Raspberry Simple Syrup

With Raspberry Simple Syrup, you can add the sweet-tart flavor of fresh raspberries to your favorite cocktails, desserts and breakfast foods. This fresh fruit syrup makes for a delightful addition.

Raspberry Simple Syrup recipe

There’s nothing like the taste of raspberries.

These rutilant gems add an instant flavor boost and lots of 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 cocktails are just divine! I love this raspberry Moscow mule and the Kir royale. Both are made with Chambord, which is a raspberry liqueur; however, a raspberry syrup is a great substitute with tons of flavor.

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.

What is simple syrup?

Have you ever tried to stir pure sugar into a cold drink? It takes forever and a day to get all the granules to dissolve*.*

Simple syrup is a liquid sweetener made by combining sugar and water, and it solves this very problem.

Also called sugar syrup, the liquid form’s primary use is to sweeten drinks. But you can also drizzle it over brownies, pancakes or an ice cream sundae. Bakers even use it to moisten cake before decorating.

Most simple syrups are made with granulated white sugar, but other types of sugar can be used, including honey and brown sugar.

Once you’ve mastered classic simple syrup, there’s a whole world of flavor to explore. Try infusing herbs like rosemary, basil or mint or spices like cinnamon or vanilla.

You can even make syrups with fruits and vegetables like blackberries, jalapeños and pumpkin. This raspberry syrup recipe is one of these!

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

Fresh raspberries work best in this recipe. They make a much more robust syrup with a bright fruit flavor.

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 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.

Make sure you wash and pat dry your berries before you begin!

Sugar

Granulated sugar and cane sugar are my recommendation for this syrup, since it will allow for the best rosy red color.

However, can use brown sugar or honey instead, though both will affect the color of the syrup.

Water

Filtered water or distilled water will give you the best, purest results, but tap water is totally fine.

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.

How to make Raspberry Simple Syrup

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 with fresh berries!

Making this recipe is similar to regular simple syrup, but it has an extra step to infuse the great flavor of the raspberries. Here’s how to make this easy raspberry syrup:

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.

While still warm, stir in sugar until dissolved. Let cool to room temperature.

Store in an airtight container for up to two weeks.

Cocktails using Raspberry Syrup

Homemade raspberry syrup is so good in cocktails of all kinds! Try it in one of these raspberry cocktails:

• Try it in a classic old-fashioned, a delicious cocktail made with bourbon.
• Muddle it with mint in a berry mojito. This recipe uses different kinds of berries, but you can use raspberries only for a raspberry mojito.
• Make a raspberry Moscow mule, a tasty cocktail made with ginger beer and lime juice. Add ½ ounce to the classic mule recipe.
• Make a classic gin drink called the Clover Club cocktail. So fancy!
• With a little bubbly, it is the perfect addition for raspberry mimosas for brunch.

There are some other ways you can use raspberry syrup in cocktails. Try it instead of Chambord liqueur in a French Martini or any drink that calls for sweet raspberry liqueur.

Use it in lieu of grenadine syrup for a twist on the Shirley Temple, Tequila Sunrise or the Gin Daisy.

Want to try some non-alcoholic drinks? An Italian soda with raspberry syrup and club soda is perfectly refreshing. Or use it in a raspberry lime rickey.

Other uses for raspberry syrup

There are so many ways to use this raspberry syrup! Here are a few ideas:

• Stir it into lemonade or iced tea.
• Pour it over your favorite flavor of ice cream.
• Drizzle it over pancakes, waffles or French toast.

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.

More simple syrup recipes

Here are a few of my favorite simple syrups to try next:

• Peach Simple Syrup
• Strawberry Simple Syrup
• Elderberry Syrup
• Demerara Simple Syrup