Super Easy Homemade Lavender Simple Syrup Recipe
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This homemade lavender simple syrup recipe is the easiest way to add a sweet, floral flavor to your favorite lattes, lemonades, sodas, desserts, and so much more! Don’t bother wasting your money on store-bought stuff – it doesn’t come close!
I’m a lavender fiend – there, I said it. There are so many lavender recipes on the blog because I love its floral flavor! It always reminds me of Parma Violets, which were one of my favorite candies as a kid.
Plus, this lavender syrup recipe is just so versatile. It starts with a basic simple syrup recipe, then adds dried lavender flowers for a really fresh, floral note. Make lavender coffee, lavender lemonade, and so much more. You’ll find plenty of uses for it on your own!
Want more lavender recipes? Try this lavender honey syrup (similar but different to this recipe), my lavender liqueur recipe, lavender infused sugar, and so much more!
Why you’ll love this lavender simple syrup recipe
- So easy to make – If you can add three simple ingredients to a pan and use a strainer, you can make this recipe. It’s really not much more complicated than that!
- Versatile ingredient – Although I usually use this syrup to add a floral twist to my favorite drinks, it’s also wonderful brushed onto freshly baked cakes, drizzled over ice cream and more. Get creative with it! Since the sugar is already dissolved, it can easily be added to cold drinks without having to worry about a sugary mess at the bottom of the glass.
- Great for summertime entertaining – You can easily make a regular simple syrup with just sugar and water, but the dried lavender buds add an extra flavor that really complements so many other ingredients. Use it to make a blueberry lavender lemonade, lavender lemon cocktail, and so much more.
Equipment
To make this homemade lavender simple syrup, you’ll need:
- Medium saucepan
- Fine mesh strainer
- Narrow funnel
- Airtight container or glass bottle (I like these fancy glass syrup bottles for entertaining or, you know, sharing with you on the internet)
Ingredients
- Granulated sugar – Keep it simple and use regular white sugar. Brown sugar has too rich of a flavor and hides the delicate floral notes.
- Water – Always use equal parts water and sugar for simple syrup.
- Dried lavender buds – Be sure to use culinary lavender buds to avoid a soapy flavor. You can also use fresh lavender flowers if you’d like!
How to Make Lavender Simple Syrup Recipe
- Place the water, sugar, and lavender buds in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat.
- Stir occasionally until the sugar dissolves. Then, turn off the heat and allow the syrup to cool to room temperature (approximately 1 hour).
- Place a narrow funnel into your glass bottle, then set the fine mesh strainer on top. Pour the lavender mixture through the strainer to remove any flower buds.
- Seal the jar and store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Use however you’d like!
Storing Suggestions
Homemade syrups should always be stored in the refrigerator for maximum freshness. This lavender syrup recipe will last approximately 1-2 weeks.
How to Use Homemade Lavender Syrup
This easy recipe can be used in so many different ways! One batch will make over a cup of syrup, so you can easily try it several different ways.
- Make a homemade lavender soda
- Sweeten a lavender martini
- Stir into a London Fog or Lavender Latte
- Sweeten your favorite iced tea
- Make a refreshing lavender lemonade
- Drizzle over fruit salad for extra sweetness
- Spoon over vanilla ice cream for a lovely floral flavor
Tips & Variations
- Adjust the strength. I find that 3 tablespoons are just the right amount of lavender for a strong lavender flavor without tasting like soap. Feel free to use more or less to your taste.
- Use fresh flowers. The general rule of thumb is to use twice as much when you’re using fresh flowers.
- Add citrus. I love the combination of lavender and lemon! Add the zest of one lemon to the homemade simple syrup for a summery flavor.
- Preserve the harvest. If you have your own lavender plant in your backyard, you can either use the fresh lavender flowers or dry them to make this syrup all year long!
FAQs
Lavender is a delicate ingredient to work with. If you overheat it or let it cook too long, it can take on an unpleasant, bitter flavor. You also want to make sure you aren’t using too much lavender. Start with 3 tablespoons for a basic batch.
That’s entirely up to you! If you’re entertaining, it can be fun to add purple coloring to the syrup. This will add a purple hue to your favorite cocktails and more. Personally, I do not use any food dye because we generally try to stay away from food dyes. There are naturally-sourced food dyes that can work, too, although they don’t tend to have the same punch of color.
This recipe calls for a classic simple syrup, which means it has the same amount of water and sugar. If you prefer a thicker syrup, you actually want to make a rich syrup, which uses twice as much sugar as water. This means you’ll need 2 cups of sugar per 1 cup of water. The nice thing about this thick simple syrup is that you need less to sweeten a drink and it pours wonderfully over ice cream and other sweet treats!
Related Recipes
- Homemade Lavender Extract
- Lavender Lemonade Cocktail
- Lavender Infused Honey
- Lemon Lavender Muffins
- Chamomile Simple Syrup
- Cardamom Simple Syrup
Easy Lavender Simple Syrup Recipe
Equipment
- Medium saucepan
Ingredients
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup water
- 3 tbsp dried lavender buds, (feel free to adjust)
Instructions
- Place the water, sugar, and lavender buds in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat.
- Stir occasionally until the sugar dissolves. Then, turn off the heat and allow the syrup to cool to room temperature (approximately 1 hour).
- Place a narrow funnel into your glass bottle, then set the fine mesh strainer on top. Pour the lavender mixture through the strainer to remove any flower buds.
- Seal the jar and store in the fridge for up to 1 week. Use however you’d like!
