Shea Butter and Cinnamon Soap

Last updated: October 2026

How to make shea butter and cinnamon soap

Wearing gloves and eye protection, add 6.7 oz (191g) of lye to 13.5 oz (382g) of distilled water (never the reverse) and let it cool. Melt 1 lb (454g) shea butter, 1 lb (454g) coconut oil, 8 oz (227g) olive oil and 8 oz (227g) castor oil, then pour the lye solution into the oils when both are around 100–120°F (38–49°C). Blend to trace, stir in 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon, pour into a mould, leave 24–48 hours, then cut and cure the bars 4–6 weeks before use. More in Directions

A warm, spiced cold-process bar. This soap leans into a cozy moment with ground cinnamon stirred into a rich shea butter base. Combining cinnamon with shea butter, coconut oil, olive oil and castor oil, this traditional cold-process soap follows the fundamentals covered in How to Make Shea Butter Soap, with ground cinnamon, used in place of cinnamon essential oil, stirred in at trace for a warm, spiced character (the Essential Oils section below explains why). The bar is built on Baraka's unrefined shea butter, made by hand at the Konjeihi Women's Enterprise Centre in Ghana, which gives a soap maker a conditioning base with its natural colour and scent intact.

Many commercial cinnamon soaps are scented with blended fragrance oils, which give a strong, consistent scent from bar to bar; this one takes its warmth from a teaspoon of real ground cinnamon instead. It rewards a little patience: the batter comes together quickly, but the real transformation happens during the weeks of cure that follow. This project suits anyone who has made cold-process soap at least once before. For more shea-based projects, the Definitive Guide to DIY with Shea Butter gathers the recipes in one place.

In This Recipe:

• How to make shea butter and cinnamon soap
• What This Recipe Is For
• Why Make This Yourself
• Why These Ingredients Work Together
• Ingredient by Ingredient
• Before You Begin: Soap-Making Safety
• Ingredients
• Directions
• Troubleshooting
• Storage and Shelf Life
• Scaling and Substitutions
• Customisation Ideas
• Essential Oils
• Application Tips
• What We Know and How We Know It
• FAQ
• Try These Next
• Disclaimer

What This Recipe Is For

Everyday washing with a warm scent. This bar is made for people who want a hand-made soap with a gentle spice note and a creamy lather.

• Everyday cleansing with a rich, gentle lather
• A warm, spiced scent for a cozy self-care routine
• Replacing synthetic detergent bars with a traditional, hand-made alternative
• A luxurious, indulgent addition to a winter wash routine
• Giving as a hand-made gift once fully cured

Why Make This Yourself

Intermediate, about 4 lb (1,814 g). Skill level: intermediate. The process is forgiving in terms of mould choice, but precision matters for the lye, water and cinnamon measurements. This recipe yields about 4 lb (1,814 g) of soap by weight, which typically cuts into 8 to 10 bars. Prep time is about 45 minutes, the soap sets in the mould for 24 to 48 hours, and the bars then cure for 4 to 6 weeks.

There's something satisfying about watching a liquid oil-and-lye mixture transform into a warmly scented, spiced bar over the course of a few weeks. Store-bought cinnamon soaps are convenient and consistent, and many are scented with fragrance oils; this one uses real ground cinnamon, and the glycerin that forms naturally as the oils turn into soap stays in the bar. It's ideal for anyone who enjoys hands-on projects and wants full control over what goes into their soap.

Why These Ingredients Work Together

Conditioning oils balanced with lathering ones. This bar balances conditioning oils with cleansing and lathering ones, finished with a warm cinnamon character. Shea butter contributes deep conditioning and a smooth, creamy bar texture, and coconut oil is the primary cleansing and lathering oil, producing big, bubbly suds. Olive oil softens the bar's feel and supports mildness, while castor oil boosts and stabilizes the lather that coconut oil starts. Ground cinnamon finishes the bar with a warm, spiced scent.

The proportions matter as much as the oils. Shea butter and coconut oil each make up a third of the oils by weight, and olive and castor oil a sixth each. That keeps coconut oil at about 33% of the oils, which gives a hard bar with plenty of lather without tipping into a bar that feels drying; above about 35% coconut oil, most soap makers find the bar starts to strip.

Ingredient by Ingredient

Five ingredients plus lye and water. Each one has a job in the finished bar, and changing any oil changes both the bar and the lye it needs.

• Shea butter: Deeply conditioning, it helps keep the finished bar from feeling drying even with cleansing oils in the mix. Baraka's shea butter is unrefined, strained and filtered only, so it carries its natural ivory-to-pale-yellow colour and mild nutty smell into the soap. More shea makes a softer, creamier bar that takes longer to firm up in the mould.
• Traditional coconut oil: Drives the rich, bubbly lather this soap is known for, and in soap making it contributes hardness. More coconut oil gives a harder bar with bigger bubbles and a stronger cleansing feel; less gives a softer, milder bar.
• Olive oil: A gentle, mild oil that supports the bar's overall skin-comfort feel. It slows trace a little, which gives you time to stir in the cinnamon evenly.
• Castor oil: Stabilizes and enhances lather, helping bubbles last longer in use. Keep it at the stated amount: much more castor oil makes a sticky, soft bar.
• Ground cinnamon: Ground cinnamon brings a naturally warming, spicy character to this bar, along with a speckled brown tone and a very light texture.

Where the shea butter comes from

Baraka's shea butter is made by hand by women's producer groups at the Konjeihi Women's Enterprise Centre in Wa, in Ghana's Upper West Region, where Baraka founder Wayne Dunn has worked directly with the centre for over 15 years. The nuts are cracked, roasted, milled to a paste, kneaded with water and boiled so the fat separates, then cooled and filtered, with no solvent at any stage. You can see how that process works in How Handmade Shea Butter is Made, and what the work means for the women involved in Baraka's Social and Environmental Impact Report.

Before You Begin: Soap-Making Safety

Lye needs gloves, goggles and air. Sodium hydroxide burns skin and eyes, so set up before you open the container.

• Wear protective gloves and eye protection whenever you handle lye.
• Work in a well-ventilated area — open a window or work near an extractor fan.
• Always add lye to water, never water to lye.
• Keep lye, raw soap batter, and curing soap well out of reach of children and pets.
• This is an adults-only project from start to finish.
• Use only the 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon listed below, stirred in at trace.

Ingredients

Makes about 4 lb (1,814 g), 8 to 10 bars. Weigh every oil, the lye and the water on a digital scale.

• Shea butter — 1 lb (454 g)
• Traditional coconut oil — 1 lb (454 g)
• Olive oil — 8 oz (227 g)
• Castor oil — 8 oz (227 g)
• Sodium hydroxide (lye) — 6.7 oz (191 g)
• Distilled water — 13.5 oz (382 g)
• Ground cinnamon — 1 teaspoon (5 ml), stirred in at trace

Note: these lye and water amounts are calculated for this exact oil combination and weights. If you change any oil or its amount, always re-run the recipe through a soap calculator before making it — see the calculator links in Customisation Ideas, and check these figures in a lye calculator before you make the batch. Keep to the 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon listed.

How the amounts are calculated: each oil's weight is multiplied by its saponification value (how much lye is needed to turn that oil into soap): shea butter 1 lb (454 g) × 0.128 = 58 g, coconut oil 1 lb (454 g) × 0.183 = 83 g, olive oil 8 oz (227 g) × 0.135 = 31 g and castor oil 8 oz (227 g) × 0.128 = 29 g, so 7.1 oz (201 g) of lye would turn all the oils into soap. This recipe keeps a 5% superfat, so 201 g × 0.95 = 6.7 oz (191 g) of lye. The water is twice the lye, 13.5 oz (382 g), and the 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon is stirred in at trace and does not change the lye calculation. The values used for each oil are explained in our saponification value chart and soap-making guide.

Directions

About 45 minutes, then 4 to 6 weeks of cure. Work in this order, one step at a time.

1. Put on gloves and eye protection before handling lye.
2. In a heat-resistant container, slowly add the sodium hydroxide to the distilled water (never the reverse), stirring until fully dissolved. The mixture will heat up — set it aside in a ventilated area to cool.
3. Melt the shea butter, coconut oil, olive oil, and castor oil together gently until fully liquid.
4. Once the lye solution and the oils are both around 100–120°F (38–49°C), slowly pour the lye solution into the oils, stirring continuously.
5. Use a stick blender in short bursts, alternating with hand stirring, until the mixture reaches trace — it will thicken and leave a visible trail when you drizzle it across the surface.
6. Stir in the 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon at trace until evenly combined.
7. Pour the mixture into a soap mould, tap gently to release air bubbles, and cover.
8. Let the soap set in the mould for 24–48 hours before unmoulding.
9. Cut into bars once firm enough to handle, then set the bars on their sides in a well-ventilated space to cure for 4–6 weeks before use.

Troubleshooting

Most problems trace back to temperature, mixing or measuring. These are the ones that come up most with this bar, and what to do about each.

Storage and Shelf Life

Cure 4 to 6 weeks, then keep dry. Cure time is 4–6 weeks; do not use the soap before curing is complete, as it needs this time to fully harden and mellow. Cure the bars, and store them once cured, in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight — a drawer or shelf with airflow works well. Once cured, bars typically keep well for 12–18 months. Between uses, store on a well-draining soap dish to extend the life of each bar.

Airflow matters because curing is water leaving the bar, and a bar sealed in plastic too early stays soft. Keep finished bars out of steamy bathrooms when they are not in use, since a bar that sits wet softens and wears down fast. Shea butter you have not used yet keeps 2+ years when stored properly, away from heat and direct sun, so you can buy enough for several batches.

Scaling and Substitutions

Scale by weight and recalculate the lye. Every amount scales together, and the lye and water below are recalculated from the oils, not simply halved or doubled from the rounded figures.

For the half batch, the lye works out as 227 g × 0.128 + 227 g × 0.183 + 113 g × 0.135 + 113 g × 0.128 = 100 g, × 0.95 = 95 g. For the double batch it is 907 g × 0.128 + 907 g × 0.183 + 454 g × 0.135 + 454 g × 0.128 = 402 g, × 0.95 = 381 g. Check either figure in a lye calculator before you make the batch.

Substitutions change the lye, so every swap goes back through a lye calculator first. If you have no olive oil, sweet almond, avocado or sunflower oil can take its place at the same weight, and the calculator will give you a slightly different lye figure. Cocoa butter can replace part of the shea butter for a firmer bar with a faint chocolate note.

Customisation Ideas

Change the look, scent or shape, not the oils. These changes leave the lye calculation as it is, except where an oil changes.

• Adjust the scent with a little less ground cinnamon if you prefer; for a stronger warm scent, add orange essential oil rather than more cinnamon (see Essential Oils for how much).
• Keep the ground cinnamon for gentle texture and a deeper spiced tone.
• Adjust the mould to individual bar moulds instead of a loaf mould for a different shape.
• Always recalculate lye and water amounts with a soap calculator (see links below) before changing any oil or its weight.
• Add natural colour with a pinch of cinnamon or cocoa powder for a deeper, warm tone.

Popular soap calculators (external links, always re-run before adjusting oils): SoapCalc.net, HSCG Lye Calculator, LyeCalc.com.

Essential Oils

The cinnamon here is ground, not an oil. This recipe takes its scent from 1 teaspoon (5 ml) of ground cinnamon and works without any essential oil. Cinnamon bark essential oil is mostly cinnamaldehyde, which Australia's Therapeutic Goods Administration describes as an established contact allergen in humans, and a 2024 study in Frontiers in Toxicology notes it has been found to be a strong skin sensitiser; for that reason it is left out of this bar.

If you want a stronger warm scent, sweet orange essential oil pairs well with cinnamon. Baraka's recommended limit for soap is no more than 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of essential oil in total per 16 oz (454 g) of oils. This batch has 3 lb (1,362 g) of oils, so use no more than 3 tablespoons (45 ml) of essential oil in total, added at trace with the cinnamon. That limit covers all essential oils together, and it is a recommended maximum, not a guarantee of safety.

Application Tips

Use it like any bar soap. Use like any bar soap for hands, face, or body — lather with warm water and rinse well. A soap dish with drainage will help the bar last longer between uses. Because this soap is rich in conditioning oils, a light lather goes a long way; no need to scrub aggressively. Store the bar dry between uses for the longest life.

What We Know and How We Know It

Three kinds of source sit behind this page. The formulation, temperatures, cure time and troubleshooting come from common practice in the home soap-making community, and the lye figures are calculated from standard published saponification values with a 5% superfat. What this page says about Baraka's shea butter and where it is made comes from Baraka's own product documentation. The note on cinnamon bark oil comes from published research: the Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration's assessment of cinnamaldehyde and a 2024 study in Frontiers in Toxicology (doi:10.3389/ftox.2024.1398852).

FAQ

What's a good DIY soap recipe with cinnamon?
A shea butter-based cold-process soap with ground cinnamon works well, adding a warm, spiced character to a traditional soap base. This recipe uses Baraka's unrefined shea butter and traditional coconut oil with olive and castor oil, stirs 1 teaspoon (5 ml) of ground cinnamon in at trace, and makes about 4 lb (1,814 g) of soap, or 8 to 10 bars. The lye is calculated from the oils with a 5% superfat, and the bars cure for 4 to 6 weeks before use. If you have made cold-process soap before, it is a straightforward next batch; if not, start with the simple shea butter soap guide linked above.

Can I use ground cinnamon in soap?
Yes — ground cinnamon can be stirred into cold-process soap at trace for its warm scent and gentle texture. A little goes a long way: 1 teaspoon (5 ml) in a batch with 3 lb (1,362 g) of oils gives a speckled brown tone and a light spiced scent. Sift it and mix it into a spoonful of the oils first so it spreads evenly instead of clumping. Ground cinnamon does not change the lye calculation, because it is not an oil, and it is used here in place of cinnamon bark essential oil.

How long does homemade soap need to cure?
Cold-process soap like this typically needs 4–6 weeks to cure fully. Curing lets excess water evaporate and allows the bar to harden, so don't use it before this time is up. Stand the cut bars on their sides with space between them in a cool, dry room with good airflow, and turn them now and then so every face dries evenly. A fully cured bar is harder, lasts longer in the dish and gives a milder, more stable lather than a young one.

The Impact of Your Purchase

When you make skincare with Baraka ingredients, you are buying from women's cooperatives that earn fair wages and keep traditional processing methods alive. Baraka's 2025 Social and Environmental Impact Report records income opportunities for more than 3,000 women in northern Ghana, over $100,000 invested in women's enterprise infrastructure, and equipment and fuel recovery that have cut the carbon impact of shea processing by up to 90%. At the Konjeihi Women's Enterprise Centre in Ghana's Upper West Region, Baraka's shea butter is made by hand, and the waste left over from making it is dried into fuel blocks that fire the next batch. Baraka also offsets 100% of the carbon cost of shipping to customers. You get full transparency about what touches your skin and your family's skin, and about where it came from.

Meet one of the women behind these ingredients in this short film: Shea Butter Producer: Zenabo Imoro.

Shop the Baraka Ingredients in This Recipe

Unrefined, traditional ingredients, sourced through direct relationships. These are the ingredients used throughout Baraka's DIY guides and recipes.

Shea Butter | Shop Shea Butter | Unrefined and made by hand at the Konjeihi Women's Enterprise Centre in Ghana, it gives this bar its conditioning, creamy feel.

Traditional Coconut Oil | Shop Traditional Coconut Oil | Pressed from dried coconut meat and unrefined, it gives the bar its hardness and abundant lather.

Browse more: Butters · Oils · Recipe Kits

Try These Next

If you enjoyed this recipe, you might also like:

• Shea Butter and Turmeric Soap — another spice-coloured bar, with turmeric giving a golden tone where cinnamon gives brown.
• Shea Butter and Goats Milk Soap — a creamy shea soap for when you want a milk bar rather than a spiced one.
• Honey and Shea Butter Soap — a warm, sweet bar that pairs naturally with the cinnamon soap as a gift set.
• Creamy Cow Milk and Shea Butter Soap — the same cold-process method with milk for an extra-creamy lather.
• Shea Butter and Aloe Vera Soap — a fresh, unspiced shea bar to make alongside this one.
• Shea Butter and Orange Oil Soap — a bright, citrusy alternative if cinnamon's warmth isn't what you're after.
• Honey and Shea Butter Soap — another warm, comforting scent built on the same shea-based fundamentals.
• Coffee and Shea Butter Soap — an energizing, textured soap for a different everyday character.
• Shea Butter and Oatmeal Soap — a gently textured bar for a different comforting character.
• Shea Butter and Cocoa Butter Soap — a rich, extra-conditioning variation for a different indulgent character.

About These Ingredients

This recipe is expanded from our comprehensive Definitive Guide to DIY with Shea Butter, which explores additional formulations, ingredient options, and variations. Visit the full guide for more approaches to shea-based DIY skincare.

Disclaimer

The information on this page is for general education. It reflects traditional use, reported experience and, where noted, published research. It has not been evaluated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration or Health Canada. Baraka products are cosmetics and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease or medical condition. Keep products away from the eyes and out of reach of children, and speak to a qualified healthcare provider about any skin or health condition. If you add essential oils, use no more than the amount given, and leave them out for young children, during pregnancy and on sensitive skin. Individual results vary.

About the Author

Wayne Dunn is the founder of Baraka Impact and a former Professor of Practice in Sustainability at McGill University. He holds an M.Sc. in Management from Stanford and has spent over 15 years working directly with the Konjeihi Women's Enterprise Centre in Ghana's Upper West Region to source traditionally made shea butter. He shares DIY skincare recipes and ingredient guides designed to be made at home with real ingredients — and sourced with full transparency about where they come from.