Simple syrup may be humble, but it’s one of those quiet kitchen staples that elevates everything it touches. Made with just sugar and water, this silky-smooth syrup dissolves effortlessly into cocktails, coffee and desserts, adding glossy sweetness without grit. Once you learn how easy it is to make simple syrup at home, you’ll never reach for the store-bought version again.
This easy homemade simple syrup recipe is a timeless kitchen staple every home cook should know . Learning to make simple syrup at home takes only minutes, and delivers a fresher (and far less expensive) result than store-bought versions. Whether at the Mountain House or at the Lakehouse, you will always find a bottle of homemade simple syrup in my fridge, at the ready for impromptu cocktails or drop-in coffee catch ups. Perfect not only for alcoholic drinks, simple syrup adds sweetness to lemonade, ice tea and coffee drinks. This recipe makes about 1 cup of simple syrup, but I often double it since we use it frequently, especially in the summer when we’re stirring up pitchers of cold drinks!
What exactly is Simple Syrup?
Simple syrup is exactly what it sounds like: the simplest of syrups. It’s “simply” equal parts sugar and water, heated until the sugar dissolves. The result is a clear, smooth liquid sweetner that blends effortlessly into both hot and cold recipes. Unlike granulated sugar, simple syrup blends evenly without sinking to the bottom, making it ideal for both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages.
What goes in Simple Syrup?
Simple Syrup couldn’t be, well, any simpler. Just two ingredients and a few minutes on the stove produces a light and smooth syrup with endless uses.
- Sugar: Regular granulated sugar is all you need for basic simple syrup.
- Water: Nothing fancy here, just plain filtered water.
This recipe is for basic simple syrup, but it is just as easy to make flavoured syrups such as mint or lemon. Simply follow the recipe for simple syrup. When you remove the syrup from the heat and set it aside to cool, add a handful of fresh mint leaves or some strips of lemon zest. Cover the pot with a lid to slow the cooling process and allow the mixture to steep until it reaches room temperature. Strain the flavoured simple syrup and transfer to a covered container. Flavoured syrups keep for about 1 week in the fridge (the added ingredients shorten the storage window).
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
SERVING SUGGESTIONSIf there’s one kitchen staple that earns its keep, it’s simple syrup. This easy syrup is endlessly useful for cocktails, mocktails, lemonade, iced tea, iced coffee and cold brew. Here are a few of my favourite drinks that use simple syrup:
Pro-Tip: Don’t limit simple syrup just to beverages – it’s also a powerful baking tool! Bakers often brush or drizzle simple syrup onto cake layers to add moisture, especially if a cake turned out slightly dry or a little over-baked. This little trick can transform a dry cake into one that tastes bakery-fresh.
Simple Syrup
Ingredients
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup water
Instructions
- Add water to a small saucepan and bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium and add the sugar. Whisk until the sugar is fully dissolved and syrup is clear. Remove from heat and cool completely before using. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 weeks.
RECIPE NOTES
- You can also make something called Rich Simple Syrup, which is essentially a double-concentrated version of regular simple syrup. This sweeter and thicker syrup is good for spirit-forward cocktails such as Old-Fashioneds, where it adds sweetness without watering down the drink. To make rich simple syrup use a 2:1 ratio of sugar to water (2 cups of sugar and 1 cup of water).
- For a deeper, caramel flavour, make simple syrup with brown sugar. The resulting syrup will be a darker brown, with a rich molasses-caramel flavour that is perfect for coffee based drinks.
- Because simple syrup will stay fresh in the fridge for up to 3 weeks, it is one of the first things you can prepare when getting ready for a party. Double or triple the recipe and store it in glass jars in the fridge until the big day.
