This post contains affiliate links. See our disclosure policy here.
About This Syrup
Why not skip dessert and opt for the cocktail version of apple pie instead this holiday season? Although most often paired in baked goods this time of year, apple and cinnamon are a fabulous flavor combination in drinks.
I made this simple syrup for the first time to use in a recipe called the Apple Pie Gimlet, an original cocktail of ours that was inspired by another from Gin O’Clock: A Year of Ginspiration by Craft Cocktail Club. The book included the author’s apple cinnamon syrup recipe made by simply blending the two together, but I prefer to make our syrups using the sous vide method and landed on this version after some experimenting. It has delicious apple pie flavor and a texture works well in cocktails. Keep reading for instructions and recommended tools to make it at home!
Syrup Ingredients
To make this syrup, you’ll need the following ingredients:
Apple Cider: This is a beverage made with freshly pressed apple juice and baking spices. I prefer to use the fresh seasonal apple cider and not the bottled stuff you find year-round because I think the latter tastes too processed.
Cinnamon Sticks: This adds more spice to the apple cider. I use the sticks from the baking section.
Sugar: This is a sweetener. I used generic white from our local grocery store, but you can also use brown sugar to give it even more autumnal flavor.
How to Make This Syrup
When making syrups most recipes will tell you to do so on the stovetop, but I prefer to prepare ours using the sous vide method, which was first introduced to me when reading Death & Co: Modern Classic Cocktails. I’ve found that syrups made in a saucepan are often too thick and sticky to use in cocktails. Now I use an immersion circulator for almost all of our syrups instead. It does take quite a bit longer, but the vast improvement in taste and texture this method provides makes it worth the extra time.
To make this syrup using the sous vide method, you’ll need the following tools:
Immersion Circulator: This is an electric device that is partially submerged in liquid to circulate it, heat it, and keep it at a stable temperature for precision cooking. I use the Instant Pot Accu Slim Immersion Circulator because it heats up the water quickly and is affordable.
Food Scale: This is used to precisely measure out the ingredients for the syrup. I use the GDEALER Food Scale because it gives me extremely accurate measurements and is compact, which makes it very easy to store.
Large Pot: This is filled with water before the immersion circulator and bag filled with syrup ingredients are placed inside to cook.
Large Freezer Bag: This is used to hold the syrup ingredients when they are placed in the pot to cook. I use Ziploc Gallon Freezer Bags because they are made with a high quality material that can be reused.
Clips: These are used to securely attach the bag to the side of the pot so the top doesn’t sink below the water level. I use Romeda 3 ½-Inch Spring Clamps because they are small, secure, and versatile.
Fine Mesh Strainer: This is used to remove solid ingredients from the syrup during the transfer process. I use the Barfly Stainless Steel Fine Mesh Strainer because its tightly woven mesh is excellent for removing small seeds and pieces of fruit.
Funnel: This is used to transfer the syrup from the bag to the storage containers without making a mess. I prefer to use a small silicone funnel because that type is flexible and easy to store.
Squeeze Bottle: This is used to store the syrup in the refrigerator for immediate use. I prefer OXO Good Grips Squeeze Bottles because they are high quality.
Storage Pouch with Pouring Spout: This is used to store extra syrup in the freezer for later use.
How to Store This Syrup
Once the syrup is made, it will need to be kept cool to preserve its freshness. Whether it will be stored in the refrigerator or the freezer affects the type of container I use, and I make the decision on where to store it based on when I expect to use some or all of the syrup in cocktails.
Refrigerator Storage: I will usually store our syrups in the refrigerator when I plan to use them in a cocktail either right away or within a few days. If that’s the case, I will store some in a condiment squeeze bottle so I can easily pour the syrup into a jigger when I make the drink. It’s rare that I need all sixteen ounces right away though, so I often keep some in the refrigerator and will transfer the rest of the syrup to a pouch so it can be frozen and used later.
Freezer Storage: I will usually store our syrups in the freezer when I don’t think I will use them in a cocktail within a week. If that’s the case, I store them in pouches with pouring spouts because those are made with a flexible material that won’t come open as the syrup expands during the freezing process. I will then thaw the pouches in a bowl of water when I want to use the syrup again.
Flavored syrups like this one should last one to two weeks in the refrigerator and can last up to six months if frozen. I recommend listing the date the syrup was made before storing it so you can keep track of when batches should be used or discarded.
Recipe
This recipe yields approximately sixteen ounces of syrup, which is enough for anywhere from fifteen to thirty-five cocktails depending on the amount needed for the drink.
Fill a large pot with hot water.
Place immersion circulator inside pot of water and set to 135°F.
Add white sugar to a blender.
Slowly pour in apple cider while blending until sugar is dissolved.
Pour apple mixture into a sealable freezer bag.
Add cinnamon sticks to bag and stir for 3-5 seconds.
Once the water has heated to 135°F, seal the freezer bag, place it in the water while leaving the top 3-4 inches of the bag outside of the water, and secure the top of the bag to the side of the pot with clips.
Let syrup cook in the pot at 135°F for 2 hours.
Once cooked, place the bag into an ice bath to shock the syrup, then let cool.
Remove cinnamon sticks, then strain syrup through a fine mesh strainer 1-2 times to remove any solid ingredients.
Pour syrup into a squeeze bottle or pouch with spout using a funnel, then refrigerate or freeze.
Ingredients
Directions
Fill a large pot with hot water.
Place immersion circulator inside pot of water and set to 135°F.
Add white sugar to a blender.
Slowly pour in apple cider while blending until sugar is dissolved.
Pour apple mixture into a sealable freezer bag.
Add cinnamon sticks to bag and stir for 3-5 seconds.
Once the water has heated to 135°F, seal the freezer bag, place it in the water while leaving the top 3-4 inches of the bag outside of the water, and secure the top of the bag to the side of the pot with clips.
Let syrup cook in the pot at 135°F for 2 hours.
Once cooked, place the bag into an ice bath to shock the syrup, then let cool.
Remove cinnamon sticks, then strain syrup through a fine mesh strainer 1-2 times to remove any solid ingredients.
Pour syrup into a squeeze bottle or pouch with spout using a funnel, then refrigerate or freeze.
Tools We Recommend
More Syrup Recipes
If you like this syrup, here are a few others we make and use in our cocktails that you may enjoy:
Gingerbread Syrup: A sous vide syrup made with gingerbread spice, honey, vanilla extract, white sugar, brown sugar, gum Arabic powder, and water
Cranberry Syrup: A sous vide syrup made with fresh cranberries, cane sugar, citric acid, and water
Pumpkin Spice Syrup: A sous vide syrup made with pumpkin purée, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla extract, white sugar, brown sugar, and water
Winter Herb Syrup: A sous vide syrup made with rosemary, thyme, sage, white sugar, gum Arabic powder, and water
This post contains affiliate links, meaning we make a small commission each time you purchase a product using our links. Product images sourced from Amazon Product Advertising API. Amazon affiliate links last updated on 2023-06-04.
