Every fall, I turn into that person who wants all the cozy coffee shop drinks without the coffee shop prices. Instead of spending $7 every morning, I'd much rather make a batch of this apple brown sugar syrup and keep it in the fridge so I can play barista whenever the craving hits. It has all those warm apple pie flavors with brown sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla, and before you know it, you'll be adding it to your coffee, chai, cocktails, pancakes…basically anything that could use a little extra fall magic. Trust me, once you make it, you'll wonder why you ever bought the bottled stuff.
If you're building your own coffee shop menu at home, this syrup is delicious in an Iced Pumpkin Cream Chai, Iced Pumpkin Latte, or simply stirred into your favorite iced coffee. Pair it with Pumpkin Pie Spice Cookies or Butter Pecan Cookies for the ultimate cozy fall afternoon.
Equipment
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Ingredients
- Apple cider
- Brown sugar
- Cinnamon
- Vanilla extract
Directions
In a medium saucepan, combine the apple cider, brown sugar, and cinnamon over medium heat. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 5-7 minutes, until the sugar dissolves.
Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract.
Allow the mixture to cool completely.
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
How do I serve my Apple Brown Sugar Syrup?
- Stir this syrup into any coffee, latte, or cocktail. It is also delicious drizzled over ice cream or pound cake.
FAQs (Because Life’s Too Busy for Guesswork)
Apple cider is a raw, unfiltered, and often unpasteurized apple juice. It is tart in flavor, thicker, and slightly cloudy. Apple juice has been filtered and pasteurized; it often tends to be sweetened, clearer, and much thinner in texture.
To keep the syrup from crystallizing, you can add 1/4 teaspoon of cream of tartar or 1/2 teaspoon of corn syrup to the mixture while simmering.
The syrup has the flavor profile of a rich, earthy fall apple pie. It has notes of caramel and fresh apple in the undertones. Perfect for a hot chai latte or an iced coffee.
What are substitutions that I can make?
- Freshly pressed apple cider – Freshly pressed cider gives the best apple flavor, but any apple cider will work.
- Brown sugar – Choose between light or dark brown sugar. Light brown sugar has more vanilla notes, while dark brown sugar has a deeper caramel flavor.
- Cinnamon – A good-quality cinnamon will dissolve better as the syrup simmers.
- Vanilla extract – Homemade vanilla extract works well too.
How should I store my Apple Brown Sugar Syrup?
- Apple Brown Sugar Syrup should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
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Apple Brown Sugar Syrup
Equipment
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Medium Saucepan
- Whisk
Ingredients
- 1 cup freshly pressed apple cider
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, combine the apple cider, brown sugar, and cinnamon over medium heat. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 5-7 minutes, until the sugar dissolves.
- Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract.
- Allow the mixture to cool completely.
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
