Slow evaporation technique has been employed to grow single crystals of cyclohexylammonium cinnamate (CYHC). The presence of functional groups was analyzed via Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and the single-crystal x-ray diffraction analysis confirmed P21/n symmetry in the crystal. Thermal analysis confirmed the melting point of the single crystal at 175.12°C and decomposition mechanism. The dielectric studies of CYHC were analyzed, and the activation energy of the sample was also estimated. The photoluminescence (PL) spectrum of CYHC shows the emission wavelength at 500 nm (green emission region), and chemical etching studies were carried out to investigate the surface quality of CYHC crystal. Third-order nonlinear and optical limiting studies were performed, and the values of threshold output and clamping output were found to be 18.62 mW and 1.72 mW, respectively. © 2020, The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society.