This Is the Best and Easiest Ginger Syrup You’ll Ever Make (2024)

co*cktails

Colleen Graham

Freelance writer and co*cktail book author Colleen Graham is a seasoned mixologist who loves sharing her knowledge of spirits and passion for preparing drinks.

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Updated on 05/8/24

Tested by

Diana Rattray

Tested byDiana Rattray

Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.

Learn about The Spruce Eats'Editorial Process

This Is the Best and Easiest Ginger Syrup You’ll Ever Make (3)

Prep: 5 mins

Cook: 20 mins

Infusion: 60 mins

Total: 85 mins

Servings: 16 servings

Yield: 1 cup

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Ginger syrup is a very usefulingredient for the kitchen and home bar. It's easy to make at home and allows you to add sweet spice to your drink routine.

The recipe is extremely simple and no different than any other homemade syrup. Essentially, you'll dissolve sugar in water over heat and add the flavoring by allowing fresh ginger to infuse its distinct taste into the syrup. You can peel it or not—it doesn't much matter in terms of taste. The whole process takes just a few minutes of your time and the cost is minimal. The rewards, however, are many, for the adventurous home mixologist.

This recipe provides the foundation formaking your own ginger ale or ginger lemonade. It can also be a delicious alternative for ginger liqueur, of which can then be used in a number of other ginger-based co*cktails. It's also a great liquid sweetener for tea drinks and coffee. Ginger syrup lends itself to additional flavor infusions such as vanilla or spicy peppers, which can be added to the syrup to play up the sweet or spicy notes.

Tips

To make straining easier, slices or chunks of ginger are better. Grated fresh ginger will work, but you will need to finely strain it to remove all of the pieces.
You can adjust the sugar and water ratio. Makeit richer with 2 parts sugar and 1 part water, or back off on the sweetness with a straight 1:1 mix. The proportions in this recipe add a bit more sweetness against the spice.
Ginger syrup is excellent with other types of sugar, especially raw and brown sugars.

What You'll Need To Make This Ginger Simple Syrup Recipe

A Vegetable Peeler

A Paring Knife

Ingredients

1 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup water
1 cup sliced fresh ginger root, peeled

Steps to Make It

Gather the ingredients.
In a saucepan on medium heat, combine the 1 cup sugar and 3/4 cup water.
Stir constantly until the sugar is dissolved.
Add the 1 cup sliced ginger and continue to heat, bringing the syrup to a light boil.
Cover, reduce heat, and allow to simmer for about 15 minutes.
Remove from the heat and allow to cool and steep in the covered pan for about 1 hour or until it reaches your preferred taste.
Strain out the ginger and bottle under a tight seal.
Mix into your favorite drinks and enjoy!

How to Store or Freeze

If kept covered in the fridge, ginger simple syrup should keep for up to two weeks, but may last a little bit longer than that. If it's no good, you'll notice little bits of mold. Pitch it, and start over.
You can freeze ginger simple syrup. When frozen in ice cube trays, ginger simple syrup will be opaque and firm, but still slightly soft. Add cubes to club soda, iced tea, or lemonade.

Feeling Adventurous? Try this:

Ginger syrup does not have to be one-dimensional. Try these other flavors:

Vanilla-ginger simple syrup brings a little sweetness that softens the ginger. Use a whole vanilla bean or a teaspoon of pure vanilla extract.
Chile peppers add a little heat but you don't want to "burn" the flavor, so remove the peppers before the ginger infusion is done. Place a whole chile pepper into the simmering syrup. Remove it from the heat, and taste the syrup. If the pepper infusion is to your liking, remove it, and continue the ginger infusion. If not, add the pepper back for a few more minutes. Most peppers will need just 5 minutes.
Winter spices, including cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice, are made for ginger syrup. Combine the ginger, cinnamon, clove, and allspice used in the gingersnap martini and create a syrup to use in that martini or try it in hot toddies or coffee.
Other flavors to try in ginger syrup include coconut, mint, and lemon or lime.

Helpful Links

How to Store Ginger Properly
How to Dehydrate and Powder Ginger
Benefits of Ginger In Your Juices and Smoothies

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
53	Calories
0g	Fat
14g	Carbs
0g	Protein

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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 16
Amount per serving
Calories	53
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g	0%
Saturated Fat 0g	0%
Cholesterol 0mg	0%
Sodium 1mg	0%
Total Carbohydrate 14g	5%
Dietary Fiber 0g	0%
Total Sugars 13g
Protein 0g
Vitamin C 0mg	2%
Calcium 1mg	0%
Iron 0mg	0%
Potassium 25mg	1%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Recipe Tags:

simple syrup
ginger simple syrup
american
back to school

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