Simple Syrup is fast and easy to make at home and a must have sweetening ingredient for home mixologists. This basic recipe and seven flavored recipes are great for cocktails, gifts and more.
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 it 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!
Regular 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 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 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.
Or try this fresh strawberry simple syrup. Perfect for summer.
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 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 to use it
- Watermelon Mojito
- Basil Mojito
- the Iguana
- Persimmon Margaritas
- Spiced Apple Cider Whisky Sours
- Love Potion #9
- Cranberry Moscow Mule
- The Sunfire Cocktail
Simple Syrup Recipes (regular and flavored)
Ingredients
Regular (unflavored)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup water
Flavored Simple Syrups (NOTE: regular recipe PLUS ingredients listed per type)
Cinnamon
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)
- Combing the sugar and water in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil stirring to dissolve the sugar.
- Remove from heat and allow to fully cool.
- 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
- Add the cinnamon stick to the regular simple syrup while boiling. Boil 3 minutes.
- Remove from heat and allow to fully cool.
- Remove and discard the cinnamon stick.
Vanilla
- Add the prepared vanilla bean it to the sugar and water for the regular recipe.
- Follow the regular recipe. Remove the vanilla bean after cool.
Cranberry
- Add the fresh cranberries to the regular recipe. Bring to a simmer, stirring to dissolve the sugar.
- Allow to simmer until the berries have popped (2-3 minutes) and remove from heat. Cool fully.
- Strain through a fine sieve.
Lavender
- Combine lavender with the sugar and water. Follow the instructions in the regular recipe.
- When cooled, strain the lavender out of the simple syrup using a fine sieve.
Mint
- Add the fresh mint leaves to the regular recipe. Allow to simmer 2 minutes.
- Remove from heat and allow to cool fully, at least 30 minutes.
- When cooled, strain the mint out of the simple syrup using a fine sieve.
Rosemary
- Add the fresh rosemary leaves to the regular recipe. Allow to simmer 1 minute.
- Remove from heat and allow to cool fully, at least 30 minutes.
- When cooled, strain the rosemary leaves out of the simple syrup using a fine sieve.
Raspberry
- Add thes fresh raspberries to the base recipe. Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve sugar.
- Reduce to a simmer. Simmer 5 minutes; smash the raspberries with a mixing spoon or whisk while simmering to break them up.
- Remove from heat and allow to steep until cool (approximately 1 hour).
- Strain through a fine mesh sieve.
Roger Edward Faultersack says
To the victor goes the spoils
I guess I must do one at a time then, I am going to try them all. I just ordered a 4 set cups of copper like you have for the mule. I have never been kicked by a mule, twice by horses, going to try the mule. I use to do Civil War reenacting many years ago, lots of home brew come up from the south, we used metal cups, hands got very cold from the ice (oh not supposed to use ice) we did. So I feel this is going to send me on a flash back to those days. OH, I was a confederate Officer in the Virgina Cavalry. yup going to test out each and every one of these.
Every have Apple Pie? or Peach Pie? both mountain men Jug drinks very good.
Roger Edward Faultersack says
Hey Toni Do I need to refer my simple syrup?? I am enjoying a cold one with my syrup I made yesterday, AAAHH it taste like more for goodness’ sake.
Toni Dash says
Hi Roger! Yes you should store your simple syrup in the refrigerator in a sealed glass container. A jar is perfect. It should stay ‘good’ for up to 1 month! Glad you are enjoying the spoils of your creation!
Roger Edward Faultersack says
I made the simple syrup with raw sugar and two vanilla beans, it came out dark brown with a vanilla taste, I have not yet used it in any drink. Thank you
Toni Dash says
Sounds delish!