The short answer: to make cinnamon syrup, put 240 ml water, 200 g sugar and 3 cinnamon sticks in a small pan. Simmer gently for 10 minutes, then let it cool with the sticks still in. Strain it into a bottle. Use 1 to 2 tablespoons in a cup of coffee, and keep the cinnamon syrup in the fridge for about 2 weeks.
Cinnamon syrup is sugar syrup with the warm, sweet taste of cinnamon sticks. It dissolves into cold coffee, where sugar and ground cinnamon do not. A spoonful in a latte tastes like a cinnamon roll. You need three ingredients, one small pan and 10 minutes at the stove. The rest is cooling.
| At a glance | |
|---|---|
| Time | 10 minutes simmering, plus cooling |
| Makes | About 300 ml (1¼ cups), enough for 10 to 20 coffees |
| Ratio | 240 ml water, 200 g sugar, 3 sticks |
| Keeps | About 2 weeks in the fridge |
Ingredients
- 240 ml (1 cup) water
- 200 g (1 cup) white sugar, or half white and half light brown
- 3 cinnamon sticks, about 8 cm (3 in) long
- Optional: a pinch of salt, ½ tsp vanilla extract
Use sticks, not ground cinnamon. Ground cinnamon does not dissolve. It leaves a muddy layer at the bottom of the bottle and a gritty last sip.
How to make cinnamon syrup
- Break. Snap each cinnamon stick in half. More broken edges let out more flavour.
- Simmer. Put the water, sugar and cinnamon in a small pan. Stir over medium heat until the sugar dissolves. Lower the heat and simmer gently for 10 minutes.
- Cool. Take the pan off the heat. Leave the sticks in until the syrup is cool, about 30 minutes. The longer they sit, the stronger it gets.
- Strain. Pour it through a fine sieve into a clean bottle. Stir in the vanilla, if using.
- Chill. Close the bottle and keep it in the fridge.
How much cinnamon syrup to use in coffee
| Drink | Syrup | Tip |
|---|---|---|
| Latte, 240 ml | 1 to 2 tbsp | Stir it into the espresso first |
| Iced coffee | 2 tbsp | Mixes in cold, no grit |
| Cold brew with milk | 1 to 2 tbsp | Oat milk suits it well |
| Black coffee | 1 tsp to 1 tbsp | Start small, then add |
One tablespoon is 15 ml. A 300 ml bottle makes 10 to 20 coffees, depending on how sweet you like them.
Which cinnamon to use
Most supermarket sticks are cassia. They are thick and hard, made of a single curled layer of bark, and taste bold and spicy. Ceylon sticks are thin, soft and papery, made of many fine layers rolled together. They taste milder and sweeter, with a hint of citrus.
Both work. With cassia, 3 sticks give a strong, classic syrup. With Ceylon, use 4 or 5 sticks, because the flavour is softer. Ceylon sticks crumble, so strain them through a fine sieve.
Three ways to change it
- Brown sugar cinnamon syrup: use light brown sugar for all the sugar. It tastes of toffee and goes darker.
- Cinnamon vanilla: add a split vanilla pod with the sticks, or stir in ½ tsp vanilla extract at the end. See our vanilla syrup for the vanilla-only version.
- Winter spice: add 3 cloves, a strip of orange zest and a slice of fresh ginger with the cinnamon. Strain them all out.
Honey works too. Replace half of the sugar with honey and stir it in once the pan is off the heat. Honey is not for babies under 12 months.
More ways to use cinnamon syrup
- Hot chocolate: 1 tablespoon per mug.
- Porridge: drizzle over oats with sliced apple.
- Pancakes and French toast: use it instead of maple syrup.
- Apple lemonade: stir into cloudy apple juice with sparkling water.
- Iced tea: sweeten black tea with it, then add lemon.
- Cake soak: brush over a warm apple or carrot cake.
If you like cinnamon on bread as well as in your cup, our cinnamon butter takes 5 minutes. For a floral syrup in the same style, try rose syrup.
A cinnamon oat latte at home
This is the drink most people make the syrup for. Pull a double espresso, or brew 60 ml of strong coffee. Stir in 1 tablespoon of cinnamon syrup while the coffee is hot, so it blends in. Steam or froth 180 ml of oat milk and pour it over. Dust the foam with a pinch of ground cinnamon. For an iced version, pour the coffee and syrup over ice, then add cold oat milk. You choose how sweet it is, one spoonful at a time.
Common mistakes
- Ground cinnamon: it makes the syrup muddy and gritty. Use sticks.
- A hard boil: boiling fast reduces the water and the syrup turns thick and sticky. Keep it at a gentle simmer.
- Straining too soon: taken out hot, the sticks give a thin syrup. Let it cool with them in.
- A wet bottle: drops of water make the syrup spoil sooner. Use a clean, dry bottle.
How long cinnamon syrup keeps
- Fridge: in a clean, closed bottle for about 2 weeks.
- Freezer: in an ice-cube tray for up to 3 months. A cube melts straight into iced coffee.
- Throw it away if it turns cloudy, smells sour, or shows any mould.
Questions
How do you make cinnamon syrup for coffee?
Simmer 240 ml water, 200 g sugar and 3 cinnamon sticks for 10 minutes. Let it cool with the sticks in, strain it, and keep it in the fridge. Use 1 to 2 tablespoons per cup.
Can I make cinnamon syrup with ground cinnamon?
You can, but it turns out cloudy and gritty. If ground is all you have, simmer 1 teaspoon with the syrup, let it settle, and strain it through a coffee filter.
How long does homemade cinnamon syrup last?
About 2 weeks in a clean, closed bottle in the fridge, or up to 3 months frozen in an ice-cube tray.
Why is my cinnamon syrup weak?
The sticks were whole, or they came out too soon. Snap them in half, simmer for the full 10 minutes, and let them cool in the syrup.
