Although many consider Starbucks the McDonald’s of coffee shops, the coffee chain has revolutionized coffee culture and remains the most popular coffee chain in the world. Starbucks is a massive coffee empire with Italianized cup sizes, famously friendly service, and many sweet coffee and espresso drinks.

One of their most popular sugary additives is Starbucks’ proprietary cinnamon dolce syrup. Read on to explore what cinnamon dolce syrup is, how to make it yourself, and the best drinks in which to feature it. 

What Is Cinnamon Dolce Syrup?

As the name suggests, cinnamon dolce syrup is a cinnamon-flavored simple syrup consisting of sugar, water, artificial flavoring, citric acid, and coloring. Starbucks sells cinnamon dolce syrup by the liter online through Amazon and their proprietary website, and it even comes with the classic pump. 

Cinnamon Dolce syrup has a rich brown sugar and cinnamon flavor with a spicy, warming finish. Sweet and spicy notes are the perfect complement to coffee’s powerful bitterness. The concentrated sugar and cinnamon flavor is one of Starbucks’ most popular products, used in coffee, espresso, frappuccinos, and teas.

Starbucks syrups are incredibly sweet, so a little bit goes a long way. One or two pumps should suffice for a single-shot espresso drink or an 8 oz coffee; one pump equals around one tablespoon of syrup. Thus, a liter of cinnamon dolce syrup will provide enough cinnamon sweetness for anywhere from 35-50 beverages.  

Starbucks graciously acknowledges that their customers may not want to shell out 10 dollars a day on elaborate orders, which is why they sell their syrups. These syrups make any average coffee drinker into an experienced barista with a simple pump press.

Ironically, cinnamon isn’t on the list of ingredients. That’s why homemade simple syrups are a healthier, whole-food alternative worth the effort. 

Home made Cinnamon Dolce Syrup Ingredients

While making cinnamon dolce syrup at home involves more effort than buying a premade bottle online, homemade cinnamon dolce syrup uses fresher, whole ingredients and cuts costs.

To make homemade cinnamon dolce syrup, you’ll need the following ingredients:

• Water
• White sugar
• Brown sugar
• Cinnamon
• Vanilla extract

A recipe is only as good as the quality and freshness of its ingredients, so the best homemade cinnamon dolce syrup uses the purest filtered water, fresh cinnamon sticks, and real vanilla extract.

Cinnamon sticks are superior to ground cinnamon because the liquid won’t dissolve the ground cinnamon, which means you’ll have to strain the liquid through cheesecloth. With cinnamon sticks, you only need to fish the sticks out of the cooled liquid or use a regular metal strainer. 

How To Make Starbucks Cinnamon Dolce Syrup at Home?

Read on to learn how to make an imitation cinnamon dolce syrup at home that tastes exactly like your favorite Starbucks ingredient.

Cinnamon Dolce Syrup Home Recipe

Ingredients 

• 1 cup water
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 cinnamon sticks

Directions

1. Combine white granulated sugar and brown sugar with water in a medium saucepan or pot over high heat until boiling. Stir often to avoid scorching the sugar on the bottom of the pan.
2. When the water reaches a rolling boil, reduce the heat to low or simmer and pour in the teaspoon of vanilla extract. Crush the two cinnamon sticks with a wooden spoon or class and throw them into the simmering syrup. 
3. Simmer the liquid for approximately 10 minutes, occasionally stirring to avoid burning the sugar. The liquid should thicken to a syrup consistency.
4. Once the liquid reaches its desired consistency, turn off the heat and pour the syrup into a glass container like a mason jar or glass measuring cup.
5. Let the container cool for a minimum of 30 minutes. 
6. Strain the syrup using a metal strainer to remove the crushed cinnamon pieces. If you use powdered cinnamon, strain through cheesecloth.
7.  Use a mason jar or other glass jar with a top to store the syrup in the fridge.

Popular Starbucks Drinks That Use Cinnamon Dolce Syrup

If you’re wondering what drinks utilize cinnamon dolce syrup at Starbucks, you can find a list of the most popular cinnamon dolce syrup drinks on their menu below:

• Cinnamon Dolce Latte
• Chai Tea
• Chai Tea Latte
• Pumpkin Spice Latte
• Caramel Spice Latte
• Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew
• Pumpkin Spice Frappuccino
• Chestnut Praline Creme Frappuccino
• Cinnamon Dolce Creme
• Iced Cinnamon Coffee
• Apple Crisp Macchiato
• Iced Brown Sugar Shaken Espresso

The list goes on and on, but these popular seasonal and staple drinks show the importance of cinnamon dolce syrup as a key flavoring agent to pair with tea, coffee, cream, and seasonal fruits.

How Do You Store the Syrup Properly?

Simple syrups are easy to store and last up to a month when stored properly. The first step to proper storage is using an airtight container, whether it’s a Mason jar or a leftover glass jelly bottle. The next step is storing the tightly sealed container in the refrigerator. 

When the simple syrup starts to look cloudy, that’s a sign that it is no longer good, and you should throw it out. 

A lesser-known technique to extend the shelf life of simple syrup is to increase the ratio of sugar to water. Most simple syrups use a 1:1 ratio, but using a ratio of two parts sugar to one part water should extend syrup’s shelf life in the fridge for up to 6 months.

What Can You Use the Syrup On?

Like any simple syrup, Cinnamon dolce syrup has a wealth of utilities. You can use them in any drink, no matter the temperature or texture. Whether you want to squeeze a pump into a latte, drip coffee, chai tea, or milkshake, the sky’s the limit with simple syrups.

You can also use this syrup in desserts, from milkshakes to ice creams. Another great avenue for simple syrups is as a sweetener and flavor agent in a cocktail, mocktail, or Italian soda. 

Conclusion

Meaning “sweet cinnamon,” cinnamon dolce syrup is a delicious blend of cinnamon and sugar boiled into a thick syrup. It is a popular additive for coffee, tea, and dessert drinks at Starbucks. You can buy Starbucks cinnamon dolce syrup by the liter to use at home.

You can also easily recreate this favorite Starbucks ingredient by making your own batch of syrup with cheap and accessible ingredients and common household equipment.