Brown sugar cinnamon simple syrup is what you get when packed light brown sugar and a couple of cinnamon sticks spend a few minutes in a saucepan of water. We pour it into whiskey cocktails like an Old Fashioned or a whiskey sour, and stir it into a cup of coffee. Think of it as the no-frills cousin of Starbucks cinnamon dolce. Their at-home version adds white sugar and vanilla. Ours skips both and lets the brown sugar and cinnamon carry the whole thing.
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It takes about 25 minutes, and most of that is waiting around. Once the sugar dissolves, the pan comes off the heat and the cinnamon sticks keep steeping as the syrup cools. Itโs about as hands-off as a recipe gets.
Key Ingredients and Substitutions
The complete ingredient list and measurements are listed in the printable recipe below.
- Light Brown Sugar: Pack it into the measuring cup like you would for cookies. Weโve only ever made this with light brown sugar, so thatโs what we stand behind. The all-brown-sugar base is the main thing separating this from Starbucksโ at-home cinnamon dolce syrup, which is mostly cane sugar with a little brown sugar and vanilla.
- Cinnamon Sticks: Two sticks flavor the whole batch. Whole sticks lift right out after steeping, and the syrup stays clear, with none of the gritty bits ground cinnamon leaves at the bottom of a cup.
How to Make Brown Sugar Cinnamon Simple Syrup
Here are the quick, step-by-step instructions with visuals; you can find the full instructions, including the exact ingredients, in the recipe card below.
Pro-tip: Strain the syrup into something with a spout, like a glass measuring cup, then pour it into your bottle or jar. Pouring sticky syrup straight from a round saucepan into a narrow bottle usually ends with more on the counter than in the bottle.
- Make the Simple Syrup: In a small saucepan, combine the water, packed light brown sugar, and cinnamon sticks. Stir over medium heat until the sugar dissolves and you canโt feel any grains dragging along the bottom of the pan. Take it off the heat right then. Thereโs no need to let it simmer, and thatโs the whole cooking part.
- Let the Simple Syrup Cool: Leave the cinnamon sticks in the pan as the syrup cools, about 15 to 20 minutes. Once itโs close to room temperature, strain out the sticks. Leave the cinnamon sticks in the pan as the syrup cools, about 15 to 20 minutes. Once itโs close to room temperature, strain out the sticks.
How to Use Brown Sugar Cinnamon Simple Syrup
Using brown sugar cinnamon simple syrup is a delicious way to infuse warmth and sweetness into a variety of beverages and dishes.
- In cocktails:ย We use about 1 ounce per drink in an Old Fashioned and in our apple cider whiskey sour. If you like your Old Fashioned on the drier side, start with ยฝ ounce and work up from there.
- In coffee or tea: Stir in about 1 ounce per cup. Thatโs sweetener and cinnamon in one pour, so the sugar bowl can stay in the cabinet.
Make-Ahead and Storage
Keep the syrup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. It tastes the same on day 14 as day one. For longer storage, freeze it in an ice cube tray. The cubes keep for up to 3 months and thaw back to the same syrup you started with.
More Syrup Recipes to Try
Skip the store-bought and give these homemade syrup recipes a taste. Try these other favorites:
- Strawberry Simple Syrup – With just 3 ingredients, you can make your own strawberry simple syrup to flavor your favorite cocktail or drink.
- Jalapeno Simple Syrup – Ready in 15 minutes and flavored with fresh jalapeรฑo peppers, this spicy simple syrup adds a kick to cocktails and beverages.
- Cranberry Simple Syrup – Once you have one homemade syrup in the fridge, itโs hard to stop at one. Here are the others we make:
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Brown Sugar Cinnamon Simple Syrup
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Equipment
- Small Saucepan (1-2 Quarts)
- Storage Jar
Ingredients
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 cinnamon sticks
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, combine water, brown sugar, and cinnamon sticks.
- Stir over medium heat until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat as soon as it dissolves; do not simmer.
- Let the cinnamon sticks steep as the syrup cools to about room temperature, 15 to 20 minutes.
- Strain out the cinnamon sticks into a measuring cup with a spout, then pour the syrup into a glass bottle or jar. Refrigerate.
Perfect