If you love Starbucks' fall menu, you need this apple crisp syrup recipe in your life. It tastes like warm apple pie in a bottle, and you can make it at home in about 40 minutes with five simple ingredients. No coffee shop trip required.
This post walks you through how to make apple crisp syrup from scratch using apple cider, brown sugar, cinnamon sticks, and fresh apples. It's meant for home cooks and coffee lovers who want a Starbucks copycat they can control, adjust, and keep on hand all season. You'll get the exact recipe, my tips for the best flavor and texture, storage instructions, and two easy drink ideas to use it in, including a macchiato and an espresso martini.
You'll love this apple crisp syrup
It's easy to make. Homemade fruit simple syrups are so easy to make! I love taking advantage of in-season fruits and flavors and making these fun syrups to upgrade your coffee and cocktails.
It's perfect for cocktails or coffee. I love adding this to the coffee drinks I make at home! It makes the perfect fall drinks; I add it to my favorite Nespresso coffee pods (caramel or vanilla) or to my double espresso to make an iced latte. You can also make an espresso martini or an apple Aperol spritz with it!
It's delicious. This brown sugar apple syrup is seriously SO good! You will not be able to get enough of it during the fall season.
What Is Apple Crisp Syrup?
Apple crisp syrup is a spiced simple syrup made with real apple cider, brown sugar, and cinnamon. It's the flavor behind Starbucks' Apple Crisp Oatmilk Macchiato, and it tastes like the inside of a baked apple crisp: warm, sweet, and a little tart.
I started making my own version after falling hard for the Starbucks drink one fall and not wanting to wait in the drive-through line every time I wanted one. A homemade batch costs a fraction of the price, and you probably already have most of the ingredients in your kitchen.
Ingredients
Here's what you need. This makes about 3 cups of syrup, enough for weeks of coffee and cocktails.
Water. This thins out the syrup so it pours easily and gives the sugar room to dissolve evenly.
Apple Cider. This is the main flavor base. Cider is more concentrated than apple juice, so it gives the syrup a deeper, more true apple taste.
Brown Sugar. This sweetens the syrup and adds a light caramel note that white sugar can't give you.
Cinnamon Sticks. These infuse warm spice into the syrup as it steeps, without leaving behind the gritty sediment ground cinnamon does.
Honeycrisp Apple. This adds real apple flavor and a touch of natural sweetness. Honeycrisp holds its flavor well, but any sweet, crisp apple works.
How to make apple crisp syrup
This syrup comes together in four easy steps and is mostly hands-off.
- Combine the water, apple cider, brown sugar, cinnamon sticks, and sliced apple in a small pot.
- Heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar fully dissolves.
- Remove the pot from the heat and let everything sit for 30 minutes so the flavors steep together.
- Strain the syrup into an airtight container and refrigerate.
The stovetop part takes about 10 minutes. Then you just let it sit and infuse while you do something else. Total time is around 40 minutes, and almost none of it is active.
My Tips for the Best Apple Crisp Syrup
A few small choices make a big difference in how this syrup turns out.
Use whole cinnamon sticks instead of ground cinnamon. Ground cinnamon clumps and leaves gritty sediment at the bottom of your syrup, which is not what you want floating in your latte. Sticks give you all the warm spice without the mess.
Choose apple cider over apple juice if you can. Cider has a deeper, more concentrated apple flavor, making the syrup taste closer to the real thing. If cider isn't available, apple juice will still work in a pinch.
Strain carefully. I pour the finished syrup through a fine-mesh strainer set over a measuring cup with a spout, then use the spout to pour it straight into my storage container through a funnel. It keeps the process clean and mess-free.
Feel free to swap in a Granny Smith apple instead of Honeycrisp if you prefer a more tart, less sweet flavor.
How to Store Apple Crisp Syrup
Store the strained syrup in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It stays fresh for 2 to 3 weeks, which is plenty of time to work your way through a batch. I like using a glass bottle with a swing top or a mason jar, since both make it easy to see how much you have left.
Ways to Use Apple Crisp Syrup
Once you have a batch made, here are two of my favorite ways to use it.
Apple Crisp Oatmilk Macchiato
Combine 2 tablespoons of apple crisp syrup, 2 shots of espresso, and ¾ cup of oat milk over ice. Stir gently and enjoy. This is the closest homemade version to the Starbucks original, and it costs a fraction of the price.
Apple Crisp Espresso Martini
Add 1.5 ounces vodka, 1 ounce coffee liqueur, 1 ounce apple crisp syrup, and 1.5 ounces espresso to a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake for 30 seconds and strain into a chilled glass. This one is a fall party favorite at my house. It looks impressive, but it takes minutes to make.
Is Starbucks Bringing Back Apple Crisp Syrup in 2026?
As of now, Apple Crisp drinks are not on Starbucks' fall 2026 menu, which officially launches August 25, 2026. The flavor has had an on-again, off-again run since it first debuted in 2021: it disappeared in 2024, then returned in fall 2025 after fans pushed back online. This year, it's missing again, and Starbucks hasn't announced plans to bring it back mid-season.
That's exactly why having your own apple crisp syrup recipe is worth it. You don't have to wait and see what Starbucks decides. You can make it yourself, any time you want, with ingredients from your regular grocery run.
FAQs
What does apple crisp syrup taste like?
Apple crisp syrup tastes like warm apple pie or baked apple crisp: sweet, spiced with cinnamon, and lightly tart from the apple. It's rich without being overly sugary.
Can I use apple juice instead of apple cider?
Yes, apple juice works as a substitute for apple cider in this recipe. Cider gives a deeper, more concentrated apple flavor, but juice still produces a good result.
How long does homemade apple crisp syrup last?
Homemade apple crisp syrup lasts 2 to 3 weeks when stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Always use a clean utensil or pour directly to avoid contaminating the batch.
Why does my syrup look cloudy or have sediment in it?
Sediment usually comes from using ground cinnamon instead of cinnamon sticks. Straining through a fine mesh strainer before storing also helps remove any leftover apple or cinnamon particles.
What can I make with apple crisp syrup besides coffee drinks?
Apple crisp syrup works in cocktails like an espresso martini, in mocktails with sparkling water, drizzled over pancakes or waffles, or stirred into oatmeal for extra fall flavor.
Is apple crisp syrup the same as apple pie syrup?
They're similar, but not identical. Both are spiced apple syrups, but apple crisp syrup typically leans more on brown sugar and cinnamon, giving it a flavor closer to the streusel topping on a baked apple crisp.
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Want more fall recipes?
Apple Crisp Syrup
If you can't get enough apple flavor during the fall season, you have to make this homemade apple crisp syrup.
Ingredients
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup apple cider
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 1 Honeycrisp apple, sliced
Instructions
- In a small pot, combine all of your ingredients: water, apple cider, brown sugar, cinnamon sticks, and your fresh Honeycrisp apple.
- Over medium heat, stir your syrup mixture until the sugar is fully dissolved.
- Remove from the heat and let the syrup sit for 30 minutes.
- Strain into an airtight container, and store in the fridge for 2-3 weeks.
Notes
Substitutions and variations
Apple Cider. You can always use apple juice if you can't find or don't have apple cider.
Honeycrisp Apples. You can use Granny Smith apples if you'd rather for this apple brown sugar syrup.
What to make with homemade apple crisp syrup
Apple Crisp Oatmilk Macchiato - Starbucks Copycat!
Yes! This syrup is perfect to remade Starbucks' Apple Crisp Macchiato at home. Here's what you need to make an iced apple latte.
- 2 tablespoon apple crisp syrup
- 2 shots of espresso or 3-4 oz of cold brew coffee
- ½ - ¾ cups of oat milk. If you don't love oat milk, you can use whatever milk you prefer, almond milk, cashew milk, whole milk.
- Optional: adding a caramel sauce drizzle to your cup
- Pour all your ingredients over ice and stir well.
You can make this a hot version, too! Just skip the ice, and I recommend steaming the oat milk. If you don't have an espresso maker, you can simply add this to your coffee that you brew at home!
Apple Crisp Espresso Martini
If you love the Starbucks' fall drink, make it into an espresso martini for you next happy hour!
- 1.5 oz vodka
- 1 oz coffee liqueur
- 1 oz apple crisp syrup
- 1.5 oz espresso
- In a cocktail shaker, pour in all your ingredients. Add ice and shake vigorously for 30 seconds. Strain into your favorite martini glass.
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