If you haven’t jumped on the quarantine cooking bandwagon yet, grab a bottle of whiskey and some cinnamon sticks, we’re making homemade cinnamon whiskey. This bold spirit is gaining steam from coast-to-coast and spreading like wildfire (see what we did there?). It’s surprisingly easy to make, takes just a little bit of time and tastes delicious by itself or in cocktails. Here’s how to make your own better-tasting cinnamon whiskey with the most quality ingredients. Warning: you’ll want to recreate this gem again and again.

Why is it so popular? 

The reason cinnamon whiskey is so popular is because it calls to mind the red-hot cinnamon candies people grew up with. Plus, it’s surprisingly easy to drink in a shot form. Liquor.com says “Cinnamon whiskey may start sweetly in its pure form, but it quickly rises from kindly to an inferno of a finish, with a lingering burn that kicks like an angry mule. Perhaps this is why the spirit is proving so popular; it’s a bit exhilarating in its rocket fuel-like quality and has sparked competition between a series of big-brand imitators.” 

Ingredients you’ll need

Ordinary ol’ cinnamon won’t do for this recipe. You’ll want to be sure to scrounge up strongly scented cinnamon. The full list of ingredients are as follows:

• 1 (705 ml) bottle of whiskey
• Handful of strongly-scented cinnamon sticks (8 sticks will do)
• 3 oz. simple syrup
• Optional (daring) ingredient: 6 dried red chile peppers 

The nice thing about making your own homemade cinnamon whiskey is that a lot of the cinnamon-infused spirits you’ll see in liquor stores are loaded with additives. Plus, the recipe itself is downright lazy. 

*Note: there’s no need for a fancy whiskey for this recipe. The cinnamon spices will mask the complexities of the whiskey so it’s okay to use a cheaper bottle you have lying around home. 

Directions for infusing 

Pour the bottle of whiskey into a large container that has a lid. Add the cinnamon sticks and simple syrup and seal the container. Shake the contents of the container and let it stand for five days. Shake it daily during those five days. After the five days, add the chile peppers if desired and let it stand for three to four more days. Taste the liquid each day to test the intensity of the flavor. When the cinnamon-infused whiskey reaches your ideal flavor profile, strain it and rebottle into a new container. 

Ways to drink it 

Now that you’ve jumped onto the fiery, cinnamon-flavored bandwagon, what is your go-to way of drinking it? If you love the bold, sweet flavor of cinnamon whiskey grab your favorite shot glasses and have at it. You can also sip it neat and savor the spicy flavor profiles. If straight shots are too bold for you, consider adding it to apple cider along with fruits and honey for a mixed cocktail. Cinnamon whiskey also goes really well with hot coffee and a dollop of whipped cream. You may also be familiar with cinnamon whiskey and RumChata mimicking a popular cereal when paired together. Whichever way you choose to imbibe, you’ll be able to easily duplicate the recipe when you run out. And you will. Because it’s THAT good.