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Celebrate the season with this Cinnamon Bourbon Fizz – the perfect cozy winter cocktail. Homemade cinnamon honey syrup, mixed with warming bourbon, lemon, and bitters, then topped off with bubbly water. Made extra sweet and special with Aperol, for a festive and delicious holiday cocktail. Perfect for upcoming Christmas parties with family and friends…or on a cold night in with a loved one.
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The first official Christmas drink! Well, I mean, I’ve basically been sharing them since the beginning of November. But with Christmas now in full swing, I can really go all out!
Funnily, I shot this back in early November. It turned out so Christmasy that I saved it for today! So I’m very eager to share this recipe!
The idea
Came from my brother’s girlfriend Cait. She had this drink at a Mexican restaurant in San Diego, sent me a photo, and said I had to recreate it.
It sounded really fun, different, and delicious, so I was all in.
The details
The cinnamon syrup is key here…honey, cinnamon, and rosemary all simmered together. Nothing complicated, just the warming holiday flavors we all love.
The drink is simply bourbon and Aperol shaken together. It’s what sold me on this drink. The Aperol gives the bourbon a special touch with its sweetness, hints of orange, and vanilla. Such a unique, but delicious combination!
It’s something you don’t often get but is truly the perfect pairing…especially with some cinnamon mixed in. Top the drink off with sparkling water for a little fizziness. Tis’ holiday cocktail perfection and always a hit!
Happy holiday season guys!!
Looking for other easy Christmas cocktails?? Here are my favorites:
Lastly, if you make this Cinnamon Bourbon Fizz, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Cinnamon Bourbon Fizz
Ingredients
Cinnamon Honey Syrup
- 1/2 cup honey
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary
Bourbon Fizz
- 1 1/2 ounces (3 tablespoons) bourbon
- 1 ounce (2 tablespoons) aperol
- 1/2 ounce (1 tablespoon) lemon juice
- 1-2 dashes orange or rosemary bitters
- 1 -2 ounces cinnamon syrup (recipe below)
- sparkling water, for topping
Instructions
- 1. To make the cinnamon syrup. In a medium pot, bring 1/2 cup water, the honey, cinnamon, and rosemary to a boil over high heat. Boil 2-3 minutes, then remove from the heat. Let cool, then strain the syrup into a glass jar. This syrup makes enough for about 6 drinks.2. In a cocktail shaker, combine 1-2 tablespoons cinnamon syrup, the bourbon, aperol, lemon juice, and bitters. Add ice and shake. Strain into a glass. Top off with sparkling water. Garnish with sugared rosemary.
Sugared Rosemary
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Gently run rosemary sprigs under a little water to dampen and place on the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle the rosemary with granulated sugar on all sides, making sure the rosemary is thoroughly coated in sugar. Allow to dry on the baking sheet for 1 hour. The rosemary can be made 1 day in advance and stored at room temperature.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Did you make this recipe? Please rate & comment below.
Cinnamon Bourbon Fizz Punch
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup honey
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary
- 1 1/2 cups bourbon
- 1 cup aperol
- 1/2 cup lemon juice
- 3-5 dashes orange or rosemary bitters
- cinnamon syrup
- 3-4 cans sparkling water, for topping
Instructions
- 1. To make the cinnamon syrup. In a medium pot, bring 1/2 cup water, the honey, cinnamon, and rosemary to a boil over high heat. Boil 2-3 minutes, then remove from the heat. Let cool, then strain the syrup into a glass jar. 2. In a punch bowl, combine the cinnamon syrup, bourbon, Aperol, lemon juice, and orange or rosemary bitters. Stir to combine, chill until ready to serve. Before serving, add ice, then pour the sparkling waters over. Serve with sugared rosemary (recipe above).
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Did you make this recipe? Please rate & comment below.
My syrup freezes when I add the cold ingredients.. did I boil it too long?
Thanks!
Hey Erica,
Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try! Hmmm that’s interesting. How long did you boil for? Is the syrup still hot? Let me know! xx
Hi Tieghan!
I’m making this recipe tonight and want to make it punch style. Do you use the whole serving of cinnamon syrup in the punch style recipe?
Thanks!
Hey Lauren,
Yes, you are going to use all of the syrup, unless you want things less sweet then just use as much or as little to your liking. Please let me know if you have any other questions! Cheers! xx
I made this with Campari instead of Aperol (although they have similar flavors, Campari being a little less sweet) and LOVED it. The wonderful combination of cinnamon and touch of rosemary was well worth the effort of making the syrup. This will undoubtedly be in the beverage rotation in our household.
Hi Jennifer,
Happy Sunday!! So glad to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it!! ? xx
Ok, not going to lie, I was nervous about the Aperol and Bourbon together. I was wrong. Perfectly spiced and flavorful, a very simple drink to throw together. I did prefer Prosecco on top instead of sparkling water (the prosecco added a bit of sweetness) but it was a great drink to try.
Hi Alexandra,
Fantastic! Thanks a lot for making this recipe, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! Have a great week:) xx
I have made several HBH cocktails and this is my favorite so far! Light and refreshing with the aperol and sparkling water yet still warm and festive with bourbon and cinnamon!
Hi Sara,
Awesome!! I am thrilled to hear this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it! Happy Holidays!? xT
Made this for Christmas Eve for a gathering of friends and family. The consensus was that it was too sweet (I realize that’s a personal preference) with the addition of the cinnamon syrup which is why it overall received 3 stars. However, when we tweaked the recipe and left out almost entirely the cinnamon syrup, it received a higher rating (4 stars) with a good balance of smoothness from the quality bourbon, slight bitterness from the Aperol and brightness from the fresh lemon juice.
Hi Christina,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, sorry to hear it wasn’t enjoyed. xTieghan
Made this with my husband. Perfect Christmas drink! Sophisticated taste yet easy to make. I agree with the other commenter that a book of holiday drinks would be stunning!
Hi there,
Happy Holidays! Thank you so much for making this recipe, I love to hear that it was enjoyed!?? xTieghan
Can’t wait to try this one! I know you have the new cookbook coming out…do you think you’d ever make a book just for all your fabulous drink recipes?!
Hey Tracy,
That would be a fun idea! xTieghan
This was so delicious! Love it. Made the syrup ahead of time and had it in the fridge ready to!
Hey JoAnn,
Fantastic! Thank you so much for making this recipe, I am so glad to hear it was enjoyed! Happy Holidays!? xx
I made this for a Tree Trimming party last night. It was a huge hit! So delicious, festive and refreshing.
My only feedback is that when you make the punch, consider how many are attending. I ended up making 3 batches, each less accurate than the next because the cinnamon syrup is a bit tedious to remake in the middle of a party…I subbed ginger simple syrup to keep the party going. Will definitely make again!
Hey Gigi,
Thanks so much for trying this recipe out, I am thrilled to hear that it was enjoyed. Happy Holidays! xTieghan
Syrup yielded just under five ounces. This doesn’t seem right. Perhaps I left it on the heat too long – any other ideas?
Hi there,
Was there anything you adjusted? How long did you leave on the heat for? xTieghan
Thanks for the reply! I think it was actually fine. The ingredients call for 1-2 ounces, but the instructions say 1-2 tablespoons. Assuming 1-2 tablespoons is correct, the 4.5oz syrup yield does work out to roughly six drinks.
When I make this it comes out light orange in colour not a red is there a reason for this
Hey Jason,
Was there anything you adjusted? I would say it’s just the slight variations in brands of products. Cheers! xTieghan
I made this today, and agree with another commenter that I didn’t get too much rosemary flavor, mostly cinnamon. However, my husband and I both enjoyed the drink a lot and are excited to try the other holiday cocktails this season!
Hey there,
Thanks so much for trying this recipe out, I am thrilled to hear that it was enjoyed. You really should only get a hint of rosemary, you don’t want it to overpower the drink. Happy Holidays! xTieghan
Delicioso! Perfect Christmas cocktail. My husband loves a bourbon drink! It was so fun toasting in front of the Christmas tree. It’s definitely a drink we plan to make with our family. Girls love the bubbles and guys love the bourbon!
Hey Lindsay,
Awesome!! I am so glad to hear this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for making it! Have the best weekend! xTieghan
This drink is perfection!
Thank you.
Hey Karen,
Wonderful! Love to hear that this recipe was a hit, thanks for making it! Have the best week:) xTieghan
A very tasty cocktail! It was heavy on cinnamon, light on rosemary for me, so I will just add more rosemary to the syrup next time. And I might try to add a bit of cranberry juice to the drink as well. I’m a big fan of bourbon drinks, so thanks for this one!
Hey Theresa,
Awesome! It’s so great to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for making it! Have the best weekend❄️ xTieghan