Simple Syrup
Simple syrup is an equal-parts mixture of sugar dissolved in water, used to sweeten cocktails without leaving behind undissolved granules. It is the most basic and versatile sweetener behind a bar. Because it is neutral in flavour, it sweetens without altering a drink's character.
Common uses
- primary sweetener in shaken sours
- balances acidity in built drinks
Buying & storage
Weeks once opened: Homemade 1:1 syrup keeps refrigerated for a while but will eventually cloud or grow mould — a richer 2:1 keeps considerably longer.
Buying: easy to make at home by dissolving equal parts sugar and hot water
Storage: refrigerate in a sealed bottle and use within a month
In depth
Understanding simple syrup
How it is made, where it comes from, what it pairs with, and how it behaves in an alcohol-free drink.
How it's made
Sugar dissolved in water, in either equal parts (simple) or two parts sugar to one water (rich). It exists because granulated sugar will not dissolve in a cold drink — it sits at the bottom and makes the last mouthful sweeter than the first. Rich syrup keeps considerably longer, since sugar is itself the preservative.
Origin
Sugar syrup as a bar staple is as old as the cocktail itself: the 1806 definition of a cocktail names sugar as one of its four components, and dissolving it in water is the obvious answer to the problem that sugar does not dissolve in a cold drink.
What it pairs with
Neutral by design. Where a drink would benefit from the sweetener having a flavour of its own, honey, agave, ginger or a spiced syrup are all more interesting choices.
In alcohol-free drinks
- The default sweetener, and the one to under-dose: alcohol-free drinks need less added sugar than their alcoholic versions, not more
- Rich syrup adds body without volume, which is genuinely useful when an alcohol-free drink tastes thin
Before it goes
Use up simple syrup
Ranked by how much of it each drink uses and how little else it needs — the ones at the top will not send you back to the shop.
- Coffee Old Fashioned
Uses 10ml. Also needs bourbon, cold brew coffee concentrate, angostura bitters.
- Fish House Punch
Uses 120ml. Also needs dark rum, cognac, peach brandy, fresh lemon juice, soda water.
- Virgin Daiquiri
Uses 25ml. Also needs fresh lime juice, soda water.
- Virgin Mojito
Uses 25ml. Also needs fresh mint leaves, fresh lime juice, soda water.
Recipes
Cocktails containing this ingredient
Coffee Old Fashioned
A classic Old Fashioned given a cold-brew twist — bourbon, coffee and bitters, stirred slow.
Sparkling Cranberry Mocktail
Tart cranberry juice lengthened with soda and lime — a bright, festive-looking three-ingredient mocktail.
Cucumber Mint Cooler
Muddled cucumber and mint lengthened with lime and soda — a cool, green, alcohol-free highball.
Virgin Daiquiri
Lime and sugar blended with crushed ice to a frozen slush, finished with a splash of soda — the Daiquiri's citrus snap, without the rum.
Queen's Park Swizzle
Rum, lime, mint and sugar swizzled through crushed ice, with a float of Angostura on top.
Stand-in
Where simple syrup is a recommended substitute
Recipes that name it as a swap for something else, with what it replaces.
- Pornstar Martiniin place of vanilla syrup
- Gimletin place of lime cordial
- Irish Coffeein place of brown sugar
- Hot Toddyin place of honey syrup
- Bee's Kneesin place of honey syrup
- Tommy's Margaritain place of agave syrup
- Gold Rushin place of honey syrup
- Oaxaca Old Fashionedin place of agave syrup
- Alcohol-Free Passion Fruit Martiniin place of vanilla syrup
- Alcohol-Free Margaritain place of agave syrup
- Alcohol-Free Mulled Winein place of honey syrup
- Alcohol-Free Hot Toddyin place of honey syrup
- Cinderellain place of grenadine
- Virgin Mai Taiin place of orgeat syrup
- Alcohol-Free Irish Coffeein place of demerara or soft brown sugar
Swap it
Possible substitutions
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