The simplest and easiest of Don's secret mixtures, his Spices no.4 is literally just Cinnamon Syrup! A vital ingredient in many a tiki drink and craft cocktail, there are many variations on how this syrup can be steeped and infused - in this recipe we've settled on a classic combination, but for more options take a look at our Essential Guide to Making Cinnamon Syrup.
3largeCinnamon Sticks - use 6 if they're the smaller stubby ones
1cupWhite Granulated Sugar (approx 236g)
1cupWater (approx 236ml)
Method
Break the cinnamon sticks into coarse pieces and place them in a saucepan with the sugar and water. Bring slowly to a boil, stirring until the sugar has dissolved and the water has turned brown and clear (about 5 minutes in total).
Lower the heat,cover the saucepan and simmer gently for 2-3 minutes.
Remove the pan from the heat, keep it covered and allow the mixture to steep for 2 hours. Go longer if you want, but taste test every now and then.
Strain your infusion through cheesecloth (or muslin) to remove any of the cinnamon pieces and then decant into a sterilised glass bottle.
Notes
If you made sure your bottle was sterilised (a cycle in the dishwasher will do) and it has an airtight seal, then your syrup should keep for up to a month in the refrigerator. But if you want to extend its shelf life for another month or so, add in an ounce of 80 proof / 40% ABV vodka - just remember to keep it away from children's pancakes!
Variations
Demerara and turbinado sugars are both very popular alternatives to using processed white sugar. The molasses in them adds greater depth and richness to your finished syrup.
You can also use brown sugar but we’d recommend using it in a 1:2 ratio with white sugar as it can quickly overpower the cinnamon.
For that extra cinnamon kick, put a couple of sticks into your bottle for good measure. Just bear in mind that it’ll continue gently infusing, so you won’t really know how strong the flavor is going to be until you pour it. 🤯
Cocktail Recommendations
The list of drinks using cinnamon syrup is huge, but here are a few great tiki combinations to start you off: