Cinnamon Syrup

Before you start

Cinnamon syrup is a 1:1 syrup infused with whole cinnamon sticks. Whole sticks give a clear syrup with clean, warm spice; ground cinnamon makes it murky and leaves a gritty sediment that clings to the glass. Tiki drinks such as the Zombie use it for depth, and in coffee it gives you a churro-like warmth without the sugary flavored-syrup taste.

The main choice is the kind of cinnamon. Cassia, the common supermarket stick, is hard, bold and spicy-hot. Ceylon cinnamon is softer, layered and more floral. Breaking the sticks open releases more flavor, and a long steep after simmering does more than a long boil, which can turn the syrup harsh.

Ingredients

• 15 g (about 4 cassia sticks, 7.5 cm / 3 inch) cinnamon sticks — or 6 softer Ceylon sticks
• 240 ml (1 cup) water
• 200 g (1 cup) granulated sugar

Method

1. Put the cinnamon sticks in a zip-top bag and crush them into coarse pieces with a rolling pin. Broken sticks give up flavor much faster.
2. Add the cinnamon and water to the saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Simmer gently for 5 minutes.
3. Add the sugar and stir until it dissolves completely, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat.
4. Cover and steep for 1 hour. Taste after 30 minutes; strain earlier if you prefer a gentler syrup.
5. Strain through a fine sieve, or a sieve lined with a coffee filter for a perfectly clear syrup. Bottle and refrigerate.

Tips for success

• In tiki drinks, cinnamon syrup is usually used in small amounts, 7 to 15 ml (¼ to ½ oz), because its spice is concentrated.
• In coffee, try 15 ml (½ oz) per drink, plus a little vanilla syrup for a cinnamon-roll flavor.
• Dry the strained cinnamon pieces and add them to a pot of mulled cider; they still have flavor left.

Substitutions

Cassia sticks

Ceylon cinnamon makes a softer, more aromatic syrup; use about 50 percent more by weight since it is lighter and milder.

Granulated sugar

Demerara gives a darker, warmer syrup that suits rum. A 2:1 rich ratio gives more body in stirred drinks.

Whole sticks

Ground cinnamon can be used in a pinch, ½ tsp per batch, but strain through a coffee filter and expect some cloudiness and sediment.

Variations

Spiced cinnamon

Add 3 cloves, 2 allspice berries and a strip of orange peel with the cinnamon.

Cinnamon brown sugar

Use light brown sugar for a syrup that tastes like cinnamon toast.

Troubleshooting

The syrup is cloudy with sediment

Ground cinnamon or fine fragments got through. Strain through a coffee filter and use sticks next time.

It tastes harsh or woody

It was boiled hard or steeped too long with cassia. Simmer gently and taste during the steep.

The flavor is weak

The sticks were whole or old. Crush them and buy fresh sticks; they should smell strongly when snapped.

Storage

Refrigerate in a clean, sealed bottle. It typically keeps 2 to 4 weeks, like other 1:1 syrups. Discard if it turns cloudy after storage, smells sour or shows mold.