Cinnamon Simple Syrup

This Cinnamon Simple Syrup is a delicious easy-to-make homemade syrup you can use in coffee, matcha, lattes, cocktails, and so much more! It has only 4 ingredients and it takes just 30 minutes to make. It's totally fool-proof and freezer-friendly!

Jump to:

• Why You'll Love This Cinnamon Syrup
• Ingredients
• Variations and Substitutions
• Step-by-Step Instructions
• Serving Suggestions
• Storing and Make Ahead Options
• FAQs
• Similar Homemade Syrups
• 📖 Recipe

Why You'll Love This Cinnamon Syrup

Easy and simple - All you need are 4 simple ingredients and less than 30 minutes to make this syrup. It's made with water, cane sugar, cinnamon sticks, and vanilla extract. I bet you have all of those in your kitchen cupboard anyway!

Better than store-bought - Making your own syrup at home is easy, budget-friendly, and so much more delicious than store-bought! You know exactly what's going into the syrup and you can adjust the flavor to your liking. It's cheaper than buying bottled syrup and you'll save even more by making your own Cinnamon Lattes!

Lots of uses - Besides using this syrup for coffee or lattes, it has a ton of uses! It's delicious in matcha lattes, chai lattes, cocktails, mocktails, or other drinks. You can even drizzle it over ice cream or pancakes instead of maple syrup!

Ingredients

• Cane sugar - I prefer using cane sugar in all of my syrups because it has a neutral flavor and it's less processed than white sugar. Any sugar you prefer works here but keep in mind that brown sugar, dark brown sugar, maple syrup, or other sweeteners may change the flavor.
• Cinnamon - You'll need whole cinnamon sticks here. I don't recommend using ground cinnamon because it will settle on the bottom of the syrup and won't provide you with the same strong cinnamon flavor.
• Water - Use filtered water whenever possible. You'll need sugar and water in a 1:1 ratio.
• Vanilla extract - This is totally optional but I highly recommend adding a little bit of vanilla to round out the flavor of the syrup. Vanilla and cinnamon go really well together and they shine in this syrup! Vanilla extract works best here but vanilla paste or vanilla powder can also be used.

Variations and Substitutions

• Brown sugar - The recipe calls for cane sugar but the light molasses flavor of brown sugar goes really well with the cinnamon here. You can use dark brown sugar if you want the molasses flavor to be even stronger.
• Sugar-free - You can use any sugar substitute that can be used in a 1:1 ratio in place of regular sugar. I haven't tried this so I can't guarantee the results. Keep in mind that the flavor of the syrup might change based on the type of sweetener you use and the syrup won't last as long.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Add cane sugar, water, and cinnamon sticks to a medium saucepan.
2. Bring the mixture to a simmer while stirring constantly until the sugar dissolves.
3. Simmer the syrup for 10 minutes.

4. Take the syrup off the heat and allow it to rest for 5-10 minutes before taking the cinnamon out. The longer you leave the cinnamon, the stronger the syrup will be.
5. Pour the syrup into an airtight jar and wait for it to cool down before closing the jar with a lid.
6. Store the syrup in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

Serving Suggestions

Coffee and lattes - This cinnamon syrup shines in any black coffee or any lattes with espresso, both regular and decaf! Try it in this Iced Cinnamon Dolce Latte or instead of the brown sugar syrup in this Iced Brown Sugar Oat Milk Shaken Espresso.

Chai - You can use this syrup to sweeten plain chai (hot or iced) or add it to chai lattes. It would be delicious in this Iced Dirty Chai Latte!

Cocktails - This syrup can be used in an endless amount of cocktails! It goes really well with dark rum (like this Rum Espresso Martini or this Chai Cocktail), whiskey, or bourbon cocktails (try it in this Chai Old Fashioned or even this Blood Orange Old Fashioned).

Mocktails - Try it in this Apple Cider Mocktail or any other non-alcoholic drink. It'd also be delicious in a Espresso Martini Mocktail!

Matcha - I often make my matcha lattes with floral and fruity syrups but nothing matches the simplicity of cinnamon sometimes. Try it in this Iced Matcha Chai Latte!

Food - You can drizzle this syrup over pancakes, waffles, French toast, or even ice cream as you would maple syrup or any other syrup. It's so good and perfect for fall! Try it drizzled over these Apple Ring Pancakes or this Apple Pie Baked Oatmeal.

Storing and Make Ahead Options

Fridge: You can store the syrup in an airtight jar or a container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

Make ahead: Whether you're planning to make the syrup for cocktails for a party or just for your favorite lattes, I highly recommend making it ahead of time. It stores really well and it will be cool enough so that it doesn't melt the ice in your drink.

Freezer: You can also freeze any leftover syrup in a freezer-safe container. I like freezing the syrup in small plastic containers and measuring out 1-4 servings per container so I know exactly how much syrup I'm defrosting. You can also freeze the syrup in an ice cube tray but it often doesn't freeze fully so it's harder to take the syrup out of the molds.

FAQs

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📖 Recipe