Homemade Simple Syrups

Simple syrups are so easy to make and store in the refrigerator until you need them. Usually a 50/50 ratio mixture of sugar and water is dissolved into liquid form.

Tips for making Simple Syrup

Choice of water: Use distilled water as it is very pure, and it’s ideal if you want the purest flavor. Filtered water is the next best choice. Tap water may contain minerals, chlorine, or other additives that can alter the flavor or appearance.

Use equal parts sugar and water for most recipes: The classic simple syrup is a 1:1 ratio, but you can adjust the sweetness to your preference.

Add flavors (optional): For flavored simple syrups, add herbs, spices or fruit infusions during heating, then strain before storing.

Heat gently: Combine sugar and water in a saucepan and heat over low to medium heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves completely. No need to boil vigorously; gentle heat works best.

Dissolve completely: Ensure all the sugar is dissolved before removing from heat to avoid grainy syrup.

Let it cool: Allow the syrup to cool before using or storing.

To use: Simply add the strawberry simple syrup directly to your recipe or drink, usually a tablespoon at a time, adjusting to taste.

Storage: Keep your simple syrup in a sealed container in the refrigerator. It can last for about a month.

Equipment needed

Medium saucepan with pouring spout
Fine mesh stainless steel strainer 
Meat chopper
Spatula 
Wooden spoon
Flip top glass bottles 

How to use Simple Syrup

Basic Syrup

Beverages: Stir into iced teas, matcha, or lemonades.
Sweeten cold brew or lattes without any graininess.
Cocktails: Add to cocktails for smooth balance.
Desserts: Brush onto cake layers to keep them moist. Add to sorbets for sweetness.
Salads: Mix into fruit salads for added shine and sweetness.

Lemon Syrup

Cocktails and Mocktails: Adds a sweet and tangy flavor to drinks like lemonades, mojitos, whiskey sours and gin cocktails.
Dessert Topping: Drizzle over cakes, pancakes, waffles or ice cream for a citrusy sweetness.
Fruit Salads: Toss with fresh fruit to enhance flavor and add a touch of sweetness.
Baking: Incorporate into cake or muffin batters for a lemon-flavored twist.
Tea and Lemonade: Mix into hot or iced tea for added flavor, or to make a quick lemon-flavored lemonade.
Marinades and Sauces: Use as a base for marinades for seafood or chicken or in salad dressings.
Frozen Treats: Use in making sorbets or popsicles.
Cocktail Garnish: Use as a sweetener in garnishes or rim sugar for cocktails.

Raspberry Syrup

Cocktails and Mocktails: Adds a fruity sweetness to drinks like mojitos, margaritas, lemonades and sparkling water.
Dessert Topping: Drizzle over ice cream, pancakes, waffles or yogurt for added flavor.
Fruit Salads: Toss with fresh fruit to enhance sweetness and flavor.
Tea and Lemonade: Stir into iced tea or homemade lemonade for a berry twist.
Baking: Use in cakes, muffins, or as a filling for pastries and tarts.
Smoothies: Blend into smoothies for natural sweetness and berry flavor.
Ice Cubes: Freeze into ice cubes for colorful and flavorful additions to drinks.
Sauces and Glazes: Incorporate into sauces for desserts or glazes for meats like chicken or pork.
Yogurt or Oatmeal: Mix into yogurt or oatmeal for added flavor.
Cocktail Garnish: Use as a syrup drizzle along with fresh raspberries for presentation.

Jalapeño Syrup

Cocktails: Use in spicy margaritas, jalapeño mojitos and bloody Mary’s.
Food Pairings: Drizzle over grilled chicken, pork or shrimp. Use as a glaze for roasted vegetables.
Dipping Sauces or Salsas: Add to dipping sauces or salsas for extra heat.
Salads: Mix into salad dressings for a sweet and spicy flavor.
Desserts: Drizzle over ice cream or sorbet. Incorporate into frosting or glazes for cakes. Use in fruit salads for a spicy twist.
Cooking: Flavor marinades and braises. Enhance rice or grain bowls, Mix into chili or stews for added depth.

Rosemary Syrup

Cocktails: Use it as a sweetener and flavor enhancer in cocktails like gin and tonic, margaritas, or whiskey sours. Simply replace regular simple syrup with rosemary simple syrup for a unique twist.
Mocktails: Add it to sparkling water or fruit juices for a refreshing herbal beverage.
Lemonade: Mix it into fresh lemonade for an aromatic flavor.
Tea: Stir into hot or iced teas for added sweetness and herbal aroma.
Cooking: Drizzle over roasted vegetables and grilled meats, or use in dressings and marinades for a subtle rosemary flavor.
Desserts: Incorporate into syrups for drizzling over ice cream, panna cotta or cakes.

Strawberry Syrup

Cocktails and Mocktails: Add it to drinks like margaritas, mojitos, or lemonades for a sweet, fruity flavor.
Smoothies: Blend it into your smoothies for natural strawberry sweetness.
Iced Tea or Lemonade: Stir it into iced tea or lemonade for a refreshing twist.
Dessert Topping: Drizzle over ice cream, pancakes, waffles or yogurt.
Fruit Salads: Toss it with fresh fruit for added flavor.
Milkshakes: Mix it into milkshakes for a fruity punch.

Peach Syrup

Beverages: Add it to lemonade, iced tea, or sparkling water for a fruity twist. Mix it into cocktails or mocktails for added flavor. Use it as a sweetener in iced coffee or smoothies.
Breakfast or Brunch: Drizzle over pancakes, waffles, or French toast.
Desserts: Use it as a topping for ice cream, yogurt or panna cotta. Incorporate into fruit salads or parfaits.
Cooking: Use it in marinades or glazes for grilled fruits or meats. Mix it into cake or muffin batters for a peach flavor.

Dandelion Syrup

Sweetener for Beverages: Add dandelion syrup to tea, coffee, lemon water or cocktails for a floral sweetness.
Pancakes and Waffles: Drizzle over pancakes or waffles for a unique topping.
French Toast: Drizzle over buttered French toast.
Yogurt and Oatmeal: Stir into yogurt or oatmeal to enhance flavor.
Desserts: Use as a topping for ice cream, sherbet, or fruit salads.
Baking: Incorporate into baking recipes for cakes, muffins, or bread as a natural sweetener.
Salad Dressings: Mix with vinegar and oil for a floral twist on salad dressings.
Medicinal Use: Traditionally, it’s used for its potential health benefits, such as aiding digestion or supporting liver health.

Vanilla Syrup

Coffee and Espresso Drinks: Add vanilla syrup to enhance the flavor of your coffee, lattes, or cappuccinos.
Tea: Sweeten iced or hot tea with a splash of vanilla syrup for a smooth, sweet flavor.
Cocktails and Mocktails: Use vanilla syrup to add depth and sweetness to cocktails or non-alcoholic beverages.
Milkshakes and Smoothies: Blend vanilla syrup into milkshakes or smoothies for extra sweetness and vanilla flavor.
Baking: Incorporate vanilla syrup into cake batters, frosting or pancake batter for a hint of vanilla.
Breakfast or Brunch: Drizzle over pancakes, waffles or French toast.
Dessert Topping: Drizzle over ice cream or bread pudding.
Fruit Salads: Toss fresh fruit with a bit of vanilla syrup for added flavor.

Homemade Simple Syrups

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Simple syrups are so easy to make and store in the refrigerator until you need them. Usually a 50/50 ratio mixture of sugar and water is dissolved into liquid form.

• Author: Linda Jolly-Kilbride
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 10 minutes
• Total Time: 20 minutes
• Yield: 1 1/2 to 2 cups 1x
• Category: Syrup
• Method: Stovetop
• Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

Basic Syrup 1 cup granulated sugar 1 cup distilled water Lemon Syrup 1/3 cup granulated sugar 1/4 cup lemon juice (1 large lemon) Raspberry Syrup 1 cup granulated sugar 1/2 cup distilled water 1/2 cup fresh raspberries (or frozen, but fresh is preferred) Jalapeño Syrup 1 cup granulated sugar 1/2 cup distilled water 2 sliced jalapeño peppers (leave some seeds for heat) Rosemary Syrup 1 cup granulated sugar 1 cup distilled water 1 sprig rosemary Blueberry Syrup 2 cups fresh blueberries 1 cup granulated sugar 1 cup distilled water 1 teaspoon lemon juice Strawberry Syrup 1 cup granulated sugar 1 cup distilled water 1 cup fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced Peach Syrup 1 cup granulated sugar 1 cup distilled water 2 ripe peaches Dandelion Syrup 2 cups freshly picked dandelion flowers (petals only, from a clean area), lightly packed 4 cups distilled water 2 cups granulated sugar 1 lemon, juiced and sliced 1 vanilla bean (optional) Vanilla Syrup 1 cup granulated sugar 1 cup distilled water 1 to 2 teaspoons vanilla extract or 1 vanilla bean, split and scraped

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Instructions

Basic Syrup

1. Combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan.
2. Heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the sugar is completely dissolved. This usually takes just 2 to 3 minutes. You don’t need to boil it—just warm it enough for the sugar to melt.
3. Remove from heat and let the syrup cool to room temperature.
4. Transfer to a clean glass jar or bottle, using a funnel if needed.
5. Seal and refrigerate for up to 1 month.

Lemon Syrup

1. Combine granulated sugar and lemon juice in small, heavy-duty saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, for about 5 minutes or until sugar is dissolved and a light syrup is formed.

Raspberry Syrup

1. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, cook the sugar and water for 1 minute, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
2. Add the raspberries and cook until the berries break down, about 5 to 6 minutes, turning the heat to low when it starts to boil. Break down the berries with a meat chopper as needed.
3. Once the berries are fully broken down, use a fine mesh strainer to strain the syrup into a jar. Use a spatula to force it through until all the seeds are strained out.
4. The syrup will thicken more as it cools.
5. Store refrigerated for up to 3 weeks.

Jalapeño Syrup

1. Combine all ingredients in a pot over medium heat. Stir until the sugar has dissolved, then simmer for about 10 minutes.
2. Remove from the heat and let cool completely.
3. Store in an airtight jar for up to 1 month in the refrigerator.

Rosemary Syrup

1. Combine the rosemary, sugar and water in a pot over medium heat. Stir with a wooden spoon until the sugar has dissolved.
2. Turn off the heat and let the rosemary steep for about 10 minutes (or longer for a stronger flavor).
3. Remove from the heat and let cool completely.
4. Strain through a fine mesh sieve.
5. Store in an airtight jar for up to 1 month in the refrigerator.

Blueberry Syrup

1. Rinse and remove any stems from the blueberries.
2. Add the blueberries to a medium pot with the remaining ingredients, and bring to a boil over medium heat.
3. Turn to low heat and let the blueberries simmer until the sugar has dissolved and the berries begin splitting – about 20 minutes.
4. Remove from heat and allow the syrup to cool completely, about one hour
5. Strain the mixture through a fine mesh strainer making sure to squeeze any excess juice from the berries.
6. Transfer the syrup into a bottle or jar using a funnel.
7. Store in an airtight bottle or jar in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Strawberry Syrup

1. Combine the water and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat.
2. Stir until the sugar is fully dissolved.
3. Add the strawberries to the syrup.
4. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer and cook for about 10 to 15 minutes, mashing the strawberries slightly to release their juices.
5. Remove from heat and let it cool.
6. Strain the syrup through a fine sieve to remove the strawberry solids.
7. Store in a clean jar or bottle in the refrigerator. It should last for about a week.

Peach Syrup

1. Wash the peaches, remove the pits, and slice them into small pieces.
2. In a saucepan, combine the water and sugar. Heat over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves completely.
3. Add the sliced peaches to the syrup.
4. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer and cook for about 10 to 15 minutes, allowing the peaches to infuse the syrup.
5. Remove from heat and strain the syrup through a fine mesh sieve to remove peach solids, if desired.
6. Let the syrup cool completely, then transfer to a jar or bottle.
7. Store in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

Dandelion Syrup

1. Pick dandelion flowers on a sunny day, avoiding any that have been treated with pesticides. Remove green sepals and stems, keeping only petals.
2. Rinse the petals gently in cold water to remove dirt and insects.
3. In a saucepan, bring water to a boil. Add the petals and lemon slices (and vanilla bean if using). Reduce heat and simmer for about 30 minutes.
4. Strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl, pressing gently with a spatula to extract all liquid. Discard the flowers and lemon slices.
5. Return the strained liquid to the saucepan. Add sugar and lemon juice. Heat over low, stirring until the sugar dissolves completely.
6. Let it simmer gently until slightly thickened, about 10 to 15 minutes.
7. Pour the syrup into sterilized bottles or Mason jars. Let cool before sealing.
8. Keep refrigerated. Use within a month for best flavor.

Vanilla Syrup

1. Combine the water and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat.
2. Stir until the sugar dissolves completely.
3. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract or vanilla bean.
4. Let it cool, then transfer to a bottle or jar.
5. Store in the refrigerator for up to a month.

Notes

Photo credit: proflowers @ Flickr / CC BY 2.0