How to Make Simple Syrup: 8 Recipes and Suggested Uses

Simple Syrup is fast and easy to make at home and a must have ingredient for home mixologists. A basic recipe and seven flavored recipes that are great for cocktails, gifts and more.

Simple syrup is a key ingredient used to sweeten many cocktail recipes.

It’s a ‘must have’ ingredient for home mixologists to have on hand.

Did you know you can make it yourself?

AND that cocktails are just the start of how it’s used?

This guide answers all your questions about how to make it and 8 easy flavored recipes you’ll love!

What is Simple Syrup?

Also known as ‘sugar syrup’, it is a liquified version of sugar used most commonly in cocktails.

It is easy to make and can be infused with many flavors!

Why Use Simple Syrup instead of Sugar?

Because it’s liquid, simple syrup mixes easily into drinks (cold drinks especially) and other liquids.

This ensures full mixing of the desired sweetness into a cocktail or other liquid.

It prevents undissolved sugar settling into the bottom of a drink too.

Just 2 Ingredients!

There are only two ingredients:

• granulated sugar
• water

That’s it!

Why Make It?

It can be purchased at liquor stores, but there are some advantages of making it yourself:

• Make any size batch you need due to the simple ratio relationship between the ingredients. It’s easy to size a batch.
• It’s easier to keep a fresh batch available when making it at home.
• It’s inexpensive!

Change Up the Sugar!

Simple syrup made with granulated white sugar is clear.

Different sugars can be used to change the color and the flavor change. 

Demerara or Turbinado sugar – to make a golden color and more light caramel flavor.

Brown sugar – makes a deeply flavored syrup great for winter drinks.

How to Make Homemade Simple Syrup – Three Easy Steps

This is the easiest recipe ever!

STEP 1: Combine equal parts of granulated sugar and water in a saucepan.

STEP 2: Bring to a boil stirring until the sugar has dissolved.

STEP 3: Remove from the heat and cool completely before using.

How to Store Simple Syrup

Store in a sealed glass jar in the refrigerator.

How Long Does it Last in the Refrigerator?

When stored in a sealed container it should last up to 1 month.

How to Make Flavored Simple Syrups

One of my favorite ways to create custom cocktails is to make flavored syrups.

The flavor combination are unlimited (some of my favorites are listed later).

Steps to Make It: 

STEP 1: Add a flavoring item to the base/regular simple syrup recipe.

Examples of flavoring items:

• vanilla bean
• cinnamon stick
• whole spices
• herbs
• fruits

STEP 2: Allow to ‘infuse’; transferring flavor to the syrup.

STEP 3: Allow the ingredients to simmer together then cool fully. This creates a rich depth of flavor.

How to Use It

The most common use is in making cocktails but that’s not all:

• In cocktails (some recipe ideas below)
• Sweeten cold drinks like iced tea, lemonade or iced coffee (since it is a liquid it blends quickly and well)
• To moisten cakes! A long-known bakers’ trick to keep cakes moist by either soaking the cake layers before assembly or using a squeeze bottle to drizzle it over small holes made in the cake layers
• Poaching fruit. Pears in particular!
• Add it to a sorbet recipe
• Drizzle over a fruit salad for some extra sweetness (especially if you’ve infused the simple syrup)
• Drizzle over pancakes and waffles for extra sweetness
• Drizzle over plain yogurt
• Add a bit to sparkling water for a whole new drink
• Use it in oatmeal
• Give for gifts
• Add it to a marinade for a sweet-savory ingredient mix

Cocktail Recipes Using Simple Syrup

• Watermelon Mojito
• Basil Mojito
• the Iguana
• Persimmon Margaritas with Homemade Cinnamon Simple Syrup 
• Spiced Apple Cider Whisky Sours
• Love Potion #9
• Cranberry Moscow Mule
• The Sunfire Cocktail

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Simple Syrup Recipes (regular and flavored)

Simple syrup is fast and easy to make at home. Infuse it with different ingredients to change the flavor completely!

Course Cocktails, Cocktail Syrup

Cuisine American

Keyword flavored simple syrup recipe, how to make simple syrup

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Servings 24 1 tablespoons servings approximately(aproximately 1 1/2 cups total)

Calories 32 kcal

Author Toni Dash

Ingredients

Regular (unflavored)

• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup water

Flavored Simple Syrups (NOTE: regular recipe PLUS ingredients listed per type)

Cinnamon

• 1 Cinnamon Stick

Vanilla

• 1 Vanilla Bean slit lengthwise and opened

Cranberry

• 1 ½ cups fresh Cranberries

Lavender

• 1 tablespoon dried Culinary-grade Lavender

Mint

• 1 cup fresh Mint Leaves

Rosemary

• 1/4 cup fresh Rosemary Leaves

Raspberry

• 2 1/2 cups fresh Raspberries (2 6-ounce cartons)

Instructions

Regular (unflavored)

1. Combing the sugar and water in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil stirring to dissolve the sugar.
2. Remove from heat and allow to fully cool.

3. Store in a sealed container for up to 1 month in the refrigerator. NOTE: regular and flavored simple syrups should be stored in this way.

Cinnamon

1. Add the cinnamon stick to the regular simple syrup while boiling. Boil 3 minutes.

2. Remove from heat and allow to fully cool.

3. Remove and discard the cinnamon stick. 

Vanilla

1. Add the prepared vanilla bean it to the sugar and water for the regular recipe.

2. Follow the regular recipe. Remove the vanilla bean after cool.

Cranberry

1. Add the fresh cranberries to the regular recipe. Bring to a simmer, stirring to dissolve the sugar.

2. Allow to simmer until the berries have popped (2-3 minutes) and remove from heat. Cool fully.

3. Strain through a fine sieve.

Lavender

1. Combine lavender with the sugar and water. Follow the instructions in the regular recipe.

2. When cooled, strain the lavender out of the simple syrup using a fine sieve.

Mint

1. Add the fresh mint leaves to the regular recipe. Allow to simmer 2 minutes.

2. Remove from heat and allow to cool fully, at least 30 minutes.
3. When cooled, strain the mint out of the simple syrup using a fine sieve.

Rosemary

1. Add the fresh rosemary leaves to the regular recipe. Allow to simmer 1 minute.

2. Remove from heat and allow to cool fully, at least 30 minutes.

3. When cooled, strain the rosemary leaves out of the simple syrup using a fine sieve.

Raspberry

1. Add thes fresh raspberries to the base recipe. Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve sugar.

2. Reduce to a simmer. Simmer 5 minutes; smash the raspberries with a mixing spoon or whisk while simmering to break them up.

3. Remove from heat and allow to steep until cool (approximately 1 hour).

4. Strain through a fine mesh sieve. 

Nutrition Facts

Simple Syrup Recipes (regular and flavored)

Amount Per Serving

Calories 32

% Daily Value*

Fat 0g0%

Saturated Fat 0g0%

Cholesterol 0mg0%

Sodium 0mg0%

Carbohydrates 8g3%

Sugar 8g9%

Protein 0g0%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Learning How to Make Simple Syrup is an easy must do recipe for home mixologists!