Dish × condiment pairing
Which cinnamon for French toast?
Season : all-year · Occasion : breakfast, weekend
Saigon cinnamon, whisked into the custard. French toast is bread soaked in sweet egg and griddled, and Saigon's hot, sweet bark cuts through the richness where mild cinnamon disappears. Whisk a half teaspoon into the egg-and-milk dip so every slice carries it through. About $11 a jar.
In detail
The best cinnamon for French toast is Saigon cinnamon, whisked into the custard rather than dusted on top. French toast is bread soaked in sweet egg and cream then griddled, a rich, fast cook, so the cinnamon has to register in the dip before the slice ever hits the pan. Saigon, a Vietnamese cassia carrying one of the highest essential-oil concentrations of any cinnamon, 4 to 6%, brings the hot, candy-sweet bark that cuts the egg-and-cream richness where a milder Ceylon disappears. Whisk about half a teaspoon into the egg-and-milk custard for four to six slices, and keep stirring between dips since ground cinnamon floats and settles. Whisking it into a little melted butter or the sugar first helps it disperse. A dusting on the surface only tastes raw and dusty by comparison. Burlap & Barrel's single-origin Royal Cinnamon runs about $11 a jar; the supermarket Saigon does fine for a weekday batch.
Our recommendation
Spice · Whole spice
Saigon Cinnamon
Highland forests around Huế and Quảng Nam, central Vietnam, Vietnam
hot cinnamon candy · sweet bark · clove-like warmth
French toast is rich, sweet and quick to cook, so the cinnamon has to register in the custard before the bread even hits the pan. Saigon, a cassia with 4 to 6% essential oil, brings the hot, candy-sweet bark that cuts the egg-and-cream richness where milder cinnamon vanishes. Whisk it into the dip, not over the top, so every bite carries it. About $11 for a single-origin jar, a small dose doing real work.
Intensity 6/10
Where to buy it
Prices checked on
| Merchant | Price | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Burlap & Barrel | — | Burlap & Barrel |
| Amazon US | — | Amazon US |
| The Spice House | — | The Spice House |
Prices may vary depending on current promotions on the merchant site.
Affiliate links — La Pincée may earn a commission on some sales, at no extra cost to you. Read more.
The catch
Don't dust the cinnamon over the finished toast. Ground cinnamon on a hot surface tastes raw and dusty, and it never penetrates the slice. Whisk it into the custard instead, so it soaks all the way through and cooks with the egg. Sprinkle it on at the end and you get a chalky top note over bread that tastes only of sweet egg underneath.
Chef's note
Pre-mix the cinnamon with fat. Ground cinnamon floats on a watery custard and clumps, so whisk your half teaspoon of Saigon into a tablespoon of melted butter or the sugar first, then beat that into the eggs and milk. Stir the dip between every slice; the spice settles to the bottom fast. Griddle on medium so the custard sets before the outside burns.
Tasting note
hot cinnamon candy · sweet bark · vanilla custard · griddled edge · about $11 for the single-origin jar, but a weekday batch is fine with supermarket Saigon. Worth it if you make French toast often; otherwise skip the upgrade.
These three sections appear on every one of our pairing pages — our methodology.
Alternatives to explore
-
Spice · Spice root
Pragati Turmeric
near Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh, India
Turmeric has no place in French toast and is listed only for contrast: this is a sweet baking-spice pairing where cinnamon, not an earthy root, carries the flavor.
Frequently asked questions
- Should I put cinnamon in the custard or on top?
- In the custard. Whisk about half a teaspoon of Saigon into the egg-and-milk dip so it soaks into every slice and cooks evenly on the griddle. A dusting on top sits on the surface and tastes of raw, dusty cinnamon by comparison.
- Why won't cinnamon mix into my French toast batter?
- Ground cinnamon is hydrophobic, so it floats and clumps. Whisk it into a little melted butter or the sugar first, then into the eggs, and keep stirring the dip between slices so the spice doesn't settle to the bottom of the bowl.
- How much cinnamon for French toast?
- About half a teaspoon of Saigon for a custard dipping four to six slices. Scale back from a generic cinnamon, since Saigon's high oil content makes it hotter and sweeter per spoon than the supermarket default.
This pairing was validated according to our methodology. Purchase links are marked sponsored and may earn a commission — details on our Affiliations page.