Homemade Chamomile Simple Syrup Recipe for Cocktails & More
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This homemade chamomile simple syrup has the sweet, floral aroma you know and love, with just enough sweetness for the best lemonades, sodas, and more. It’s the perfect summertime mixer!
Don’t you just love the smell of chamomile? I always think of smells sort of like a cross between pineapple, apples, and strawberries. It’s so soothing in tea, but it deserves so much more love than that!
This chamomile simple syrup recipe is a great way to add a floral note to your favorite cocktails, homemade soda, lemonades, sun tea, and more. You’ll want to keep some on hand all the time!
If you love floral flavors, don’t forget to try this homemade lavender simple syrup! You may also enjoy this vanilla infused maple syrup for the most delicious pancakes and French toast.
Why you’ll love this chamomile syrup recipe
- Delicious floral flavor – The water and sugar extract that iconic chamomile flavor from the dried flowers, allowing you to make any drink or dessert taste just like your favorite chamomile tea. It’s so refreshing!
- Enjoy the harvest – If you’re growing chamomile in your own garden, be sure to dry some for later! You’ll be able to make this easy sugar syrup all year long.
- Relax and unwind – Chamomile tea has long been served as a relaxing tea to settle anxious nerves. Learn more about the benefits of chamomile tea here.
Equipment
To make this chamomile simple syrup recipe, you’ll need:
- Small saucepan
- Narrow funnel
- Fine mesh strainer
- Spoon
- Small coffee filter (optional)
- Airtight container or syrup bottles
Ingredients
- Dried chamomile flowers – You can usually find dried chamomile flowers online or sometimes at organic grocers. Feel free to dry your own chamomile flowers from your garden! You can also use 2-3 chamomile tea bags instead.
- Granulated sugar – You can use any type of plain white sugar, whether it’s organic or not. I used organic cane sugar from Costco.
- Water
How to Make Chamomile Syrup
- Combine sugar, water, and dried chamomile flowers in a small saucepan.
- Heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat once the sugar crystals have dissolved.
- Allow the mixture to cool on the stove until it reaches room temperature.
- If using tea bags, remove them and pour the syrup in an airtight container. If using loose chamomile, set a strainer over a funnel and strain the liquid. It can help to use a small coffee filter to catch any tiny fibers.
- Use as desired to sweeten beverages, brush onto cakes, and more.
Storing
Once the syrup has cooled to room temperature, strain out the flowers and store it in a bottle or container in the fridge for approximately 1-2 weeks.
How to Use Chamomile Simple Syrup
Once you have a bottle of the stuff, what do you even do with it?
- Use it to make homemade lemonade with fresh lemon juice and water
- Make a variety of cocktails
- Brush it onto cakes to lock in their moisture
- Drizzle over ice cream for a floral note
- Sweeten your iced tea
- Stir into homemade soda
Tips & Variations
- Feel free to add a little dried lemon peel or fresh lemon zest for a brighter flavor.
- If you use tea bags, you won’t need to strain out the chamomile, which can be time-consuming.
- Be patient. Straining out all the little hairs from the chamomile syrup takes some time!
- If you’re trying not to use sugar, feel free to use honey instead. It’s not recommended to heat honey, so infuse just the chamomile and water together, then stir in the honey to taste once the mixture cools down to 90-100 degrees F. Use less than a cup of honey and adjust the sweetness to taste.
- Add more chamomile if you’d prefer a stronger flavor.
- Make a rich syrup by using two cups of sugar to one cup of water. This is much thicker, so a little goes a long way!
- Use pineapple weed! This relative of chamomile is easy to find growing wild, and has a similarly fruity scent and flavor.
FAQs
Yes! The general rule of thumb is to use twice as much fresh chamomile as dried. Since this recipe calls for 2 tablespoons of dried chamomile, you’d need 1/4 cup of fresh.
There are dozens of types of chamomile in the world, but we generally grow and consume one of two types: German or Roman. Learn about the different types of chamomile here.
I’ve made quite a few different simple syrups for the blog (as you can see below), and not all containers are created equal. I’ve used many different mason jars and glass bottles, but it’s hard to find any that are narrow enough at the spout to really control your pour. Recently, I purchased a set of 4 glass syrup bottles, and they pour so much better than any other container I’ve tried so far! Plus, they’re pretty. If you entertain a lot or like to make syrups for parties, they’d be a good fit for you too.
Related Recipes
- Honey Lavender Syrup
- Lavender Sugar
- Lemon Balm Syrup
- Cardamom Syrup
- Earl Grey Syrup
Easy Chamomile Simple Syrup Recipe
Equipment
- fine-mesh strainer small
- small coffee filter optional
Ingredients
- 1 cup cane sugar
- 1 cup water
- 2 tbsp dried chamomile flowers, or 2-3 chamomile tea bags
Instructions
- Combine sugar, water, and dried chamomile flowers in a small saucepan.
- Heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat once the sugar crystals have dissolved.
- Allow the mixture to cool on the stove until it reaches room temperature.
- If using tea bags, remove them and pour the syrup in an airtight container. If using loose chamomile, set a strainer over a funnel and strain the liquid. It can help to use a small coffee filter to catch any tiny fibers.
- Use as desired to sweeten beverages, brush onto cakes, and more.
