Cinnamon Infused Syrup Recipe
Evoking thoughts of hot cinnamon buns and fresh apple pie, cinnamon syrup is perfect for Christmas and fall cocktails, pairing well with everything from hot cider to bourbon, cognac and of course rum! With only 3 ingredients it’s probably one of the simplest syrups you can make, yet it brings a deceptively complex dimension to everything you use it in.
Servings 0
Ingredients
- 3 large Cinnamon Sticks - use 6 if they're the smaller stubby ones
- 1 cup White Granulated Sugar (approx 236g)
- 1 cup Water (approx 236ml)
Method
- Break the cinnamon sticks into coarse pieces (without smashing them to dust) and place in a saucepan with the water and sugar. On a middling heat, stir until the sugar has dissolved and the water has turned brown and clear (about 5 mins). This will give you a 1:1 simple syrup.
- Turn the heat up and bring to a boil. As soon as it's rolling, drop it down to low, 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. You can let it go longer, 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 sterilized glass bottle.
Notes
As long as your glass bottle is sterilized then your syrup should keep for up to a month in the refrigerator. Quick tip - pop your bottle in the dishwasher for a cycle and you'll have a nice sterilized container all ready to use.
If you want to extend the shelf life up to a few months, you can add in an ounce of 80 proof / 40% ABV vodka - but remember to keep it away from your kids!
Variations
- Once you've mastered the basic cinnamon syrup, why not try adding different spices to the mix? Half a star of anise here, a few cloves there, or even some allspice - each addition dials up a different aspect of the taste profile. Experiment until you find the perfect combination.
- For a slightly more bitter edge, try charring your cinnamon sticks over an open flame first.
- A few drops of vanilla essence added to the bottle at the end helps lift the flavor, opening up the taste a little.
- Demerara and turbinado sugars are both very popular alternatives to using processed white sugar, as the molasses in them add greater depth to your finished syrup. A mix of both demerara and white on a 1:3 ratio creates a subtle but balanced flavor profile.
- You can also use brown sugar but we’d recommend using it in no more than a 1:2 ratio with white sugar as it can quickly overpower the cinnamon.
- If you've a bit of a sweet tooth, or prefer a more viscous syrup, you could double up on your measure of sugar to water. A 2:1 ratio would make it a rich syrup rather a simple syrup. A couple of advantages to a rich syrup are that it has a longer shelf life due to the additional sugar content, and you only need half as much to sweeten your drink, so it'll go even further.
- For that extra cinnamon kick - and to make your syrup look a bit more interesting 😉 - add a couple of cinnamon sticks into your bottle for good measure.
Cocktail recommendations
The list of drinks using cinnamon syrup is huge, but here are a few great tiki combinations to start you off:- Zombie - The original 1934 Don the Beachcomber version is a winner.
- Donga Punch - Uses cinnamon syrup as part of Don's Mix.
- Jet Pilot - From Steve Crane's 'Luau' restaurant, Beverley Hills, c.1958.
- Baron Samedi - A modern-day tiki drink invented by Beachbum Berry for a New Orleans happy hour. It also contains that most magical of infusions, Falernum...
A quick guide to cinnamon
Cassia vs Ceylon
There are many different varieties of cinnamon, but two of the most widely accessible are Cassia and Ceylon. Cassia comes from Indonesia and due to its low cost is one of the most commonly used in North America. Ceylon cinnamon, or to use its botanical name, Cinnamomum Zeylanicum, is derived from Sri Lanka’s former colonial name, Ceylon. Also known as Canela in Mexico, it’s often referred to as ‘true cinnamon’. Although similar to Cassia (they’re both harvested from the inner bark of a related species of tree), it’s more expensive due to its extensive treatment process. It also differs quite substantially in flavor, aroma and appearance. Ceylon has a subtle, more mellow flavor, hints of clove with bright, floral and citrus notes. Its sticks are light golden brown in color and made of many thin, fragile layers of bark rolled tightly together.
Whilst Cassia is deeper, spicier (but with a far less complex aroma) and is most likely the one that you associate with the taste of cinnamon, due to its use in many everyday products, from cinnamon buns and rolls to syrups and ciders. Its sticks are more reddish, far tougher and thicker, with only one or two layers.
