O.M.G! You can keep your normal cinnamon syrup and I’ll raise you SMOKED Cinnamon Syrup! If you thought the above recipe added complexity and depth to your drinks, you haven’t tried the smoked version. Bringing distinctive notes of fall bonfires and Christmas fruits to the mix, it’s a syrup for a cold night or a very early morning.
4-6largeCinnamon Sticks - use 8-10 if they're small stubby ones
2cupsWhite Granulated Sugar (approx 472g)
2cupsWater (approx 472ml)
Wood chips for smoking
Method
Soak your wood chips in water for a couple of hours, and then bring your charcoal barbecue up to a steady 180F.
Snap the cinnamon sticks into rough pieces and place in a 13x9" pan along with the water and sugar. A nice wide pan like this creates a greater surface area for the smoke to infuse into the syrup.
Place your pan on the grill and a couple of big handfuls of wood chips directly onto the coals. Close the lid of your barby and let it smoke gently for a couple of hours.
For the first hour, check back every 30 mins or so and give it a stir, making sure the sugar is dissolved and the cinnamon sticks are nicely coated in the mixture. After two hours it should be a lovely smoky amber colour and ready to bottle.
Allow to cool,then strain your infusion through cheesecloth (or muslin) to remove any of the cinnamon pieces and decant into a sterilised glass bottle.
Notes
We've made double the amount of syrup in this recipe (the final volume should equal around 3 cups) as the extra effort of smoking merits a greater yield. But if you want to cut the recipe in half then go for it.In terms of wood, whether it’s maple, whisky, oak or hickory, experiment with what type works best for you. For us, we prefer the sweetness that comes from fruit woods such as cherry, apple, and alder.
Cocktail Recommendations
Smoked cinnamon syrup brings a whole new level to any of the drinks mentioned in the first recipe, but it raises the bar particularly on spirit forward concoctions such as the classic Old Fashioned or the particularly tiki Gantt’s Caiprissima, where the smoke builds on the earthy warmth of the rhum agricole.Or for a quick cheeky tiki cocktail, why not try this recipe:Smoked Cinnamon & Pineapple Daiquiri:
1 ½ oz Plantation Pineapple Rum
½ oz Smoked Cinnamon Syrup
1 oz Fresh Lime
Add all ingredients to a shaker, along with enough ice to show above the surface of the liquid, and shake for around 15 seconds. Strain into a martini or coupe glass and garnish with a slice of grilled pineapple.Sschmoking! 🍍🍹😎