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DIY Flavored Simple Syrups Recipe

Customize your own homemade Flavored Simple Syrups.

One of the easiest ways to sweeten up your drinks and add some extra flavor to your desserts is by making your own plain or flavored simple syrups.

Flavored Simple Syrups - perfect for flavoring your drinks and drizzling over desserts! From basic simple syrup to ginger beer and everything in between. Recipe at LittleFiggyFood

What can I use simple syrup for?

Have you ever made lemonade that requires the sugar to be stirred in until it’s dissolved? Or tried to sweeten a cold drink with sugar? It always seems to take a hot minute to get it all to come together and dissolve that sugar!

Making a simple syrup not only quickly sweetens your lemonades and cold drinks, but it also is a must for mixing cocktails and mocktails.

Why should you have a bottle of plain or flavored simple syrups waiting for you in your fridge?

Uses for simple syrup:

  • Iced tea or coffee
  • Cocktails and mocktails (YES! Be that home bartender!)
  • Pouring over cake and desserts
  • Mixing up your own flavored sparkling drinks
  • Use as a quick glaze for meats, fish or poultry
  • Pour over pancakes and waffles
  • Or even to help make that medicine go down (thank you Mary Poppins)

Some of the flavors that my kids enjoy the most are raspberry lime and blueberry lemon… strawberry, blackberry – okay, so they enjoy just about all of the fruity ones.

The wonderful thing about making your own flavored simple syrups is that you can take just about any fruit, herb or spice, and experiment until your plum tuckered. Plus, you can also try the different sugars or sweeteners with all of the different sweet notes to give the syrup a different flavor and even color.

I used a regular white sugar for a basic simple syrup which of course is clear, but I also like to use the pure cane sugar that gives a hint of molasses and is a golden amber color.

Ice cold ginger beer recipe using a basic flavored syrup to sweeten it up
If you need more inspiration, you can check out these great recipes from Saveur, I’m thinking of the chili-spiked one myself.

Think of what you are wanting to use it for and flavor the syrups accordingly.

Can you buy simple syrup at the store?

Yes! Here’s where you can buy simple syrup:

  • At your local grocery store, usually found in the cocktail mixer aisle.
  • You can also find it online at Amazon
  • At Sur la Table
  • Or try this fun collection of pre-prohibition collection of flavors from Uncommon Goods.

How to store simple syrup?

Keep stored sealed in a bottle or jar in the refrigerator.

How long can you keep simple syrup?

Most recipes will last between 4 – 7 days. It’s best to make the recipes in small batches (the quantities given in recipes are ideal) so that it will retain its freshness.

Is there a sugar-free simple syrup recipe?

Here are a few sans the sugar options for substituting with erythritol, Truvia or sucralose to make a sugar-free simple syrup:

Simple Syrup with Truvia natural sweetener by AllRecipes

Sugar-Free Simple Syrup by Big Oven

Keto Simple Syrup (erythritol simple syrup) by The Urban Cowgirl

Flavored Simple Syrup Recipe Ideas to use from fruit flavored to herb to spiced:

  • Mint Simple Syrup! There’s many to try such as: spearmint, winter mint, chocolate mint, pineapple mint, lemon balm, lemon verbena, apple mint, lavender mint, and more. Think mint juleps and mojitos!
  • Strawberry, fresh (preferred) or frozen work well.
  • Vanilla simple syrup, so nice! Use a whole vanilla bean, or extract.
  • Demerara sugar for a golden amber color and slight molasses flavor.
  • Jalapenos, habanero, hatch, scotch bonnets, Tabasco, they are all great for adding a nice bit of heat to create a sweet and spicy chili simple syrup. Perfect to serve with a tasty chicken and waffles recipe.
  • Lemon, lime, orange, all make wonderful simple syrups for glazing cakes, fruit cakes, donuts, sweetbreads (I used a simple syrup glaze with this babka!) and more.

Flavored syrups in jars.

Just about any fruit can be turned into a syrup. Just get creative and mix up some flavors such as:

  • coconut and lime
  • lemon and blueberry
  • strawberry lemon
  • raspberry lime
  • ginger and lemon (perfect for a ginger beer recipe)
  • standard vanilla (great over desserts, ice creams, and in coffees)

I love using simple syrups any time of the year, but in the summer, I love to make a pitcher of ginger beer!

What is ginger beer?

It is a balance lovely blend of just the right amount of kick from ginger mingles with a bit of sweet and then you get that hint of lemon. They all come together perfectly in this version of flavored simple syrup, pour some in a glass and top off with some sparkling water, add a sprig of mint or twist of lemon and life is good.

Easy peasy ginger beer! It’s so refreshing and tastes amazing.

Other refreshing drinks to try:

  • Brazilian Lemonade, a creamy blend of limes and sweetened condensed milk, you have to give it a go!
  • Cherry Limeade! My kids’ favorite drink! It’s all lemony lime, with a nice punch of cherry, perfect any time of day.
  • Sweetened Iced Tea, as a southerner this is how we stay hydrated. You can make it unsweetened and then give everyone the bottle of basic simple syrup on the side to sweeten to taste.
  • For the adults try this stunning cocktail recipe y’all. A Scarlet O’Hara cocktail punch recipe put on some of your favorite music, I like a bit of country music, and enjoy over ice! Great for cookouts, picnics, dinner parties, or any warm-weather occasion. (Please always drink responsibly).

Below is my basic recipe to make the simple syrup. For the base recipe below I’m using my go-to simple syrup ratio of 1:1, one cup of water to 1 cup of water.

But what if you’re looking to make a thicker simple syrup. It’s one easy adjustment. To make simple syrup thicker use the following, make it a 1:2 ratio, that is 1 cup of water and 2 cups of sugar. This is the perfect ratio to use over pancakes and waffles. Just remember, it will be twice as sweet, so do a taste test and add as needed.

Here’s how to make simple syrup!

Flavored Simple Syrups - perfect for flavoring your drinks and drizzling over desserts! From basic simple syrup to ginger beer and everything in between. Recipe @LittleFiggyFood

Flavored Simple Syrups

Yield: 1 1/2 cups
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes

Whether you want to make a plain or flavored simple syrup, this is one of the best ways to add a hint of sweetness to your desserts or drinks. Learn how to customize your own flavored simple syrups.

Ingredients

Basic Simple Syrup

  • 1 cup Sugar
  • 1 cup Water

Blueberry Lemon

  • 1 cup fresh or frozen Blueberries
  • Juice of 1 Lemon

Raspberry Lime

  • 1 cup fresh or frozen Raspberries
  • Juice of 1 Lime

Ginger Beer

  • 1/4 cup sliced or grated fresh Ginger
  • Juice of 2 - 3 Lemons (1/4 cup)
  • Sprigs of fresh Mint, optional or to garnish

Mint

  • Handful of fresh Mint

Vanilla

  • 1 Vanilla pod or 1 tsp. Vanilla extract or paste
  • Lime
  • Juice of 3 Limes

Instructions

  1. In a saucepan over medium heat, add the water and sugar and bring to a gentle boil, stirring occasionally or until the sugar has fully dissolved.
  2. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
  3. Store in airtight jar, can be kept in the refrigerator for up to a week.

To Make Flavored Simple Syrup:

  1. Add your favorite fruit, herb or spice to the basic simple syrup mixture and continue as above, reduce heat and allow to simmer or mellow for about 5 - 8 minutes (depending on the flavor your using), sieve if necessary, allow to cool and store as directed above.

Notes

Will keep in an airtight container for 4 - 7 days in the refrigerator. To make a thicker simple syrup, increase the amount of sugar to 2 cups so that your ratio is 1:2 (1 cup of water and 2 cups of sugar).

Flavored Simple Syrups - perfect for flavoring your drinks and drizzling over desserts! From basic simple syrup to ginger beer and everything in between. Recipe @LittleFiggyFood

Disclaimer: The links in this post may contain affiliate links. 

[Updated: 6/13/19]

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12 Comments

    1. Hiya Sharon! Great question! I’ve never made it with granulated sweetener, but I found a couple of possibilities that might work for you. https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/229481/simple-syrup-with-truvia-natural-sweetener/
      https://www.bigoven.com/recipe/sugar-free-simple-syrup/164356
      OR https://urbancowgirllife.com/keto-simple-syrup-erythritol-simple-syrup/
      If any of these work, please let me know how they turn out and your thoughts, as I would love to be able to recommend it to others that would need a sugar free simple syrup.
      Enjoy your day!

    1. Hi there! Yes, you can use an extract flavor or oil in place of fresh ingredients. So for instance, to make a 1:1 ratio of vanilla simple syrup, I’d use 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract instead of a vanilla bean. You may need to play around a little to get the level of flavor you’re looking for, but I hope this gives you an idea of where to start. Enjoy!

    1. Hello Kay! Yes, you can double the ingredients. I usually check the syrup at the original simmer time and if I feel it needs to thicken a little more, then I add a couple of minutes at a time until I’m satisfied with the thickness, keeping in mind that it will thicken even more once it’s chilled. For flavors, I go by the same method, I haven’t had to add much extra time in the past before, but every batch can differ depending on how juicy the fruits might be. Hope this helps. 🙂

  1. Hi Stacy,
    Have you ever tried to make a rum or brandy flavored flavored simple syrup? Would it work? Thanks.
    Cathy

    1. Hello Cathy!
      I like where you’re going with that idea! I have and yum! I’m going to going to update this post soon with some “adult” syrups. But basically, it looks like this: 1 cup water, 1/2 cup sugar, and an optional squeeze of lemon or lime, plus 1/8 cup of brandy or rum. 🙂

  2. Wow all four of the things I’ve been looking for information on all wrapped up in one article! Simple syrup, flavored simple syrup, artificial sweeteners in simple syryp… Now I can close tbe other 9 open web pages I have pulled up. Lol
    Thank you!!

    1. Hi Kristin! I’m so glad that you found my article! AND I’m so glad that I was also able to help you reduce the numerous tabs opened in order to find all that you needed all in one place! LOL. I hope you enjoy 🙂

  3. Just a tip. If you go with a 2 to 1 simple syrup (2 parts sugar, 1 part water) it has an almost indefinite shelf life and doesn’t need to be refrigerated. I’d you look at any of the pre-prohibition cocktails, they all call for 2:1 simple syrup as they didn’t have access to refrigeration and they obviously made all their own syrup.

    1. Great tip and yes, it can extend the shelf life, but for the flavored versions, I have found that the addition of fruit and other flavors can shorten the shelf life quite a lot. Thank you! 🙂

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