Overview

Chinese cinnamon, also known as cassia, is the dried bark of the evergreen tree Cinnamomum aromaticum (syn. Cinnamomum cassia), native to southern China and widely cultivated across southern and eastern Asia. Its flavor is stronger, more pungent, and less sweet than true cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum), with a rough, thick bark that curls into a single quill rather than the multiple thin layers of Ceylon cinnamon. It is the most common form of cinnamon sold in the United States and much of Asia.

Origin and history

Chinese cinnamon has been harvested and traded in China since ancient times, with early records referencing its use in traditional medicine and as a spice [1]. It was one of the key spices traded along the Silk Road and later reached Europe through Arab merchants, where it was often conflated with true cinnamon. By the 16th century, European traders distinguished cassia from Ceylon cinnamon, though the two remained interchangeable in many markets. Today, China, Indonesia, and Vietnam are the largest producers, with Vietnamese cassia (often labeled Saigon cinnamon) commanding a premium for its high oil content [2].

Varieties and aliases

  • Cassia
  • Chinese cassia
  • Cinnamomum cassia (synonym)
  • Saigon cinnamon (Vietnamese variety, Cinnamomum loureiroi, sometimes grouped with Chinese cinnamon in trade)
  • Padang cassia (Indonesian variety)
  • Korintje cassia (Indonesian variety, commonly exported to the U.S.)

Culinary uses

Chinese cinnamon is used whole as quills or ground as a powder. In Chinese cuisine, it is a component of five-spice powder and appears in braised meat dishes such as red-cooked pork and soy-braised beef. It is also used in pho broth (Vietnamese) and in many Indian curries and rice dishes. In Western baking, ground cassia is the standard cinnamon for cinnamon rolls, cookies, and apple desserts. The bark is typically removed before serving when used whole, as it remains tough and woody.

Cross-cuisine context

Chinese cinnamon is the direct functional analogue of true cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum) in Mexican cuisine, where both are used in sweet and savory contexts. Mexican cinnamon (canela) is almost always true cinnamon, which is softer, sweeter, and more floral. Chinese cinnamon can substitute for canela in Mexican dishes like arroz con leche, champurrado, and café de olla, but the result will be more pungent and less delicate. In other LA-relevant cuisines, Chinese cinnamon appears in Korean braised dishes (jjim), Persian khoresh stews, and Filipino adobo, where it is sometimes added whole for background warmth. No direct analogue exists in Salvadoran or Guatemalan cuisines, where canela is the standard.

Notes for cooks

  • Chinese cinnamon contains higher levels of coumarin than true cinnamon. Coumarin may be hepatotoxic in large doses. For frequent or heavy use, consider Ceylon cinnamon instead.
  • To distinguish Chinese cinnamon from true cinnamon: cassia quills are thick, hard, and curl in one direction; true cinnamon quills are thin, papery, and layered like a cigar.
  • Store whole quills in a sealed container away from light for up to two years. Ground cassia loses potency after six months.