Gyepi-cha: The Korean Cinnamon Tea I Hated as a Kid (and Can't Stop Drinking Now)

 There's a specific kind of memory that comes wrapped in a smell. For me, that smell is cinnamon.

When I was little, my family would bring out gyepi-cha (계피차) every winter, and I would scrunch up my nose the second the steam hit me. It smelled sharp, spicy, almost medicinal. I couldn't understand why the adults loved it so much. I'd take one polite sip and quietly push the cup away.

Fast forward a few decades, and here I am, actively seeking out cinnamon tea. Not because I suddenly love the smell more. It's because somewhere along the way, I started hearing about all the reasons it's good for you 🌿 — and now that same "too strong" aroma smells like warmth, comfort, and something my body actually wants. Funny how getting older changes your nose as much as it changes your habits.

If you've had a similar experience with a food or drink you avoided as a kid, you'll understand exactly what I mean. Today I want to introduce gyepi-cha properly: what it is, why Koreans have relied on it for generations, and how you can make it at home — wherever in the world you're reading this from.

What Is Gyepi-cha?

A cozy cup of warm Korean cinnamon tea (gyepi-cha) topped with dried jujubes

Gyepi-cha is a traditional Korean tea made by simmering cinnamon bark in water. In Korean, "gyepi" (계피) refers to the dried bark of the cassia cinnamon tree, and "cha" simply means tea. Korean cinnamon tea typically uses Cassia cinnamon bark rather than the milder Ceylon cinnamon more common in the West, giving it a slightly bolder, spicier flavor than you might be used to.

It's traditionally sweetened with honey or brown sugar and often served with a few jujubes (dried Korean dates) floating on top for a touch of natural sweetness and color 🍯🍂. Some households simmer the cinnamon bark together with ginger, since the two warming spices pair naturally in cold-weather drinks.

You'll often see gyepi-cha served warm in the winter and chilled in the summer, since the spice comes through more vividly once it's cold.

Why Koreans Reach for Gyepi-cha

This isn't just a nostalgic grandma drink — cinnamon itself has a long history of being valued for more than flavor.

  • A warming tonic. In Korean food culture, cinnamon is considered a "warming" ingredient, something you drink to feel cozy from the inside on a cold day.
  • Antioxidant properties. Cinnamon bark contains natural antioxidant compounds, which is part of why it's been used in traditional remedies across many cultures, not just Korea.
  • Blood sugar support. Some research suggests that cinnamon tea may help support healthy blood sugar levels and insulin sensitivity, which is likely one reason it has remained popular among older generations who are more mindful of these factors.
  • A comforting digestive drink. Many Koreans drink it after a heavy meal, the way you might reach for peppermint tea elsewhere.

If you enjoy warming spice teas like this, you might also like doraji-cha (Korean bellflower root tea) — another root-based tea with its own distinct medicinal history.

Note: These are traditional beliefs, not medical claims.

For more root teas from Korean tradition, check out ueong-cha (burdock root tea) and chik-cha (kudzu tea).

An Adelaide-Friendly Way to Make It

You don't need to track down anything exotic to make gyepi-cha here in Adelaide. Cinnamon sticks (look for Cassia or "Korean cinnamon bark" if you can find a Korean grocer near Chinatown) and jujubes are the only special ingredients, and both are shelf-stable and easy to keep on hand.

Simple homemade gyepi-cha:

  1. Simmer 4–5 cinnamon sticks in about 1 litre of water for 20–30 minutes, until the water turns a deep reddish-brown.
  2. Strain out the cinnamon bark.
  3. Stir in honey or brown sugar to taste.
  4. Add a few sliced jujubes or pine nuts on top for a traditional finish.
  5. Serve warm in winter, or chill it for a spiced iced tea in summer.

It's genuinely one of the easiest traditional teas to make from scratch — no special equipment, no hard-to-find ingredients.

A Sweet Pairing: Yakgwa

If you want to turn this into a full tea-time moment, gyepi-cha pairs beautifully with yakgwa (약과), a honey-soaked fried Korean cookie. The deep, spiced warmth of the tea balances the rich sweetness of the cookie perfectly — a pairing I'll be covering in more detail soon.

Final Thoughts

I don't think I'll ever love the raw smell of cinnamon bark the way my grandmother did. But I understand why she loved it now in a way I couldn't as a kid. Some tastes aren't about instant pleasure — they're about what your body starts asking for as you get older. Gyepi-cha, for me, has become exactly that kind of drink.

If you've had a food or drink that flipped from "no thank you" to "yes please" as you've gotten older, I'd love to hear about it in the comments 💬.

Want more videos like this? Follow my channel!* [Jeongmi's Sip and Spoon on YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/@JeongmisSipandSpoon)


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