It’s somewhat common knowledge that I boost my baked goods with almond extract instead of, or in tandem with, vanilla. But now I’ve added a third extract to the extravaganza: cinnamon. Beyond being an exciting addition to your flavor toolkit, you can make cinnamon extract at home on the cheap, and in two simple steps.
You need two ingredients: a small amount of vodka (or relatively flavorless alcohol), and a few cinnamon sticks. Both of these items should be fairly good quality. It’s hard to hide subpar ingredients in a recipe with so few ingredients, as there are no other components for them to hide behind. Luckily, extracts are concentrated, so you don’t need a lot of either ingredient to make a decent amount of cinnamon extract.
Day 0. Vodka and cinnamon sticks. Photo: Allie Chanthorn Reinmann
In a small, but tall, glass container with a resealable lid, drop in two or three cinnamon sticks. Pour 5 ounces (about ⅔ cup) of vodka over the sticks. The liquid should cover the cinnamon sticks. I had a nearly empty glass jar of Simply Organic cinnamon sticks, so I just poured vodka over the remaining sticks until the jar was full. If you have a larger vessel, you can make a larger batch of this extract, but keep in mind that that is a ton of extract, so I hope you love it.
Day 14. Cinnamon extract.Photo: Allie Chanthorn Reinmann
Step two is the hard part. You wait. It takes at least two weeks for the vodka to be infused with enough cinnamon compounds where it can flavor food effectively. Steeping the sticks for longer, about five weeks, led to a sufficiently strong extract. I noticed a much darker color, stronger smell, and higher potency when I added it to foods like oatmeal or shakes. Once you’ve reached the four or five-week mark, remove the sticks and discard them.
Day 35. Cinnamon extract. Photo: Allie Chanthorn Reinmann
Although many high-end commercial extracts can produce fine, nuanced flavors, I’ve found this homemade infusion to be excellent for my purposes. Use a dash of cinnamon extract to flavor frostings, cookies and cakes, warm and spicy sauces, or French toast. It’s especially useful in liquids where you’d rather not have cinnamon powder clumping or settling into a muddy paste. Try it in cocktails, coffee, and custards. With vanilla, almond, and cinnamon by your side, you’ve got a solid lineup of warm aromatics.
