Cinnamon Dolce Syrup

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Homemade cinnamon dolce simple syrup is a delicious way to flavor your favorite latte, coffee, or even tea. The warm sweetness of brown sugar combined with a classic cinnamon flavor enhances any drink.

(Related: Try this syrup in a blended coffee Frappuccino!)

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Why this works

This DIY cinnamon dolce syrup works well in lattes, coffee, or anything else you can think of! It’s long been a popular syrup for lattes, ever since Starbucks introduced it in 2006.

Cinnamon is a classic pairing with coffee, and adding the warm brown sugar and butter flavor brings it all together in a way that’s hard to resist. Whether it reminds you of a cinnamon roll, cinnamon and sugar toast, or cinnamon toast crunch, you have to agree it’s delicious.

Ingredients

This homemade syrup only takes three ingredients plus water, and two of them you likely already have! The other is a bit unexpected but makes all the difference.

Water
Brown sugar
Cinnamon
Vanilla butter emulsion

The vanilla butter emulsion is a special ingredient, unique to my recipe! It’s the key to making the best DIY cinnamon dolce syrup.

Emulsions are similar to an extract but are water-based rather than alcohol-based. This means it’s water-soluble and holds its taste better in the water-based syrup. You can find vanilla butter emulsion in-store at Michaels or online on Amazon. (Tip: Check out my sugar cookie flavored syrup recipe that also uses this ingredient!)

The other ingredients, brown sugar and cinnamon, are classic and the base of this recipe. I used light brown sugar and cinnamon from my local grocery store.

FAQs

Is this the same as Starbucks Cinnamon Dolce Syrup?

Yes, it’s very similar. If you order a cinnamon dolce latte from Starbucks, by default it comes with a topping that includes butter flavors. Instead of having that flavor in the topping, I combine it into the syrup. So, this syrup actually copies the overall flavor of the Starbucks drink better than most recipes.

What is the vanilla butter emulsion?

Emulsions are similar to extracts but are water-based instead of alcohol-based. They hold flavor better when cooked and work well in syrups like this because they are water-soluble.

Emulsions are starting to gain popularity in baking. You can find this flavor, and other flavors at the craft store Michaels, other specialty stores, and online at Amazon.

I first used it in my sugar cookie flavored syrup and fell in love with it as a special ingredient.

Can I use butter extract instead?

I’ve not tested using butter extract instead of the vanilla butter emulsion, but it should work fine, although the flavor may be slightly different. Many other syrups I’ve made use extracts and not emulsions and they work fine. You could use 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract and 1/4 teaspoon butter extract for a similar result.

Can I make this on the stove instead of in the microwave?

Yes, this recipe is for the microwave because I find it easier and faster, but you can follow the same process on a stovetop.

Is cinnamon dolce syrup the same as cinnamon syrup?

They are very similar, and yes, many recipes create the same thing. But, the cinnamon dolce syrup typically relies more heavily on brown sugar than a classic cinnamon simple syrup does. Cinnamon dolce has historically been used in lattes, coffees, and tea where cinnamon syrup is more often used as a syrup on pancakes and other food.

What does “dolce” mean?

The word “dolce” means “sweet,” and so this is a sweet cinnamon syrup.

How long is the syrup good for?

Put the finished syrup in an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator. It will keep for two to three weeks.

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