Cinnamon Simple Syrup Recipe

There's no flavor more cozy than the warming, fragrant spice of cinnamon. It's aroma instantly transports me to the chilly days of fall and winter and the delicious drinks and desserts of the holiday season.

In cocktails, cinnamon is used in drinks as diverse as a simple Spiced Old Fashioned or an Apple Cinnamon Negroni all the way to tropical tiki drinks like the Pearl Diver or Ancient Mariner. The sweet, woody flavor complements aged spirits like whiskies and rum, and perfectly balances bright citrus flavors like orange and grapefruit.

Cinnamon simple syrup is the best way to add this wonderful flavor to drinks, and all you need is a couple of ingredients and about a half an hour to whip up a batch.

Syrup ingredients

Cinnamon simple syrup is made with just three ingredients, but there are a few different choices you can make when it comes to each one. Let's go through the different types of cinnamon and sugar so you can customize your syrup.

Cinnamon sticks

The most common type of cinnamon sold in stores in actually not true cinnamon (also known as Ceylon cinnamon), but cassia bark. Both cinnamon and cassia come from the bark of laurel trees, but they are slightly different species. According to The Spruce Eats, cassia comes from Cinnamomum cassia, while true cinnamon is from Cinnamomum zeylanicum.

Cassia cinnamon sticks are very easy to find in stores and have a strong, characteristic aroma and flavor. Ceylon cinnamon, on the other hand, is more rare and has a more delicate flavor and aroma. Ceylon cinnamon is gentler, sweeter, and also less bitter than cassia. For our purposes, either type of cinnamon can be used. In the images here, I used basic cassia cinnamon sticks.

You can visually tell the difference between cassia and Ceylon cinnamon because cassia sticks are reddish brown, quite thick, and curl inward from both sides. Ceylon cinnamon sticks curl in a more circular shape, are brown, and the layers of the bark are quite thin.

If you'd like to make this syrup with true cinnamon, you can order Ceylon cinnamon sticks on Amazon or find them at specialty grocers and health foods stores.

It's important to note that we're using whole cinnamon here, and not ground cinnamon. Using ground cinnamon will produce a gritty syrup.

Sugar

We've covered the types of cinnamon, so now let's talk sugar. You can use plain granulated sugar if you prefer a neutral flavor, or you could use demerara, turbinado, or brown sugar for more depth. There's no wrong choice here, just whatever you prefer based on how you intend to use the syrup. Darker sugars make an excellent cinnamon syrup for coffee, lattes and drizzling over pancakes or french toast.

Optional extras

You can add more layers of flavor to your cinnamon simple syrup with some optional add-ins. One of my favorites is to add a piece of orange peel. Cinnamon and orange are a classic flavor pairing and the citrus oils add a lovely, bright, almost floral note.

For even more spiced flavor, you could add other spices such as allspice, cardamon, or star anise. You might also enjoy my Chai Simple Syrup Recipe.

Another extra that adds dimension to this syrup is vanilla extract. Add a half teaspoon of pure vanilla extract to enhance the subtle floral flavors of the cinnamon.

How to make cinnamon syrup

Just like my Spiced Simple Syrup, this easy recipe involves simmering the spices with sugar and water, then allowing the mixture to cool fully before removing the solids and bottling the syrup.

To begin, combine one cup of sugar and one cup of water in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add two to three cinnamon sticks to the pan. I like to break the sticks up into smaller pieces to make stirring the syrup easier. It also helps to extract more flavor more quickly.

Stir frequently to help the sugar dissolve. Bring the syrup to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for five to ten minutes, or until flavorful. You can tell that the syrup is done when the liquid turns a pale yellow-brown color.

Remove the pan from the heat and all the mix to cool fully. This step is key. If you allow the liquid to cool before straining out the cinnamon sticks, you'll get a deep spiced flavor than if you remove them immediately. It takes about twenty to thirty minutes for the syrup to cool.

Store your cinnamon simple syrup in a glass jar or bottle in the refrigerator. The syrup will keep for at least two weeks.

Ways to use this syrup

In addition to cocktails and mocktails, cinnamon syrup is great in coffee, tea, and desserts. Try it in place of maple syrup on pancakes or waffles. Drizzle it into vanilla Greek yogurt or over hot oatmeal. Swirl some cinnamon syrup into coffee ice cream or use it to moisten spiced layer cakes. There are so many delicious ways to use this syrup!

Want more inspiration? Check out this list of the 20 Best Cinnamon Syrup Cocktails from Difford's Guide.

You may also enjoy these other syrup recipes:

• Complete Guide to Simple Syrup
• How to Make Honey Syrup
• Demerara Simple Syrup Recipe
• Turmeric Ginger Simple Syrup Recipe