How to make infused simple syrups to up your cocktail and lemonade game

Making flavored simple syrup is ridiculously easy. We'll guide you through this game changing addition to your cocktails, mocktails, and lemonades so you can stir and sip away.

Infusing simple syrups with flavor is a great way to make your cocktails and lemonades even more fantastic.
Infusing simple syrups with flavor is a great way to make your cocktails and lemonades even more fantastic.  © Unsplash/Tina Witherspoon

Making simple syrup is a culinary trick you need in your back pocket.

It's a classic cocktail sweeter and a key ingredient of homemade lemonade. It makes limeade less tart and cocktails less bitter.

The sky is the limit when it comes to making flavored simple syrups, as you can use anything from mint to fennel to jalapeño.

Upping your drinks by infusing simple syrup with exciting favors, like lavender, cinnamon, or ginger, is easy.

Check out our simple recipes for making this gaming-changing add-in below!

How to make a basic simple syrup

Many classic cocktails, like a whiskey sour and gin fizzm call for simple syrup.
Many classic cocktails, like a whiskey sour and gin fizzm call for simple syrup.  © unsplash/ Misunderstood Whiskey

Making simple syrup is as easy as boiling water. Anyone can do it.

Just mix equal parts white sugar and water and heat them on the stove in a saucepan until the sugar crystals dissolve. Allow your liquid sweeter to cool before use.

If you've got a real sweet tooth, you can make what's called "rich simple syrup." This sinfully sweet simple syrup calls for a two-to-one ratio of sugar to water.

Simple syrup is used in classic cocktails like a whiskey sour, gin fizz, and old-fashioned.

How to make lavender infused simple syrup

Relaxing is cool and aromatherapy is hot, so why not make a lavender-infused simple syrup?

Lavender infused simply syrup recipe:

  • 1 cup water
  • 1 cup of white sugar
  • 1 tablespoon of dried lavender buds or a handful of fresh flowers removed from the stems.

Bring your water and sugar to a boil. Once the sugar dissolves, add the lavender, cover, and remove from the heat. Allow the buds to steep for at least 30 minutes or several hours. Strain and remove buds from the syrup before use.

Warning: homemade lavender syrup isn't usually very purple, it tends to be a bit brown.

Lavender syrup is a fantastic addition to a classic lemonade or iced tea after a hard day. You can also use this syrup to make a lavender martini to sip while.

Pro tip: Add some fun by listening to Taylor Swift's Lavender Haze, or make this Starbucks variation at home by adding milk, ice, honey, or blackberry.

How to make mint or chamomile infused simple syrup

You can use either dried or fresh mint leaves to make a mint-infused simple syrup. Add a tablespoon of dried or a handful of fresh mint leaves to a one-cup sugar and one-cup water mixture before heating.

Then bring the brew to a boil and allow the herb to steep after you've taken it off the heat. Mint and other herb syrups can take more time to develop a strong flavor. Chamomile, for example, needs to be steeped for 24 hours.

Most mint-flavored syrups will boast a cooling minty taste after an hour of steeping.

Don't forget to strain and separate the leaves from your syrup before you use it to make a minty limeade or lemon mint julep.

How to make jalapeño infused simple syrup

If you want to turn up the heat on a spicy margarita, jalapeño flavored simple syrup is for you.
If you want to turn up the heat on a spicy margarita, jalapeño flavored simple syrup is for you.  © unsplash/Jarritos Mexican Soda

If you want to turn up the heat, this flavored syrup is for you.

The key to making a spicy jalapeño syrup, unlike other syrups, is making sure you've placed 1/3 cup of sliced hot peppers into your pot before you start heating your mixture of one cup syrup and one cup water.

Let your spicy addition simmer as the sugar dissolves, and don't bother to strain them. The little slices of pepper look great in a jar and can be used as a kind of hot candy garnish.

Jalapeño infused syrup is the perfect way to make your margarita party a bit more spicy. But you can also use it to add a twist to classic summer drinks like the Hair of the Dog and a summer shandy.

You can make all kinds of flavored syrups

Almost any spice or herb can be a great addition to a simple syrup. Cinnamon is a great one for the fall.

Before you infuse anything, it's worth remembering that some herbs, like basil and dill, change in flavor when they're heated. Experimenting is a necessity.

Flavor-infused simple syrups will hold for up to a month when kept in the fridge.

Have fun experimenting with those herbs and species!

Cover photo: Unsplash/Tina Witherspoon

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