Cassia Cinnamon
Korintje cassia is the cinnamon already in your memory: bold, sweet, a little spicy, the kind that makes a kitchen smell like something good is happening.
What It Is
Cassia cinnamon comes from the bark of trees grown primarily in Indonesia, and korintje is the variety most Americans have been reaching for their whole lives without knowing its name. It is stronger and more assertive than Ceylon cinnamon, with a deep sweetness and a faint bite that holds up through baking and long cooking.
The difference between cassia and its sibling Ceylon matters most when flavor is the whole point. Cassia pushes forward. It can carry a dish on its own.
What To Do
Use it anywhere you want warm, familiar cinnamon flavor: oatmeal, French toast, sweet potato dishes, chili, spiced nuts, or stirred into coffee. A quarter teaspoon disappears into a pot of chili and rounds out the whole thing without announcing itself. A full teaspoon in snickerdoodle dough is where cassia really shows off.
For baked goods, treat it like the recipe expects: measure carefully, because cassia is potent and a heavy hand reads as sharp rather than sweet. Store it away from heat and light, and use it within a year or two for the best flavor.
