Simple Syrup

Simple syrup recipe to use in cakes, desserts, and drinks. I will show you how to make homemade simple syrup and how to infuse it with your favorite ingredients to make flavored simple syrup.

Simple syrup couldn't be easier to make, but it's also one of the most useful little tricks to have up your sleeve. I use it all the time to keep cakes soft and moist, sweeten cocktails, and infuse desserts with different flavors. It's just sugar and water - ready in minutes, but once you know how to make it, store it, and all the fun ways you can flavor it, you'll always have a secret weapon ready to take your baking up a notch!

The best part about this particular simple syrup recipe is that I go into detail about how to infuse all kinds of different ingredients (see chart below) to make flavored simple syrup.

Jump to:

• Why You'll Love This Simple Syrup Recipe
• What is Simple Syrup?
• Homemade Simple Syrup Ingredients
• How to Make Simple Syrup
• Simple Syrup Recipe Tips
• How to Flavor Simple Syrup
• Ways To Use Simple Syrup
• How To Store Simple Syrup
• FAQ
• More Dessert Toppings
• Recipe

What is Simple Syrup?

Simple syrup is just sugar dissolved in hot water to make a thin sugar syrup. It's very versatile and can be infused with different flavors. It's often used as a liquid sweetener for cocktails, coffee, and iced tea.

The way it is most commonly used in baking, though, is to soak into sponge cakes and desserts to keep cake layers tender and moist, or to add additional flavor to desserts. 

Recommended Equipment

• Saucepan
• Fine-mesh sieve - if infusing other ingredients
• Glass Jar - To store. I like to use a glass bottle with a pourer, but you can also use a mason jar or a squeeze bottle. 

How to Flavor Simple Syrup

The flavor possibilities are endless when making your own simple syrup. You can add almost anything you like, but the method for best results varies slightly depending on your additional ingredients. 

The basic technique for most flavored simple syrups is to add your flavoring to the warm syrup to let the flavors infuse. As a general rule, you can add most things once the sugar has dissolved and let it steep while the syrup cools before straining it out. But here are a few more detailed tips for specific ingredients and variations:

Fresh Fruit - Infuse berries, stone fruits, or citrus slices to make a fresh fruit syrup. Add at the beginning and gently simmer for 5-10 minutes; do not mash the fruit. Let them steep as it cools. Strain the fruit out through a fine-mesh sieve. See my strawberry simple syrup recipe for more information on adding a fresh ingredient.

• Citrus Zest - Add after turning off the heat and let steep until it tastes as strong as you would like, then strain. 

• Spices - For a spiced syrup, add spices such as cinnamon sticks, vanilla bean, star anise, cloves, etc. Add while the syrup is heating and steep as long as you like for the desired flavor. Taste test to make sure the flavor doesn't become overpowering. 

• Fresh Herbs - Add herbs like rosemary, mint leaves, thyme, or basil to the hot simple syrup after taking it off the heat to preserve the fresh notes. Steep for 10-20 minutes, then strain out. Gently bruise the leaves before adding to release flavor. 

• Extracts and Oils - A super easy way to flavor your syrup is with extracts like vanilla, almond, coconut, or peppermint. Wait until the syrup has cooled slightly, then mix in your extra flavors. Adding while the syrup is still hot can degrade the flavor of the extracts.  Add a small amount first, as these can go a long way. 

• Coffee and Tea - Add coffee grounds, tea leaves, or tea bags to the hot syrup after taking it off the heat, and let them steep until the desired strength is reached. Avoid boiling the syrup as it can make the coffee and tea taste bitter. 
  
• Alcohol and Liqueurs - Add a splash of rum, bourbon, Amaretto, or Grand Marnier to the cooled syrup, as heat can impact the flavor. 

• Sweeter Syrup - For more sweetness and flavor, add maple syrup, agave syrup, or honey to the slightly cooled, but still warm, simple syrup and stir it in. I love making a honey syrup this way!

Infusing Flavors Into Syrup - Quick Guide

Here is that information in a handy table for you to quickly find your best method:

	Examples	Best Method	Pro Tip
Fresh Fruit	Strawberries, raspberries, peaches	Gently simmer in syrup 5–10 min, then steep as it cools; strain solids	Don't mash fruit to avoid cloudiness
Citrus Zest	lemon, lime, orange	Add zest after sugar dissolves while syrup is warm (not boiling); steep, then strain	Avoid the white pith—it can make the syrup bitter
Spices	cinnamon sticks, vanilla pod, star anise	Add while syrup is heating; taste as it simmers; strain before storing	Full ingredients work better than ground spices
Fresh Herbs	rosemary, thyme, mint, basil, lavender	Add after heat to preserve fresh notes; steep 10–20 min, then strain	Gently bruise leaves to release essential oils
Extracts + Oils	vanilla, almond, peppermint, coconut	Stir in after the syrup has cooled slightly	Start small - you can always add more
Coffee + Tea	coffee grounds, tea leaves, tea bags	Steep off the heat until strong enough, then strain	Steep off the heat until strong enough, then strain
Alcohol + Liqueurs	rum, bourbon, amaretto, Grand Marnier	Stir in after the syrup has cooled	Stir in after the syrup has cooled
Other Sweeteners	honey, agave, maple syrup	Stir in once slightly cooled but still warm	Must be a liquid sweetener

Flavored Syrup Ideas

Below are some of my favorite flavor combinations for homemade simple syrup:

• Strawberry simple syrup - Used in my Fraisier Cake recipe.
• Raspberry simple syrup - To flavor Berry Chantilly Cake.
• Orange simple syrup - Lovely soaked into Blueberry Muffins for extra flavor.
• Mint simple syrup 
• Lemon and basil simple syrup - Goes really well drizzled over pound cakes like my Lemon Loaf. 
• Amaretto and coffee simple syrup - Used to soak flavor into my Opera Cake and Tiramisu Cake recipes. 
• Ginger simple syrup - Great for adding to hot chocolate.
• Cinnamon and vanilla simple syrup

The flavors of simple syrup are endless - get creative and see what tasty syrup concoctions you can make! Comment your favorite combinations below.

Ways To Use Simple Syrup

There are so many wonderful ways to use sugar syrup, from hot drinks and cold drinks, to your favorite cocktails - I always keep a bottle of simple syrup in the fridge to use throughout the week. Try these ideas:

• Cakes - This is one of the easiest ingredients to make sure you have super moist cakes, and to add so much flavor into the finished product. It is really common to use simple syrup for soaking into sponge cakes like genoise sponge, as they are notoriously dry. 
  
• Cocktails - And mocktails! Sweeten your favorite cocktail recipes evenly without leaving gritty sugar at the bottom. This classic simple syrup goes really nicely in a mojito, an Old Fashioned, and a Whiskey Sour.
  
• Cold Beverages - Add to non-alcoholic drinks too, like iced tea, lemonade, or fruit juice, to make them extra fancy and delicious. 
  
• Coffee and Tea - Simple syrup is a great way to sweeten up beverages as it dissolves much faster than regular sugar, especially in iced drinks. Try it next time in your hot or iced coffee, cold brew, tea, or matcha!
  
• Pastries - Simple syrup is perfect for brushing onto pastries as soon as they come out of the oven to give them a shiny, professional finish. (Like my Almond Croissants).

How To Store Simple Syrup

It's best to store your simple syrup in a glass jar or an airtight container in the refrigerator. I like to use a glass bottle with a pouring spout so I can use it as needed. The basic simple syrup will be good in the fridge for 2-3 weeks, but flavored simple syrup may not last as long, depending on which ingredients were added (such as fresh fruits). 

Make sure the container you store it in is completely clean, as contaminants can cause the sugar to crystallize and get grainy. You can also add a splash of vodka or rum to extend the shelf life a little. 

If you make multiple batches of simple syrup with different flavors, it's handy to label the bottles so you can easily determine flavor and shelf life. 

Freezing Instructions

You can freeze simple syrup, too. Put it into a freezer-safe container or ice cube blocks for ready-to-use portions. Freeze for up to 6 months, thaw in the fridge before using. 

FAQ

If you have a question about this recipe that isn't answered here, please write it in the comment section, and I will get back to you as soon as I can.

Recipe