Fresh Apple Cinnamon Syrup
Spiced apple syrup made with fresh diced apples, cinnamon stick, and cloves — the base for apple pie gimlets, fall old fashioneds, and bourbon smashes.
This syrup captures the essence of apple pie in liquid form, pairing crisp autumn apples with whole cinnamon and a few cloves for a sweetener that deepens any fall cocktail. Unlike a flavored simple syrup that merely scents sugar water, simmering diced apples in the water first extracts real fruit character, which is then balanced by the warm spice. The result holds up in spirit-forward drinks like an apple pie Old Fashioned while staying bright enough to sparkle in a shaken smash or a cider-based highball.
- 1 wholeapple(diced, core removed — Honeycrisp, Fuji, or Gala)
- 1 cupwater
- 1 wholecinnamon stick
- 3 wholewhole cloves(optional)
- 1 cupgranulated sugar(or light brown sugar for deeper flavor)
- 1Core and dice the apple into half-inch pieces; no need to peel since the skin adds color.
- 2Combine the diced apple, water, cinnamon stick, and whole cloves in a medium saucepan over high heat.
- 3Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer gently for fifteen to twenty minutes until the apples have softened and the liquid smells strongly of cinnamon.
- 4Strain the liquid through a fine mesh sieve into a heatproof bowl, pressing very lightly on the solids; pressing too hard makes the syrup cloudy.
- 5Return the strained liquid to the saucepan over low heat and stir in the sugar until it dissolves completely — do not let it boil again, which can caramelize the sugar.
- 6Remove from heat and let the syrup cool to room temperature in the pan.
- 7Transfer to a clean glass bottle or mason jar, seal tightly, and refrigerate.
Store in a sealed glass bottle in the refrigerator for up to one month. Fresh apple particles in the syrup can cloud the liquid over time — that is cosmetic and not a sign of spoilage. Discard if the syrup smells off, shows visible mold, or develops a sour fermented aroma. Keep refrigerated.
Sweet apple varieties like Honeycrisp, Fuji, and Gala produce a noticeably brighter syrup than tart cooking apples like Granny Smith, which can go flat once reduced. Leave the skin on for both color and a subtle extra aroma, but do remove the core and any seeds. Avoid pressing hard on the apples when straining because mashed pulp will make the syrup cloudy and shorten its shelf life; a gentle tap of the sieve is enough. For a slightly thicker syrup that stays fresher longer, use a two-to-one ratio of sugar to water instead of the standard one-to-one — the extra sugar acts as a preservative. Adding a small splash of overproof vodka or apple brandy after cooling will extend shelf life to roughly two months.
The combination of apple and cinnamon is essentially apple pie translated into liquid, a pairing that has appeared in European autumn cooking for centuries through dishes like apfelstrudel, tarte Tatin, and spiced cider. The cocktail-specific version of this syrup rose to prominence with the craft cocktail revival of the 2000s and 2010s, particularly on seasonal fall menus at American craft bars that wanted to capture autumn flavors in a signature drink. The Apple Pie Gimlet, inspired by a recipe in the Craft Gin Club book, helped popularize the home-made apple-cinnamon syrup format, and Difford's Guide later featured the same combination in cocktails like Fall From The Tree and C'est la Vie. It is now a standard seasonal addition to the home bar from September through November.
Substitute apple cider for the water to deepen the apple flavor further, though the syrup will be slightly cloudier. Replace the granulated sugar with packed light brown sugar for an apple butter leaning version that works beautifully with aged rum and bourbon. For a spicier version, add a star anise pod and a pinch of ground cardamom during the simmer, which pushes the syrup into chai territory. A pressure cooker or sous vide immersion at 165 F for two hours produces a clearer, more vibrant syrup favored by some craft bartenders. For a fresh and fiery fall cocktail syrup, add a thin slice of fresh ginger and a single dried chile pod during the simmer.
No major allergens. Naturally vegan and gluten-free. Always verify that any garnish bitters or additional liqueurs paired with this syrup remain gluten-free if serving guests with celiac disease.