Simple syrups are incredibly easy to make! If you can boil water, you can make a simple syrup, trust me! Not only are they simple (…ha!) to make, but they pack a punch of flavor in so many ways. In today’s post, I’ve pulled together four of my favorite simple syrup recipes including one that’s perfect for fall! In each recipe, I’ll also share my favorite ways to use them like twists on traditional cocktails (and mocktails), coffees, teas, or even lemonades.
Before we get to the recipes, there are a few basics that can help you take any of these recipes and customize them for your own flavor preferences. There’s no wrong way to make it, so you can easily adjust the level of sweetness or the amount of flavor in the syrup.
What is a Simple Syrup?
A simple syrup is a sweetener dissolved in water. Typically, the sweetener you’ll see in simple syrups is white sugar. But, you can also use alternatives including brown sugar (as in my Cardamom Cinnamon Simple Syrup recipe) or coconut sugar. For flavored simple syrups, you merely infuse a flavor of choice into the syrup through heat.
How Can I Customize Simple Syrup Recipes?
The beauty of simple syrup is that you can modify them all to your preference. If it’s too sweet, you can back off on the sugar. If you want more flavor, add more of the ingredient you’re infusing or steep it longer. I’ve only added four recipes, but there are infinite ways you can modify a simple syrup.
- Sweetness: All of my recipes have a traditional 1:1 water to sugar ratio. In this case, that’s one cup of sugar for every one cup of water. If you have a sweet tooth and want to crank up the sweetness to flavor ratio, adjust your ratios to add more sugar, such as 1 1/4 cup sugar for every one cup of water. If you don’t want it as sweet, reduce the amount of sugar. One thing to note, if you adjust your sugar ratios, it will adjust how thick the mixture is.
- Flavor: It is so easy to adjust the strength of the flavor in each of these syrups. If you want more flavor, merely add more of the spice, herb, root, etc. You can also steep the mixture longer. In every one of my recipes, I recommend doing a taste test every five minutes until you get the flavor exactly where you want it. Important note: you’ll typically be using a simple syrup as a component of a drink, so if you want to be able to taste the flavor once you mix, you’ll want a stronger flavor. It should pack a punch! If you’re still unsure, try mixing some into a drink and see if you can still taste it.
- Batches: All of these recipes will yield about 12 ounces of simple syrup, but they are so easy to halve or double. If you want to make a huge batch, just double or triple the recipe. No need to adjust the ratios.
For the most part, this area of cooking is super fool-proof. The only caution I’d give is around heating the mixture for too long at too high of a heat. It can sometimes turn the liquid a bit bitter.
4 Simple Syrup Recipes
Okay, now for the yummy part. I’ve put together a collection of a few of my favorites, including the perfect PSL substitute for fall. In every recipe, I’ve also provided some delicious drink ideas!
- Lavender Simple Syrup: if you need a way to hang onto summer, this is the answer. Pour a little in your favorite latte or make a delicious lavender London Fog with steamed milk and earl grey tea.
- Ginger Simple Syrup: spicy and bold, plus you can add some to one of my favorite cocktails, the French 75, for a perfect twist.
- Rosemary Simple Syrup: if herby flavors are more your style, don’t miss out on this one. Try it in a simple gin and tonic to amplify the herbaceous notes.
- Cardamom Cinnamon Syrup: it’s autumn in a jar. I’ve been drinking it every morning in my cup of coffee, but also would make a delicious chai latte.
You’ve got to tell me, which one is first on your list to try?
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