2 ingredients · 5 minutes

Make simple syrup.

Equal parts sugar and water, warmed until clear. Tell us how much you need and we’ll do the math, in cups or grams.

Syrup type
Sugar
1 cup200 g
Water
1 cup235 ml
Jump to the recipe Explore 54 flavors

Now pouringClassic Simple Syrup

Gifts · Nov 1 – Dec 20

Holiday gifts

A boxed syrup set, café cups or a pair of rocks glasses, or a long-keeping syrup you bottle yourself with a printed label and a tag.

Gift ideas

Print the holiday label pack

Gift ideaIllustration of cocktail syrup gift set
Gift idea

Pratt Standard Classic Cocktail Syrup Set

A boxed trio of classic cocktail syrups with recipes, ready to wrap.

Best for Classic cocktail fans

Check price
Gift ideaIllustration of latte cups
Gift idea

Loveramics Egg Latte Cups and Saucers (300 ml)

Wide café cups shaped for latte art, the style many cafés use.

Best for Latte drinkers with a frother or espresso machine

Check price
Gift ideaIllustration of set of rocks glasses
Gift idea

Libbey Rocks Glasses (set of 4)

Heavy-bottomed glasses for an Old Fashioned over one big cube.

Best for Whiskey and Old Fashioned drinkers

Check price
Gift ideaIllustration of mini syrup sampler
Gift idea

Monin Coffee Syrup Mini Gift Set

A sampler of café syrup flavors in miniature bottles: enough to find a favorite.

Best for Stocking stuffers and coworkers

Check price

In season · Fall

Fall: syrups and drinks

Café syrups for the cozy season: pumpkin spice, maple, chai and caramel.

Seasonal calendar
Illustration of homemade pumpkin spice syrup in a pump bottle

Coffee-shop35 min

Pumpkin Spice Syrup

pumpkin · cinnamon · clove
Illustration of homemade maple simple syrup in a swing-top bottle

Sugar swaps2 min

Maple Simple Syrup

maple · caramel · woody
Illustration of homemade chai syrup in a corked flask

Spiced25 min

Chai Syrup

warm spice · cardamom · malty tea
Illustration of homemade caramel syrup in a pump bottle

Coffee-shop17 min

Caramel Syrup

toasted sugar · butterscotch · slightly bitter

  • Pumpkin spice latte

    2–3 tbsp (30–45 ml) per 12 oz latte: stir into 2 shots of espresso, add steamed milk, top with whipped cream and a dusting of spice.

    Pumpkin Spice syrup

  • Maple latte

    1½–2 tbsp (22.5–30 ml) per 12 oz latte, with a pinch of cinnamon on top.

    Maple syrup

  • Chai latte

    2 tbsp (30 ml) in 8 oz (240 ml) steamed milk. Dust with cinnamon.

    Chai syrup

  • Caramel apple cider

    1 oz (30 ml) in 8 oz (240 ml) hot apple cider, with a cinnamon stick.

    Caramel syrup

Coming upThanksgiving Nov 26 · Christmas and the holidays Dec 25 · New Year's Eve Dec 31

Beyond the basic

Pick a flavor

All 54 recipes
Classics 6 recipes Coffee-shop 16 recipes Fruit 15 recipes Herb & floral 9 recipes Spiced 4 recipes Sugar swaps 3 recipes Bar specialties 7 recipes
Illustration of homemade vanilla syrup in a pump bottle

Coffee-shop38 min

Vanilla Syrup

warm vanilla · creamy · floral
Illustration of homemade lavender syrup in an apothecary flask

Herb & floral22 min

Lavender Syrup

floral · honeyed · herbal
Illustration of homemade strawberry syrup in a preserving jar

Fruit35 min

Strawberry Syrup

ripe strawberry · bright · lightly tart
Illustration of homemade homemade grenadine in a preserving jar

Fruit10 min

Homemade Grenadine

tart pomegranate · deep berry · floral
Illustration of homemade blueberry syrup in a preserving jar

Fruit25 min

Blueberry Syrup

jammy blueberry · lemon · mellow
Illustration of homemade brown sugar syrup in a swing-top bottle

Classics8 min

Brown Sugar Syrup

molasses · toffee · warm
Illustration of homemade chocolate syrup in a pump bottle

Coffee-shop8 min

Chocolate Syrup (Mocha Syrup for Coffee)

dark cocoa · bittersweet · vanilla
Illustration of homemade ginger syrup in a corked flask

Spiced13 min

Ginger Syrup

fiery · zesty · warm
Illustration of homemade raspberry syrup in a preserving jar

Fruit40 min

Raspberry Syrup

fresh raspberry · tart · floral

Real ingredients

From the pantry, not a lab

Café syrups are mostly sugar, water and flavoring. Make them with real fruit, herbs, spices and honey for a fraction of the price.

Overlapping slices of fresh orange, close-up Citrus Illustration of fresh mint and basil leaves Fresh herbs Golden honeycomb, close-up Honey A pile of whole raw almonds, close-up Almonds Espresso in a red cup and saucer with a spoon on a wooden counter Espresso Iced gingerbread-man cookies spilling from a dark plate across a rustic wooden table Holiday spice

Now what?

What to make with it

Classic drinks from the books bartenders learn from, each with the syrup that makes it.

All 69 drinks
Illustration of an Old Fashioned in a rocks glass with orange peel

Old Fashioned familyRich 2:1

Old Fashioned

United States, 1880
Illustration of a Daiquiri in a coupe with lime wheel

SoursClassic

Daiquiri

Jennings Cox, Daiquirí, Cuba, 1898
Illustration of a Mojito in a Collins glass with mint sprig and lime wheel

Collinses and fizzesClassic

Mojito

Havana, Cuba
Illustration of a Tommy's Margarita in a rocks glass with lime wedge

SoursAgave

Tommy's Margarita

Julio Bermejo, Tommy's Mexican Restaurant, San Francisco, 1990
Illustration of a Gold Rush in a rocks glass with none

SoursHoney

Gold Rush

T.J. Siegal, Milk & Honey, New York, 2000
Illustration of a Mai Tai in a rocks glass with spent lime half-shell and a sprig of fresh mint

TikiOrgeat

Mai Tai

Victor Bergeron, Trader Vic's, Oakland, 1944
Illustration of a Clover Club in a coupe with 2–3 fresh raspberries on a pick

SoursRaspberry

Clover Club

Bellevue-Stratford Hotel, Philadelphia, 1901
Illustration of a Shirley Temple in a highball glass with maraschino cherry

Alcohol-freeGrenadine

Shirley Temple

Hollywood, 1930s

With classic simple syrup Arnold Palmer, Bramble, Espresso Martini, French 75, Gimlet, Gin Basil Smash, Gin Fizz, Gin-Gin Mule, Improved Whiskey Cocktail, Irish Coffee, Jungle Bird, Mint Julep and 10 more.

EverydayIced coffeeLemonadeSweet teaItalian soda

Optional, but nice

Gear that makes it easier

All gear
Our pickIllustration of swing-top bottle
Our pick

Otis Classic 16 oz Swing-Top Glass Bottles (6-pack)

Airtight swing caps keep syrup fresh for weeks, and 16 oz holds a full batch. Spare gaskets, labels and a marker included.

Best for Storing and gifting any syrup

Check price
Illustration of mini funnel

Norpro Stainless Steel Mini Funnels (set of 3)

Narrow stems fit swing-top and dropper bottles, so you can fill without sticky spills. Stainless handles hot syrup.

Best for Filling bottles cleanly

Check price
Illustration of small saucepan

Cuisinart Chef's Classic 1.5 qt Stainless Saucepan with Lid

The right size for a 1-2 cup batch. Stainless won't react with citrus, and the aluminum base spreads heat to avoid scorching.

Best for Every stovetop syrup

Check price
Illustration of kitchen scale

Escali Primo Digital Kitchen Scale (11 lb)

Weighing beats cups for sugar, so 1:1 and 2:1 syrups come out exact every time. Tare button and 1 g precision.

Best for Exact ratios, every batch

Check price

Questions people ask

What is the ratio for simple syrup?

Classic simple syrup is 1:1, one part sugar to one part water. Rich simple syrup is 2:1.

How long does homemade simple syrup last?

About 1 month in the fridge in a clean, sealed container. Rich (2:1) syrup lasts about 3 months.

Do you have to boil simple syrup?

No. Heat it just until the sugar dissolves. Boiling evaporates water, which makes the syrup sweeter than intended.

How much syrup does 1 cup of sugar make?

1 cup of sugar plus 1 cup of water makes about 1½ cups of simple syrup, because the dissolved sugar takes up less room than the dry crystals.

Can I use simple syrup instead of sugar?

Yes, in drinks. Roughly 1½ tablespoons of 1:1 syrup matches the sweetness of 1 tablespoon of sugar.

What can I use simple syrup for?

Cocktails (Old Fashioned, Mojito, Daiquiri, Whiskey Sour), iced coffee and tea, lemonade, sodas, and brushing on cake layers to keep them moist.