this started as a replacement for our flavored coffee creamer, but it ended up doing more than i expected.
we now use this cinnamon dolce syrup in coffee, over pancakes and anywhere we want a warm cinnamon sweetness without buying another specialty bottle from the grocery store.
one simple syrup replaced two things we were buying regularly—and the coffee swap alone saves our family more than $900 a year.
one root at a time. one less thing from the grocery store.
rooted pantry swap
- replaces
- bottled coffee creamer and pancake syrup
- difficulty
- 1/3
- active time
- 30 minutes
- total time
- 1 hour
- freezer friendly
- no
- make again?
- every week
- makes
- about 12 fl oz
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why we make this
the original goal was to stop spending so much on flavored coffee creamer.
we were buying around four bottles every week—usually three cookie dough and one cinnamon roll—which added up to roughly $25 a week.
i first tried making a copycat creamer. it worked, but it still cost around $10 a week and meant mixing the flavor directly into the cream.
making the syrup separately turned out to be cheaper, easier and far more useful.
now we buy regular half-and-half and let everyone add the amount of cinnamon dolce syrup they want to their own coffee.
then we realized it worked for breakfast too.
my daughter doesn’t like real maple syrup, so we had been buying the inexpensive pancake syrup made mostly with high-fructose corn syrup. this gave her another option she actually likes using something we already keep in the refrigerator.
the coffee cost breakdown
before
store-bought flavored creamer
about $22 a week
about $1,140 a year
now
half-and-half + homemade syrup
about $4 a week
about $208 a year
estimated savings
more than $900 a year
one recipe now handles coffee and pancakes, cuts down on the number of bottles we buy and saves us more than $1,000 a year on coffee alone.
tools that make this easier
you do not need every gadget to make bread, but these are the tools i reach for when i’m making this recipe on repeat.
- saucepan, with lid
- immersion blender
- glass milk bottles
- kitchen scale
- fine mesh strainer
- cassia cinnamon sticks
root 2 recipe
CINNAMON DOLCE SYRUP
ingredients
- 200 g water
- 200 g granulated sugar
- 30 g brown sugar
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 1 g salt
- 5 g vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon cold butter, cut into small pieces
instructions
- add the water, granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon sticks and salt to a saucepan.
- over medium heat, stirring until the sugars are completely dissolved.
- remove the saucepan from the heat and allow the cinnamon sticks to steep for 10–15 minutes.
- remove the cinnamon sticks.
- add the vanilla and cold butter.
- blend carefully with an immersion blender until the butter is fully incorporated and the syrup looks smooth.
- transfer the syrup to a clean jar or bottle and refrigerate.
- shake before using. some separation is normal because this recipe contains real butter.
how we use it
start with 20–30 g of syrup per drink, then adjust based on the size of your coffee and how sweet you like it.
our usual drink is:
- coffee or espresso
- cinnamon dolce syrup
- half-and-half
- ice, if making it cold
the syrup also works in hot coffee, cold brew, lattes and homemade coffee drinks.
making a larger batch
i usually make a quadruple batch because both of us use it regularly.
QUADRUPLE batch
- 800 g water
- 800 g granulated sugar
- 120 g brown sugar
- 8 cinnamon sticks
- 4 g salt
- 20 g vanilla extract
- 4 tablespoons cold butter
a quadruple batch lasts our household around four weeks.
storing and freezing
keep it refrigerated in a clean, airtight bottle or jar and shake before each use. for best quality, use within 1 month.
i have not needed to freeze it because a quadruple batch lasts our household about four weeks. if you freeze it, use a freezer-safe container with room for expansion. thaw it in the refrigerator, then shake or briefly blend it again if the butter separates.
lessons learned
- blend the butter in well. some separation is normal and does not mean the syrup is ruined. using an immersion blender while the syrup is still warm gave me the smoothest texture. refrigerate it and shake before each use.
- the type of cinnamon matters. ceylon cinnamon gave the syrup more of a cinnamon-candy flavor. regular cinnamon sticks created the warmer, bakery-style flavor we preferred.
- keep the syrup and cream separate. this makes it easy to control both the sweetness and creaminess of each drink instead of relying on a premixed creamer.
faq
how much syrup does one batch make?
one batch makes about 12 fluid ounces of finished syrup. the exact yield may vary slightly depending on how long it heats and steeps.
how much should i use in one drink?
start with 20–30 g of syrup, then adjust it to match the size of your drink and how sweet you like your coffee.
why does the recipe include butter?
the butter adds richness and gives the syrup more of the warm, bakery-style flavor we wanted. it also helps the syrup and half-and-half taste more like the flavored creamer we were replacing.
what if the butter separates?
some separation is normal and does not mean the syrup is ruined. blend the butter thoroughly into the warm syrup with an immersion blender, then shake the refrigerated bottle before each use.
is this an exact starbucks cinnamon dolce copycat?
no. this recipe wasn’t created to copy the starbucks syrup exactly. i made it to replace the cinnamon-roll coffee creamer we were buying, then adjusted it until it had the warm cinnamon flavor our family liked.
how long does it last in the refrigerator?
store it in a clean, airtight bottle or jar in the refrigerator and shake before each use. for best quality, use it within one month.
this recipe has not been tested for room-temperature storage or home canning, so it should remain refrigerated.
grab the root card
want the quick version? download the matching root card for root 2 so you can keep this recipe with the rest of your rooted pantry staples.
keep growing the rooted pantry
this is root 02 of the rooted pantry project—a growing collection of homemade swaps that help us bring home one less thing from the grocery store.