With Raspberry Syrup, you can add the sweet-tart flavor of fresh raspberries to your favorite cocktails and drinks. This fresh fruit simple syrup makes for a delightful addition for desserts and breakfast foods too.
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About this Raspberry Syrup recipe
There’s nothing like the taste of fresh raspberries. These rutilant gems add an instant flavor boost and lots of pretty pizzazz to desserts and breakfast items. Let us count the ways: On top of a parfait? Check. Tucked in an ice cube? Check. Inside of a cookie? Check check check.
But raspberries in drinks? Just divine! You can easily whip up a raspberry syrup with just three ingredients and a little time. Use it to sweeten and flavor cocktails, mocktails, coffee, tea, lemonade and so much more.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Raspberry simple syrup is the best, and I think you’re going to love it.
- Raspberry syrup provides an instant update for drinks. You can drizzle it over desserts and pancakes, too!
- You can make it with fresh or frozen raspberries.
- Made with only three ingredients, it only takes about 20 minutes start to finish.
- It’s an inexpensive and healthier alternative to store-bought cocktail syrups.
Ingredients
Three simple ingredients are all that’s needed to make raspberry syrup. If you’d like to mix things up, check out the section below called Variations & Substitutions.
- raspberries: You can use fresh or frozen raspberries here. Make sure you wash and pat dry your berries before you begin!
- sugar: Granulated sugar and purecane sugar are my recommendation for this syrup, since it will allow for the best rosy red color.
- water: Filtered water or distilled water will give you the best, purest results, but tap water is totally fine.
Though you can buy raspberry simple syrup, I don’t suggest it. This recipe is so very easy and inexpensive to make. It is just not worth buying in my opinion, and it tastes so much better when made with real berries!
Best raspberries for syrup
Fresh raspberries work best in this recipe. They make a much more robust syrup with a bright fruity taste.
If you have raspberries that are about to go bad, you can still use them in this recipe! Fruit that is a little bruised or is just about to go bad will make a very lovely, flavorful syrup.
Frozen raspberries will work just fine in this recipe. Use them like you would fresh ones — they will still have a lot of fresh raspberry flavor.
Variations and substitutions
You can mix up this homemade syrup recipe a few different ways.
- Mint raspberry syrup: Add mint sprigs to the syrup while it cools to infuse mint flavor.
- Mixed berry syrup: Use a mixture of berries, such as raspberries, blackberries and blackberries, in addition to the strawberries.
- Raspberry maple syrup: Use maple syrup instead of sugar to create a raspberry-flavored maple syrup.
- Sugar-free raspberry syrup: Use your favorite sugar substitute instead of sugar to make a sugar-free syrup.
- Raspberry lemon syrup: these flavors go so well together. Add 1 tablespoon lemon juice to the finished syrup.
How to make Raspberry Syrup
Making this recipe is similar to regular simple syrup, but it has an extra step to infuse the great flavor of the raspberries.
For simple syrup, you typically need as much sugar as you do water, but this recipe is a little different. We will first boil water and raspberries together to get a reduced raspberry juice, then strain out the solids. Then we will stir in the sugar to make the syrup. Let’s take it step by step:
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First, wash and dry the berries. In a medium saucepan, bring water and fruit to a boil. Lower the heat and bring to a simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat.
Use a fine-mesh strainer * to remove the solids and strain the hot liquid into a bowl or jar. (You can return it to the pan if you like, or do the next step in the jar as long as it’s big enough.)
Measure the liquid. Stir in an equal amount of sugar while the syrup is still warm, until dissolved. For a thicker syrup, you can add up to twice as much sugar as liquid. Let cool to room temperature. Store in an airtight container for up to two weeks.
Tips & tricks
- tip 1
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Raspberry syrup cocktails
Homemade raspberry syrup is so good in cocktails of all kinds! It pairs really well with just about any spirit.
- Whiskey: Try it in a classic old-fashioned, a delicious cocktail made with bourbon, or in this PB&J version with peanut butter whiskey.
- Gin: Make the elegant gin
drink called the Clover Club cocktail. So fancy and fun! (Be sure to save a few raspberries for the garnish!) - Rum: Muddle it with mint for a quick and easy raspberry mojito or shake up a delicious raspberry daiquiri.
- Vodka: Make a raspberry Moscow mule, a tasty cocktail made with ginger beer and lime juice.
- Tequila: Raspberry margaritas would be an excellent spin for Taco Tuesday.
- Champagne: With a little bubbly, it is the perfect addition for raspberry mimosas for brunch.
Other uses for raspberry syrup
Non-alcoholic Chambord: Raspberry syrup is a great non-alcoholic substitute for Chambord, which is a lovely black raspberry liqueur, famously used in the Kir royale and French Martini.
Grenadine substitute: Use it in lieu of grenadine syrup for a berry twist on the Shirley Temple, tequila sunrise or the gin daisy.
Non-alcoholic drinks: An Italian soda with raspberry syrup and club soda is perfectly refreshing. Or use it in a raspberry lime rickey. Stir it into lemonade or iced tea. Starbucks sometimes has raspberry coffee drinks on the menu, such as the raspberry cream cold brew.
Raspberry drizzle: Pour it over your favorite flavor of ice cream or cheesecake for dessert. For breakfast, drizzle it over pancakes, oatmeal, yogurt, waffles or French toast.
FAQ
After straining, measure the liquid and add an equal amount of sugar. For a thicker syrup, use up to twice as much sugar as liquid.
Stored in a mason jar in the fridge, it will keep for up to 2 weeks.
You can swap in honey, agave or another sweetener, but the texture and shelf life may change.
Definitely! You don’t even have to thaw them — just throw them in with the
More simple syrup recipes
Here are a few of my favorite simple syrups to try next:
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Raspberry Simple Syrup
ingredients
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup fresh or frozen raspberries washed
- ½ cup sugar
instructions
- In a medium saucepan, bring water and fruit to a boil. Lower the heat and bring to a simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Strain the hot liquid into a bowl or jar through a fine-mesh strainer * to remove the solids and seeds.
- Measure the liquid. Stir in an equal amount of sugar while the syrup is still warm, until dissolved. For a thicker syrup, you can add up to twice as much sugar as liquid.
- Let cool to room temperature. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
notes
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