"...the answer invariably comes back: cinnamon."

"Cinnamon takes a back seat to no babka. People love cinnamon. It should be on tables at restaurants along with salt and pepper. Anytime anyone says, "Oh this is so good, what's in it?" The answer invariably comes back, 'Cinnamon.' 'Cinnamon.' Again and again. Lesser babka?? I think not."


Amen, Jerry. And amen.

Two Seinfeld references in a row? What's wrong with me? Nothing a little cinnamon can't cure. It's time for the Cinnamon Celebration round-up. I received 37 entries appropriate for any and every type of cinnamon craving you might have. We'll start with the desserts first:

Sophie from Flour Arrangements made a glorious treat that would be suitable for just about anyone--Gluten- and Lactose-Free Cinnamon Dulce de Leche Cake:


I got a gorgeous Maple-Glazed Apple Cake from Lindsey of Noodle Nights and Muffin Mornings:


Butterball, the gal responsible for the fabulously-titled blog A Butter World, made Sugar & Spice & Everything Naughty Pastry Hearts:


I think chocolate and cinnamon is a wonderful combination, and Nuria from Spanish Recipes agrees. Here's her Bizcocho con Chocolate (Chocolate Cake):


The Peanut Butter Boy, also known as Nick, brought back his Pumpkin Pie Peanut Butter Pudding, and I, for one, am very happy about it:


How does a Fig and Chile Chocolate Cake with Cinnamon Ice Cream sound? Vera of Baking Obsession has concocted a wonderful recipe and the presentation is nothing short of extraordinary:


Judith from Shortcut to Mushrooms was inspired by a book to make her Dim and the Dark Cookies:


Karen, the DomesticMuse, raises a good point--why aren't there Apple Brown Bettys all over the place? They're wonderful:


Ivy of Kopiaste contributed a unique and undeniably appetizing treat--Glyko Milo:


Although these Chewy Ginger Wedges from Peggy of The House of Kent are ginger-centric, they still honor cinnamon:


Kat from A Good Appetite also knows a thing or two about the pairing of chocolate and cinnamon. Take a gander at her Dark Chocolate Azteca Cupcakes with Cinnamon Buttercream:


There's no denying that apples and cinnamon belong together, and Gayle from Pastry Studio provides wonderful proof of that with her whimsically-named Apple of My Eye:


Here's another apple delight from MaryBeth of Dunkin Cooking the Semi-Homemade Way--Apple Footballs:


Donna of My Tasty Treasures sent in something I've never made myself, but would love to try--Baked Churro Munchies with Warm Chocolate Dipping Sauce:


Cinnamon makes a perfect compliment to the fruits in Abby's Orange & Cranberry Torte. Check out her blog Eat the Right Stuff for the wonderful recipe:


Jeanne, brilliant author of CookSister, contributed a glorious Spiced Pear Apple Pistachio Crisp, perfect for any day:


Here are two sensational creations sent in by Navita of Zaayeka. First, we have Sesame Sepculaas, which are completely new to me but look irresistible:


Her other treat is Vegan Banana Chocolate Bread, which can and should be enjoyed by all:


Marjie from Modern Day Ozzie and Harriet put a twist on a classic cake with her Meringue-Topped Spice Cake:


The last dessert-type dish was sent in by Sweatha of TastyCurryLeaf, and what do ya know--it's my favorite cookie. Here are her Snickerdoodles:



How about a couple of entrees? After all, meat likes cinnamon too.

First, Julia of Grow. Cook. Eat. made an interesting beef dish called Adina Kebabi, and it looks great:


Sylvie from Rappahannock Cook & Kitchen Gardener also paired cinnamon with beef. Here's her savory Red Cooked Beef with Sweet Potatoes:



I call these the breakfast beauties:

Lisa of The Cutting Edge of Ordinary has a marvelous recipe for Cinnamon Biscuit Rolls, the ultimate breakfast treat:


Here's that lovely apple again--OhioMom from Cooking in Cleveland made some beautiful Apple Cinnamon Twists:


Katie from Salt and Chocolate sent in her Baked Oatmeal, a delicious, convenient, and completely wonderful dish:


If you want a good laugh and also appreciate the wonder that is cinnamon toast, check out The Blonde Duck's ode on her blog A Duck in Her Pond:


You absolutely can't go wrong with a batch of Apple Cinnamon Muffins from Lori of Lori's Lipsmacking Goodness:


More muffins? Giz of the ever-delightful Equal Opportunity Kitchen made an all-time favorite--Donut Muffins:


Krysta, the evil chef mom and goddess who helped introduce me to Vietnamese cinnamon, began her bread-baking endeavors with this stellar Cinnamon Crumb Surprise:


Julia's back again with a different take on Cinnamon Rolls. I personally can never get enough:


It's time for a little chocolate--here are Elle's Mexican Hot Chocolate Muffins as seen on her most enjoyable blog, Elle's New England Kitchen:


Laura from The Spiced Life made cookies for breakfast, which is a-okay by me. Look at her Cinnamon Pumpkin Oatmeal (Breakfast) Cookies:


One final batch of my favorite breakfast--these Vanilla Pudding Cinnamon Rolls were created and enjoyed by Psychgrad of Equal Opportunity Kitchen:



Miscellaneous magic:

Ashley, the Culinarywannabe, made a lovely Breakfast Granola full of fruits and nuts:


Deeba of Passionate About Baking took her granola one step further and made Blueberry Oat Walnut Granola Bars:


Here's a recipe for an Apple Compote with Cinnamon, Vanilla, and Ginger Infusion from Olga of Olga's Recipes. Sounds marvelous, right?


Last but certainly not least, we have one more batch of granola a la Cathy of Where's My Damn Answer--here's her Cranberry & Mixed Nut Granola:



That's a lot of cinnamon goodness in one place. I can barely handle it all.

So, I guess you're wondering who won the shtick of Vietnamese cinnamon, am I right? Drumroll, please...

Laura! Congratulations! Not only do we share a love for "Friday Night Lights" and all things Whedonesque, but we also both appreciate the special spice known as cinnamon. Send me your info, and I'll send you some of the best stuff on Earth.