Recipe
Cinnamon syrup – makes 1 cup
- Boil 1/2 cup of water with 1 cinnamon stick broken into a few pieces.
- Add 1 cup of sugar and stir until fully dissolved and your syrup is clear.
- Remove from the heat, cover, and let it sit for 12-24 hrs.
- Strain out the cinnamon sticks and bottle the syrup; optionally add a tsp of vodka to help preservation.
Here’s some homemade cinnamon syrup! This is delicious, super easy to make, and versatile in so many applications! In addition to being a key ingredient in many tiki drinks, cinnamon syrup is also perfect for your morning coffee (Mexican coffee anyone?). Iced coffee with a splash of cream/half&half and cinnamon syrup is just heavenly. Say goodbye to Starbucks Cinnamon Dolce for your cinnamon latte! You can also use it on pancakes/waffles, in oatmeal, tea, or really anywhere you need a sweetener. Cinnamon sticks can sometimes be one of the more expensive spices, so I recommend buying them online in bulk or in those by-weight bins at your natural food stores.
Another thing to note is the variation in quality and the types of “cinnamon.” There are 2 primary categories – ceylon and cassia. Cassia is the more common type that is generally cheaper, rougher in texture (forming a couple thick layers when rolled), and stronger in flavor. It originates mostly from South China, with Saigon/Vietnamese and Korintje cinnamon also grouped under this categorization. If you’re buying cinnamon that does not specify type (in North America), it most likely is cassia. Meanwhile, ceylon cinnamon is considered “true” cinnamon and is much more expensive, has a more delicate and complex flavor, and is soft enough to crumble with its many layers. It mostly originates from Sri Lanka, with Mexico being a big importer, so Mexican cinnamon is actually generally ceylon. It’s more popular in Europe and Latin/South America and is often used for fancy desserts and baking, with its more subtle complex flavors enhancing the sweet goods.
Have you had actual ceylon cinnamon and do you have a preference?