Cinnamon is one of those herbs that not only smells good but tastes good! It’s also incredibly good for you which is why we did a post a while back called The 12 Health Benefits of Cinnamon. We’re going to show you another way to use it by making your own cinnamon oil. It’s super easy and a lot less expensive than buying it!
Supplies
Approximate measurements are 2 cups extra virgin olive oil and 5 to 10 sticks depending on size. I just toss in sticks and cover them with olive oil. (I use sticks because it is less messy and much easier to work with.)
- Good quality cinnamon sticks.
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Clear jar for the first part of the process.
- Amber or green colored glass jar.* For storage after its made. Wide mouthed is easiest to fit the sticks into. (Always store oils in a dark glass jar. No plastic. The jar must be dark because any light will affect the oil and make it lose its properties.) Glass is always best as the oil can draw in chemicals from plastic.
NOTE: If you can’t get a dark jar, use a clear jar. If you can’t get a jar use plastic. Despite the fact that a dark jar is best use what you have. Just store your oil in a dark cool place.
*Some food items and vitamins come in dark glass bottles such as vinegar’s, cooking oils, alcoholic beverages etc. You can use an empty one of those to hold your oil. Most will have small openings.
Download
Instructions & Labels (pdf)
Instructions
- Place your cinnamon sticks in a pan and barely cover them with olive oil. The amounts do not have to be exact. A good estimate is 5 to 10 sticks for every 2 cups oil.
- Bring the oil to a simmer. (DO NOT BOIL as olive oil is damaged by high heat.) Simmer your sticks for 2 to 3 hours.
- Place the oil and sticks into a clear glass jar. Cover and let it sit for about 3 weeks in a warm spot or window sill where it will get light, gently turning the jar upside down a couple times every day. The warmth further helps extract the cinnamon.
- Place the oil in a dark jar to preserve it. Store the oil in a cool dry place. You can either remove the sticks or keep them in during storage. I remove them once they turn a lighter color. That means all the goodies are extracted.
The oil will last for 1 year.
NOTES: This oil is not as strong as essential oils nor as fragrant. But it still has great medicinal properties and can be used as you would regular essential oil. It can also be taken internally. Test when using on skin as cinnamon is a “hot” spice, but this version is fairly tame. You can also skip the simmering step and just let the sticks soak for three weeks but the heating makes the oil much stronger and more medicinal.
Pour olive oil over cinnamon sticks to cover.
Simmer for 2 to 3 hours.
Pour all into a clear jar and let sit for 3 weeks in a warm spot or window will where it will get light, turning once a day.
This is my oil in a dark jar. This jar had vitamins in it. I removed the store label and added my own (included in the download). It’s also a good idea to date your jar.
I will try this method for sure.
Thank You for sharing.
I wonder whether I could use coconut oil for a higher smoke point?
Thanks for the great recipe!
(Also, you might encourage people to use Ceylon rather than Cassia cinnamon as the latter can damage the liver)
I’ll have to add this to my stash.
Interesting.
i needed cinnamon oil for a recipe and it costs a fortune. will this work the same way?
This is a fun idea. Never thought to make cinnamon oil.
Just made this tonight. Going out in a minute and putting it in a jar and then setting it on the window sill.
With the olive oil there was no smell at all, the only smell was the Cinnamon.
Thank you for posting this.
You’re so welcome Melinda. I’m so glad you found it useful!
If you do not have a dark bottle can you not just cover the bottle to make it dark?
Oh, I love this, and need to read it again! you have the basics laid out so clearly! Great job.
I haven’t tried this yet, but I think I would rather use grapeseed oil, as olive oil has a distinctive smell of its own… Also, if one doesn’t have brown glass jars, I think it might be ok to make a sleeve for it out of an old sock or just some pretty fabric.
Hi Susan! This was my one an only attempt and I’m not super knowledgeable about this stuff but that’s a great idea.
This is my first time gardening and i have tried myself growing tomatoe plants straight from the tomatoe into the dirt no ine seed by one seed in a small pot but straight into the garden and it started to work but then they died I did it again but in a little pot with soil not dirt and they hlt pretty big i just found out about cinnamin and coffee grounds but I already knew about egg shells but i thoughy you just throw it onto or around the palnts not in with the roots so my rise bushes are full of afids but can not afford lady bugs now i know i can use cinnamon this is wonderful and also I have a rabbit that is a pest ans wont leave my garden alone now this also is a wonderful thing to know about thank you for all tbis informatioknand help and ideas like i said I am a newbie at this and learning this on my own no one to help me to know the ins and outs of gardening ! Thank you again
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Great recipe! Can you diffuser it?
Hi Amanda! This is not “extracted” oil so it does not have the strong cinnamon smell so I don’t think it would work well in a diffuser.
Very late reply but its not got the stronger smell of professional oils. Not sure how it would diffuse but you could certainly try!
I can across your page I have made some cinnamon oil but I can’t find recipes for the oil can you help me. Thanks
I’m not quote sure what your asking Tonya. My recipe is on this page. Ü
Hi! Thank you so much for this post! I’d like a stronger cinnamon oil. Do you think I could add more sticks, dimmer longer, “steep” longer and/or break them up and then strain before use?
Also, do you have any recipes such as clove, lemon, etc?
I’ve just discovered your blog via Pinterest and I can wait to “snoop around” a bit! ☺️
Hi Sarah! I’m not sure if that would work or not to be honest. The methods they use to get the “essential” oils out of things are much more intense, hence why those are so strong. This is a weak version I’m afraid. Its the only one I have for right now though I do plan on doing more herbal things in the future. Hope you enjoy looking around our site! Thanks so much for stopping by. Ü
You could make a tincture with cinnamon sticks. I made some with cinnamon and cacao and it wasnt but just a few days they were smelling delicious! Just fill a glass bottle 1/3 – 1/2 with cinnamon and fill rest with vodka. It will change color and will be more of an extract. This is how to make vanilla ,orange ,lemon, cinnamon extract for cooking. The flavor and scent goes into the vodka. Pour the extract into a shallow dish and cover with cheese cloth so the alcohol can evaporate, dont let it touch liquid. Whats left is basically the essential oil of the spice or herb. Hope this helps!✌
I’m sure that it could be made stronger by removing the spent cinnamon and reheating with new sticks. I do that with other herbal oils and extracts to make them stronger.
Great idea ! I will have to give this a try. Thanks for sharing your recipe.
You’re welcome Diane!
Can you use this oil for making cinnamon candy? Or is there another recipe I could use. I make lots of cinnamon candy at Christmas each year.
Thanks, Lisa
No Lisa this is mainly for therapeutic purposes. Its not strong enough for cooking. You want to buy food grade oil for that. Ü
You make the best stuff and I want to feature you each week. I need to spread the love, so I’ll settle for a pin!
What a kind thing to say. Thanks so much Diana. Ü I’ll settle for a pin!
Thank you for this! I would have never have thought that making an essential oil would be as easy as this. I will be pinning this to one of my boards!
You’re very welcome. Ü Good luck!
Thank you for this! I love that it’s simple to make. Can I use this oil for my beeswax candles?
I would love to read your reply.. thank you!
Great idea – have not thought of doing this with cinnamon sticks. I have done it with lavender from my garden and jojoba oil and that worked out well this past summer.
I use cinnamon oil but never thought of making my own. I will have to give this a try. Thanks for sharing your recipe and the printable.
You’re welcome Linda. Appreciate you stopping by and commenting. Ü
This is awesome. I love essential oils and it’s even cooler that you can make them yourself. I think this would be great in some of my matcha recipes. Can’t wait to try it. Pinning.
Thanks so much Denise. Ü
Love the easy printable to go with this. So cool! What would you use the oil for? Would you put it in tea? Eat a spoonful? Just wondering how to ingest it after making it.
You can ingest it or rub it on though you need to be careful as cinnamon is a hot spice. It depends on what you’re using it for. Ü