The Complete Guide On How To Make Flavored Toothpicks

by Joshua Soriano April 10, 2021

Flavored toothpicks are not something you think is essential in your life until you try them. These tasty wooden sticks are commercially available in any shop, but you can also make your own.

Making flavored toothpicks is easy and doesn’t require spending too much on the ingredients and materials. You only need to soak the wooden sticks in your favorite liquor or flavoring. Allow them to absorb the liquid for at least 24 hours. Dry thoroughly and store them in a sealed container.

So if you are feeling creative, here is a comprehensive guide that you can follow to make your own bourbon flavored toothpicks, cinnamon, and even nicotine-infused toothpicks.

Bourbon Flavored Toothpicks Recipe

Bourbon flavored toothpicks were soaked in bourbon whiskey. The primary purpose of this is to absorb the natural notes of vanilla, oak, and caramel in the liquor to the wooden sticks. While you can purchase bourbon flavored toothpicks , you can also make your own at home by following these simple instructions.

What You’ll Need

  • Bourbon
  • Round toothpicks
  • Small container with lid
  • Lighter
  • Traveling container

Directions

  1. Fill the container with approximately one inch of bourbon. The entire toothpick will acquire the taste, but the portion submerged into the liquor will have a stronger flavor.
  2. Once the liquor is poured into the container, place the toothpicks inside. Make sure that only one end is directly submerged while the other is not that soaked. Once all the toothpicks are inside, seal the container properly. If a lid is not available, you can use aluminum foil as a substitute.
  3. Ideally, you should leave them in the container for two days. But if you need those toothpicks sooner, you can soak them for just 24 hours.
  4. After being soaked, the toothpicks will come out wet and sticky. Make sure to let them dry thoroughly by laying them on a piece of paper or any flat surface where the liquid can be absorbed.
  5. The end sitting in the bourbon will have a more robust flavor, and that is what you want to use. To mark the toothpick, find the end that wasn’t soaking and take a lighter to heat it for 1-2 seconds, or just long enough to burn the wood slightly. This way, you’ll know not to use the burnt end.
  6. Once the toothpicks are good to go, do not forget to find a sealed container to store them.

How to Make Cinnamon Flavored Toothpicks

Aside from whiskey infused toothpicks, one of the go-to flavors people like to taste on their toothpicks is cinnamon. The citrus, spicy, and bitter notes are so good that they complement the natural wooden taste of the toothpicks. If you want to make your cinnamon flavored toothpicks, here is a recipe you can follow.

What You’ll Need

  • 2 oz. Cinnamon bark oil
  • 12-16 oz. Glass, airtight jar with a lid
  • 100+ Wooden toothpicks

Preparing The Cinnamon Soak

  1. Look for a container or jar that has a proper seal. This is essential before you start filling the container with cinnamon oil. Once the sealed container is already on hand, fill the jar with at least 2 oz. of the cinnamon bark oil. Make sure that the bottom of the jar is covered with the mixture.
  2. Once the cinnamon bark oil is adequately placed in the container, place as many toothpicks as you can inside the jar. Since it takes time to let the mixture absorb into the wooden sticks, you can add up to 100 to 500 toothpicks. Just make sure that every single one is seated correctly inside the jar.
  3. Once all the toothpicks are inside, seal the jar with the lid. Double-check the container and make sure that the cap is sealed correctly. The cover plays a crucial role as it allows the toothpicks to absorb the oil’s flavor and aroma.
  4. Allow the toothpicks to soak into the mixture overnight. Remember that the longer that toothpicks are soaked, the spicier and robust the flavor will be. If this is what you like, allow the wooden sticks to stay inside the mixture for at least 24 hours.
  5. While waiting for the cinnamon oil to fully absorb into the toothpicks, prepare a non-absorbing area where you can dry the toothpicks later on. Do not use paper towels, napkins, toilet paper, and similar materials, as they will absorb the liquid away from the toothpicks. A parchment paper or aluminum foil can do the trick.

Preparing The Toothpicks After Soaking

6. After a few hours, slowly remove the toothpicks from the liquid mixture and into the prepared surface. Layout the toothpicks flat and spread them out so they can dry faster.
While the first batch of toothpicks is getting prepared to be used, do not throw away the cinnamon oil inside the container. You can still reuse it for the next set of toothpicks. To avoid the flavor from escaping, make sure to seal the container again and store it in a cool area.
7. After a few hours, test the flavored toothpicks if they are already dry. If they are still sticky and damp, give it a few more minutes or hours.
8. Once the toothpicks are already dry, store them in a nice-looking and sealed container. You can either choose a jar or a box. Just make sure that whatever you choose, the container can be sealed properly to maintain the toothpicks’ taste and aroma.

Do Cinnamon Toothpicks Help Quit Smoking?

Most people who smoke find it hard to quit this vice. However, if you want to live a healthier lifestyle, using cinnamon toothpicks might be the solution you are looking for. Smokers are used to holding cigarettes in their hands or placing one on their mouth. While this may not be “the” central issue, it is still part of the problem that needs to be addressed.

With flavored toothpicks, you can place them on your hand or mouth as if you are using a cigarette. Plus, the taste of cinnamon toothpicks offers spicy and minty hints that are pretty similar to that of a cigarette. It may not be that attractive, but it can help you get over with smoking slowly.

How to Make Nicotine Toothpicks

While these flavored toothpicks are infused with nicotine, make sure to check first if this is legal and safe by consulting with the FDA. Meanwhile, you can check with your doctor if using nicotine toothpicks won’t pose any harm to you, especially if you have underlying conditions.

What You’ll Need

  • 200 Toothpicks (6 cm long)
  • 100 ml Food-grade alcohol
  • 2.5 tsp. Menthol crystals
  • 1/2 tsp. Spearmint oil or 1/3 tsp. Cinnamon oil
  • 20 ml Nicotine solution (60 mg/ml strength)

Directions

  1. Mix menthol crystals until dissolved.
  2. Submerge toothpicks in a glass dish for 12-24 hours.
  3. Spread the sticks with the liquid on a plate to dry.

Are Nicotine Toothpicks Safe?

Makers of nicotine toothpicks do not directly say that they are safe primarily because nicotine is considered a highly addictive chemical. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) also warns the manufacturers and users of these flavored toothpicks since the chemical is known to “affect the developing adolescent brain and put youth at risk for nicotine addiction.”

Conclusion

Whiskey flavored toothpicks, bourbon flavored toothpicks, cinnamon toothpicks, and nicotine-infused toothpicks—no matter what flavor you choose to incorporate in these tiny wooden sticks, know that they still function as regular toothpicks with added treats for your palate.

Which among the flavored toothpicks would you like to try? Share your thoughts in the comment section.

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