Lemon Balm Syrup (Lemon Balm Simple Syrup)
Lemony with a mellow herb flavor, this homemade lemon balm syrup is a delicious way to cool down and unwind on a hot day! It’s the secret to the best lemon balm soda and lemonade and is a great addition to your summertime iced teas.
What you’ll love about this recipe:
What is lemon balm?
Melissa officinalis is such a versatile herb! It’s a member of the mint family and has been used traditionally to soothe upset stomachs, help with menstrual cramps, and help people feel calm and rested. It can even be used to help with sleep disorders. Most people consume this delicious herb with lemon balm tea, but this syrup is quite the treat!
Personally, I like to grow this leafy green herb for two reasons: the bright lemony flavor and its soothing properties.
Lemon balm tastes absolutely delicious and is an easy medicinal herb for beginners! You’ll love using this lemon balm syrup recipe to cool down with a chilled beverage on hot summer days!
(P.S. I’m not a doctor or an herbalist. This content is for informational purposes only. Be sure to conduct your own research and ask your health care provider for more information.)
Equipment
To make this tasty syrup, you’ll need a small or medium saucepan, funnel, and a small wire-mesh strainer.
Ingredients
- Fresh lemon balm leaves: This recipe is best with fresh lemon balm leaves, not dried ones. Since the leaves don’t store very well, it’s best to pick them fresh or use them quickly. Wash and dry them before using them to remove any bugs or pollen.
- Sugar: Use regular organic cane sugar as the sweetener.
- Water: To make a simple syrup, you’ll need equal parts water and sugar.
How to Make Lemon Balm Syrup
1. Rinse and dry the lemon balm leaves. Remove the leaves from the stem.
2. Add all of the ingredients to a small saucepan and heat over medium-high heat.
3. Once the sugar crystals dissolve, remove the pan from the heat and let the leaves steep for 30 minutes to an hour for a stronger lemon balm flavor.
4. Add the funnel and strainer to a glass jar and pour liquid through the strainer to sieve the leaves out of the hot syrup.
5. Use the lemon balm simple syrup as desired or store the leftover syrup in the fridge for 2-3 weeks.
Storing
Store your leftover syrup in an airtight container, like a canning jar for easy storage. It should be kept in the fridge to keep it fresh and will last several weeks.
How to Use Lemon Balm Syrup
Once you have a bunch of lemon balm simple syrup, you can use it in a variety of ways!
- Make a lemon balm soda
- Mix it with lemon juice and water for a lemon balm lemonade
- Add it to your favorite alcoholic drinks (try it with vodka with lemon and mint!)
- Brush it over freshly baked cakes to lock in the moisture
Tips & Variations
- Scale this recipe up or down using the 1x, 2x, and 3x tool in the recipe card. Simple syrups are always a 1:1 ratio of sugar to water, so it’s easy to adapt as needed.
- Lemon balm tastes wonderful with mint since the two plants are related. Try serving your lemon balm syrup with a little mint for an even more refreshing beverage.
- To keep your lemon balm plant happy, trim down just above the next set of leaves. This will allow the plant to keep growing and producing lots of leaves for future recipes!
How to Make Lemon Balm Soda
Once you’ve made your lemon balm syrup, you’re ready to make lemon balm soda! This is such a refreshing beverage on a hot day and you can add however much syrup you’d like.
- Fill a small glass with ice.
- Measure out 5 ounces of sparkling water and top with 1 oz of lemon balm syrup.
- Stir and garnish with a lemon slice, fresh mint, or fresh lemon balm leaves.
Note: The typical ratio of syrup to sparkling water for homemade sodas is 5:1, so you’ll need 1 ounce of syrup to every 5 ounces of sparkling water. This is just a suggestion; feel free to use however much syrup you’d like!
FAQs
Absolutely! You can use honey or maple syrup instead of cane sugar, however, you’ll want to be cautious not to over-heat the honey. It’s best to stir the sweetener to taste into hot water, then let the lemon balm leaves steep. I haven’t tried this to be able to offer ratios, but you can always add more water if you make it too sweet. If you try this, let me know how it goes!
Yes! Fresh lemon balm tastes delicious in homemade simple syrup. It has a lemony flavor that tastes great in cocktails or served over sparkling water. You’ll just need some water, sugar, and fresh lemon balm leaves.
If you’re lucky enough to have fresh lemon balm, the leaves can be used to make the best tea and this delicious lemon balm syrup. You can also dry the leaves with a dehydrator, in the oven, or by air drying to use them in a variety of recipes later.
Related Recipes
If you love infusing herbs and making your own simple syrups, don’t miss these delicious recipes!
- Jalapeno Simple Syrup
- Blackberry Simple Syrup
- Cardamom Simple Syrup
- Blueberry Simple Syrup
- Brown Sugar Simple Syrup
- Earl Grey Syrup
Lemon Balm Syrup
Equipment
- 1 half pint mason jar
- 1 small funnel
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup cane sugar
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon balm leaves, washed and dried
Instructions
- Rinse and dry the lemon balm leaves. Remove the leaves from the stem.
- Add all of the ingredients to a small saucepan and heat over medium-high heat.
- Once the sugar crystals dissolve, remove the pan from the heat and let the leaves steep for 30 minutes to an hour for a stronger lemon balm flavor.
- Add the funnel and strainer to a glass jar and pour liquid through the strainer to sieve the leaves out of the hot syrup.
- Use the lemon balm simple syrup as desired or store the leftover syrup in the fridge for 2-3 weeks.
Notes
- Scale this recipe up or down using the 1x, 2x, and 3x feature in the recipe card. Simple syrups are always a 1:1 ratio of sugar to water, so it’s easy to adapt as needed.
- Lemon balm tastes wonderful with mint since the two plants are related. Try serving your lemon balm syrup with a little mint for an even more refreshing beverage.
- To keep your lemon balm plant happy, trim down just above the next set of leaves. This will allow the plant to keep growing and producing lots of leaves for future recipes!
Nutrition
Did you get a chance to try this lemon balm syrup? What’d you think? Leave a comment below or add a rating to the recipe card!
