Description
With notes of cinnamon, cloves, and vanilla, this Pumpkin Spice Simple Syrup is the perfect way to add fall flavor to your favorite cocktails, your morning coffee, baked goods, or even a smoothie. This quick and easy recipe takes just 20 minutes, and keeps well in the fridge and freezer so you can enjoy all season long!
Ingredients
- 1 cup maple syrup
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
- 4 whole cinnamon sticks
- 1 tablespoon finely minced fresh ginger
- 1 5 inch vanilla bean, (use the seeds and pod)
- 1 heaping teaspoon of whole cloves
Instructions
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Add maple syrup, water, and pumpkin pureé to a small saucepan and whisk together over medium-high heat.
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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.
- 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.
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Remove from heat and let the mixture sit for 15-30 minutes. Remove the cinnamon sticks and vanilla bean pod 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 puree residue makes it thick.
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Get as much liquid out as you possibly can, then transfer to a mason jar or other sealed container for storage.
Notes
Straining the syrup: It's important to strain the syrup to remove 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 in blog post).
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 pumpkin spice 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!
Dried spices vs fresh: fresh will yield better and more intense flavor, but you can also use dried. If using dried, here are the quantities: 1/2-1 tsp ground cinnamon, 1/2 tsp ground ginger, a pinch (1/8-1/4 tsp) ground cloves.
Vanilla: If you don't have whole vanilla bean pods, you can also sub with 1-1 1/2 tsp regular vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Cocktails
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 fl oz
- Calories: 76
- Sugar: 16.5 g
- Sodium: 5.1 mg
- Fat: 0.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 19.6 g
- Fiber: 0.8 g
- Protein: 0.2 g
