Starbucks Apple Cider Copycat Recipe
This Starbucks apple cider recipe gives you the same warm, spiced drink you know from the café, made on your stovetop in about 15 minutes. It’s a good one to have ready when the weather turns cold and you want something cozy without leaving the house.
The version Starbucks serves is steamed apple juice with a cinnamon syrup and a cinnamon dolce topping. This copycat nails those layers: sweet, lightly spiced, and just tart enough from the juice itself.
Why I Love This Recipe
The flavor is clean and apple-forward, not cloying. The cinnamon syrup you make here is simple, and it keeps in the fridge for a couple of weeks, so you get multiple drinks out of one quick cook.
It also scales up without any fuss, which makes it a solid choice when you have people over in the fall.
Recipe Ingredients
- 2 cups apple juice – Use a good-quality, unfiltered apple juice for deeper flavor; clear juice works but tastes thinner
- 2 tbsp cinnamon syrup – Made from the simple syrup recipe below; this is what carries the spice
- 1/2 cup water – For the syrup base only
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar – White sugar keeps the syrup clear
- 1 cinnamon stick – For simmering the syrup; gives a warmer, less sharp spice than ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon – For the syrup and for the topping
- Whipped cream – Optional, but it melts into the drink and softens the sweetness
- Cinnamon dolce sprinkles or a pinch of ground cinnamon – For the top; the dolce blend is cinnamon sugar, so plain cinnamon sugar works fine
Variations / Substitutions
- Sweetener swap – Use honey or maple syrup in the cinnamon syrup instead of granulated sugar for a slightly richer, earthier background note in the drink.
- Dairy-free topping – A coconut whipped cream works well here and holds up for a few minutes before melting.
- Extra heat – Add a small pinch of cayenne or a thin slice of fresh ginger to the syrup while it simmers, then remove it before storing.
- Sparkling version – Skip the heating step for the juice, make the syrup cold, and top the drink with sparkling water for a cold-weather apple spritz.
- Decaf or kid-friendly – This drink has no caffeine as written, so it already works for all ages.
If you like warm spiced drinks, you might also enjoy this copycat pumpkin latte recipe for a delightful twist.
How To Make Apple Cider
Step 1: Simmer the Cinnamon Syrup
Combine the 1/2 cup water and 1/2 cup granulated sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the 1 cinnamon stick and 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon. Stir until the sugar dissolves, then let it simmer gently for 8 minutes without stirring.
The syrup will turn lightly amber and smell warm and spiced. You want it to coat the back of a spoon before you pull it off the heat. Let it cool for 5 minutes, then fish out the cinnamon stick.
Step 2: Warm the Apple Juice
Pour the 2 cups apple juice into a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Warm it for about 5 minutes, until it reaches 160°F (70°C) on a thermometer. You are not boiling it; boiling cooks off the bright apple flavor you want to keep.
The juice should steam lightly and feel very hot to a quick touch near the surface. If you do not have a thermometer, 5 minutes at medium-low on most stovetops gets you close.
Step 3: Combine and Pour
Remove the juice from the heat and stir in the 2 tbsp cinnamon syrup. Taste it here. If you want more spice, add a little more syrup, half a teaspoon at a time. Pour the drink into your mug.
Step 4: Garnish and Serve
Top with whipped cream if you like, then finish with a pinch of ground cinnamon or cinnamon sugar. Serve it right away, while the cream is still cold against the hot drink.
Recipe Tips
- Choose your juice carefully. Unfiltered apple juice (the cloudy kind) has more body and a fuller apple taste. The clear filtered kind is fine, but the drink tastes a little thinner.
- Make extra syrup. The recipe makes more syrup than 1 drink uses, which is intentional. Store the rest in a small jar in the fridge and you have cider ready in under 10 minutes for the next week or two.
- Do not skip the taste check. Apple juices vary a lot in sweetness. Taste the drink before you top it and adjust the syrup level to your juice rather than following the recipe blindly.
- For a crowd, scale up the juice and use more syrup from your jar. You can warm a full pot of juice to 160°F (70°C) and let people ladle their own.
Scale the syrup to however much you want to make ahead:
| Sugar | Water | Cinnamon Sticks | Syrup Yield |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1/2 cup | 1/2 cup | 1 | About 3/4 cup |
| 1 cup | 1 cup | 2 | About 1.5 cups |
| 2 cups | 2 cups | 3 | About 3 cups |
How To Store
- Refrigerate – The cinnamon syrup keeps in a sealed jar or airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. The prepared drink does not store well; make it fresh each time.
- Reheating – If you made a drink and it went cold, reheat it in the microwave in 30-second intervals until it reaches your preferred temperature. The flavor holds fine.
What To Serve With Apple Cider
An apple cake pairing or a cinnamon scone alongside this drink makes sense because the baked, buttery crumb contrasts with the clean, liquid warmth of the cider. A sharp cheddar cheese board also works surprisingly well: the salt and fat in the cheese cut through the sweetness and make both things taste more interesting. For a full fall breakfast, serve it with thick-cut French toast dusted in cinnamon sugar, where the spice in the drink echoes the topping on the toast.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make this in a milk frother or steam wand instead of a saucepan?
Yes. If you have a steam wand, steam the apple juice to about 160°F (70°C) the same way you would milk, then stir in the syrup. A handheld frother will not heat the juice but will add a slight foam if you want it.
Can I use apple cider vinegar instead of apple juice?
No. Apple cider vinegar is sour and pungent; it is not a substitute here. You want regular apple juice or fresh-pressed apple cider (the unfermented, opaque kind sold in jugs).
How does this compare to what Starbucks actually uses?
Starbucks uses their proprietary cinnamon dolce syrup, which delivers a delightful cinnamon dolce flavor, and steamed apple juice. This syrup is a close match in flavor: cinnamon-forward and sweet. The main difference is that theirs is steamed under pressure, which gives a slightly silkier texture.
Can I make this iced?
Yes. Make the syrup, let it cool completely, then stir it into cold apple juice over ice. It will not be exactly the same drink, but it is a good cold version for warmer days.
—
Ingredients
Method
- Combine the 1/2 cup water, 1/2 cup sugar, 1 cinnamon stick, and 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves, then simmer for 8 minutes. Remove from heat, discard the cinnamon stick, and cool for 5 minutes.
- Warm the 2 cups apple juice in a small saucepan over medium-low heat for about 5 minutes, until it reaches 160°F (70°C). Do not let it boil.
- Remove the juice from the heat and stir in the 2 tbsp cinnamon syrup. Taste and adjust with more syrup if needed, then pour into 2 mugs.
- Top each drink with whipped cream and a pinch of ground cinnamon or cinnamon sugar. Serve immediately.
