This spiced simple syrup brings the flavors of cinnamon, ginger, cardamom and other warming spices to your favorite fall drinks. It’s an easy homemade sweetener for coffee, tea and whiskey cocktails, with all the seasonal flavor you love about fall but none of the pumpkin.
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About this Spiced Simple Syrup recipe
As soon as cool weather rolls around, I love having a batch of spiced simple syrup ready to go in the fridge. It’s the key to the best fall coffee drinks. I love it with whiskey, too. There’s something about the combination of warm spices and bourbon that’s hard to beat.
Cinnamon, ginger, whole cloves, cardamom and other spices make this syrup a favorite for fall and winter. It’s a delicious way to bring the warm, cozy flavors of fall to your coffee, even when you’re not in the mood for pumpkin spice.
I also love using it in cocktails and other holiday drinks. It’s a versatile syrup you’ll want to keep on hand all season.
For more ways to sweeten your favorite drinks, check out my 52+ simple syrup recipes.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Easy to make. A few minutes on the stove and a little time to infuse are all you need.
- Customizable. You can adjust the spices to suit your tastes. Don’t have every spice in the pantry? Go ahead and make it with what you have.
- Great for entertaining. Make a batch ahead of your Thanksgiving or Christmas gathering so it’s ready when guests arrive.
- A little goes a long way. Add just a splash to give drinks a more distinctive flavor.
Ingredients & essentials
This recipe starts with granulated sugar and water, the two ingredients in traditional homemade simple syrup. They create a neutral, sweet base.
For the main spice blend, you’ll need whole cinnamon sticks, cloves, cardamom pods, nutmeg and star anise. These bring a mixture of sweet, fragrant and earthy notes to the syrup. The cardamom pods should be crushed before adding them to the saucepan so they can release their flavor.
Fresh ginger root and whole black peppercorns add a little bite. A piece of lemon zest adds a little brightness to balance the warmer ingredients.
Instructions
You’ll need a saucepan, a spoon for stirring, a fine-mesh strainer * and a food-safe airtight jar or bottle for storing the finished syrup.
- In a saucepan over medium heat, combine sugar and water. Add cloves, black peppercorns, ginger, cardamom, cinnamon sticks, nutmeg, star anise and lemon zest. Stir until sugar has dissolved. Bring to a low simmer for 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature.
- Strain the syrup, discarding the spices, ginger and lemon zest. Return the cinnamon sticks to the syrup and store in an airtight container.
Tips & tricks
- Adjust the ginger. This syrup can have quite a strong ginger flavor. Use less than the full amount or leave it out if you prefer the a less spiced final result.
- Let it infuse longer. The longer the spices sit in the syrup before straining, the more pronounced their flavor becomes. Taste as it cools to decide when the flavor is right for you.
- Try ground spices if needed. Whole spices are easier to strain, but ground spices can work too. Use the quantities in the recipe notes and strain carefully, preferably through a coffee filter, to remove fine particles.
Uses for Spiced Simple Syrup
This syrup is one of my favorite ways to add fall flavor to coffee. Stir it into my spiced autumn latte or add a splash to regular brewed coffee, cold brew or a cup of black tea.
It also pairs well with whiskey. My spiced old-fashioned is a great place to start, but you can use it to sweeten a bourbon old-fashioned or a rum old-fashioned, too.
For an especially cozy cocktail, add it to a bourbon hot toddy, rum hot toddy or hot toddy with tea. The spices complement warm drinks, and you can adjust the sweetness to taste.
For an alcohol-free option, try a little in my apple cider mocktail. It’s a lovely addition to a holiday drink menu, especially if you’re serving cocktails and mocktails together.
This syrup would also be delicious drizzled over a scoop of vanilla bean * ice cream with a decadent garnish like Italian cocktail cherries and toasted pecans.
FAQ
Store it in an airtight container with a tight-fitting lid in the refrigerator for up to one month. For more storage tips, see my guide on how to store simple syrup.
Yes. Pour the cooled, strained syrup into an ice cube tray. Once frozen, transfer the cubes to a freezer-safe bag or container.
Yes. Use 2 cups each of sugar and water, double the spices and prepare everything in a larger saucepan.
Spiced Simple Syrup
ingredients
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 4 pieces whole cloves
- 4 whole black peppercorns
- 2 whole cinnamon sticks
- 2 tablespoons peeled and diced ginger root
- 1 tablespoons whole cardamom pods crushed
- 1 piece whole nutmeg
- 1 piece whole star anise
- 1 piece lemon zest about 1 inch wide
instructions
- In a saucepan over medium heat, combine sugar and water. Add cloves, black peppercorns, ginger, cardamom, cinnamon sticks, nutmeg, star anise and lemon zest. Stir until sugar has dissolved. Bring to a low simmer for 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool.1 cup water, 1 cup granulated sugar, 4 pieces whole cloves, 4 whole black peppercorns, 2 whole cinnamon sticks, 2 tablespoons peeled and diced ginger root, 1 tablespoons whole cardamom pods, 1 piece whole nutmeg, 1 piece whole star anise, 1 piece lemon zest
- Strain the syrup, discarding the spices, ginger and lemon zest.
- Return the cinnamon sticks to the syrup and store in an airtight container.
notes
The longer you let the spices infuse before straining, the stronger the flavor will be. The cinnamon sticks can stay in the jar in the refrigerator for even more flavor over time.
To freeze, pour the cooled, strained syrup into an ice cube tray. Once frozen, transfer the cubes to a freezer-safe bag or container.
To double the recipe, use 2 cups water, 2 cups sugar and double all the spices in a larger saucepan.
If you only have ground spices, use ¼ teaspoon cloves, ⅛ teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ginger, ½ teaspoon cardamom, ½ teaspoon nutmeg and ¼ teaspoon star anise. Strain the syrup two or three times through a fine-mesh strainer, or pour it through a coffee filter, so the syrup isn’t gritty.
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