7 cinnamon recipes to remind you that fall has arrived

Pumpkin spice has become the defining spice of autumn in the United States, but the thing about pumpkin spice is that it’s mostly cinnamon. Sure, there’s ground ginger and clove, but the predominant flavor profile is cinnamon.

To be clear, I am not against this. Cinnamon’s warmth is essential to cozy winter desserts and can be the secret to rounding out a savory dish, too.

There are different varieties of cinnamon with different degrees of spice intensity, but the most common one found in U.S. grocery stores, homes and professional kitchens is cassia cinnamon: reddish brown, mildly spicy and a touch sweet. You can read more about cinnamon types and their taste differences here, but in most cooking situations you’ll likely find the difference negligible.

Below you will find seven of the simplest and best cinnamon recipes from our archives. We hope they help you usher in autumn.

Simple Cinnamon Coffee Cake, above. This easy cake with a super short ingredient list is exactly what you want with your afternoon coffee or tea. If you’ve got more time to devote to a cinnamon project, try making Old-Fashioned Cinnamon Babka.

(Photos by Stacy Zarin Goldberg for The Washington Post; food styling by Lisa Cherkasky for The Washington Post)

Horchata With Cinnamon and Vanilla. Not ready for warm, wintery beverages yet? Keep it cool with this sweet, cinnamony rice-and-milk beverage.