Perfect Pairings & Recipes for
Cinnamon

Discover the best flavour pairings for cinnamon based on data analysis of thousands of recipes. Find perfect ingredient matches & delicious recipes.

Cinnamon is defined by the unmistakable twin signatures of cinnamaldehyde and clove, but beneath its bitter surface lies a nuanced symphony of subtle flavour notes: allspice, ginger, and even hints of hay. These are the notes that lend it such remarkable, resonant depth. And the true alchemy of the kitchen begins when we seek out partners that allow these individual notes to truly sing, to harmonise in unexpected and delightful ways.

To illuminate these harmonies, we embarked on an ambitious journey, analysing thousands of ingredients. Each was meticulously deconstructed across 150 distinct flavour dimensions, allowing us to pinpoint precisely which notes complement in both classic and unexpected ways. Our exploration reveals, for instance, how the sweet, toasted furfural in date can lift cinnamon, and how maple syrup's sotolon notes forge a beautiful synergy with its fragrant spiciness.

An ingredient's flavour comes from its core characteristics, like spice, woody, and floral, combined with its unique aroma notes (outer bars). When pairing ingredients, aim to include a broad variety of core characteristics for a balanced dish. And choose aroma notes that complement each other for a harmonious combination.

The Secret Language of Flavour

To understand exactly which flavours harmonise, we compiled a database of over 50,000 ingredient pairings commonly used in cooking. We then analysed these pairings, identifying the specific flavour notes that frequently appear together.

The Flavours That Harmonise With Cinnamon Notes

Our analysis reveals a strong connection between cinnamon and maple flavours. Since cinnamon has a distinct cinnamonic flavour, try pairing it with the maple flavours of maple syrup.

The recipes below provide inspiration for pairing cinnamon with maple syrup.

Harmonious Flavours Of Cinnamon

Just as our analysis highlighted that cinnamon and maple flavour notes are harmonious, we can identify the full profile of flavours that harmonise with each of the notes present in cinnamon. For instance, the clove-like flavours of cinnamon are strongly associated with burnt and porky accents.

The accents associated with the various notes of cinnamon can be seen highlighted in the pink bars below.

Matching Flavour Profiles

The flavour profile of date offers many of the aroma notes complementary to cinnamon, including molasses and raisin notes. Because the flavour profile of date has many of the of the features that are complementary to cinnamon, they are likely to pair very well together.

The chart above shows the unique profile of date across 150 dimensions of flavour, while the recipes below offer inspiration for bringing these flavours together with cinnamon.

Recipes That Pair Cinnamon With Date

Linked Flavour Notes

Looking at the accents that are most strongly associated with the various flavours of cinnamon, we can identify other ingredients that are likely to pair well.

The left side of the chart above highlights the aroma notes of cinnamon, along with the complementary aromas associated with each note. While the right side shows some of the ingredients that share many of the aroma notes complementary to cinnamon.

What To Drink With Cinnamon

The raisin notes in cream sherry make it a perfect pairing with cinnamon. Likewise, the raisin flavours in vincotto create a match made in heaven. Explore a variety of ingredients below that beautifully complement the unique character of cinnamon below.

Which Fruit Go With Cinnamon?

Choose fruit that resonate with its pungency or resonate with its fragrant spiciness. Date and date syrup offer vibrant, clean counterpoints, their verdant freshness lifting the palate. Medjool date add a gentle, oniony brightness, while dried fruit introduces a sophisticated, anise-tinged elegance.

Alternatively, embrace fruit that harmonise with cinnamon's warmth. The addition of sultana, with its subtle seminal notes, can complement the allspice beautifully, while dried apple lends a dried-fruit sweetness.

How Flavonomics Works

We've pioneered a unique, data-driven approach to decode the intricate art of flavour pairing. Our goal is to move beyond intuition and uncover the science of why certain ingredients harmonise beautifully. This rigorous methodology allows us to provide you with insightful and reliable pairing recommendations.

Our analysis begins with over 50,000 carefully selected recipes from acclaimed chefs like Galton Blackiston, Marcello Tully, and Pierre Lambinon. This premium dataset ensures our model distils genuine culinary excellence and creativity.

Each ingredient from these recipes is deconstructed across 150 distinct flavour dimensions, creating a unique numerical "flavour fingerprint." This quantification allows us to apply advanced analytical methods to identify complex patterns between flavour notes.

We identify popular ingredient combinations that frequently appear in our recipe database. Regression analysis is then performed on these pairings to statistically validate and pinpoint truly harmonious flavours.

These insights drive our predictive model, which allows us to take any ingredient (e.g., Cinnamon), analyse its detailed flavour profile, and accurately reveal its complementary flavours and perfect ingredient partners.