Pumpkin Spice Syrup
INGREDIENTS
  • Cooking Time: 15
  • Servings: Many
  • Preparation Time: 0
  • 1 1/2 c water
  • 1 1/2 c sugar
  • 4 cinnamon sticks
  • 1 t cinnamon
  • 1 t nutmeg
  • 1/2 t ginger
  • 1/2 t cloves
  • 1/4 c pumpkin purée
DIRECTIONS
  1. Mix water & sugar in a small saucepan until dissolved, stirring occasionally. You want it completely clear, not cloudy at all.
  2. Toss in cinnamon sticks & remaining spices and continue cooking (not boiling!) for 5-10 minutes, stirring frequently.
  3. Remove from heat and let cool 10-15 minutes.
  4. Strain using your method of choice. If you don't mind it cloudy, a strainer or colander works fine. If you want clear syrup, put it through a tea towel or multiple layers of cheesecloth a few times.
  5. Store refrigerated in a food-safe container.
  6. If you feel bad tossing out the cinnamon sticks & spices after one use, toss them into a bottle of cheap vodka! If you let them sit in there in a cool dark place for a month or so, you will have delicious pumpkin spice infused vodka. Which is also good in coffee if you are so inclined!
RECIPE BACKSTORY
Pumpkin lattes from Starbucks are SO good, but not so good for the bank account. If you make them at home using commercially made syrup it saves a bit of money. However, the syrup is impossible to find locally unless it's sugar-free (yuck) and it costs almost $20 with shipping to buy online. Solution? Make your own! I've never made sugar syrup before trying this recipe so you know it's super easy. The original recipe calls for four cinnamon sticks but they didn't give enough oomph for me. If you don't like tons of cinnamon, you can omit the extra teaspoon of powder, but I highly recommend it! Mix this stuff in with your coffee, serve on ice cream, or if you just want to die of deliciousness, mix it into a no-bake cheesecake. This recipe is also very scale-able, so the process is the same if you make half or multiple times the amount.