As the season changes, the bright, fresh flavors of spring and summer give way to the deeper flavors of fall—apples, pears, warm spices, and brown sugar.
Apple Spice Syrup begins with apple cider in place of water. The cider brings fruit and acidity; Demerara sugar adds body and a gentle molasses note. Cinnamon, green cardamom, clove, and orange peel add warmth and fragrance while keeping the apple at the center.
The spice amounts are a starting point. Taste as you go and adjust to suit your palate.
Stir it into a fall Old Fashioned, hot or iced coffee, or sparkling water with a squeeze of citrus. A little drizzled over vanilla ice cream is excellent, too.
Ingredients
- 200 mL nonalcoholic apple cider
- 300 g Demerara sugar
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 1.5 g whole green cardamom
- 1 g whole cloves
- 2–3 wide strips orange peel, white pith removed
- Up to 1.5 g salt, added to taste
Method
- Combine the cider, sugar, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, and orange peel in a saucepan. Heat gently, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
- Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature with the aromatics still in the syrup.
- Add salt gradually, tasting for balance.
- Fine-strain, bottle, and refrigerate.
Why This Method
Using apple cider in place of water brings apple flavor and acidity directly into the syrup. Demerara sugar adds body and a gentle molasses note that suits the fruit and warm spices.
A gentle simmer dissolves the sugar, draws flavor from the aromatics, and concentrates the cider. Leaving the cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, and orange peel in the syrup as it cools allows the infusion to continue without further reduction.
The spices should frame the apple. Their freshness and intensity will vary, so use these amounts as a starting point and adjust future batches to your taste. Add the salt gradually; it should bring the flavors together without making the syrup taste salty.
Where to Use It
Start with sparkling water and a squeeze of lime or lemon. Diluting the syrup gives you a clearer sense of the balance between apple, sweetness, and spice. Pour over ice and garnish with a thin apple slice.
For a fall Old Fashioned, use a small measure in place of ordinary simple syrup. The apple and Demerara complement bourbon, while the spices add another layer of aroma.
It also works in hot or iced coffee, drizzled over vanilla ice cream, or spooned over baked apples and pears. Begin with a little and taste before adding more.