Homemade Hazelnut Simple Syrup
This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission for purchases made through the links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Read my full disclosure.
This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Read my full disclosure.
This homemade hazelnut simple syrup recipe packs way more of a punch than the bottled stuff at the store and is the ideal sweetener for your favorite coffee drinks. It’s made with real hazelnuts toasted to add a little roasted flavor you’ll be thinking about long after the cup is empty!
Don’t you just love the taste of hazelnuts? Their unique flavor pairs wonderfully with coffee and chocolate, and this versatile simple syrup will quickly become a new favorite to add to your morning coffee.
Don’t stop there, though! The sweetened nuts taste heavenly spooned over vanilla ice cream or folded into hazelnut whipped cream, too!
Love hazelnuts? Make this Hazelnut Butter Recipe to slather on your toast, English muffins, and more!
Why you’ll love this hazelnut coffee syrup
- Made with simple ingredients – You just need 3 basic ingredients: water, sugar, and hazelnuts. To make this easy recipe even easier, use hazelnut extract and skip the toasting the whole nuts completely!
- Real hazelnut flavor – There’s nothing artificial about this recipe. You steep real hazelnuts in a sugar syrup mixture and let the syrup extract the nutty taste. It’s way better than the bottled stuff from the store!
- Great for brunch and entertaining – If you’re having friends over for a weekend brunch, make a trio of different simple syrups for them to sweeten their iced coffees or lattes. Serve this hazelnut syrup, my vanilla simple syrup, and brown sugar simple syrup for a fun serve-yourself drinks station.
Equipment
To make your own hazelnut syrup, you’ll need:
- Small saucepan
- Baking tray and parchment paper
- Cutting board and knife
- Funnel (optional)
- Fine mesh sieve
- Glass bottle or mason jar
Ingredients
- Cane sugar – Stick with regular white sugar to let the hazelnut flavor shine.
- Water
- Hazelnuts – You can either use whole hazelnuts or sliced hazelnuts, but I recommend using raw hazelnuts and roasting them yourself.
- Hazelnut extract (optional) – This will add an extra burst of nutty flavor to stand out against the bitterness of coffee. I make my own hazelnut extract, otherwise it can hard to find. Another option is to use a small splash of almond extract which will play up the nutty flavor without taking over.
How to Make Hazelnut Simple Syrup
1. Preheat the oven at 300 F. Line a sheet pan or baking dish with parchment paper and sprinkle the hazelnuts over the surface.
2. Place the hazelnuts in the oven and toast for 10-15 minutes until you start to notice the scent of hazelnuts coming from the oven.
3. Transfer the hazelnuts to a cutting board and chop into small pieces.
4. Place the sugar, water, and chopped hazelnuts into a medium saucepan and set over medium heat. Allow the mixture to simmer for 20-30 minutes and stir frequently. Be careful not to let the temperature get too high.
5. Remove the mixture from the heat and allow it to cool down for 10-15 minutes. Stir in homemade hazelnut extract (optional).
6. Place the funnel into your glass bottle and set the strainer on top. Strain out the hazelnut pieces and store the mixture in the fridge until needed.
Storing Suggestions
This homemade hazelnut syrup should be stored in an airtight container or bottle in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. It is not safe to store at room temperature.
Tips & Variations
- Make hazelnut syrup with extract. The amount of actual hazelnuts used in this recipe is quite a lot, which makes it a little pricey. Another option is to make the simple syrup like normal, then add 1-2 teaspoons of natural hazelnut extract after you remove the homemade syrup from the heat. It won’t have quite the same richness, but it’ll be way cheaper and faster to make!
- Add a little vanilla extract. After you remove the syrup from the heat, add a teaspoon of vanilla extract for a hazelnut vanilla flavor.
- Save the simmered hazelnuts. Once you’re done with the syrup, keep those strained hazelnuts to add to ice cream, yogurt, whipped cream, and more. They taste similar to baklava and are so good!
- Add a pinch of sea salt. That salty-sweet combination will make the hazelnut flavor pop!
- Be patient. At first, the syrup will only have a hint of hazelnut flavor. Once you let the syrup cool to room temperature and strain out the nuts, it will take on a much stronger flavor.
- Peel or don’t. The hazelnut skins will give the syrup a darker color, but they won’t harm the flavor in any way. You don’t have to fuss with removing the skins from the roasted hazelnuts, which will also speed up the process.
How to Use Hazelnut Simple Syrup
Like any simple syrup, this recipe is intended to sweeten drinks and cocktails. But that real hazelnut flavor tastes great in more than just your favorite coffee!
- Stir into hot or iced coffee
- Add hazelnut flavor to homemade hot chocolate
- Drizzle over ice cream or yogurt
- Whip into homemade whipped cream for a hazelnut flavor
- Sweeten your hot cocoa
- Make a hazelnut martini
FAQs
When I first made this recipe, I was disappointed by how many hazelnuts were left over. I didn’t want to toss an entire cup of hazelnuts in the trash. Fortunately, the sweetened hazelnut pieces are absolutely delicious and taste similar to baklava on their own. Store them in the fridge and serve them over yogurt or ice cream for a special treat! You can likely toast them to remove the extra moisture, but I have not tried that process yet.
I didn’t, and I had no issues with the flavor or texture of the syrup. I don’t think it’s worth the effort for this recipe.
Yes, but you’ll need a high-quality hazelnut extract. You can either make your own following my recipe (coming soon), or purchase a good quality extract from a reputable source.
Related Recipes
I love making my own coffee syrups and have lots of infused syrup recipes to choose from! These are some of my favorites:
- Earl Grey Simple Syrup
- Cardamom Simple Syrup
- Vanilla Simple Syrup
- Brown Sugar Simple Syrup
- Demerara Simple Syrup
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.
Want more seasonal recipes? Subscribe for email updates or follow Milk Glass Home & Kitchen on social media. Join my Facebook Group Seasonal Slow Living to become part of the community!
Homemade Hazelnut Simple Syrup
Equipment
- Baking tray and parchment paper
- Cutting board and knife
- Funnel (optional)
- Decorative glass bottle or mason jar
Ingredients
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup whole hazelnuts
- 1 tsp hazelnut extract, or almond extract; optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven at 300 F. Line a sheet pan or baking dish with parchment paper and sprinkle the hazelnuts over the surface.
- Place the hazelnuts in the oven and toast for 10-15 minutes until you start to notice the scent of hazelnuts coming from the oven.
- Transfer the hazelnuts to a cutting board and chop into small pieces.
- Place the sugar, water, and chopped hazelnuts into a medium saucepan and set over medium heat. Allow the mixture to simmer for 20-30 minutes and stir frequently. Be careful not to let the temperature get too high.
- Remove the mixture from the heat and allow it to cool down for 10-15 minutes. Stir in homemade hazelnut extract (optional).
- Place the funnel into your glass bottle and set the strainer on top. Strain out the hazelnut pieces and store the mixture in the fridge until needed.
Notes
Nutrition
Pin this recipe for later!
