This homemade Strawberry Simple Syrup tastes like summer in a bottle! It's so simple and easy to make; all you need are 3 ingredients and 30 minutes! It's delicious in cocktails, mocktails, and lattes or drizzled over desserts, ice cream, pancakes, waffles, yogurt, or oatmeal!
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Why You'll Love This Strawberry Syrup
Amazing flavor and bright color - Fresh strawberries give this syrup an amazing sweet strawberry flavor that's perfect for hot summer days! You can also use frozen strawberries and make it any time of the year! It's one of my all-time favorite syrups to use in drinks, it never disappoints!
So many uses - There are so many cocktails, mocktails, teas, lemonades, and other drinks you can use strawberry syrup in, but you don't have to stop at drinks! I highly recommend drizzling it over pancakes, ice cream, yogurt, or any desserts!
Easy and simple - Making homemade strawberry syrup is easier than you might think! All you need are fresh strawberries, cane sugar, and water. It couldn't be more simple! Just simmer everything together and strain the syrup into a glass jar. It's totally foolproof, and it's always a crowd-pleaser!
Ingredients
- Strawberries - Fresh strawberries are ideal when they're in season, but you can use frozen strawberries as well if you're not making this in the summer. They just won't provide as much flavor as fresh strawberries do when they're in season.
- Granulated sugar - I recommend either cane sugar or white sugar. I like using cane sugar because it has a very neutral flavor that doesn't overpower the strawberries, but it's less processed than white sugar.
- Water - You will need water in a 1:1 ratio with the sugar. I always recommend using filtered water, not tap water, for the best flavor.
- Vanilla extract - This is optional, but it compliments the strawberry flavor really well. I like using regular vanilla extract, but vanilla powder, vanilla bean paste, or seeds from a fresh vanilla bean all work great.
Variations and Substitutions
- Different sugar - If you prefer, you can use maple syrup, agave, or other liquid sweetener. You can also swap the sugar for a sugar-free alternative that can be used in a 1:1 ratio with white sugar. Keep in mind that this will change the flavor of the syrup, and if you use a sugar-free sweetener, the syrup won't last as long because the syrup acts as a preservative.
- Different berries - You can make the syrup with raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, or with a mix of them all!
- Add fresh herbs - You can steep fresh herbs like fresh mint or thyme in the hot syrup after it's done cooking for 5 minutes or so to change up the flavor.
How To Make Strawberry Syrup
- Add chopped strawberries, cane sugar, and water to a medium saucepan.
- Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly until the sugar dissolves.
- Lower the heat and simmer the mixture for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Take it off the heat and allow it to cool for 10-15 minutes. This will help the syrup absorb even more strawberry flavor. The longer the berries sit in the syrup, the more flavorful the syrup will be.
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- Strain the syrup into a large measuring cup or a bowl through a fine mesh strainer and stir in the vanilla extract if using.
- Press down on the strawberries with the back of a spoon to get as much juice out of them as possible.
- Pour the syrup into a glass jar or an airtight container and store it in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Tips & Tricks!
- Leftover strawberry pulp: Don't throw it away! You can use the leftover strained strawberries as you would strawberry jam. They're sweet and from cooking in the sugar and make a great topping for oatmeal, pancakes, ice cream, yogurt or spread it on toasted bread with butter.
- Strawberry sauce - Don't strain the syrup; blend it instead to make strawberry sauce. You can still strain it after to get rid of any strawberry seeds, it will just be much thicker than the original syrup.
How to Use the Syrup
- Cocktails - This syrup goes really well with any vodka, gin, or tequila cocktails. I love it in my Strawberry Margarita or this Strawberry Basil Mojito!
- Lemonade, tea, and soda - Add it to this refreshing Strawberry Basil Lemonade or this Iced Raspberry Passion Tea Lemonade instead of raspberry syrup. You can use it to sweeten any hot or iced tea, or add it to sparkling water or club soda with a squeeze of lemon juice to make your own quick and easy strawberry soda!
- Lattes - My all-time favorite is this Strawberry Matcha Latte. I like mixing this strawberry syrup with my Rose Simple Syrup for the ultimate matcha latte - it's such a good combo, you've got to try it! You can also add it to a coffee latte or maybe even hot chocolate for some chocolate-covered strawberry flavor!
- Food - Drizzle the syrup over pancakes, waffles, French toast, oatmeal, vanilla ice cream, or yogurt. You can also add it to homemade ice cream or brush it on warm cake layers to add moisture and strawberry flavor.
Storage
Refrigerator: Store the syrup in a glass jar (like a mason jar) or in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. The syrup may separate slightly as it sits in the fridge; just stir it before each use and always use a clean spoon. Discard if it develops an off smell, taste, color, or texture. I don't recommend storing it at room temperature.
Freezer: You can store the syrup in a freezer-safe container in the freezer for 3-4 months or longer when stored properly. I like freezing it pre-measured in small labeled containers so that I always know how much I need to defrost. I don't recommend storing it in an ice cube tray because the sugar prevents the syrup from freezing solid. It will be scoopable straight from the freezer, but you can defrost it in the fridge for an hour or so to make it pourable.
FAQs
Yes, you can use anything that can be used in a 1:1 ratio with regular sugar. Keep in mind that the flavor will change based on what kind of sugar you use, and the syrup may not last as long because regular sugar preserves it.
Yes, the flavor just won't be as strong as it is from fresh strawberries; this also depends on the quality of your frozen strawberries.
Other Berry Simple Syrups
If you want to try other simple syrups made with berries, check out any of the ones below, and don't forget that you can mix them all for new flavors! See Simple Syrups for all the latest ones!
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Print📖 Recipe
Strawberry Simple Syrup
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Cooling Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 15 mins
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 1 ½ cup 1x
- Category: Syrup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This Strawberry Simple Syrup is like summer in a bottle! Just 3 ingredients and 30 mins! You can use it in cocktails, tea, and lemonades, or drizzle it on pancakes, waffles, ice cream, yogurt, or any dessert!
Ingredients
- 2 cups chopped fresh or frozen strawberries (6-7 strawberries)
- 1 cup cane sugar
- 1 cup water
- 1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)
Instructions
- Add chopped strawberries, cane sugar, and water to a medium saucepan.
- Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly until the sugar dissolves.
- Lower the heat and simmer the mixture for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Take it off the heat and allow it to cool for 10-15 minutes. This will help the syrup absorb even more strawberry flavor. The longer the berries sit in the syrup, the more flavorful the syrup will be.
- Strain the syrup into a large measuring cup or a bowl through a fine mesh strainer and stir in the vanilla extract if using. Press down on the strawberries with the back of a spoon to get as much juice out of them as possible.
- Pour the syrup into a glass jar or an airtight container and store it in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Wait for the syrup to cool down before closing with a lid.
Notes
Sugar substitutes: The best two choices are cane sugar or white sugar; most other sugars will overpower the strawberry flavor. The best next option is light maple syrup or agave. I would use slightly less agave because it's sweeter than sugar. You can also use a sugar-free substitute, but this will change the flavor, and the syrup won't last as long because the sugar acts as a preservative here.
Refrigerator: Store the syrup in a glass jar or an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. I don't recommend storing it at room temperature.
Freezer: Store the syrup in the freezer in a freezer-safe container for 3-4 months or longer if stored properly. The sugar prevents it from freezing solid, so it's scoopable straight from the freezer. You can defrost it completely in the fridge for 1 hour or less.
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Jenna says
I made this syrup for the oat matcha latte recipe and it was perfect! So good with fresh strawberries.