What is Apple Brown Sugar Syrup?
If you want to try and recreate one of Starbucks apple crisp handcrafted drinks at home, this easy recipe for Apple Brown Sugar Syrup is the way to go. It captures the tartness of apples and the caramelized sweetness of brown sugar in a single syrup, with flavor reminiscent of a hot-from-the-oven apple crisp.
This stuff is seriously delicious and gives your drinks a crisp, autumn-inspired taste.
The magic of adding flavored simple syrups to drinks is that they do double duty as a liquid sweetener and flavor component.
And then you can build your drink from there. A sprinkle of cinnamon always goes well with apple. And I’m certainly not shy to drizzle caramel sauce on top of my apple crisp coffees!
Why You’ll Love this Apple Crisp Flavored Simple Syrup
Easy Starbucks Copycat. This syrup is a homemade “knock-off” of Starbucks apple brown sugar syrup. It’s the flavor they use to make their fall line-up of apple crisp drinks.
Easy on the budget. With just three ingredients, this simple syrup recipe is certainly budget-friendly. Making it at home saves you money compared to buying bottles of store-bought flavored syrup and handcrafted coffeeshop beverages.
Goes great with chai and coffee. Notes of apple, brown sugar and cinnamon taste great with coffee and are a perfect pairing with spiced chai beverages.
Ingredients Needed
- Frozen Apple Juice Concentrate
- Brown Sugar
- Salt
- Cinnamon (optional)
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
Apple Juice Concentrate – Apple juice concentrate (the kind you find in the frozen section) is an easy, no-fuss way to capture the strong taste of apple.
Be sure to get a brand without high fructose corn syrup in it, like Old Orchard. (It was under $2 at Target.)
Brown Sugar – You’ve got two options here.
Dark brown sugar adds a deeper molasses flavor. Light brown adds a great caramelized flavor without as much molasses taste. I say, use whichever you have on-hand.
Salt – A pinch is all that’s needed to enhance all the flavors.
Cinnamon (optional) – Ground cinnamon or cinnamon sticks both work. If you make the syrup with ground cinnamon, you need to shake the syrup before using to redistribute the cinnamon that has settled on the bottom.
If you infuse the flavor of cinnamon into the syrup with cinnamon sticks, you will need to steep them in the syrup longer to capture all the spice flavor.
If you really love cinnamon, you can even leave the sticks in the bottle of homemade syrup.
I usually just sprinkle cinnamon on top of my drink and for-go it in the syrup.
How to Make Apple Brown Sugar Syrup
This recipe is a simple one-to-one ratio of apple juice concentrate and brown sugar. You can divide or multiply the total amount you make according to your needs.
- Remove frozen apple juice concentrate from the freezer to let it thaw for a few minutes so it’s easier to scoop out.
- Add apple juice concentrate and brown sugar to a small saucepan over medium heat and bring to a low boil.
- Stir until the sugar is dissolved. Add salt and ground cinnamon (optional). Simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat. For cinnamon sticks, simmer on low for at least 30 minutes, then remove.
- Let the syrup cool, then add to a storage bottle or jar. Refrigerate; the syrup will thicken as it cools.
Detailed recipe and instructions are in recipe card at bottom of post.
Recipe Notes
- Do not bring syrup to a rolling boil.
- Do not scrape any sugar crystals on side of pan into finished syrup when bottling. This may cause the some of the syrup to recrystallize.
- To intensify the apple flavor, add in some apple extract. You can steep apple slices without seeds in the syrup for about 10 minutes. Then, strain out the apples before bottling.
Ways to Use Apple Brown Sugar Syrup in Drinks
Use about 2-3 tablespoons of syrup per drink.
For reference, each pump of Starbucks syrup is about 1/2 tablespoon, and most grande beverages get 4 pumps of syrup.
Iced Apple Cream Chai Tea Latte – Add a layer of apple flavored cold foam to an iced chai tea latte for a great autumnal flavor.
Warm Apple Pie Chai Latte – Who doesn’t love apple pie? Add some apple brown sugar syrup to a hot chai tea latte and top it off with whipped cream, cinnamon and a drizzle of caramel for a decadent fall treat.
Apple Crisp Macchiato – Apple brown sugar syrup is both the flavor component and sweetener for making a Starbucks Apple Crisp Macchiato. The syrup is mixed with espresso and milk for a delicious alternative to pumpkin spice.
More Apple Flavored Recipes
- Iced Apple Crisp Cream Chai Latte (Starbucks Copycat)
- Easy Apple Cider Chai (Chaider)
- Quick & Easy Starbucks Caramel Apple Spice Recipe
- Homemade Mulling Spices for Apple Cider & Wine
Homemade Apple Brown Sugar Syrup
This easy 3-ingredient apple brown sugar syrup recipe only takes 5 minutes to make and is perfect for adding fall apple flavor and sweetness to drinks. This simple syrup is perfect for homemade apple crisp macchiatos, lattes, chai drinks and more.
Ingredients
- 12 ounces frozen apple juice concentrate, slightly thawed
- 1 1/2 cups brown sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
Instructions
- Remove frozen apple juice concentrate from the freezer to let it thaw for a few minutes so it's easier to scoop out.
- Add apple juice concentrate and brown sugar to a small saucepan over medium heat and bring to a low boil.
- Stir until the sugar is dissolved. Add salt and ground cinnamon (optional). Simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat. For cinnamon sticks, simmer on low for at least 30 minutes, then remove.
- Let the syrup cool, then add to a storage bottle or jar. Refrigerate; the syrup will thicken as it cools.
Notes
- Do not bring syrup to a rolling boil.
- Do not scrape any sugar crystals on side of pan into finished syrup when bottling. This may cause the some of the syrup to recrystallize.
- To intensify the apple flavor, add in some apple extract. You can steep apple slices without seeds in the syrup for about 10 minutes. Then, strain out the apples before bottling.
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