Cobrina When gatherings begin to fill the calendar, a bottle of homemade simple syrup can be your secret ingredient for quick festive drinks and desserts. Made from just sugar and water, simple syrup is easy to customize with seasonal flavors—perfect for cocktails, sparkling water, tea, coffee, or drizzling over cakes, yogurt, and fruit.
Basic Formula
The basic formula for simple syrup is a 1:1 ratio of sugar to water. I like to measure by weight, but if you don’t have a kitchen scale, use a dry measuring cup for your sugar and a wet measuring cup for your water. For a richer, thicker syrup, use a 2:1 ratio of sugar to water (two parts sugar, one part water).
White sugar is commonly used, and superfine makes for super quick dissolving, but it’s not necessary. Other sugars like brown sugar can also be used for different flavor profiles. I haven’t experimented too much with monk fruit sweetener, but a 2:1 ratio is recommended (two parts water, one part sweetener) since it’s so much sweeter than sugar.
Simple Syrup Recipe
To make a basic simple syrup, combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan and heat until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is clear. You don’t have to stir but it can help dissolve the sugar more quickly. Bring barely to a simmer, but don’t boil, and remove from heat. Let the mixture cool before putting it into a clean, airtight container. Store it in the refrigerator for up to a month. It’s that simple! (Pardon my pun).
As for flavorings, you can infuse simple syrup by adding ingredients during the dissolving process on the stovetop or by steeping them in the cooled syrup. Here are three of my favorites, using one cup sugar (200 grams) to one cup water as the base:
Cardamom Simple Syrup
On the stove, once the sugar has dissolved, add the seeds of 10 broken-open cardamom pods to the syrup. Let it simmer on low for 10 minutes, remove from the heat, and leave to steep and cool. Strain, if desired, and try in iced coffee, tea, or in a cocktail with grapefruit and gin. This syrup perfectly sweetens my morning chai.
Rosemary & Lemon Simple Syrup
On the stove, once the sugar has dissolved, add one rosemary sprig and three 2-inch strips of lemon peel (with as little pith as possible on it) to the syrup. Let it simmer for 5 minutes, remove from the heat, and leave to steep and cool. Strain and serve in sparkling water with a twist for a refreshing mocktail or use it to jazz up lemonade or iced tea.
Peppermint Simple Syrup
Add 1 teaspoon peppermint extract to cooled syrup. Since the extract is oil based, shake well before serving. Try a tablespoon or two in an iced mocha or make a bottle to gift with my hot choco mix (Day 22 of my Daily Practice).
Other Ideas
Other fun flavors to experiment with are vanilla bean, fresh ginger, or a cinnamon stick and orange peel for a cozy winter vibe. These syrups make wonderful gifts — tie on a ribbon, add a handwritten tag with serving suggestions, and you’ve got a thoughtful, delicious gift that’s as easy to make as it is to share.
For more foodie ideas check out my Daily Practice From My Kitchen to Yours and Kelly Wilkinson’s Preserves, Liqueurs and Infusions. Happy Holidays from Creativebug!