This homemade cinnamon dolce syrup has all the sweet and warm flavor of your store-bought version, except it's better quality for a fraction of the price. That's a win-win if I ever heard one! Whether you are making your own fancy latte, or just want to add some sweet cinnamon flavor to your morning cup-a-joe, this homemade syrup recipe is for all coffee drinkers.
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YOU WILL LOVE THIS RECIPE:
- It's a dupe for your Starbucks Cinnamon Dolce fix. That's right! No more traveling outside your home for that sweet cinnamon fix, you can just add this copycat Starbucks cinnamon syrup to your coffee from the comfort of your own home. And it's just as good- if not better!
- It is made from simple ingredients. All you need are four ingredients to make this recipe. From start to finish, you can make this simple syrup in less time than it would take to run to your local coffee shop in the first place.
- It's great with more than just coffee. While cinnamon dolce syrup is most commonly associated with delicious coffee drinks, this syrup is super tasty anywhere the flavor of warm spices and a hint of sweetness would be desired. Use it as a replacement for maple syrup or add more warmth to your hot chocolate. Add some syrup to frothed oat milk to create a vegan uncaffeinated steamer. The options are endless!
INGREDIENTS AND SUBSTITUTIONS
- Sugar- This recipe uses white sugar to keep cinnamon as the main flavor. If you'd like to add a deeper caramel-like flavor to your syrup, substitute some or all of the white sugar with the same amount of packed brown sugar.
- Cinnamon- I use Ceylon cinnamon sticks in this cinnamon dolce coffee syrup. Ceylon cinnamon, sometimes referred to as "true cinnamon", has a milder cinnamon flavor that is almost a bit floral. I like to use this type when my cooking relies on cinnamon as a star flavor because it is more interesting and complex. That being said, if you prefer a punchier cinnamon flavor, you can opt for ground Saigon cinnamon or whichever type you've got in your spice cabinet.
- Vanilla- I like to add vanilla extract to this sweet cinnamon syrup because I feel it adds another layer of depth to the flavor without overpowering the cinnamon. You can feel free to omit this ingredient or add a different extract if you're feeling adventurous! I bet cinnamon-almond syrup would be so good!
INSTRUCTIONS
In a small saucepan, add the sugar and water. Bring the mixture to a soft boil until all the sugar is completely dissolved. Then, turn the heat down to low or medium-low heat and add the crushed cinnamon sticks and vanilla. Cover and allow the syrup to simmer for five minutes.
Turn off the heat and allow the saucepan to cool for up to two hours. From here, you can place the saucepan in the refrigerator and allow the cinnamon sticks to steep another 3-4 hours for a strong cinnamon flavor, or continue to the next step for syrup with a hint of cinnamon flavor. Pour the syrup through a strainer lined with cheesecloth into an airtight container.
From here, enjoy in your own latte, cold brew, plain coffee, or wherever you want to!
VARIATIONS
Low carb/sugar-free cinnamon dolce syrup- Replace the sugar in this recipe with your favorite alternative sweetener, such as swerve.
Cinnamon-caramel syrup- Replace half of the white sugar with packed light brown sugar to give a caramel-like flavor to this syrup.
STORAGE
Storage: Store homemade cinnamon syrup in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will last up to one month (30 days) in the refrigerator.
TIPS
To make a copycat Starbucks cinnamon dolce latte (grande), add two tablespoons of homemade cinnamon dolce syrup to a latte made with two espresso shots and eight to ten ounces of frothed milk of choice (Soy milk or oat milk are my favs!).
If you don't have an espresso machine, you can still make a pretty convincing Starbucks copycat! First, make very strong coffee (I use a Moka for this), and add two to four ounces of this strong coffee in place of the espresso. Mix the coffee with about two tablespoons of cinnamon dolce syrup. You can then use an inexpensive handheld milk frother, or whisk the milk in a small saucepan over medium heat until it's frothy. Pour your frothy milk into your cup and enjoy! I use this espresso machine-less method for my maple smoked salt latte if you'd like some more step-by-step guidance!
FAQ
In the United States, it is likely you are using one of two cinnamon types: Ceylon or cassia cinnamon. Ceylon cinnamon, also sometimes known as "true cinnamon", has a more subtle-yet-complex cinnamon flavor. Cassia cinnamon has a few different types, possibly the most well-known is Saigon cinnamon. Saigon cinnamon has a bolder, spicier flavor than Ceylon cinnamon and other types of cassia cinnamon. In the US, if your cinnamon is not labeled as a specific type of cinnamon, it is likely a milder type of cassia cinnamon. If you have cinnamon sticks, you can identify Ceylon cinnamon as having layers of thinner sheets whereas cassia cinnamon will be one much thicker sheet.
Overall, If you are interested in the best quality cinnamon with the most interesting flavor, I'd recommend Ceylon cinnamon, however cassia cinnamon (Saigon or otherwise) will also taste great! 
Yes! I'd recommend one teaspoon of ground cinnamon in place of cinnamon sticks for this recipe. If you choose to use ground cinnamon to flavor your syrup, you can skip the straining step. Though it will not affect the flavor of your syrup, using ground cinnamon will result in slightly thicker and darker syrup.
"Dolce" is Italian for "sweet", so it is just "sweet cinnamon" flavored syrup. On a totally unrelated note, Dolce is also my cat's middle name.
RECIPE
Cinnamon Dolce Syrup Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup water
- 3 ceylon cinnamon sticks, crushed (OR: 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Equipment
Instructions
- In a small saucepan over medium to medium-high heat, add the sugar and water. Bring the mixture to to a soft boil until all the sugar is completely dissolved.
- Add the cinnamon and vanilla. Decrease the heat to low. Cover and allow the mixture to simmer for 5 minutes.
- Turn off the heat and allow the mixture to cool at room temperature for up to two hours.
- OPTIONAL: Once the saucepan is no longer hot, place the saucepan in the refrigerator for up to 4 hours to allow the cinnamon to continue steeping. This step is only beneficial if using cinnamon sticks.
- Line a mesh strainer of funnel with cheesecloth and pour the mixture through the strainer into chosen storage container.
Notes
Nutrition
This recipe was adapted from liquer.com's simple syrup recipe.
Eric
Made a great almond milk steamer!
Tori
Thanks Eric!