Cinnamon Vanilla Syrup

This is the syrup batch behind our Cinnamon Vanilla Latte — pulled out into its own recipe so you can make it once and go straight to assembling drinks for the next couple of weeks, instead of reading the same syrup steps every time. It’s also the simplest syrup on the site: one spice, one sweetener, no puree to cook down.

The Syrup

Combine 1 cup water and 1 cup granulated sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Whisk in 2 tsp ground cinnamon and bring it to a gentle simmer for 2-3 minutes, whisking now and then so the cinnamon doesn’t settle and clump. Off the heat, stir in 1/2 tsp vanilla extract and let it cool completely.

Store the finished syrup in a sealed jar in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. It makes roughly 12 drinks’ worth at 2 tbsp per serving.

This batch (12 servings)$0.60 total

Per 2 tbsp serving~$0.05

Typical store-bought pump bottle, per serving$0.35-$0.45

Assumptions: sugar, ground cinnamon, and vanilla extract at typical grocery pricing (this is the cheapest syrup on the site alongside plain caramel — no puree, no multi-spice blend, no whole spices to buy); a store-bought comparison assumes a ~750ml pump bottle of cinnamon vanilla syrup around $9-11, yielding about 25 servings at 2 tbsp each. The homemade batch pays for itself well before you finish the jar.

Storage & Shelf Life

• Keeps about 2 weeks in a sealed jar in the fridge, same as the site’s other cane-sugar syrups.
• Give it a shake or stir before using — ground cinnamon settles at the bottom of the jar; that’s normal and doesn’t affect flavor.
• Double the batch if you go through cinnamon vanilla lattes quickly — everything scales evenly (2 cups water, 2 cups sugar, 4 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp vanilla).

Swaps & Notes

• Want a rounder, more complex cinnamon flavor? That’s exactly what the Maple Cinnamon Vanilla Syrup behind our Ingredient-Honest tier does differently — it steeps whole cinnamon sticks in real maple syrup instead of dissolving ground cinnamon into sugar water, which pulls a rounder flavor out of the spice at the cost of an extra step and a pricier bottle of maple.
• No ground cinnamon on hand? Cinnamon sticks work too — simmer 2-3 whole sticks in the sugar water for 8-10 minutes to infuse, then remove them before adding the vanilla. It’s a slower process for a similar result at standard-tier cost, which is why we default to ground cinnamon here.

What to Make With This

2 tbsp of this syrup, stirred into hot espresso before adding steamed milk, is the Cinnamon Vanilla Latte. If you want the same drink with less or no sugar, the Sugar-Free Cinnamon Vanilla Syrup swaps the sweetener with a similar method. If you’d rather avoid refined cane sugar, the Maple Cinnamon Vanilla Syrup behind our Ingredient-Honest tier uses real maple and whole cinnamon sticks instead.

Recipe Card Summary

Cinnamon Vanilla Syrup

• 1 cup water, 1 cup sugar, 2 tsp ground cinnamon, 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• Makes ~12 servings (2 tbsp each) · Prep: 5 min · Total: 10 min (mostly cooling)
• Cost: ~$0.60/batch, ~$0.05/serving

FAQ

How long does homemade cinnamon vanilla syrup last?

About 2 weeks in a sealed jar in the fridge.

Do I need to make this every time I want a latte?

No — that’s the point of splitting this out. Make one batch and it covers about 12 drinks; the Cinnamon Vanilla Latte recipe assumes you already have a jar of this on hand.

Is cinnamon vanilla just cinnamon syrup with a different name?

Essentially, yes, plus a little vanilla to round it out. There’s no secret ingredient here — it’s a genuinely simple flavor, which is exactly why it’s one of the cheapest and quickest syrups on the site to make at home.