Pumpkin Spice Simple Syrup

Why We Love This Recipe

• Add fall flavor to everything: This pumpkin spice simple syrup is the perfect way to add fall flavor to all of your favorite drinks this season. We have been adding it to our coffee almost every morning! It's delicious in cold brew, hot and cold lattes, and even cocktails, like this Pumpkin Spice Espresso Martini or this Cranberry Orange Mimosa. It's also great in smoothies, oatmeal, baked goods, or even drizzled on top of ice cream. The options are endless!
• Stores well: You can keep it in a mason jar/sealed container in the refrigerator, or freeze it in an ice cube tray. This recipe yields 12 fl oz of syrup, so one batch will last you a few weeks (unless you're like us and use it in pretty much everything).
• Quick and easy recipe: This recipe is as simple as boil, cool, strain and store. It's as easy as making regular simple syrup, but it's packed with flavor. Way better than store bought!

Ingredients

Here's what you'll need to make this pumpkin spice simple syrup:

Ingredient Notes

• Vanilla bean: For this recipe, we're using a whole vanilla bean with the seeds scraped out for that rich vanilla flavor. If you can't find/don't want to spend on vanilla beans, feel free to sub with 1 teaspoon of vanilla bean paste or high quality vanilla extract instead.
• Cinnamon sticks: Using whole cinnamon sticks to infuse this syrup brings out those intense, warming fall flavors. If you can't find whole cinnamon sticks, feel free to use ½ to 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon instead.
• Maple syrup: We love the rich, fall flavor this adds to our pumpkin spice simple syrup instead of regular sugar. Be sure to use the real thing (not pancake syrup!).
• Pumpkin: We used canned pumpkin pureé in this recipe. You can also use fresh pumpkin (cook it and mash it first). (Note: pumpkin purée – pure pumpkin without additives – is different from pumpkin pie mix, which contains spices and often sweeteners.)
• Ginger: Fresh ginger adds the most flavor here, but you could also use ½ teaspoon of ground ginger instead.
• Cloves: Whole cloves have a pretty intense flavor. You only need a few to add a ton of punch to this pumpkin spice simple syrup. If you don't love the flavor, feel free to cut back. You can find whole cloves at some grocery stores, or order online. If you don't have whole cloves, you can sub with a small pinch of ground cloves.
  • NOTE: do not use the same quantity of ground cloves as you would with whole cloves as it is more potent and will overpower the other flavors of this syrup.

Instructions

(1) Add maple syrup, water, and pumpkin pureé to a small saucepan and whisk together over medium-high heat.

(2) Using a small paring knife, carefully cut a slit in the vanilla bean from the top to the bottom. Using the edge of the knife, scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean pod. You may need to scrape more than once to make sure you get everything.

(3) Add cinnamon sticks, ginger, vanilla bean seeds (as well as the leftover pod) and cloves to the saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat slightly and simmer for 5-7 minutes.

(4) Remove from heat and let the mixture sit for 15-30 minutes. Remove the cinnamon sticks with tongs, then strain the simple syrup through a fine mesh sieve. You'll have to use a spatula to push the liquid through, since the pumpkin residue makes it thick.

Get as much liquid out as you possibly can, then transfer to a mason jar or other sealed container for storage.

Tips and FAQs

• Straining the syrup: A super important step in making a smooth syrup is straining the mixture the remove the excess pumpkin puree and whole spices. We put ours through a fine mesh strainer/sieve, using the back of a spoon or a spatula to extract as much liquid as possible. You should end up with a thick paste left in the strainer (photos above).
• Let it steep: Letting the syrup sit for 15 minutes after boiling will not only let it cool (making it safer and easier to move into a storage container), but it will also allow the flavors of the spices to infuse into the syrup. It's a key step, so don't rush it! If you have extra time and prefer a super flavorful syrup, you can let it sit for up to an hour before straining.
• Storage: Store this simple syrup in a mason jar or any other sealed container and stash it in the fridge, where it'll keep for up to a week or two. You can also freeze in an ice cube tray and defrost one or two cubes at a time when you need some simple syrup. When frozen, it should keep for 3-6 months, so you can enjoy it all fall!
• This simple syrup is great as a DIY gift! Store it in a pretty glass container, wrap a ribbon around the top with a label, and you've got an awesome host/hostess or holiday gift on your hands!

More Pumpkin Recipes to Enjoy

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