This Apricot Simple Syrup has just 3 ingredients, and you can have it ready in 15 minutes! It's easy to make, and perfect for the summer! Use it to sweeten cocktails, mocktails, lemonades, iced tea, or drizzle it over pancakes. It's vegan, gluten-free, and freezer-friendly!
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Why You'll Love This Apricot Syrup
If you're not used to cooking with apricots and found yourself with lots either from a market or neighbor's tree, this syrup is the perfect recipe to start with. It's easy and has a toon of uses!
Apricots are only available for a short period of time in the summer (and usually only at farmer's markets) which is probably why there aren't many apricot recipes in general. It's such an underrrated fruit in my opinion and it should be as popular as fruits like peaches or nectarines!
True apricot flavor - If you have access to fresh apricots, forget store-bought syrups with unknown flavors and preservatives. A homemade syrup made with fresh fruit while it's in season will always taste the best! It has a bright orange color and lots of flavor!
Quick and easy - All you need to make this syrup are apricots, sugar, water, and about 15 minutes of your time! It's one of the easiest syrups, and it stores well in both the fridge and freezer, so it's great for batching!
Ingredients
- Apricots - Look for ripe, soft, and juicy apricots. They're rarely available frozen. You can usually find them during their season at farmers' markets or stores with local seasonal produce.
- Cane sugar - I recommend either cane sugar or white sugar. I use cane sugar because it's less processed and made from sugar cane instead of sugar beets, but it's just as flavorless as white sugar.
- Water - Use filtered water for the best flavor.
Variations and Substitutions
- Add-ins - You can change up the flavor by adding a slice of ginger, a couple of cardamom pods, or a sprig of fresh mint at the end of cooking, or add a squeeze of lemon juice before straining. You can also cook it with other fruits like peaches, blackberries, cherries, or raspberries.
- Different sugar - Honey would work really well here instead of sugar flavor-wise. You could also use brown sugar or maple syrup, but it will affect the flavor of the syrup.
- Sugar-free - You can use a sugar-free substitute that can be used instead of white sugar in a 1:1 ratio. Keep in mind that this will change the flavor and possibly the consistency as well. Sugar also acts as a preservative here, so the syrup won't last as long without it.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Add the diced apricots, cane sugar, and water to a medium saucepan.
- Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly just until the sugar is dissolved.
- Lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Take the syrup off the heat and stir in vanilla extract if desired.
- Allow it to cool for at least 10 minutes. The apricot flavor will continue infusing into the syrup as it cools.
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- Strain the syrup into a bowl or a large measuring cup through a fine mesh strainer.
- Use the back of a spoon to push down on the apricots to get as much juice out as you can.
- Pour the syrup into a glass jar or a container and allow it to cool before closing with a lid and storing it in the fridge.
Tips & Tricks!
- Make extra and keep it in the freezer - Apricots are one of those fruits that aren't usually available all year round, so I recommend either stocking your freezer with either fresh apricots or the syrup. It's delicious with fall flavors as well, and you'll be glad you have it!
- Let your apricots ripen - I find that when you make this syrup with apricots that aren't properly ripened (hard to the touch and pale), the syrup is much milder in flavor. You want bright orange, soft apricots that are easy to pull apart.
- Leftover pulp - Store the leftover pulp in a jar in the fridge and add it to smoothies, oatmeal, or spread it on sandwiches as you would jam. You can also blend the syrup with an immersion blender or in a high-speed blender (carefully) before straining to have a thicker syrup with much less leftover pulp.
How to Use the Syrup
- Cocktails and mocktails - This syrup goes with practically any spirit. It's delicious with tequila (all kinds), gin, and vodka, but also rum, both white and dark, and even bourbon! Try it with lime, lemon, and berry flavors in the summer, and with warming spices like ginger, cinnamon, or cardamom in the colder months (you can make extra and keep it in the freezer).
- Iced tea and lemonade - If you want to make your lemonade or iced tea extra special, add a little bit of this syrup for added flavor. I highly recommend trying it in my Iced Peach Green Tea Lemonade instead of the peach syrup! It's also delicious in chamomile tea or mixed with this Chamomile Syrup in a variety of drinks.
- Lattes - This syrup is delicious in matcha lattes! I like adding it to iced matcha, but I'm sure it would also work in hot matcha.
- Breakfast and desserts - Drizzle the syrup over pancakes, waffles, or ice cream instead of maple syrup. Brush it on cake slices between layers for added moisture and flavor. You could also use it to sweeten these Apricot Overnight Oats, chia pudding, or smoothies!
Storing
Refrigerator: Store the syrup in an airtight jar or a container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. The syrup may separate slightly as it sits. This is okay. Just stir it before every use and always use a clean spoon. If it changes flavor, color, or texture, discard it.
Freezer: You can also freeze it in a freezer-safe container for 3-4 months. Avoid an ice cube tray because the syrup never freezes completely solid. You can scoop it straight from the freezer, or to make it pourable again, defrost it in the fridge for 1-2 hours (depending on how much you're defrosting).
FAQs
Yes! There's no need to defrost them first; just add them to the saucepan with the sugar and water and follow the recipe as is.
Similar Fruity Syrup Recipes
If you want to try other summer simple syrup flavors, try any of the four below! They're some of my all-time favorite ones, but I have lots more to choose from! To see others and all the latest ones, head over to Flavored Syrups.
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Have you tried this Apricot Syrup? Please leave a star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below!
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Print📖 Recipe
Apricot Simple Syrup
This Apricot Simple Syrup has just 3 ingredients, and you can have it ready in 15 minutes! It's easy to make, and perfect for the summer! Use it to sweeten cocktails, mocktails, lemonades, iced tea, or drizzle it over pancakes. It's vegan, gluten-free, and freezer-friendly!
- Total Time15 minutes
- Yield1 ⅔ cup 1x
- DietVegan
Ingredients
- 1 cup diced apricots (4-5 apricots)
- 1 cup cane sugar
- 1 cup water
- ¼ tsp vanilla extract (optional)
Instructions
- Add the diced apricots, cane sugar, and water to a medium saucepan.
- Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly just until the sugar is dissolved.
- Lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Take the syrup off the heat and stir in vanilla extract if desired. Allow it to cool for at least 10 minutes.
- Strain into a bowl or a large measuring cup through a fine mesh strainer. Use the back of a spoon to push down on the apricots to get as much juice out as you can.
- Transfer the syrup to a glass jar or a container and allow it to cool before closing with a lid and storing it in the fridge.
Notes
The syrup yields 12-13 servings when you use 2 tablespoons per serving.
Storing: Store the syrup in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. You can also freeze it in a freezer-safe container for 3-5 months. The syrup never freezes solid because of the high sugar content so I don’t recommend freezing it in an ice cube tray.
How to use it: It’s amazing with just sparkling water or tonic water. You can add it to cocktails, mocktails, iced tea, lemonade, or drizzle it over ice cream, desserts, or pancakes!
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Cook Time: 10 mins
- Category: Syrup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
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