Apple Brown Sugar Cinnamon Syrup

Apple Syrup Recipe

In anticipation of my Sweet Potato Pancakes which I will be posting later this week, I wanted to first bring you my favorite syrup to smother them with: Chunky Cinnamon Apple Syrup! The Cinnamon Apple Syrup tastes exactly how it sounds: tender, sweet apples, swimming in cinnamon syrup AKA drool worthy. This Apple Syrup is the star of the Sweet Potato Pancakes, and will be the star of anything you smother them with. You see, I have a thing for drenching breakfast foods in fruit syrup. It’s a secret I discovered long ago – fruit syrup makes everything better! My thinking is because syrup is mostly sugar, you might as well make your own (because it is SO EASY) and while you’re at it, you might as well throw in some fruit because this seemingly simple addition instantly elevates your ordinary syrup into an extraordinary sweet, syrupy, fruit infused bath that makes absolutely everything it glides across, pools on or smothers better:

Like my Brown Sugar Carrot Cake Crepes with Cream Cheese Filling and Blueberry Sauce (a must try if you want to eat the best crepes of your life) Like my Pineapple Coconut Macadamia Nut Waffles with Pineapple Coconut Syrup (terrible old pics but insanely delicious. I need to dedicate a post strictly to this syrup) And like my Angel Food Cake French Toast with Cream Cheese and Strawberry Syrup (can’t even get over this decadent deliciousness) And now this Cinnamon Apple Syrup (a make-right-away must!)

What you’ll need for Brown Sugar Cinnamon Syrup

Apples: Use peeled Granny Smith apples for their tartness. You can chop the apples smaller or larger than ½-inch, keeping in mind the apples will shrink significantly when simmered. Brown sugar: Use light brown for its caramel undertones that pair beautifully with the apples – think caramel apples! Butter: Use salted butter or unsalted butter with a pinch of salt. Cornstarch: This helps to thicken the syrup because the apples release water when simmered. Cinamon: 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon adds the cozy, warm fall flavoring. Vanilla: Use quality extract for the best flavor.

What Apples Should I Use?

Granny Smith apples are the best apples for Apple Syrup because their tartness balances out the sweetness of the sugar. I do not suggest using any sweet apples for this recipe otherwise it will not taste balanced and instead taste sickly sweet.

How to Make Cinnamon Syrup

To make this seemingly indulgent delight, simply simmer apples, cinnamon, a little butter, sugar, and water (mixed with cornstarch). In ten short minutes (or ten long minutes depending just how hungry you are), you have fresh, Cinnamon Apple Syrup and a home that smells delightfully cozy. Here is a breakdown step by step: STEP 1: In a saucepan, combine brown sugar, butter, cornstarch whisked with water and cinnamon. STEP 2: Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve sugar and melt butter. STEP 3: Boil for 1 minute then reduce heat to medium and add apples. STEP 4: Simmer for 10 minutes, or until apples reach desired tenderness.

How Big Should I Chop My Apples?

The size of your apples is personal preference. I like to chop mine into 1/2” cubes. Keep in mind that the apples will shrink considerably when cooked. For chunkier Apple Syrup, chop bigger apple pieces, for less chunky, chop smaller pieces. The size of your apples will also affect the ratio of apples to syrup. Large apple chunks means more syrup, smaller apple chunks means more apples.

How to thicken syrup

Depending on how much moisture your apples release, you may need to thicken or thin your Apple Syrup.

To thin: stir in an additional tablespoon or so of water to reach desired consistency. To thicken: whisk 1 teaspoon of cornstarch with 1 tablespoon water until dissolved. Stir into Apple Syrup then bring to a simmer until thickened.