Vanilla Simple Syrup with Cinnamon

Make your own vanilla simple syrup. It’s made with real vanilla beans, cinnamon sticks, and sugar. All these pure ingredients make the flavor just explode! 

My Favorite Simple Syrup Recipe

You HAVE to make this! I made it for my rum punch recipe. But you absolutely don’t have to use this only in cocktails. I put a little bit in some freshly squeezed grapefruit juice for my son and he totally freaked out.

What is in Simple Syrup? 

Here’s what I put in my syrup. It turned out amazing! 

I picked up some really delicious Mexican vanilla beans. Really, any kind would work but the flavor profile of these beans really fit what I was looking for to pair with some other flavors I had in my mind for the punch. 

Then I picked up some Cassia cinnamon sticks. Store-bought is totally fine but I assure you the flavor from this syrup has a little bit to do with the quality of ingredients. So if you can, spend the time and track down these products!

How to Make Simple Syrup

I have all the details listed in the printable recipe card at the bottom. But I thought I’d share an overview right here of how to make this syrup. 

1. Smash the Cinnamon Sticks

First I added the cinnamon sticks to a saucepan and smashed them up with a muddler.

I’ve also done this before laying them flat on a cutting board, laying a chef’s knife on top of them and smashing the knife with the heel of my hand. Either way works. You just want to open them up so the flavors can really come out.

2. Split the Vanilla Beans and Take Out the Seeds

Next, I split 2 vanilla beans and scraped out the seeds. Then put the rest of the vanilla bean in the pan too.

3. Add Sugar and Water

I added sugar and water to the pan and brought it to a slight boil, stirring occasionally to make sure the sugar dissolved. I let it simmer for about 5 minutes then removed it from the heat.

4. Let it Sit 

I covered the pan and let it sit for about 5 hours. Some recipes will tell you to let it sit overnight but I wanted to make sure that the flavors were not so intense that they would overpower the other flavors of the punch. And believe me, this was SUPER flavorful after 5 hours. I strained it through a sieve into a jar and popped it in the fridge.

It’s a warm, golden color and it’s perfect for all kinds of beverages. I can’t wait to show you how I used it in my punch recipe!

How To Use Homemade Simple Syrup

This is an amazing syrup that you can use in so many ways. Here are some of my favorites. 

• In alcoholic cocktails
• In homemade lattes
• In homemade glaze 

Print

Cinnamon Vanilla Simple Syrup

This crazy tasty simple syrup recipe is perfect for all kinds of cocktail recipes! 

Course Drinks

Cuisine American

Keyword Cocktail Recipes, non alcoholic drinks

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Infusing Time 5 hours

Total Time 15 minutes

Servings 13

Author Sharon Garofalow

Ingredients

• 2 Mexican vanilla beans split and seeds scraped out
• 1 oz Cassia cinnamon sticks cracked
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 cups water

Instructions

1. Split vanilla beans and add seed and bean to a saucepan.
2. Add cinnamon sticks to a saucepan and muddle them to crack them open.
3. Add sugar and water and bring to a slight boil.
4. Let boil approximately 5 minutes then remove from heat and cover.
5. Let sit for at least 5 hours, up to overnight.
6. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into an airtight container.
7. Use in cocktail and beverage recipes.