Strawberry Simple Syrup
Give me fresh strawberries, sugar, lemon juice, and 45 minutes, and I will give you the tastiest homemade strawberry simple syrup you have ever had. I love how the berries add natural sweetness along with an unmistakable flavor, with a delicate ruby hue. This syrup is great for cocktails, lemonade, tea, and desserts. Make this, and you will never use store-bought syrup again.
Servings: 32 tablespoons
Calories: 26.5kcal
Ingredients
- 12 oz fresh strawberries about 24 medium sized strawberries
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- Sparkling water 8oz per glass, if making strawberry soda
Instructions
- Wash strawberries. Remove tops and slice into small pieces.
- In a medium saucepan, dissolve sugar with 1 cup / 240ml water over medium low heat, swirling occasionally.
- Add strawberries and lemon juice. Cook at a simmer for about 10 minutes until strawberries are mostly disintegrated.
- Allow to sit for 30 minutes. Strain through a mesh sieve. Store in glass jar or bottle in the fridge until cold.
- To serve, mix about 1-2 tbsp syrup with about 8 fl oz/140ml sparkling water (or lime/lemon flavored sparkling water)
Notes
- My #1 Secret Tip for this strawberry simple syrup recipe is to simmer gently and never boil hard. A strong boil can dull the fresh flavor and leave you with the overpowering taste of burned sugar. It also reduces the liquid too much, which leads to a syrup that is thicker and much harder to blend into other liquids.
- Use ripe fruit: I like using berries with a sweet aroma and deep red color, as these give the best flavor. Avoid pale, firm berries.
- Cool fully: I let the syrup cool completely before sealing the jar to avoid it getting watered down with condensation.
- Strain twice: For an extra smooth syrup, I strain the liquid a second time, through a finer sieve.
- Keep pulp: Never throw away the strained pulp. I keep it and mix it into vanilla ice cream, or freeze it to use in strawberry smoothie bowls.
- Sterilize jar: I boil the jar and lid before adding my syrup and storing it. This extends the shelf life and prevents premature expiration.
Nutrition
Serving: 1tablespoon | Calories: 26.5kcal | Carbohydrates: 6.9g | Protein: 0.1g | Potassium: 14.9mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 6.7g