Instant Pot Cinnamon Extract is made and ready to use in less than 1 hour! It makes a great addition to fall and winter baked goods, breads and desserts or as a gift for bakers during the holidays.
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If you've never realized how easy it is to make extracts at home, I'm here to tell you. And if you've never known that cinnamon extract is a thing, I am here to tell you that it sure is, and it's a game changer for your favorite cinnamon flavored recipes.
But it's hard to find in stores and it's likely to be costly. And making extract the traditional way takes months.
Thanks to our trusty Instant Pot, we can make homemade cinnamon extract that's ready to use the very same day it's made. And it requires just 2 ingredients- cinnamon sticks and vodka!
Instant Pot cinnamon extract can be used in place of or in addition to vanilla extract in any recipe if you'd like to add notes of warm cinnamon. Sometimes I add a few teaspoons of it to our almond milk pancakes or oat milk pancakes on a chilly fall morning to add some seasonal flair to breakfast. It can also be used in place of ground cinnamon in no churn cinnamon ice cream.
Homemade cinnamon extract also makes a lovely gift for the bakers in your family or circle of friends during the holiday season.
*See below for more ideas and a full list of recipes you can use it in.
Before you get started making homemade Instant Pot extracts, make sure to read through my guide to making all flavors of extract in your pressure cooker. It has a lot of helpful information and tips for the process. Not that it's difficult at all, but there are some minor details to be mindful of.
Ingredients and Tools Needed
- Cinnamon sticks: for the best cinnamon flavor, I recommend a high quality brand like McCormick. Give the cinnamon sticks a whiff before using. They should smell strongly of cinnamon. If not, the sticks won't create a strongly flavored extract either.
- Vodka: other neutral tasting alcohols can be used, such as brandy, rum or bourbon. Make sure to use alcohol that is at least 70 proof.
- Electric pressure cooker: never use a stovetop pressure cooker when making extract.
- Canning jars with lids: as written, the recipe calls for 1 pint jars. You can use smaller mason jars if making smaller batches.
- Trivet or sling
- Oven mitts
Instructions
STEP 1: Pour 1 cup of vodka into a canning or mason jar. Place the cinnamon sticks in the vodka. If they don't fit in jar, break them in half. Secure the lid by tightening it but don't lock it in place.
STEP 2: Pour 1 cup of water into the inner pot. Place a trivet or sling inside and set the jar on top. You can pressure cook as many jars at one time as you can fit. Close and lock the pressure cooker lid. Set to pressure cook/manual on high for 35 minutes.
STEP 3: Complete a full natural pressure release. Remove the lid and carefully take the hot jar out of the pot using oven mitts. The cinnamon extract is ready to use immediately.
How To Store Homemade Cinnamon Extract
Store cinnamon extract in a cool, dark and dry place in an airtight container. It will last indefinitely but is best if used within several years. It can be left right in the mason or canning jar or transferred to other glass bottles.
How Can I Use Cinnamon Extract?
Add Instant Pot cinnamon extract to your favorite cinnamon flavored baked goods, like homemade cinnamon rolls. Add it to muffins, cakes, and fall-inspired cheesecakes like pumpkin cheesecake. Cinnamon extract is delicious added to hot chocolate, milkshakes, specialty coffee drinks, homemade ice cream and more.
It can be used as a substitute for ground cinnamon. For every 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon a recipe calls for, use ¼ teaspoon of cinnamon extract (or more for stronger flavor).
Here's a list of recipes that cinnamon extract can be used in. Don't feel limited in how you use yours- treat it just as you would vanilla extract or ground cinnamon!
- Crockpot Hot Chocolate
- Air Fryer Chocolate Muffins
- Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins
- Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake with Nutmeg Crust
- Hot Cross Buns
- Banana Bread
- Apple Cider Bread
- Chocolate Pumpkin Bread
- Bread Machine Cinnamon Raisin Bread
- Cottage Cheese Waffles
- Chocolate Pudding
- Pumpkin Pudding
Tips For Making Extract
- Never use a stovetop pressure cooker- only electric.
- Never make extract near an open flame, due to the alcohol vapors that are released into the air.
- When removing the lid from the mason jar, keep your face away from it. The release of hot alcohol vapors can sting your eyes when too close.
FAQs About Making Cinnamon Extract At Home
You should use whole cinnamon sticks to avoid grit and powder in your extract.
You should always make extract in mason jars when using the pressure cooker. This is because the alcohol vapors released won't be as strong when its in a covered jar.
Cinnamon extract lasts indefinitely, but it's best to use it within several years.
Yes. Extracts without alcohol are made with vegetable glycerin. I have not yet tried this in the Instant Pot.
To make cinnamon extract without a pressure cooker, pour the vodka in a mason jar. Add the cinnamon sticks and tightly close the lid. Store in a cool, dark and dry place for at least 8 weeks, but it may take up to a year to produce the best flavor.
You can, but I suggest leaving them in the extract as the cinnamon flavor will become stronger as it's stored. This is really a matter of preference.
Recipe
Instant Pot Cinnamon Extract
Equipment
- pressure cooker
- canning jars or mason jars with lids
- Trivet
Ingredients
Vanilla Extract
- 1 cup vodka or other 70 or above proof alcohol
- 2 cinnamon sticks
Instructions
- Pour 1 cup of vodka into a canning or mason jar. Place the cinnamon sticks in the vodka. If they don't fit in jar, break them in half. Secure the lid by tightening it but don't lock it in place.
- Pour 1 cup of water into the inner pot. Place a trivet or sling inside and set the jar on top. You can pressure cook as many jars at one time as you can fit. Close and lock the pressure cooker lid. Set to pressure cook/manual on high for 35 minutes.
- Complete a full natural pressure release. Remove the lid and carefully take the hot jar out of the pot using oven mitts. The cinnamon extract is ready to use immediately.
C Orta
In re size of mason jars - How much headroom do you need to leave? I noticed you only put 1 cup in a 2 cup jar. Does that mean I should only put 1/2 cup vodka in a half pint jar? Thank you
Kristina
You don't need too much room left in the jars, about 1/4-1/2 cup is fine. It's more important to not secure the lids completely!
Donna
Just wondering how much cinnamon to put in. Do I just put 1 or 2 sticks per jar or do I pack in as much as the jar can hold?
Kristina
Donna- you should use 2 cinnamon sticks per 1 cup vodka (as per the recipe card). Depending on how long your sticks are, you may need to break them in half.
Donna
Thanks! I didn’t notice that on the actual recipe card. I was just reading the other directions. Can’t wait to give it a try.
Kristina
I hope you enjoy it!
Donna
Ok. Just want to be clear. when you say put on the lid but don’t lock in place, you mean the lid on the jar. Just put it on loose. I know this is a super simple recipe, just don’t want something to blow up in my pot :).
Kristina
Yes, the lid on the jar should be twisted on but not locked completely. The Instant Pot lid will always need to be locked in place before it will turn (that's a safety feature).
Lucia
Wondering if you can do the same thing with star-anise? I'm sure going to try the cinnamon one! Thanks 🙂
Kristina
Yes! So far I have done it with chocolate, vanilla, coconut, mint, almond, and cinnamon. They've all turned out great.
Suzan
What size mason jar?
Kristina
Any size jar is fine, as long as it is large enough to hold the alcohol.
Amanda
I made this extract to add to an ice cream this weekend and just loved it! It has the perfect cinnamon flavor, and it's super simple.