Cinnamon Old Fashioned: A Holiday Recipe with Rye

The Cinnamon Old Fashioned reads as the cocktail equivalent of fall slipping into winter — warming, slightly woodsy, holiday-aligned without ever turning kitschy or sweet-spice-overdone. Cinnamon is one of the few spices that genuinely amplifies rye whiskey rather than fighting it; both share dry, slightly peppery character, and the cocktail's structure is built to handle the integration.

This is the recipe and the technique notes — including the heritage cinnamon-stick muddle method and the cleaner cinnamon-syrup version. For more variations, see our Old Fashioned Variations hub.

The Cinnamon Old Fashioned Recipe

Tester Notes · Dee Predvil & Elijah Predvil

RyeCentral Lab Notes: How Our Cinnamon Rye Old Fashioned Tested

★★★★★

The Setup

For this Recipe, we used Rittenhouse Bottled in Bond Private Select Rye from our local Liquor store, which was about $32. We also purchased Angostura Orange Bitters($12.00) from our local grocery store. This recipe also called for cinnamon sticks( which we already had), and Demerara sugar to make the cinnamon-infused Demerara. Living in a small town, our grocery store options are limited, so we were unable to find the Demerara locally, and had to order it from Amazon, where we purchased the "Unpretentious" brand, which was 10.99 for a 16oz bag. We already have all other items needed, such as a jigger, a muddler, a double rocks whiskey glass, and a large square ice cube mold.

The Build

The first thing I did was to make my Cinnamon-infused Demerara. On a low heat I combined 1 Cup of Demerara with 1/2 cup of water with 2 cinnamon sticks in a small pot. After the Demerara dissolved, I removed it from the heat and let it cool for about 30 mins. Then, I strained the syrup and bottled it. Afterwards, I then added 1/4 oz of the syrup, 2 dashes of Angostura bitters, and 1 dash of Orange bitters into my rocks glass. Next, I added 2 oz of Rittenhouse, one large cube, and stirred 25 times. I expressed a wide peel over the surface, and then dropped it in. For the final touch, I added a cinnamon stick for garnish.

The Taste

This drink is very robust and bright due to the citrus. It's simple to make, yet complex at the same time. It's definitely giving warm, rich, and cozy vibes that make me feel like fall time. But we enjoyed it so much that we'll make it all year round.

What We'd Change

Wouldn't change a thing! The cinnamon, spicy rye, and sweetness of the demerara blend create a perfectly balanced drink.

Verdict

5 stars- Elijah and I both really enjoyed it, and we can't wait to make it for our friends! I especially can't wait to enjoy this when the fall hits and the chill is in the air.

Method (Heritage Cinnamon-Stick Muddle)

1. Snap a cinnamon stick in half. Place in the bottom of a rocks glass.
2. Add ¼ oz demerara syrup and 2 dashes Angostura bitters.
3. Lightly press the cinnamon stick with a muddler — about 4–5 firm presses to release the oils. Don't pulverize.
4. Add 2 oz rye whiskey.
5. Add one large ice rock; stir 20–25 times.
6. Express orange peel; garnish with a fresh cinnamon stick.

How to Make Cinnamon Syrup

Worth pre-making if you'll use this variation more than once.

Ingredients

• 1 cup demerara sugar
• ½ cup water
• 2 cinnamon sticks (broken in half)

Steps

1. Add 1 cup demerara sugar to a small saucepan.
2. Add ½ cup water, and 2 cinnamon sticks (broken in half).
3. Warm over low heat just until the sugar dissolves. Don't boil.
4. Remove from heat. Let the cinnamon sticks steep in the syrup for 30 minutes.
5. Strain out the cinnamon. Bottle the syrup; refrigerate.
6. Lasts 3 weeks. Yields about 1 cup — enough for ~50 cocktails at ¼ oz per drink.

Variations on the Syrup

• Cinnamon-Clove: add 4 whole cloves to the steep step. More holiday-spiced.
• Cinnamon-Vanilla: split a vanilla bean during the steep. Smoother, dessert-leaning.
• Cinnamon-Cardamom: add 4 cardamom pods. Slightly Middle-Eastern feel.
• Spiced Christmas (full holiday): add 2 cloves, 1 star anise, ½ tsp orange zest. The "Christmas market" version.

Batch It for a Holiday Party

Because it's such a forgiving cinnamon cocktail, the Cinnamon Old Fashioned scales beautifully for a crowd — and batching the day before means you're not stirring eight glasses while guests wait. The one trick: add the water that stirring would normally melt in, so each pour tastes properly diluted instead of raw.

Holiday batch (serves 8):

• 2 cups (16 oz) rye whiskey
• ¼ cup (2 oz) cinnamon-infused demerara syrup
• 16 dashes Angostura bitters
• 8 dashes orange bitters
• ½ cup (4 oz) cold water (stands in for stir dilution)

Stir everything together in a pitcher and refrigerate at least 2 hours, ideally overnight. To serve, pour about 3 oz over one large ice rock in each rocks glass, express an orange peel over the top, and drop in a cinnamon stick. Prefer a stronger pour? Hold back the water and let the ice do the diluting in the glass.

Why Cinnamon + Rye Works

Cinnamon and rye whiskey both have:

• Dry, peppery character — rye's grain heat + cinnamon's slight spice burn
• Caramelized depth — rye's oak aging + cinnamon's complex roasted-bark notes
• Aromatic intensity — both are loud aromatically; the cocktail smells warm before you sip

The combination produces a cocktail that reads as "winter" without leaning syrupy or candy-cane sweet. Cinnamon's natural pairing with whiskey is so strong that many cinnamon-flavored whiskey products exist (Fireball, etc.) — though those are over-sweetened and lack the structural character of a properly built cinnamon Old Fashioned.

Best Spirit for Cinnamon Old Fashioned

For the broader rye ranking, see Best Rye Whiskey for Old Fashioned.

Variations

Cinnamon plays well with the whole Old Fashioned family. Once you've nailed this one, these sibling variations are worth a pour — each keeps the same canonical build and just changes the accent.

Cinnamon Bourbon Old Fashioned

Use bourbon instead of rye for a sweeter, vanilla-forward version. Drop the cinnamon syrup to ⅛ oz to compensate for bourbon's natural sweetness. Still excellent.

Hot Cinnamon Old Fashioned

Heat 4 oz of apple cider with one cinnamon stick for 5 minutes. Pour into a heat-resistant glass. Add 2 oz rye + 1 dash Angostura. Garnish with cinnamon stick. The hot version is essentially a hot toddy crossed with an Old Fashioned — perfect for cold winter evenings.

Cinnamon-Apple Old Fashioned

Add ½ oz fresh apple cider to the build. Cinnamon + apple is canonical fall pairing. See our Apple Cider Old Fashioned for the apple-forward version.

Smoked Cinnamon Old Fashioned

Build standard, then briefly smoke the glass with cherrywood or applewood chips. Smoke + cinnamon + rye is one of the more sophisticated winter variations.

Glassware & Tools

• Molten Tumblers or any rocks glass — see Best Old Fashioned Glass.
• Glacier Rocks Sphere mold — for the ice rock.
• Stainless Steel Muddler — for the heritage cinnamon-stick method.
• Big Jig Double Jigger — for measuring.
• Trident Cocktail Spoon — for stirring.

When to Drink a Cinnamon Old Fashioned

• November through February — peak cinnamon-cocktail season
• Christmas, Thanksgiving, New Year's Eve — holiday-aligned without being kitschy
• Cold evenings, fireplace, snow falling — high-context cocktail
• Pairing with apple desserts, gingerbread, holiday baking generally
• When the host has been making the same Old Fashioned for years and wants something seasonally different

RyeCentral Tested

Built, tasted, and verified by RyeCentral Lab.

Community Reviews

How did this recipe work for you?

Made it? Rate it, drop a photo or short video, and tell us what you tweaked. Verified RyeCentral Lab reviews are tagged so you can see how our test compares to yours.

★★★★★

5.00 · Based on 1 review

RyeCentral Lab - Dee & ElijahVerified RyeCentral Tester 2026-05-05

★★★★★

Perfectly balanced — we'll make it all year round

Robust and bright from the citrus — simple to make, yet complex at the same time. It gives off warm, rich, cozy fall-in-a-glass vibes, but we enjoyed it so much we'll make it all year round. The cinnamon, spicy rye, and sweetness of the demerara blend into a perfectly balanced drink — wouldn't change a thing. Five stars; Elijah and I can't wait to make it for friends.— RyeCentral Lab

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Frequently Asked Questions

How do you make a Cinnamon Old Fashioned?

Use ¼ oz cinnamon-infused demerara syrup, 2 dashes Angostura, and 1 dash orange bitters in a rocks glass. Add 2 oz rye whiskey and one large ice rock; stir 20–25 times. Garnish with an expressed orange peel and a fresh cinnamon stick.

How do you make cinnamon syrup for cocktails?

Combine 1 cup demerara sugar, ½ cup water, and 2 broken cinnamon sticks. Warm over low heat until sugar dissolves. Off heat, steep 30 minutes. Strain, bottle, refrigerate. Lasts 3 weeks.

Can you use ground cinnamon in a cocktail?

Not effectively. Ground cinnamon doesn't dissolve and creates a gritty mouthfeel. Always use either cinnamon-infused syrup or a whole cinnamon stick muddled gently. The infusion approach is cleaner; the muddle approach is heritage.

Bourbon or rye for a Cinnamon Old Fashioned?

Rye is our default — its dryness and pepper amplify the cinnamon. Bourbon works for a sweeter version; drop the syrup to ⅛ oz. Avoid wheated bourbons (Maker's Mark) for this build — too soft against cinnamon.

What's the difference between a Cinnamon Old Fashioned and Fireball?

Categorically different. Fireball is a flavored whiskey product (33% ABV, heavily sweetened). A Cinnamon Old Fashioned is a real cocktail built on actual rye whiskey with cinnamon flavoring added through syrup or muddle. The Cinnamon Old Fashioned has the cocktail's structure (sugar + bitters + ice + citrus); Fireball is a sugary shot.

Can you make this drink hot?

Yes — heat 4 oz of apple cider with one cinnamon stick for 5 minutes, pour into a heat-resistant glass, add 2 oz rye + 1 dash Angostura. Skip the ice. The hot version is essentially a Hot Toddy crossed with a Cinnamon Old Fashioned.

What kind of cinnamon stick is best?

Cassia cinnamon (the standard variety in most grocery stores) works fine. True Ceylon cinnamon is more delicate and floral — better for premium builds but less assertive. Vietnamese (Saigon) cinnamon is the spiciest and most intense; use sparingly.

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