Use the syrup’s stated portion rather than the ground-spice weight. A café's branded cinnamon drink may also include toppings or another flavored sauce.

If you want ginger and a broader baking-spice flavor, see gingerbread latte. Its measured syrup recipe is distinct from adding more ground cinnamon to this drink.

Ceylon vs. Cassia Cinnamon

Both can flavor coffee. BfR distinguishes milder Ceylon cinnamon from more assertive Cassia types and recommends lower-coumarin Ceylon for people who frequently use large quantities of cinnamon. Read the package to identify the type; color alone is not a dependable label. Use cinnamon as a small flavoring addition.

Iced Cinnamon Latte Variation

Use the same 36 g espresso and 0.25 g (a scant ⅛ US tsp) cinnamon, but reduce the milk to 120 g (½ US cup) cold milk. Disperse the spice in part of the espresso, add the rest, and let it cool. Fill a 350 ml (11.8 US fl oz) glass with 120 g (4.2 oz) ice, add the milk and coffee mixture, then stir. Do not steam the milk for this version.

Ground spice remains particulate even when the drink is cold. A strained stick infusion or a measured syrup may suit you better if you dislike sediment; the nutrition table below includes the smaller milk portion used over ice.

Cinnamon Latte Troubleshooting

Cinnamon Latte Troubleshooting
Cinnamon Latte Troubleshooting
ProblemWhat to change
Dry clumps floating on topStir the spice with 5–10 g of the espresso before adding the remaining coffee and milk
Sediment at the bottomStir again, use less ground spice, or switch to a strained stick infusion
Harsh or dusty finishReturn to 0.25 g (a scant ⅛ US tsp) before adding more sweetness
Too little spice aromaCheck freshness, then increase in a small measured step next time
Large bubbles or hot, cooked milkReduce aeration and stop heating earlier; aim for fine, pourable foam

Cinnamon Latte Calories, Caffeine and Allergens

The hot cinnamon latte has an estimated 100 kcal, 8.1 g total sugar and 75 mg caffeine. No sweetener is added; most sugar is naturally present in the milk. Dairy-free and syrup versions need their own ingredient labels.

Cinnamon Latte Calories, Caffeine and AllergensScrollable table
Cinnamon Latte Calories, Caffeine and Allergens
Defined servingCalories, estimatedTotal sugar, estimated
Base recipeAbout 100 kcal8.1 g
Base plus 6 g (1½ US tsp) granulated sugarAbout 125 kcal14.1 g
Iced variation with 120 g (½ US cup) milkAbout 75 kcal6.1 g
Ingredient calculation for the hot and iced versions

Calculation basis: 160 g whole milk at USDA's 61 kcal and 5.05 g sugar per 100 g, 36 g prepared espresso at 9 kcal per 100 g, and 0.25 g cinnamon at the historical USDA SR28 values of 247 kcal and 2.17 g sugar per 100 g. The base totals 101.46 kcal and 8.09 g sugar before rounding. The optional 6 g sugar uses 387 kcal and 99.8 g sugar per 100 g; the iced version reduces only the milk in this calculation.

The same USDA prepared-espresso record gives 212 mg caffeine per 100 g. The 36 g espresso portion calculates to 76.32 mg, rounded to 75 mg.

For a lower-caffeine version, follow the decaf latte guide; decaf still contains some caffeine.

The recipe contains milk. Check plant-drink and syrup labels for your own dietary needs; a flavor name alone does not describe all ingredients.

Common Questions

Does cinnamon dissolve in a latte?
Ground cinnamon does not disappear like sugar. Mixing it into a small part of the espresso disperses it, but fine particles can remain and settle.
Can I make a cinnamon latte without syrup?
Yes. The main recipe uses 0.25 g (a scant ⅛ US tsp) ground cinnamon and no added sweetener. Milk still contributes naturally occurring sugar.
Can I add cinnamon directly to coffee grounds?
This method adds spice after brewing. Keeping it out of the espresso basket makes the spice amount easier to adjust without changing the extraction.
Can I use a cinnamon stick instead?
Yes. Infuse the milk, remove and strain the stick, then froth. Strength varies with the stick and infusion, so it is not a gram-for-gram substitute for powder.
Is a cinnamon latte the same as a chai latte?
No. This version is espresso, milk and cinnamon. A chai latte uses a tea-and-spice base and may contain several spices and sweeteners.

Editor's Take

Sources and Further Reading

7 references

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