Homemade Cinnamon Dolce Latte

I recently professed my love of coffee and fancy coffee drinks.  After the success of the Peppermint Mocha, I decided to tackle the Cinnamon Dolce Latte, another one of my favorites. 

According to the Starbucks website, it has flavors of "cinnamon, butter and brown sugar".  Well, I covered the cinnamon and brown sugar components, but left out the butter.  And you know what, I think it turned out quite well, if I do say so myself! 

I honestly wasn't sure if the cinnamon flavor in the syrup was going to be strong enough, but it was.  I will admit to being impatient and not letting it steep for very long, so the cinnamon flavor might develop more if you do actually let it sit and cool off first.  If you wanted it to be even stronger, you could always add a tiny bit of cinnamon oil to it as well.  But be careful -- a little of that goes a long way!

How much to make depends on how much you'll actually use.  I just made a single batch this first time, but considering how much I like it, I probably need to at least double it next time.  :)  And have I mentioned how handy this little gadget is?  Again, put it on your wish list!

Homemade Cinnamon Dolce Latte

6-8 ounces strong brewed coffee

6 ounces heated milk (I again used the fat-free half-and-half)

2-4 Tbsp cinnamon simple syrup, to taste (recipe follows)

whipped cream

cinnamon for sprinkling

In a large mug, mix together the coffee, milk, and cinnamon syrup.  Top with whipped cream and a dusting of cinnamon.  Enjoy.  Repeat if necessary.  ;)

Cinnamon Simple Syrup

1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup golden brown sugar
6 inches of cinnamon stick, broken into small pieces
1 cup water

Mix all ingredients in a small saucepan.  Bring to a boil over medium heat, and let boil 2 minutes.  Remove from heat and allow to cool.  Strain out cinnamon pieces and store, covered, in the refrigerator.

Enjoy!  :)