You can use cinnamon instead of nutmeg at a ratio of 1:1. Cinnamon can replace nutmeg at a 1:1 ratio, and the dish turns sweeter and more familiar for it. The swap works in cakes, cookies and custards, where cinnamon's warmth is welcome, and it is weakest in béchamel sauce and savoury dishes, where nutmeg's bitter depth is the flavour the dish needs.

All amounts in this guide are approximate. Taste as you go, adjust to your dish, and verify with a kitchen scale where weighing matters, because a spoonful can vary with how full it is and how finely the ingredient is ground.

The ratio, in a table

The table below scales the swap from the smallest amount to a full batch. The rule never changes: 1:1.

Nutmeg called for Cinnamon to use Notes
1/4 tsp nutmeg 1/4 tsp cinnamon Start here for a first try
1/2 tsp nutmeg 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg 1 tsp cinnamon The most common amount
1 tbsp nutmeg 1 tbsp cinnamon
2 tbsp nutmeg 2 tbsp cinnamon Taste before adding more

Worked examples

A béchamel sauce with no nutmeg

A béchamel sauce recipe calls for a pinch of nutmeg, but the nutmeg is gone. Use a pinch of cinnamon instead, stirred into the sauce at the same point. The sauce turns slightly sweeter, which suits a lasagne or a cauliflower cheese, though it loses nutmeg's bitter depth. It is a fair trade, because a pinch of cinnamon in a white sauce is barely noticeable, and the sauce still tastes rich and complete.

A spice cake that calls for nutmeg

A spice cake recipe asks for 1 teaspoon of nutmeg in the batter. Swap in 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, sifted into the flour the same way. The cake turns sweeter and more familiar, with the warm, woody flavour that most people associate with a spice cake. It is a lighter, friendlier cake than the nutmeg version, and it suits a family tea better than the deeper, more complex original.

A batch of eggnog for the holidays

An eggnog recipe calls for nutmeg grated over the top, but the nutmeg is finished. Use cinnamon instead, dusted over each glass. The eggnog tastes sweeter and more familiar, with the warm spice that most people expect in a holiday drink. It is not the classic eggnog, which is nutmeg's drink, but it is a good one, and the cinnamon suits the cream and the rum.

What changes in the result

The flavour turns sweeter, simpler and more familiar, losing the warm, bitter depth that makes nutmeg distinctive. In a cake or a cookie that is a fine trade, because cinnamon is the spice most people expect. In a béchamel sauce or a savoury dish it is a real loss, because the dish loses the complexity that nutmeg gives it. The colour lightens slightly, and the aroma turns sweeter. The texture does not change, because both are ground spices. The dish gets friendlier and less complex, which suits a family cake and not a classic sauce.

When not to substitute

Do not swap a hot spice for a sweet one (or the reverse) without tasting — the dish changes completely. If the recipe depends on nutmeg for its defining flavour or structure, do not make the swap at all. Buy the missing ingredient instead, because a substitution that changes the dish into something else is not a substitution worth making.

Where it works best, and where it does not

Cinnamon shines as a nutmeg substitute in cakes, cookies, custards, rice pudding and eggnog, where its sweetness is welcome. It is at its best in sweet dishes, where cinnamon belongs anyway. It fails in béchamel sauce, in savoury gratins and in any dish where nutmeg's bitter depth is the point, because the dish turns too sweet and loses its balance. For those dishes, use a pinch of white pepper with the cinnamon, which restores some of the bite that nutmeg would have given.

How to use it well

Use the same amount, 1:1, because cinnamon is milder than nutmeg and the dish can take the full dose. Add it at the same point as the nutmeg, sifted into the flour or stirred into the milk. Taste before serving, and if the dish tastes too sweet without nutmeg's bitterness, add a tiny pinch of black pepper or a squeeze of lemon to balance it. Use true cinnamon or cassia as you like; cassia is stronger and sweeter, while true cinnamon is milder and more delicate, and either works as a nutmeg substitute.

A last tip for this swap

One more thing worth knowing: when cinnamon replaces nutmeg in a custard, stir it into the milk while it warms, which spreads the spice evenly and stops it clumping on the surface. A pinch of cinnamon in a custard is barely noticeable, which is exactly right, because the spice should support the eggs and cream, not dominate them. Taste the custard before it sets, because cinnamon's sweetness can make a custard taste sweeter than the recipe intended, and a squeeze of lemon in a fruit custard balances it.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use cinnamon instead of nutmeg?

Yes, at a 1:1 ratio, in cakes, cookies, custards and eggnog. Cinnamon is sweeter and simpler than nutmeg, so the dish will taste more familiar and less complex. Do not use it in béchamel sauce or savoury dishes where nutmeg's bitter depth is the point, because the dish will turn too sweet.

How much cinnamon replaces nutmeg?

The same amount, 1:1. A recipe calling for 1 teaspoon of nutmeg needs 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, and a recipe calling for 1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg needs 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon. Because cinnamon is milder, you can use a little more if the dish tastes flat, but start with the same amount and taste.

Will the dish taste the same?

No. Nutmeg is warmer, deeper and slightly bitter, while cinnamon is sweeter and more familiar, so the dish changes character. In a cake the change is small and most people will enjoy it. In a white sauce the change is larger, because the sauce loses the complexity that nutmeg gives it. The swap saves a sweet dish; it does not reproduce a savoury one.

What is the best substitute for nutmeg?

Cinnamon is the best all-round substitute, because it is the closest in warmth and it works in the same dishes. Allspice is closer in complexity, and mace, which is the outer covering of the nutmeg seed, is the closest of all, though it is hard to find. For a cake, cinnamon is the right call; for a white sauce, a pinch of cinnamon with a pinch of white pepper comes closer.

Can I use cinnamon instead of nutmeg in a white sauce?

Yes, in a pinch, but use less than the recipe says, because cinnamon is sweeter than nutmeg and a white sauce should not taste sweet. A small pinch of cinnamon, with a pinch of white pepper, gives the sauce warmth and bite without making it taste like a dessert. Taste the sauce before serving, and add the cinnamon gradually.

Related links