When you know how to make Homemade Simple Syrup, sweetening your favorite cold drinks and cocktails is quick and easy – no more waiting for the sugar to dissolve!
Isn’t it frustrating when you have a nice tall glass of unsweetened iced tea, and you add some sugar to sweeten it up, and then you sit there and stir, and stir, and stir, just waiting for that sugar to dissolve? It takes too darn long. Enter simple syrup. Problem solved!
WHAT IS SIMPLE SYRUP?
Simple syrup is simply a mixture of sugar and water that is heated until the sugar dissolves. That’s it!
Keep a batch in your refrigerator to instantly sweeten your favorite beverages…pour some in, give it a quick stir, and you’re done! No more waiting, endless stirring, or gritty bits of sugar in your drink!
The best part? Making simple syrup is just as its name promises…SIMPLE!
INGREDIENTS YOU NEED:
- Sugar
- Water
HERE’S A QUICK LOOK AT HOW TO MAKE HOMEMADE SIMPLE SYRUP:
Just a quick note: This is not a thick syrup like maple syrup or corn syrup. It’s pretty much the consistency of water, maybe just a tad thicker.
The recipe is very easy to remember, too! It’s a 1:1 ratio – equal parts sugar and water. You can make as little or as much as you want.
Whether you use a dry or a liquid measuring cup, just use the same measuring cup for both the sugar and the water, since you want the amount of each to be equal (the volume of liquid and dry measuring cups are actually different).
Once it’s cooled, keep your simple syrup stored in an air-tight container in the refrigerator. It will last up to a month.
Use simple syrup to sweeten iced tea, iced coffee, lemonade, cocktails, mocktails, and more! I’ve got a great recipe for Cold Brew Iced Tea coming up next, and this syrup sweetens it beautifully!
You can also use simple syrup to keep cakes moist (brush or drizzle a little on each layer – not too much, though, as you don’t want your cake to become soggy).
AND you can even get fancy and infuse your simple syrup with flavors such as mint, vanilla, ginger, lemon, and more (stir in as soon as you take the syrup off the heat and let steep until the syrup tastes how you’d like, then remove).
I hope you try this recipe for Homemade Simple Syrup and love it as much as I do. Thanks for visiting today!
Homemade Simple Syrup
Ingredients
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup water
Instructions
- Combine the sugar and the water in a small saucepan.
- Heat over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the sugar has completely dissolved and the mixture is clear.
- Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly. Pour into a mason jar or other air-tight container and cool completely.
- Store your simple syrup in the refrigerator. It should last for up to one month.
Notes
- The ratio for simple syrup is 1:1 (equal parts sugar and water), so you can make as little or as much as you want (larger batches may take a little more time). Use the same measuring cup for both the sugar and the water.
- In addition to sweetening drinks, you can use simple syrup to keep cakes moist. Brush or drizzle a little on each layer (not too much, though, as you don’t want your cake to become soggy).
- You can also infuse your simple syrup with flavors such as mint, vanilla, ginger, lemon, and more. Add these items as soon as you have removed the syrup from the heat. Allow to steep until it tastes the way you’d like. Remove the flavoring items and store in the fridge. Note: flavored simple syrup has a shorter shelf life of about 1 to 2 weeks.
Anamit Sen
Can simple syrup be kept in freezer and made into ice cubes? Then depending on the sweetness required, one can add one,two or three cubes to a glass of one’s favourite cold beverage?
Michelle
Hi, Anamit! Yes, you can freeze simple syrup. Once the cubes are frozen, be sure to put them in a freeze bag so they don’t pick up any off flavors from the freezer.