Jump to RecipeThe best copycat Starbucks syrup for a delicious gingerbread taste to your cup of coffee!
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It’s Christmas in July! I have been waiting to reveal this recipe since I started my blog and I am so excited to share this awesome copycat Starbucks gingerbread syrup with you! If you didn’t already know I am a coffee nut and a bit crazy for Christmas. No joke I collect nutcrackers and I believe they may overrun my townhouse one day, my husband won’t be too happy about that statement.
Let’s get back to the syrup! I have been drinking Starbucks Gingerbread latte for a really long time, if you know Starbucks you know that they have a Holliday drink line up every Holliday season. They make a gingerbread syrup for their gingerbread Latte and in my opinion, it’s the best Christmas drink ever. I mean really how do you have Christmas without gingerbread?
If you recall this past Christmas Starbucks did not have the gingerbread latte in the Holliday lineup. My local Starbucks knows me very well and I got the scoop as soon as the partners knew about the lineup. They let me in on the rumors at first and we all were hoping it wasn’t true. When the Holliday line up came out we were all devastated. I’m known at that Starbucks as the baker, they didn’t know it but I was working on finding a gingerbread syrup whether it was my own or someone else’s.
How did I come up with the recipe?
I did a hell of a lot of research. I looked at numerous recipes tried out the ones that had the best reviews but they all fell short. As Christmas was quickly approaching I decided to do my own thing and take what I learned from other recipes and just create my own. Creating this recipe probably took me a good 4 fails before I got it right.
My very first attempt at making the gingerbread syrup I used all whole spices, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, I even through in some nutmeg and all all-spice, It was okay but it was actually too strong. I then fiddled a few more times doing one with just ground spices and I found that the flavor was there but it wasn’t potent enough, mostly just tasted like sugar with a little tiny baby hint of spice, not what I was going for. By the 5th time I tried using a mixture of cinnamon sticks, crystallized ginger, and a bit of ground clove, this was the winner. When you smell the gingerbread syrup from Starbucks it actually smells a lot like the chewing gum big red, my syrup smelt like that so once I smelled that I had a really good feeling that it was perfect! I am so crazy about this syrup I have an old bottle of Starbucks syrup I keep washing and refilling with my Gingerbread Syrup, It’s that good!
The Test
I obviously was the first guinea pig but I had to get a Starbucks partner opinion. Most of the partners at my local store smelled it and thought it was great, a few of the partners tried it and approved they said they thought it was way better than Starbucks. One of the partners loved it so much she asked for a bottle! I finally achieved a better than Starbucks gingerbread syrup! I love this coffee syrup so much I have been making it since I figured out the perfect recipe!
Can I use ground spices instead?
For this recipe to come out perfect there is only one ground spice used and that is cloves. Cloves are very very strong so it was fine to use that in ground form. Cinnamon sticks work best in recipes like this because it cooks down and emits more flavor as it cooks. I had tried this recipe using ground ginger and fresh but neither gave me the flavor I wanted so I tried crystalized and it was perfect! So to directly answer this question no do not substitute anything ground that isn’t already stated as ground or the recipe will not come out the same.
Can the Gingerbread syrup be used on something else?
Yes of course! I love it in coffee but I am sure this would be perfect on pancakes, waffles, French toast! You can make yourself a whole lineup of gingerbread things! I bet this syrup poured on some vanilla ice-cream would be spectacular especially in the summer! I hope you enjoy this homemade syrup as much as I do!
Homemade Gingerbread Syrup
Equipment
- Fine mesh strainer
- Large measuring cup
- Food Scale
- Food Container
Ingredients
- 2 cups water
- 1 1/8 cups granulated sugar
- 6 oz crystalized ginger or 3/4 cup
- 3 3inch cinnamon sticks
- 1/8 tsp ground cloves
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, combine water, sugar, stir in crystallized ginger, cinnamon sticks, & cloves (do not add vanilla) bring to a boil.
- Once boiling, give it a little stir then reduce the heat to a simmer for 15 to 20 minutes (on my electric stove 17 min is perfect). Turn heat off add vanilla & stir.
- Strain through a fine-mesh strainer put in a heatproof container and put the lid on it. Allow to completely cool before bottling.
Notes
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Hey there! I’m the owner & author of Life Is Homemade (the blog), as well as Mad About Madeleines. I hope you enjoyed some of the delicious recipes, how-to’s, DIYs, & product reviews I blogged about. Thank you for your previous support I hope you stick around on my new journey with Mad About Madeleines.
This looks delicious. I would have never thought of adding this to coffee. My daughter is a barista, though. I’m sure she knows all about it!
Oh yes this is amazing in coffee!!
this looks delicious! I will have to try it for myself!
Thank you I hope you enjoy it!
What a fun idea–it would be very special for holidays and large family gatherings. Thank you for the idea.
You’re welcome!
This looks amazing! I have never heard of this before. I can’t wait to try it.
If you love gingerbread, you’ll love this!
Oh my gosh! I can’t wait to try this! I loooooove everything ginger bread! thanks!
My pleasure! I hope you enjoy it!
That’s so funny, I was just thinking of fall and all things pumpkin, gingerbread, and cinnamon! I love this recipe! Totally pinned!
Thank you so much! I actually have the best pumpkin bread recipe for the fall!
WOW thank you for this amazing recipe! I can’t wait to try it!
You’re welcome, I hope you enjoy it!
This looks great and what a perfect gift idea for the upcoming holidays. Thanks for doing the testing and finding out what works best!
Sounds like you exceeded your expectations! Yay, no doing without!
I am showing this to my wife and son. They will love it.
Aww thanks! It’s a winner!
You’re welcome! Yes it would be a great holiday gift as well!
Good for you. Way to go on creating something wonderful. I love all the Christmas smells and flavors. They are so wonderful.
Yes they are, there’s just that nostalgia of Christmas I love it so much!
Gingerbread Syrup sounds very delicious!
It so is! 😋
In my book, gingerbread, peppermint, and pumpkin are year-round!
Oh I am so glad I’m not the only one 😂 I drink this every morning!
This sounds yummy! Thanks for taking us through your process.
You’re welcome!
This sounds amazing. I love the idea of Christmas in July – we all could use a little festive cheer right about now. Thanks for sharing.
Yes definitely, I contemplated putting up lights but my husband would not approve right now 😂
This sounds delicious!
It’s so good!
This looks like a great, easy, and delicious recipe!
It is super delicious and easy!
This is must try!! I love gingerbread, but it’s a fall flavor for me. Definitely bookmarking this!
Thank you! I hope you enjoy it!
I bet this makes your house smell amazing!!
It does! My husband always knows when I’m making it!
OMG I would totally make this (and use it!) knowing it included such simple ingredients! I don’t mind the sugar – it’s all the other stuff found in the syrups! Must try this!
Yes it’s awesome! No weird chemicals here!
This sounds really yummy! I wouldn’t have thought to use the crystallized ginger…
Yes it works best in this recipe!
I love all things ginger. This would be wonderful drizzled over my homemade ice cream or even swirled into it prior to freezing!
Oh my that sounds delicious!!😋
Gingerbread is my favorite too! I’ll have to try this out!
Yay! I hope you enjoy it!
I am making this today! Yum!
It’s so good!!
Wow this is dangerous, I’d be pouring it over everything like Will Ferrell in Elf lol
😂 Thats hilarious! I love that movie!
Goodness! This sounds off the charts-AMAZING!
It is so good!
This looks heavenly! Gingerbread flavored stuff is one of my favorite things about the Christmas season.
Me too! When Starbucks wasn’t bringing it back I was determined to find a replacement even if it meant creating it my self!
Looks yummy….I was imagining the smell as I was reading your post!
Yes it makes the house smell amazing! 😊
WOW! Great idea!
Thank you!
This sounds delicious! Good for you for being so creative and making one yourself!
Thanks!
I love gingerbread, so this is right up my alley! Yum!
It’s so good! 😋
Where do I find crystalized ginger? This sounds so yummy!
I found it at my local grocer in the baking isle in the spice section. If you can’t find it there I did leave a link above where you can order it, here’s a link to crystalized ginger
I did not even know Gingerbread Syrup was a thing! That’s cool that you found a way to make it yourself.
Yes, I’m so glad I did! Seriously so good!! 😋
Not a coffee drinker but I’d sure try this as use it for many other things! Bet it smells wonderful.
Thanks, yes it smells amazing!