Simple Syrup Recipe (Liquid Sugar for Cold Drinks) (2024)

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Simple syrup is liquid sugar that doesn't have to dissolve. Keep reading to learn how to make this easy simple syrup recipe.

Mix together sugar and water in a sauce pan to make this simple coffee syrup that will store on your shelf for weeks. Use it to sweeten your iced coffee beverage - or any cold drink - instead of table sugar so it blends nicely without needing to dissolve.

If you follow me on Instagram, you already know that we spent this last weekend in Birmingham, Alabama, just for fun. This was ourfirst family trip with no agenda to visit friends or family,or travel for work! It was really nice to just enjoy our kids and each other.

Birmingham is AWESOME! We've driven through and stopped for lunch during road trips to North Carolina, but we've never spent any real time there before. I'm so glad it's only less than 4 hours away, making it a great place to visit for the weekend. We definitely plan to go back A LOT! Birmingham actually has a great food scene, too! ...more on that later.

Have you been to Birmingham? If so, tell me your favorite places because I'm keeping a Birmingham Pinterest board to bookmark any ideas for future visits!

Whenever we travel, we always treat ourselves to iced coffee, usually at Starbucks since I have gift cards. 😉 Funny enough, though, this weekend we were missing our homemade iced coffee! Weird, I know. I think it's because when I make it at home, I can make it exactly how I want it. When I order it at a coffee shop, I just quickly say "vanilla iced coffee with cream, please!" and hope the barista just magically knows the ratio I like. Ha!

Everyone has different tastes, but my perfect iced coffee ratio is about ¾th cold brew coffee concentrate, ⅛th water, ⅛th milk and then about 2-3 Tablespoons of this homemade liquid sugar sweetener. Ben, on the other hand, likes it a little less strong with about a 1:1 ratio of coffee concentrate to water, then adds his favorite International Delight French Vanilla creamer.

When it comes to hot coffee, I stir in raw sugar. But, raw sugar - and even regular table sugar - does not dissolve too well into cold coffee. That's why I keep this liquid sugar on hand. It makes a bunch and I just store it in a air-tight bottle on my countertop, with the rest of my coffee bar items. And, you can use it to sweeten any of your favorite beverages, not just coffee. Or, package it up as a gift!

I have made a pumpkin spiced version of liquid sweetener, and plan to try more varieties in the future. But, right now, I like it simple. How do you drink your iced coffee?

This article was originally published August 2014 and updated January 2022 without altering the recipe.

Recipe Card

Simple Syrup Recipe (Liquid Sugar for Cold Drinks) (4)

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4.67 from 42 votes

Simple Syrup (Liquid Sugar for Cold Drinks)

Simple syrup is liquid sugar that doesn't have to dissolve. Scroll to learn how to make this easy simple syrup recipe.

Cook Time10 minutes mins

Total Time10 minutes mins

Course: Drinks

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Homemade Coffee Syrup, Liquid Sugar, Simple Syrup

Servings: 16 servings

Calories: 85kcal

Author: Nikki Gladd

Ingredients

  • 1 ¾ cups water
  • 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup light brown sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon lemon juice*

Instructions

  • In a medium saucepan, cook and stir the water and sugars over medium-high heat until sugar is dissolved. Turn down heat and simmer about 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon juice. Cool completely.

  • Using a funnel, pour into a bottle with an air-tight lid or pump dispenser. Store on your counter-top for 1 to 2 months.

Notes

  • *The lemon juice is to keep the liquid sugar from crystalizing and does not add lemon flavor.
  • For vanilla flavored syrup, once cooled, add 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract. Or, try any other flavored extract.
  • For brown sugar syrup, use all brown sugar (light or dark) instead of granulated sugar.

Nutrition

Serving: 2tablespoons | Calories: 85kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 0.01g | Fat: 0.1g | Saturated Fat: 0.001g | Sodium: 2mg | Potassium: 6mg | Fiber: 0.003g | Sugar: 22g | Vitamin A: 0.1IU | Vitamin C: 0.4mg | Calcium: 4mg | Iron: 0.03mg

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About Seeded At The Table

Thanks for visiting! We’re the Gladd family! We love donuts, Disney, LEGO and Jesus. Not in that order, of course. 🙂 Ben shares DIY wood-working projects and Nikki shares delicious recipes. You’ll also find a sprinkling of travel adventures and other family fun ideas!

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Simple Syrup Recipe (Liquid Sugar for Cold Drinks) (2024)

FAQs

Is liquid sugar and simple syrup the same thing? ›

Simple syrup is liquid sugar. It is made by dissolving real sugar in water so it mixes easily with beverages. It is also a staple bar ingredient, used in countless co*cktail recipes.

What is the formula of simple syrup? ›

Traditional simple syrup is made from one part water to one part sugar (1:1). White granulated sugar is the standard sweetener, but once you've mastered that basic base, feel free to experiment with different sugars, while being sure to keep the ratio the same.

What is the cold process for simple syrup? ›

Cold Infusion

The process is: Put equal amounts sugar and water (by weight) into a jar (or other receptacle) with sufficient shaking space. Then you shake. Then you're done and it's ready to go! You can probably get a good picture of why this is my favorite way to make homemade simple syrup.

What is the cold method of syrup? ›

For the cold syrup method, you need to prepare the syrup and let it cool well. After it has cooled, soak your dessert (which should be warm) in this syrup. So, usually, as soon as the dessert comes out of the oven, you carefully pour (using a ladle) the cold syrup over it.

What is another name for liquid sugar? ›

Simple syrup is liquid sugar with a 1:1 ratio of sugar and water. Liquid sugar is often used in drinks.

What is liquid sugar versus regular sugar? ›

Taking a deeper look at liquid sugar, while it may enhance the flavor of your drink it's actually doing you more harm than good. Liquid sugar is not only higher in your daily calorie intake, those grams of sugar add up. And if not kept in check, you could easily go over your daily acceptable value.

How much sugar do I add to 2 cups of water? ›

To make a smaller batch of sugar water, you might decide that for your recipe 1 part = ½ cup. So, in this example, you would mix ½ cup of sugar (1 part) with 2 cups of water (4 parts). Extra sugar water for your hummingbird feeder can be stored in the fridge but should be stored for no more than one week.

How much simple syrup equals one cup of sugar? ›

So 1 cup of sugar is equal to the weight of 7/8 cup of water. Proof of this is that 1 cup of sugar and 1 cup of water makes a little under 1 ¾ cups simple syrup.

What is the concentration of sugar to be used in simple syrup? ›

The pharmacopoeial syrups have a high concentration of sucrose (66.7 % W/W according to IP or approx 85%W/V according to U.S.P), which is necessary for stability. Stronger solutions tend to crystallize and dilute solutions can support microbial growth. Therefore at 66.7%W/W, simple syrup acts as a self- preservative.

Do I need to refrigerate simple syrup? ›

Refrigerating simple syrup extends its shelf life and slows the future growth of bacteria. You can keep it at room temperature, but it will go bad much faster. If you plan use up it up within a few days, it can be stored at room temperature. Otherwise I highly recommend storing it in the fridge or freezer.

How long will simple syrup last in the fridge? ›

Once it's opened, it's best to store it in the refrigerator for up to 6 months. Homemade simple syrup: A hot-processed simple syrup of just sugar and water should last up to 1 month if stored properly. Infused simple syrup: By adding herbs, spices, or fruit you've greatly reduced the shelf life of your simple syrup.

Do you need to simmer simple syrup? ›

Boiling a simple syrup is a quick and easy way to make your own flavorings for drinks and recipes. The general rule of thumb is to bring your simple syrup to a boil and then let it simmer for about 15 minutes. Remember to keep an eye on it so that it doesn't boil over.

What are the four 4 methods for preparing syrups? ›

1-Solution Method with Heat . 2- Agitation Method. 3-addition of a Medicated Liquid to Syrup. 4- Percolation Method.

What is the method of simple syrup preparation? ›

Add the sugar and water to a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Let cool, then pour into a glass jar and seal tightly with a lid. Simple syrup will keep, refrigerated, for about one month.

Can you overcook simple syrup? ›

In a small pan, combine one part sugar and one part water. On medium heat, simmer together and stir until sugar is fully dissolved and there are no grains. Do not boil simple syrup for more than the time it takes to dissolve. It you overcook your syrup it will eventually become caramel.

What is liquid sugar? ›

What is liquid sugar? Liquid sugar is the sugar you consume in liquid form from beverages like sugar sweetened soda. The sugar in beverages is often highly concentrated and easy to consume in large amounts without feeling full. Some examples of these drinks are fairly obvious, such as sodas and fruit punch.

Can I substitute simple syrup for sugar? ›

If you're substituting simple syrup for granulated sugar in a drink recipe, the general rule is to use 1/4 ounce syrup for 1 teaspoon of sugar.

Is syrup a liquid sugar? ›

Syrups can be made by dissolving sugar in water or by reducing naturally sweet juices such as cane juice, sorghum juice, or maple sap. Corn syrup is made from corn starch using an enzymatic process that converts it to sugars. A must weight-type refractometer is used to determine the sugar content in the solution.

What's the difference between classic syrup and liquid sugar? ›

Classic Syrup is just liquid white sugar, its the clear syrup that the company adds to coffee based drinks and some Frappuccinos. Classic Syrup used to be added onto Iced Teas and Iced Tea Lemonades in the past, but the company released Liquid Sugar Cane syrup which is dark in color.

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