Nothing adds a touch of whimsy to a hand-crafted cocktail like flavored simple syrup. These flavor-infused syrups are like an instant upgrade for cocktails, sparkling water, or iced tea. They can even be used to flavor iced coffee, homemade popsicles, or sno-cones!
I love making up small batches of simple syrups to indulge my latest food obsession (mama needs her spicy ginger fix) or experiment with DIY mixology.
You can use the same simple method and ratio to make simple syrup in almost any flavor imaginable, so this DIY is perfect for creative home cooks and mixologists, like me.
Related: Simple Syrup Recipe, Honey Simple Syrup, Mint Simple Syrup, and 25+ Refreshing Spring Cocktails, and Easy Homemade Grenadine.
Try experimenting with seasonal ingredients, fragrant herbs, and edible flowers to create fabulous blends for craft cocktails and beverages. The combinations can be really fun. Think lavender vanilla, strawberry ginger, or rose hibiscus. There are so many cool possibilities!
All you need to make a flavored simple syrup is sugar, water, aromatic ingredients, a saucepan, and a fine mesh strainer. That last item is key. Using a super fine mesh will help keep solid particles like chunks and pulp out of your syrup.
This will not only make your syrup prettier and more tasty—it will also help the syrup last longer in the fridge. You’re homemade syrups should stay fresh in the fridge for about three to six months.
Fresh Ginger Simple Syrup
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
4 tablespoons fresh grated ginger
Lemon Hibiscus Simple Syrup
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1 cup water
juice and zest from 1 fresh lemon
1/4 cup dried hibiscus
Vanilla Bean Simple Syrup
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup water
1 vanilla bean
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Honey Saffron Simple Syrup
1 cup water
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup sugar
1 pinch dried saffron
Combine the dry ingredients in a small saucepan.
Add liquid ingredients (except for vanilla extract—that should be added at the very end) and bring to boil over high heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Simmer over low heat for about ten minutes.
Strain and discard the solids. (Except for the honey saffron syrup… I like to leave the saffron petals in the syrup since they are so pretty!) Add extract, if using.
Let the liquid cool to room temperature, transfer to bottle, and refrigerate for three to six months. By the way, if you are wondering where to get your hands on cute glass bottles, I found mine here.
To use, shake well, and then add a splash of syrup to club soda, cocktails, iced tea, or pretty much any liquid you’d like to gussy up.
You can also try using more than one syrup at a time to create tasty blends like saffron vanilla or ginger hibiscus! My personal favorite way to enjoy flavored simple syrups is with vodka, sparkling mineral water, and crushed ice.
I hope you have a blast mixing up your own super crafty cocktails this summer. Don’t forget to try these in your next party drink.
They would be AMAZING in boozy popsicles, jello shots, or frozen sangrias. Oh boy—is it happy hour yet? xo. Mary Helen
These sound delicious! Can they be added to an unflavored sparkling water, such as Pellegrino, etc?
Also– where is the clear Arrow drink stirrer from? It’s adorable
Oh, man. You had me at honey saffron. These all sound so delicious…it’s funny, once you start making yummy cocktails for yourself, you just have to do it every time! Rum and cokes aren’t quite as fun anymore.
If you want to save the bees, don’t use honey.
Try maple syrup, aguave nectar or rice syrup instead.
Yummy,simply ,cute and very,very delcious
I will try really is amazing
The pink pineapple
http://thepinkpineappleblog.blogspot.com/
On a similar note to many above- gorgeous pictures! I hope it is as easy as you make it sound and look- can only drink so much plain sparkling “water” 😉
This looks really good. A lot easier than I thought too.
Nice blog, amazing pictures!
Check out mine 🙂
These all look so refreshing!
Paige
http://thehappyflammily.com
You sure know how to make messes look beautiful! 😉
Wow I will try these just now. And thinking also of giving them away around Xmas time. Here Xmas is in full summer as I am from the tropics. Can I ask u if we can dry our own hibiscus? We have Such a variety here.
I can’t see why not! Try drying the flower petals in a dehydrator or low temperature oven (around 150F).
great idea.
Oh my, that made me super thirsty 🙂
This is a brilliant idea, I am definitely gonna make some bottles!
https://www.makeandmess.com/
Wow, I never knew just how easy it was to make homemade syrups. Thank you so much for sharing 🙂 These are such a good idea for summer BBQ party or even as a present so someone else. I love the fact that they’re homemade because you know exactly what ingredients are going into it and how it’s been made. DIY is also one of life’s fun things anyway.
Have a good day.
Chloe @ https://girllgonerogue.blogspot.co.uk/
Love these homemade DIYS – better than store-bought any day, perfect for my family!
Charmaine Ng | Architecture & Lifestyle Blog
http://charmainenyw.com
Oh so lovely and delicious! Ginger syrup with Perrier, vodka and a lemon wedge = the perfect pre-dinner pick-me-up. Just be careful; it’s so dern refreshing, you might find you’ve gulped down more than intended/recommended. (Party girl tip: drink at least one glass of water for every cocktail. )
I am so making that vanilla bean one!!
– Greta
www.mintyfrosting.com
The colors are so vibrant a beautiful! The natural ingredients will sure make any drink tasty. Yum!
These pictures are so gorgeous! I want to make them all. While I don’t imbibe often (can’t metabolize alcohol :'( ) I do love a good sparkling water or lemonade concoction. These simple syrups would make them next level!
Ahh synchronicity in life! I was J U S T thinking this morning about how I wanted to make my own lemonade to add to tequila, but I wanted something a little bit different with less sugar. Voila! Now I’m going to make some lemon honey strawberry simple syrup tonight!
Thanks for this tutorial Mary Helen!