Homemade Earl Grey Tea Syrup Recipe for Cocktails & More

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For a touch of that classic black tea flavor and a little sweetness in your cocktails and lattes, make this delicious Earl Grey tea syrup recipe! It has a subtle bitterness and aromatic citrus flavor that tastes amazing in any beverage or even your baked goods!

earl grey syrup in front of a bottle of wild turkey and a bourbon cocktail.

If you love adding tea flavors to more than just your mug, try these delicious Matcha Scones! They’re made with white chocolate chips and a bright pink raspberry glaze for an eye-catching appearance.

What is Earl Grey syrup?

Earl Grey simple syrup is made by infusing real Earl Grey tea leaves in a mixture of water and sugar. As you heat the water, the sugar crystals dissolve and become suspended in the liquid.

It can then be used to sweeten any beverage and add a subtle fragrance of tea to a cup of homemade soda, a lavender latte, or even cocktails!

Why you’ll love this earl grey simple syrup recipe

Delicious: If you love the flavor of Earl Grey, this syrup takes it up a notch! It almost tastes like candy, and the Earl Grey flavor adds complexity to a variety of drinks.
Easy: Simple syrups are so easy to make! You just put everything in the pan, heat it up gently, stir a few times, then let them cool. That’s it!
Versatile: Drizzle this Earl Grey syrup over a bowl of vanilla ice cream or use it to sweeten an old-fashioned. It adds a sophisticated flavor that makes any drink taste new and refreshing!

Equipment

Making any sugar syrup is very simple. You’ll need the following:

A small saucepan
Wooden spoon
Fine mesh sieve (optional)
Narrow funnel
Mason jar

Ingredients

Organic cane sugar: You can use any kind of crystallized sugar for this Earl Grey simple syrup recipe, including brown sugar. I prefer to use cane sugar to let the tea flavor remain prominent.
Water: Use cold water, ideally filtered to avoid any minerals that may cause the syrup to crystallize.
Earl Grey tea: Either use Earl Grey tea bags or whole-leaf Earl Grey tea. Either will work just fine!

picture of earl grey syrup in a glass jar.

How to Make Earl Grey Syrup

1. In a small saucepan, add the sugar, water, and tea.

2. Turn the stove onto medium heat and stir the mixture occasionally until the sugar crystals dissolve. Turn off the heat.

3. Allow the sugar mixture to cool at room temperature for 15-30 minutes to allow the tea to infuse more flavor. If using tea bags, remove them at this time.

4. Place the narrow funnel into the mason jar. If using loose leaf Earl Grey tea, add the fine mesh strainer to remove any loose tea. Pour the syrup through the strainer and funnel into the jar.

5. Use as desired.

straining syrup with earl grey into a glass jar.

Recipes That Use Earl Grey Tea Syrup

Add this syrup to a variety of different treats and drinks, including Earl Grey cocktails and more.

This Earl Grey Old Fashioned Cocktail from Cocktail Contessa tastes heavenly! The flavors of bourbon and Earl Grey go so well together, especially with a little fresh lemon.

Make an Earl Grey Tea Spritz from Bobby Flat by combining this syrup with champagne.

This Earl Grey Lavender Cocktail from Frontier has a sophisticated flavor that’s fun to sip.

For a non-alcoholic drink, make this refreshing Earl Grey Tea Cream Soda from The Tea Cup of Life.

Brush your Earl Grey syrup onto the layers of this Earl Grey Cake from Liv for Cake for even more tea flavor.

Add it to these Earl Grey Cupcakes with Lemon Buttercream from Vintage Kitty for a delectable treat.

Storage

Store any leftover syrup in an airtight container, like a mason jar or glass bottle. Keep it in the fridge. It will last for 3-4 weeks.

Tips

To make Earl Grey vanilla syrup, add 1-2 whole vanilla beans to the syrup mixture. Be sure to slice it longwise to allow the vanilla caviar to escape.
Enhance the bergamot flavor by adding lemon peel or orange peel (no pith) to the syrup.
Add 1-2 tablespoons of dried lavender for a delicate floral flavor that makes anything taste like a London Fog.
This recipe is really flexible. You can follow these instructions with any type of herbal teas or black tea, including lady grey. Just be sure to taste the syrup to make sure it isn’t becoming too bitter.
Prefer a thicker syrup? This earl gray syrup recipe makes a simple syrup, which always has a 1:1 ratio of water to sugar. You can make a rich syrup by using half as much liquid (or twice as much sugar) for a 1:2 ratio of water to sugar. This will be more like pancake syrup. Since it will be so thick and sweet, I recommend using two tea bags to get enough tea flavor.

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FAQs

Does Earl Grey syrup have caffeine?

Yes. Since Earl Grey tea contains caffeine, this syrup will contain some as well. However, you won’t be using much syrup per beverage, reducing the amount of caffeine.

If this is a problem, you can use decaffeinated Earl Grey loose-leaf tea instead.

Can you make a simple syrup with Earl Grey tea?

Yes! You can make a simple syrup with all different types of tea. Simply add the tea leaves to the pan with your sugar and water, apply heat, and let them infuse.

You’ll end up with a liquid sweetener that can be used to sweeten hot or cold drinks, like cocktails, lemonades, and more.

What does Earl Grey syrup taste like?

Since Earl Grey has a sophisticated flavor, the tea really has layers of delicious flavor. There’s a subtle bitterness from the tannins, that classic black tea flavor, and the floral citrus notes of bergamot.

The sugar in the syrup makes all of these flavors taste even more enticing. It’s a really smooth flavor combination that really adds a special, complex flavor to any beverage.

How many tea bags do you need to make Earl Grey tea syrup?

You can make a small batch of Earl Grey syrup with as little as one bag of tea. The flavors will intensify as you let the tea infuse, so it’s possible to get a great flavor with just one bag.

Since you’ll be diluting the tea in cocktails or other drinks, you can add a second bag to get a more intense tea flavor. Any bitterness will be diluted once you add your soda water or other ingredients.

recipe for simple syrup with earl gray in a glass jar.

Related Recipes

If you made this recipe, please leave a comment or ask a question below! I’d love to hear what you think or troubleshoot any issues.

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syrup made with earl gray in a glass jar.

Earl Grey Tea Syrup Recipe

For a touch of that classic black tea flavor and a hint of subtle sweetness in your cocktails and lattes, make this delicious earl grey syrup recipe! It has a subtle bitterness and aromatic citrus flavor that tastes amazing in any beverage or even your baked goods!

5 from 1 vote

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 10

Cooling Time 30

Total Time 45

Course Appetizer, Baking, cocktails

Cuisine American, british, French

Servings ounces

Calories 64 kcal

Equipment

1 Small saucepan
1 Wooden spoon
1 fine-mesh strainer
1 narrow funnel
1 mason jar pint

Ingredients

1 cup cane sugar
1 cup water
2 bags Earl Grey tea, 2 tsp loose leaf tea

Instructions

In a small saucepan, add the sugar, water, and tea.
Turn the stove onto medium heat and stir the mixture occasionally until the sugar crystals dissolve. Turn off the heat.
Allow the sugar mixture to cool at room temperature for 15-30 minutes to allow the tea to infuse more flavor. If using tea bags, remove them at this time.
Place the narrow funnel into the mason jar. If using loose leaf earl grey tea, add the fine mesh strainer to remove any loose tea. Pour the syrup through the strainer and funnel into the jar.
Use as desired.

Notes

The yield for this Earl Grey simple syrup is about 1.5 cups or 12 ounces. The nutritional facts are based on a 1-ounce serving.

Store the leftover syrup in a sealed jar in the fridge for 3-4 weeks.

Consider adding any of the following to your syrup for more flavor:

1 sliced vanilla bean
1-2 TBS dried lavender
The peel of one lemon or orange (no pith)

Feel free to use any type of earl grey tea, including different varieties like lady grey. For loose leaf tea, you’ll need approximately 2 tsp.

Older tea leaves will have less flavor. Either let them infuse for longer or use twice as much. Be sure to taste the syrup occasionally to ensure it isn’t becoming too bitter.