Simple Syrup (Plain and Flavored)
In short: Learn to make simple syrup: equal parts sugar and water, heated until clear. Use it to sweeten iced tea, coffee and lemonade. It takes about 7 min in total and makes 12 servings.
- Prep
- 2 min
- Cook
- 5 min
- Total
- 7 min
- Servings
- 12
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 65 kcal
Simple syrup is sugar dissolved in water, and it is the easiest way to sweeten cold drinks. Sugar stirred straight into iced tea or lemonade sinks and stays gritty, while syrup blends in at once. Equal parts sugar and water make a standard syrup that keeps for a month. Add citrus peel, herbs or spices while it steeps and you have a flavored syrup for coffee, soda, mocktails and fruit salads.
Instructions
- Combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan.
- Heat over medium heat, stirring, for about 3 minutes, until the sugar has dissolved completely and the liquid is clear. Take the pan off the heat as soon as it is clear, because boiling longer thickens the syrup.
- For a flavored syrup, add your chosen flavoring to the hot syrup, cover the pan and let it steep for 15 minutes (herbs and peel) or 30 minutes (cinnamon and ginger).
- Strain the syrup through a fine sieve into a clean jar or bottle and let it cool to room temperature.
- Seal and store in the fridge. Use a tablespoon or two at a time to sweeten drinks.
Tips
- For a rich syrup that sweetens more per spoonful and keeps up to 3 months in the fridge, use 2 parts sugar to 1 part water by volume.
- Use brown sugar or demerara for a caramel-like syrup that suits coffee and spiced drinks. For honey syrup, stir 1 part honey into 1 part hot water.
Questions and answers
How long does simple syrup last?
Plain 1 to 1 syrup keeps for about a month in a sealed jar in the fridge. Flavored syrups made with herbs or fruit keep about 2 weeks. Discard it if it turns cloudy or smells off.
Do I need to boil simple syrup?
No. You only need to heat it until the sugar dissolves. Boiling for longer evaporates water and gives a thicker syrup with a different ratio.
Can I make simple syrup without heat?
Yes. Shake equal parts sugar and very hot tap water in a sealed jar until the liquid is clear. With cold water it takes several minutes of shaking, and superfine sugar helps.
How long does it take to make Simple Syrup (Plain and Flavored)?
About 7 min in total: 2 min of preparation and 5 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Simple Syrup (Plain and Flavored)?
About 65 kcal per serving, with 0 g of protein, 17 g of carbohydrates and 0 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 65 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 0 g |
| Carbohydrates | 17 g |
| Fat | 0 g |
| Fiber | 0 g |
| Sugar | 17 g |
| Sodium | 0 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
