Looking for the perfect simple syrup recipe? Our foolproof method yields an excellent sugar syrup that dissolves instantly into all your favorite cold drinks. Whether you’re mixing up refreshing mocktails, crafting sophisticated cocktails, or just want to perfectly sweeten your morning iced coffee, this homemade simple syrup is for you! Unlike store-bought versions that can taste artificial, our homemade version will help enhance the flavors of your beverages without overpowering them.
My husband and I started making DIY simply syrups in our 20s when we began doing more homemade cocktail making. We didn’t want to buy any more special ingredients than needed, and making our own syrups turned out to be fun and really easy too!
A standard sugar syrup can be used for so many kinds of drinks! Best of all, you can make this bar essential in about 10 minutes, with ingredients you likely already have in your pantry, and it’ll keep for weeks in your fridge!
What is Simple Syrup?
Simple syrup is a liquid sweetener made by dissolving equal parts sugar and water. It’s the preferred choice for cold beverages like cocktails, mocktails, and iced coffee or tea, as it blends seamlessly into drinks without leaving behind grainy sugar crystals. This smooth integration creates a more pleasant drinking experience compared to using granulated sugar.
DIY Simple Syrup
Level of difficulty: As the name tells you, it’s simple!
Flavor: Sweet, basically like liquified sugar.
Time: From start-to-finish, it will take you approximately 10 minutes to make this sugar syrup recipe. This includes prep and cooking time (not cooling time).
Sugar Syrup Ingredients
- Granulated Sugar: sugar is a necessary ingredient for classic simple syrups, with granulated sugar being the most common type. You can also use raw sugars (like turbinado) for a different variation (my cousin, who is an award-winning mixologist, uses this for her cocktails!) .
- Water: water is needed in equal parts to your sugar to make this homemade simple syrup.
How to Make Simple Syrup
- Place ingredients in a small saucepan: start by using equal parts sugar and water
- Cook ingredients: over medium heat, and stir until your sugar has completely dissolved (approximately 5-10 minutes) and the liquid has thickened slightly. Try to avoid bringing your mixture to a boil.
- Cool your simple syrup: remove your simple syrup from the heat and allow it to cool.
- Store in an air-tight container in the fridge: transfer your simple syrup to an air-tight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.
How to use Homemade Simple Syrup
Cocktails
Simple syrup can be used to sweeten so many cocktails… here are a few of my favorites:
Mocktails
A few of my favorite mocktail recipes that are sweetened with classic sugar syrup include:
Iced Coffees & Teas
Sweetening your favorite cold coffees and teas with simple syrup ensures your beverage is free from grainy sugar. Some of my favorite iced, summertime coffees and teas include:
Sugar Syrup Recipe Variations
- Honey Simple Syrup
- Chai Simple Syrup
- Gingerbread Simple Syrup
- Sugar Cookie Simple Syrup
- Blueberry Simple Syrup
How to store Sugar Syrup
Store fully-cooled syrup in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to one month. I prefer to use glass containers and often use either an old honey jar (it’s shaped like a bear and it makes me happy) or a mason jar.
Recipe for Simple Syrup
Ingredients
- 1 C water
- 1 C granulated sugar
Instructions
- Place all ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat
- Bring to a low boil, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has dissolved and mixture has thickened (~5-10mins)*
- Transfer syrup to a heat-proof, air-tight storage container and store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks
David says
It’s simple. It’s syrup. What’s not to like!
ourlovelanguageisfood says
love to witty word play, and glad you enjoyed this SIMPLE recipe 🙂