As I mentioned in both my daiquiri and margarita posts, I hate using store-bought mixers for cocktails. They’re either way too artificial tasting or they’re filled with a bunch of bad-for-you garbage like yucky sweeteners or UB40…err, I meant Red 40. 😬
Because of this, I’m sharing with you my super simple simple syrup recipes! No longer will you have to rely on buying syrups chock full of additives and fillers. Just create your own simple syrups instead! They’re so incredibly easy to make and each recipe follows the same basic formula: water, Demerara sugar, and your base ingredient! 🙂
What is Simple Syrup?
Simple syrup is liquid gold, but for your tummy.
Simple syrup is sugar that has been dissolved into water using heat. Nice and simple. The sugar and water are typically at a 1:1 ratio, so your syrup is nice and sweet!
Bartenders, baristas, and other types of drink creators typically use simple syrup instead of standard sugar since it’s already melted down into a syrup. Sugar doesn’t easily dissolve (if at all) in cold beverages, so simple syrup is a nice little cheat code to get yo’ sug’ fix…sorry.
What Do You Use Simple Syrup For?
Simple syrups are GREAT to use in basically any type of beverage! Pair my Lemon-Lavender Syrup with sparkling water for a refreshingly light summer drink, or try my Gingerbread Simple Syrup for your next holiday get together!
You can also use these in your mocktails, cocktails, hot coffee, iced coffee, lattes, on ice cream, etc. They’re perfect for literally any occasion!
The Recipes
These are the recipes that I use when making my delicious drink recipes. All of these simple syrups are extremely simple (it’s in the name!) and basically follow the same format: sugar, water, and then your star ingredient for flavor.
Click the links below to jump straight to each recipe. 🙂 Happy syruping!
- Almond Simple Syrup recipe
- Basic Simple Syrup recipe
- Blackberry Simple Syrup recipe
- Blueberry Simple Syrup recipe
- Cherry Simple Syrup recipe
- Cinnamon Simple Syrup recipe
- Gingerbread Simple Syrup recipe
- Lavender Simple Syrup recipe
- Lemon Simple Syrup recipe
- Lemon-Lavender Simple Syrup recipe
- Peppermint Simple Syrup recipe
- Pumpkin Spice Simple Syrup recipe
- Raspberry Simple Syrup recipe
- Rosemary Simple Syrup recipe
- Strawberry Simple Syrup recipe
- Vanilla Simple Syrup
Almond Simple Syrup
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Almond Simple Syrup
Ingredients
- 1 cup organic unsalted almonds, roughly chopped
- 1 cup demerara sugar
- 1 cup filtered water
Instructions
- Combine everything into a saucepan over medium-high heat.
- Stir constantly to dissolve the demerara sugar.
- Bring to a boil and then remove from heat.
- Let steep for 30 minutes – 1 hour.
- Strain and transfer your syrup to a clean glass container.
Notes
You can store your mixture in the fridge for up to a month!
Basic Simple Syrup
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Basic Simple Syrup
- Cook Time: 5-10 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 8 oz. simple syrup 1x
- Category: Beverages, cocktails, drinks, mocktails
Description
The only thing that’s basic about this simple syrup are the ingredients!
Instructions
- Add your Demerara sugar and water to a small pot over medium heat.
- Continuously stir the sugar so that it dissolves (about 5-10 minutes).
- Once the sugar has dissolved, remove your pot from the heat and let your syrup sit until cool.
- Pour into a mason jar or other glass container and save for your mocktails, cocktails, or any other kind of drinks! 🙂
Blackberry Simple Syrup
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Blackberry Simple Syrup
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 8 oz. simple syrup 1x
- Category: Beverages, cocktails, drinks, mocktails
Ingredients
- 1 cup filtered water
- 1 cup Demerara sugar
- 2 cups organic blackberries (fresh or frozen)
Instructions
- Add the water and sweetener of your choice to a small saucepan over medium-high heat.
- Stir until your sweetener dissolves.
- Add the blackberries and bring to a boil.
- Once boiling, lower the heat and simmer covered for 20 minutes.
- Remove from heat and let sit for 10 minutes.
- Strain your syrup by mashing the berries through a fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth into a clean mason jar or other storage container.
- You can store your blackberry syrup in the fridge for 1-2 weeks.
Blueberry Simple Syrup
Print Blueberry Simple Syrup
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 16 oz. simple syrup 1x
- Category: Beverages, cocktails, drinks, mocktails
Ingredients
- 2 cups filtered water
- 1 cup Demerara sugar
- 2 cups organic blueberries (fresh or frozen)
Instructions
- Add the water and sweetener of your choice to a small saucepan over medium-high heat.
- Stir until your sweetener dissolves.
- Add the blueberries and bring to a boil.
- Once boiling, lower the heat and simmer covered for 15 minutes.
- Remove from heat and let sit for 10 minutes.
- Strain your syrup into a clean mason jar or other storage container and put it in the fridge.
- You can keep this in the fridge for 1-2 weeks.
Cherry Simple Syrup
The word cherry conjures up various images for people: their favorite flavor of pie, the heroic protagonist in a Robert Rodriguez film, the most coveted of all the Starburst candy flavors, or a favorite reggae song. In one way or another, everyone loves cherry.
While I was developing recipes for some springtime cocktails, I wanted to create a few drinks that featured cherry to symbolize one of my favorite times of the year: when cherries start to blossom.
As we know from the excitement that arises when the cherry blossom trees bloom in Washington D.C. and, more famously, when the Japanese sakura trees blossom, humans love a beautiful flower. After a particularly chilly winter, nothing screams the future prospect of warm weather like the appearance of a cherry blossom.
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Cherry Simple Syrup Recipe
- Prep Time: 0 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 16 oz. simple syrup 1x
- Category: Cocktail
- Method: Cooking
- Cuisine: American
Description
This cherry simple syrup is soooo good! Mix it with your favorite alcohol for a popsicle flavored cocktail, or pair it with some Topo Chico for an old-fashioned soda!
Ingredients
- 1 cup organic frozen cherries (this way, they’re already pitted and de-stemmed)
- 1 cup water
- 3/4 cup Demerara sugar
Instructions
- Add your cherries, Demerara sugar, and water to a saucepan over medium-high heat.
- Simmer for 10-15 minutes. You want your cherries to start breaking down…not emotionally, just physically.
- Remove from heat and mash your cherries with the back of a slotted spoon.
- Cool for 10 minutes.
- Strain your cherry mixture over a bowl. Make sure to press on the cherries so you get all of the simple syrup out of them.
- Pour your syrup into an air-tight container and put in the fridge to cool before using it.
- Eat those strained cherries, don’t discard them! You can pair them with coconut milk ice cream which is super yummy 🙂
Notes
Your cherry simple syrup will last in the fridge for about 3 weeks.
Cinnamon Simple Syrup
Print Cinnamon Simple Syrup
Ingredients
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup Demerara sugar
- 4 organic cinnamon sticks
Instructions
- In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, add the water and Demerara sugar.
- Stir until sugar dissolves (about 5 minutes).
- Once the sugar is dissolved, add the cinnamon sticks.
- Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and then simmer for 10 minutes.
- Remove from heat and let sit for 20 minutes.
- Store your cinnamon simple syrup in a clean, airtight glass container for up to a month.
Gingerbread Simple Syrup
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Gingerbread Simple Syrup
Ingredients
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup Demerara sugar
- ¼ cup organic molasses
- ½ tsp. organic ground ginger
- ½ tsp. organic ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp. organic ground cloves
Instructions
- Add the water and Demerara sugar to a pot over medium heat.
- Stir until the sugar dissolves (~5 minutes).
- Once the sugar has dissolved, add the molasses, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves.
- Stir, cover with a lid, and then let it cook for 15 minutes.
- Strain your syrup into a clean, airtight mason jar or glass pouring container.
- Store in the fridge for up to 3 weeks.
Lavender Simple Syrup
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Lavender Simple Syrup
Ingredients
- ½ cup Demerara sugar
- 1 cup water
- ¼ cup organic lavender flowers
Instructions
- Add the water and Demerara sugar to a pot over medium heat.
- Stir until the sugar dissolves (~5 minutes).
- Once the sugar has dissolved, add the lavender flowers.
- Stir, cover with a lid, and then let cook for 5 minutes.
- Remove from heat and let sit for 30 minutes.
- Strain your syrup into a clean, airtight mason jar or glass pouring container.
- Store in the fridge for up to 3 weeks.
Lemon Simple Syrup
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Lemon Simple Syrup
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 6 oz. 1x
- Category: Beverages, cocktails, drinks, mocktails
Instructions
- In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, add the lemon juice and Demerara sugar.
- Stir until sugar dissolves (about 5 minutes).
- Once the mixture is boiling, reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Remove from heat and let sit for 20 minutes.
- Store your lemon simple syrup in a clean glass container for up to a month.
Lemon-Lavender Simple Syrup
This is honestly one of my absolute favorite syrups! I used it to make my Vincent Van Gogh inspired Starry Night mocktail and oh my god…I could not stop drinking it! 😂
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Lemon-Lavender Simple syrup
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 6 oz. simple syrup 1x
- Category: Beverages, cocktails, drinks, mocktails
Ingredients
- 3 organic lemons, juiced
- ½ cup Demerara sugar
- 1 ½ tsp. organic dried lavender flowers
Instructions
- In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, add the lemon juice, Demerara sugar, and lavender flowers.
- Stir until sugar dissolves (about 5 minutes).
- Once the mixture is boiling, reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Remove from heat and let sit for 20 minutes.
- Store your lemon-lavender simple syrup in a clean glass container for up to a month.
Peppermint Simple Syrup
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Peppermint Simple Syrup
Ingredients
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup Demerara sugar
- 1 tsp. organic peppermint extract
Instructions
- Add the water and Demerara sugar to a small saucepan over medium-high heat.
- Stir until the sugar dissolves (~5 minutes).
- Bring to a boil and then add the peppermint extract.
- Lower the heat and simmer covered for 20 minutes.
- Remove from heat and let sit for 10 minutes.
- Pour your syrup into a clean, airtight mason jar or other storage container. Store in the fridge for up to a month.
Pumpkin Spice Simple Syrup
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Pumpkin Spice Simple Syrup
Ingredients
- 1 cup organic coconut sugar or Demerara sugar
- 1 cup water
- ⅓ cup organic pumpkin purée
- 1 tsp. organic vanilla extract
- 1 tsp. organic ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp. organic ground nutmeg
- ¼ tsp. organic ground cloves
- ¼ tsp. organic ground ginger
Instructions
- Add the water and Demerara sugar to a small saucepan over medium-high heat.
- Stir until the sugar dissolves.
- Add the pumpkin purée, vanilla extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger, and bring to a boil.
- Once boiling, lower the heat and simmer covered for 20 minutes.
- Strain your syrup into a clean, airtight mason jar or other storage container.
- Store in the fridge for 2-3 weeks.
Raspberry Simple Syrup
Print Raspberry Simple Syrup
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 16 oz. simple syrup 1x
- Category: Beverages, cocktails, drinks, mocktails
Ingredients
- 1 cup filtered water
- 1 cup Demerara sugar
- 12 oz. organic raspberries (fresh or frozen)
Instructions
- Add the water and Demerara sugar to a small saucepan over medium-high heat.
- Stir until your sugar dissolves.
- Add the raspberries and bring to a boil.
- Once boiling, lower the heat and simmer covered for 25 minutes.
- Remove from heat and let sit for 15 minutes.
- Strain your syrup into a clean mason jar or other storage container and put it in the fridge.
- You can keep this in the fridge for 1-2 weeks.
Rosemary Simple Syrup
Print Rosemary Simple Syrup
Ingredients
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup Demerara sugar
- 2–3 tbsp. organic rosemary
Instructions
- Add the water and Demerara sugar to a small saucepan over medium-high heat.
- Stir until your sugar dissolves.
- Add the rosemary and bring to a boil.
- Once boiling, lower the heat and simmer covered for 15 minutes.
- Remove from heat and let sit for 10 minutes.
- Strain your syrup into a clean, airtight mason jar or other storage container.
- Store in the fridge for up to a month.
Strawberry Simple Syrup
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Strawberry Simple Syrup
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 8 oz. simple syrup 1x
- Category: Beverages, cocktails, drinks, mocktails
Ingredients
- 1 cup filtered water
- 1 cup Demerara sugar
- 8 oz. organic strawberries (cut into slices, fresh or frozen)
Instructions
- Add the water and Demerara to a small saucepan over medium-high heat.
- Stir until your sugar dissolves.
- Add the strawberries and bring to a boil.
- Once boiling, lower the heat and simmer covered for 20 minutes.
- Remove from heat and let sit for 10 minutes.
- Strain your syrup into a clean, airtight mason jar or other storage container. Store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Vanilla Simple Syrup
Print Vanilla Simple Syrup
Ingredients
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup Demerara sugar
- 1 tsp. organic vanilla extract
Instructions
- Add the water and Demerara sugar to a small saucepan over medium-high heat.
- Stir until the sugar dissolves (~5 minutes).
- Bring to a boil and then add the vanilla extract.
- Lower the heat and simmer covered for 20 minutes.
- Remove from heat and let sit for 10 minutes.
- Pour your syrup into a clean, airtight mason jar or other storage container. Store in the fridge for up to a month.
Show Me How You Cocktail!
What amazing creation did you make with your fruit simple syrup/s? Let me know in the comments below!
Be sure to tag me on Instagram @amara_andrew to show me what beautiful beverage you concocted with your syrups! 🙂
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