Cinnamon in New Orleans Money Magic: How I Use It (and Why)

Cinnamon money magic is one of the first things people ask me about. Usually the question is simple: why cinnamon, and does it matter how you use it? It matters more than most guides admit. In this article, I’ll share where the spice got its reputation for drawing wealth. Then we’ll visit an old New Orleans drugstore, and I’ll walk you through the weekly routine I use at my own altar. You’ll also learn about the two kinds of cinnamon in your kitchen, plus the small mistakes that muddy the work.

Why Cinnamon Money Magic Began With a Trade Secret

Long before anyone dusted a wallet with it, cinnamon was money. The spice reached Egypt as early as 2000 BCE, carried by merchants who kept its Sri Lankan source a secret. Egyptians even used it as a perfume in embalming.^[1]

The secrecy was the point. The Greek historian Herodotus repeated a story that giant birds built their nests from cinnamon sticks on high cliffs. According to the tale, traders lured the birds down with heavy pieces of meat. Then the nests broke and the cinnamon fell. The fable kept the true source hidden and the price high.^[1]

So when I say cinnamon “carries wealth,” I don’t only mean a spiritual idea. For thousands of years, this bark was literally a luxury you could trade. That history is the root of cinnamon money magic, and it’s why the magical properties of cinnamon lean so strongly toward prosperity. Even the word is old and well-traveled. It comes to English through Latin from the Greek kinnamōmon, and it is related to the Hebrew qinnāmōn.^[2]

From Holy Anointing Oil to a Rampart Street Drugstore

People have also treated cinnamon as sacred for a very long time. For example, the Book of Exodus gives a recipe for holy anointing oil. It calls for myrrh, fragrant cinnamon, fragrant cane and cassia, blended into olive oil.^[3] In other words, cinnamon and its cousin cassia sat side by side in one of the oldest ritual recipes we have.

Here in New Orleans, that sacred streak met everyday practice. For decades, ordinary-looking pharmacies sold hoodoo supplies to their customers. One of the best known was the Cracker Jack drugstore at 435 South Rampart Street. The pharmacy moved into that building in 1907, and the city tore the building down in 1972.^[4]

The Cracker Jack sold products with labels like Money-Drawing and Fast Luck. Its popular good luck charm, Van-Van, called for oil of cinnamon along with lemongrass and rosemary oils. Color mattered too. Green or gold stood for wealth, and these positive charms always had a pleasant scent.^[4] That’s why so many of us still reach for green candles and warm scents in cinnamon money magic.

What Does Cinnamon Do Spiritually? Heat, Speed and Pull

If you ask what cinnamon is good for spiritually, most practitioners give you three words: heat, speed and attraction. The heat comes from the taste itself. Put some on your tongue and it warms you. So folk practice treats it as a spice that “heats up” a working. Many of us also link it to fire and the sun for the same reason.

Speed follows from heat. In my own cinnamon money magic, I add it when a money matter feels stuck. Think of an unpaid invoice, or a job offer that keeps stalling. It’s meant to warm things up and move them along. However, it doesn’t replace effort. It supports the effort you’re already making.

Attraction comes from the scent. Cinnamon fills a room quickly, and in the old way of thinking, a pleasant smell draws good things toward it. This fits a much older New Orleans habit. Believers used gris-gris bags, small bundles of charms and ingredients, to attract love, success, protection and luck. The word itself traces back to the Mende language of West Africa.^[5] For me, the spiritual properties of cinnamon sit right inside that tradition of drawing blessings in.

Cassia or Ceylon? Choosing Cinnamon for Money Magic

Here’s a detail many readers don’t know: the cinnamon in most American kitchens isn’t “true” cinnamon. Ceylon cinnamon grows mainly in Sri Lanka. Cassia cinnamon, grown in southeastern Asia, is the most common type sold in North America.^[6]

Both work for cinnamon money magic, but they feel different in the hand. Cassia sticks are thick, hard and hot. Ceylon sticks are thin, papery and softer in scent. So I use cassia when I want something bold, like dressing a candle for a big push. Instead, I choose Ceylon for gentle, ongoing work, such as a jar that sits on my altar for months.

There’s also a practical reason to know the difference. Some cassia products contain high levels of coumarin, a natural compound that can affect the liver.^[6] That matters if you drink cinnamon tea every day as part of your practice. For dusting, dressing and burning, either one is fine.

My Weekly Cinnamon Money Magic Routine

I keep this simple, because a routine you actually repeat does more than an elaborate one you try once. I do it on Thursday. In traditional correspondences, Thursday belongs to Jupiter, the planet of growth and abundance. If Thursday doesn’t suit you, Sunday is a good second choice.

First, clear the doorway. I sweep my front step and wipe the threshold. The idea is that money needs a clean path in. Scrubbing the front step is a familiar New Orleans habit, and I simply carry it into money work.

Second, dust the money. Next, I put a small pinch of ground cinnamon in my wallet. I add another pinch to the envelope that holds my business receipts. It isn’t about the amount. It’s a signal that I’m paying attention to where money lives.

Third, dress a green candle. Then I rub a little olive oil on a small green candle and roll it lightly in cinnamon. I want money to come toward me. So I rub the oil from the top down to the middle, then from the bottom up. If you want a fuller guide to this step, my green money candle spell guide walks through timing and preparation.

Fourth, speak plainly. I light the candle and state my wish in one sentence. For example: “Steady, honest income comes to this house.” Clear words matter more than fancy ones.

Finally, carry the stick. After the candle burns down safely, I tuck a short cinnamon stick in my wallet for the week. The next Thursday, I replace it and start again.

Burning Cinnamon Sticks: Spiritual Meaning and Safe Smoke

People often ask about the spiritual meaning of burning cinnamon sticks. In short, smoke is how many traditions send an intention outward. The rising smoke carries the wish up and out, while the warm scent draws good things back in. Burning cinnamon also tends to lift the mood of a room, and that shift is part of the work.

However, a cinnamon stick won’t burn like incense. It chars at the tip and goes out. So I set a piece on a lit charcoal disc in a heat-safe dish filled with sand. Alternatively, you can simmer sticks in a pot of water with orange peel for a gentler version. That’s my favorite form of cinnamon money magic during a long workday, because the scent keeps working quietly in the background.

Keep a window cracked, and never leave smoldering bark alone. Also, check your smoke alarm before you start. Too much smoke in a closed room turns a calm ritual into a headache.

Common Mistakes That Weaken Cinnamon Money Magic

The first mistake is using too much. More cinnamon doesn’t mean more money. Cinnamon oil can also irritate skin. So always dilute it in a carrier oil before it touches your hands.

The second mistake is using old, flat spice. If your jar has no smell, it has lost what made it useful. I buy small amounts and replace them every few months.

Another common mistake comes from social media. You may have seen the “first of the month” trend, where people blow cinnamon through the front door. It’s a lovely modern ritual, but it isn’t an ancient rule. Also, powder on the floor can bother pets and stain light carpets. A pinch on the outside step works just as well.

The last mistake is treating the spell like a vending machine. Cinnamon in witchcraft supports action. It doesn’t replace sending the invoice, making the call or asking for the raise. As a result, I always pair my cinnamon money magic with one practical step that same week.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is cinnamon used for in witchcraft?

Practitioners mainly use cinnamon to draw money, luck and success, and to speed up a working. Practitioners also use it for warmth in love work and to lift the energy of a home.

What does burning cinnamon mean spiritually?

Burning cinnamon is meant to send an intention outward while its scent draws good fortune in. Many people also burn it to refresh the feeling of a room before other spell work.

Can I use ground cinnamon for cinnamon money magic?

Yes. Ground cinnamon is ideal for dusting wallets, cash drawers and candles, while sticks are better for burning, simmering and carrying.

Which day is best for a cinnamon money spell?

Thursday is the traditional choice because it belongs to Jupiter, the planet of abundance. Sunday is also popular because of cinnamon’s link to the sun.

Is it safe to put cinnamon oil on my skin?

Undiluted cinnamon oil can irritate skin. Always mix a few drops into a carrier oil like olive or almond oil, and test a small spot first.

References

1. Spice Migrations: Cinnamon. Jeff Koehler, AramcoWorld, January 5, 2021. https://www.aramcoworld.com/articles/2021/spice-migrations-cinnamon
2. Cinnamon: Definition & Meaning. Merriam-Webster. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cinnamon
3. Exodus, Chapter 30. United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). https://bible.usccb.org/bible/exodus/30
4. The Cracker Jack: A Hoodoo Drugstore in the “Cradle of Jazz.” Carolyn Morrow Long, 64 Parishes (Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities), October 2, 2017. https://64parishes.org/crackerjack
5. Voudou. Carolyn Morrow Long, 64 Parishes (Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities). https://64parishes.org/entry/voudou
6. Cinnamon: Usefulness and Safety. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH). https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/cinnamon

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