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Simple Syrup

5 from 2 votes
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posted: 08/22/23

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This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy

Simple Syrup is essential for any home bar. With just two ingredients, it is so easy to make and with my instructions, you can make it in so many different flavors!

Photo of a spoon over a jar of Simple Syrup recipe. Lime wedges, cocktail jigger, and bottles of cointreau, gin, and bitters beside jar.

Simple syrup is a key ingredient in so many great cocktails and recipes. The combination of water and granulated sugar over heat makes the perfect sweetener for cocktails.

Make a big homemade batch and store it in your refrigerator so you always have some on hand. It’s easy to make and much cheaper than store bought syrup. Plus you can flavor it in so many different ways.

How to Make Simple Syrup

This is a brief overview of how to make this easy recipe. For the full recipe with all of the measurements, see the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

  1. Combine the water and sugar in a small sauce pan. Do this over medium heat.
  2. Whisk the mixture regularly. As the mixture heats up, the sugar will dissolve until the water making the syrup.
  3. Remove from the heat and allow to cool. Once the sugar is fully dissolved, remove the mixture from the heat. Let it fully cool before you use it in cocktails.

Simple Syrup Ratio

Though there are some versions of simple syrup that do a 2 to 1 ratio of sugar to water, we stick with the 1 to 1 ratio for our cocktails. You can add very little syrup to a recipe for the perfect amount of sweetness.

Overhead photo of a pot of ingredients for Simple Syrup recipe

How to Flavor Simple Syrup

Simple syrup is a terrific place to add extra flavor to your cocktails. By adding ingredients to the simple syrup after it has finished combining, you can easily make fun twists on your cocktails.

  1. Follow the recipe as written.
  2. At the end of step 2 (in the recipe card below), add whatever you would like to make it flavored (see examples below).
  3. Let the added ingredient steep for at least 30 minutes. Then remove it before storing it (optional).
Photo of jars of Simple Syrup next to basil and rosemary leaves.

Flavored Simple Syrup

Here are some of my favorite flavors of simple syrup and some great ideas on how to use it.

  • Honey Simple Syrup: Replace the sugar with honey to make this great syrup. It adds a great honey flavor to your cocktails and is perfect in the Bee’s Knees.
  • Mint Simple Syrup: Add some fresh mint at the end of step 2. Give your Mojito an extra minty boost!
  • Rosemary Simple Syrup: Add some fresh rosemary at the end of step 2. I love adding some of this to my Gin and Tonic.
  • Brown Sugar Simple Syrup: Swap the granulated sugar for brown sugar. This would be amazing in a fall themed sangria like my Cinnamon Whiskey Sangria.
  • Ginger Simple Syrup: At the end of step 2, grate some fresh ginger into the simple syrup. After steeping, strain the syrup through a mesh strainer and add it to my Moscow Mule.
  • Cinnamon Simple Syrup: Toss in a few cinnamon sticks at the end of step 2. Use it in my Old Fashioned instead of a sugar cube.
  • Lemon Simple Syrup: Add in some lemon peels at the end of step 2. Use it in my French 75 for an extra lemon boost.
  • Basil Simple Syrup: Add some fresh basil at the end of step 2. Use it in my Vodka Lemonade – a favorite of mine!
  • Chai Simple Syrup: Add some chai tea bags at the end of step 2. Use it to make this amazing Chai Old Fashioned.
Side view of two rosemary gin and tonic cocktails beside a jar of Simple Syrup. rosemary leaves and lime wedges on counter.

Non Alcoholic Uses

Though we use this recipe all the time in our cocktails, this is also the start of so many great non-alcoholic recipes.

Sugar Free Simple Syrup

You can use sugar substitutes to make simple syrup easily. The main thing to keep in mind is what the brand recommends as the replacement ratio. Usually on the bag it will tell you how much of the substitute you need to replace 1 cup of sugar. Use that amount.

I have found that Stevia works better as a substitute than Monk Fruit. The Monk Fruit, while totally delicious, starts to crystalize in the syrup after about a day.

Storing

This recipe should be stored in the refrigerator in an air tight container for up to one month. It freezes well. Freeze it in an air tight container with room for expansion. Store in the freezer for up to three months. Alternatively, most ice cube tray holes are about 1 ounce. This can be frozen as cubes so that you can thaw just one ounce at a time.

FAQ

Does simple syrup go bad?

Yes. Simple syrup, even when refrigerated, does go bad. If your simple syrup looks foggy or smells off, discard it.

How long does simple syrup last?

A recipe that is a 1:1 ratio (as is described here) has a one month shelf life if stored in a clean airtight container in the refrigerator.
Syrup that is a 2:1 ratio has a six week shelf life if stored in a clean airtight container in the refrigerator.

Photo of a jar of Simple Syrup recipe. Lime wedges, cocktail jigger, and bottles of liqueur next to jar.

Cocktails to Use This Recipe

If you give this a try, let me know how it goes and even more importantly, what recipe you used it in!

Photo of a spoon over a jar of Simple Syrup recipe. Lime wedges, cocktail jigger, and bottles of cointreau, gin, and bitters beside jar.
5 from 2 votes

Simple Syrup

Serves: 24 servings
(tap # to scale)
Prep: 2 minutes
Cook: 5 minutes
Total: 7 minutes
Simple Syrup is essential for any home bar. With just two ingredients, it is so easy to make and with my instructions, you can make it in so many different flavors!

Ingredients

  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 cup water

Instructions

  • Combine the water and the sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat.
  • Whisk the mixture regularly. As it heats up, the sugar will start to dissolve into the water. Once it is completely dissolved, remove it from the heat. (If you are adding anything to the syrup for flavor, this is when you would do it. Read more about that here.)
  • Allow the syrup to cool completely before using.
  • Use once cooled or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one month.

Notes

This recipe makes 1 1/2 cups
Serving: 1tablespoon Calories: 32kcal (2%) Carbohydrates: 8g (3%) Fat: 0.03g Sodium: 1mg Potassium: 0.2mg Sugar: 8g (9%) Calcium: 0.4mg Iron: 0.004mg
Author: Lisa Longley
Course: cocktails
Cuisine: American
Photo of a spoon over a jar of Simple Syrup recipe. Lime wedges, cocktail jigger, and bottles of cointreau, gin, and bitters beside jar.

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Simple Syrup

I’d love to see what you made! Tag me @lisasimplejoy and hashtag it #simplejoyrecipes!

Hi! I'm Lisa Longley, and I am committed to giving you simple dinner ideas and recipes that are easy to make; recipes that will fill your home with joy. I am the owner and author of SimpleJoy.com and I'm so glad that you are here.

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  1. Jessica Griffin says

    I’m new to this concept, but trying to figure out how to make homemade LAVENDAR italian cream sodas for my 17 yr old. I won’t pay the coffee shop $5/day to make them plus the syrup they use cannot be healthy. Trying to be more mindful of her diet because she is a newly diagnosed type 1 diabetic. Any idea on how to make lavender simple syrup? Essential oils are probably not the answer??? Thank you for your help :)

    • Lisa Longley says

      Oye. That’s a hard question. I don’t think that my simple syrup is the answer for a kiddo with type one 1 diabetes because it is really just sugar water. You can try making it with Truvia (a sugar substitute). I would try doing that first before adding in any flavor – just to make sure that works first. Then look at this post from The Adventure bite (https://theadventurebite.com/blackberry-lavender-champagne-cocktail/). She uses dried lavender flowers and boils them. I would suspect you could do that with simple syrup and then strain it. Let me know what you do! I’d love to hear about it.

  2. Greg says

    5 stars
    Great recipe for simple syrup. My grandmother owned a Tastee Freeze franchise back in the 50’s and this is the recipe base she used for many flavorful milkshakes

  3. Jean Earl says

    Love this in my sweet tea and lemonade

  4. Jan strawn says

    Where the devil is the peach recipe!!! ????

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