Ingredients
- Sugar (equal parts)
- Water (equal parts)
Do This in This Order
- Add water to a bowl.
- Add the sugar.
- Mix the sh*t out of it with a whisk. Or a fork. Or a spoon. Or in a mixer.
- Mix until sugar has completely dissolved.
- Store in airtight container in fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Ah, yes – simple syrup. The mother of all timeless drink mixers.
Simple syrup will get you far in life; not only can you use it to make delicious cocktails and sweeten non-alcoholic drinks (coffee, tea, etc.), you can also use it to make a ton of different sauces and desserts. It’s as versatile as it gets. And when you make it yourself, you leave any nasty preservatives and food colorings (aka chemicals) out of the picture.
One of the biggest misconceptions about making homemade simple syrup is that you are supposed to heat it or cook it. But I am here to tell you NO. No no. Ain’t no need in that. When you heat water & sugar to make simple syrup, the proportions get out of whack as some of the water evaporates. It makes the syrup unnecessarily thick and super sweet (I know, I know).
The first time you make your own simple syrup, you’ll be amazed at how truly easy it is, and you’ll also be astonishingly proud of yourself. It doesn’t even take practice to get it perfect. (Just a little elbow grease.)
Simple Syrup Variations
Spicing up your simple syrup (literally) is also surprisingly easy. Most recipes you’ll find for simple syrups involve simmering the water & sugar at a low temperature until it’s all smooth and combined, and that’s where we’ll bring that is. Just pick some of your favorite flavors and add to the simple syrup right before you remove it from the heat.
Here are some of our favorite variations:
- Sprite: Add a handful of lemon & lime peels right before removing from the heat.
- Blueberry Mint: Stir in a handful of blueberries right after you add the sugar and let boil. Add a modest amount of mint leaves when you remove from heat. Make sure to strain before refrigerating.
- Vanilla: Drop in as much pure vanilla extract as you’re willing to sacrifice near the end of the boiling and stir.
- Ginger: Peel and dice 1-2 small stalks of fresh ginger before beginning. Add to boiling water right after the sugar disappears. Simmer on stove for an extra 15 minutes. Strain before refrigerating.
- Coming Soon: Cherry, Lavender, Coffee
