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This homemade rosemary simple syrup recipe is easy to make and a great addition to many cocktails and mocktails.
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Made with simple ingredients readily available at the grocery store, creating your own simple syrup is a great way to add sweetness to cocktail recipes, mocktail recipes and other cold drinks. This rosemary syrup will add an earthy and herbal flavor to your favorite cocktail.
Classic simple syrup is equal parts water and sugar. Infusing that mixture with fresh herbs is an easy way to create a delicious syrup in a variety of flavors for both hot drinks and cold drinks. Add it to your favorite rosemary cocktails, use it as a delicious way to sweeten iced tea or hot tea, or combine it with lemon juice and water for homemade rosemary lemonade.
Using a liquid form of sugar - like a simple syrup - is the best way to sweeten cold drinks since you don’t have to worry about trying to dissolve the sugar into a cold beverage. Using a liquid sweetener also means the sugar won’t cause any grittiness in your drink.
What's in Rosemary Syrup
- White sugar - Either beet sugar or cane sugar will work well here. Both will add sweetness without changing the flavor of the syrup.
- Water - Filtered water is best to ensure no other flavors sneak in.
- Sprigs of Fresh Rosemary - Stick to fresh rosemary found in the produce section of your grocery store for this recipe. It has the best and most potent flavor.
How to Make Rosemary Simple Syrup
In a small saucepan, bring water to a boil over medium heat. Add sugar and stir until sugar dissolves.
Add fresh rosemary sprigs to the syrup. Remove from heat, set aside and allow the mixture to cool to room temperature.
Once it’s cooled, remove the rosemary from the syrup with a fork or pour through a fine mesh strainer.
Discard the rosemary. Pour the cooled syrup into an airtight container and refrigerate.
When kept in the refrigerator, the syrup will keep for 2 weeks.
Enjoy!
Recipe Tips
- For stronger rosemary flavor, leave the sprig of rosemary in the syrup longer. This will cause the syrup to spoil faster, so I do recommend removing the rosemary after 24 hours.
- Chill your syrup completely before using. Shaking your cocktail with warm or room temperature syrup will cause the ice in the cocktail shaker to melt too quickly, resulting in a watered-down drink.
- To make a thicker syrup, continue cooking the syrup for 5-10 additional minutes before removing from heat. Watch it carefully so it doesn't boil over!
What to Make with Rosemary Simple Syrup
Rosemary syrup is delicious in lots of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. Pair it with lemonade or grapefruit juice, or use your homemade syrup in these Cranberry Gin Cocktails or Ginger Pear Holiday Mocktails.
Frequently Asked Questions
When kept refrigerated, rosemary simple syrup will keep for at least 2 weeks, and up to 1 month. Toss it if you notice any changes in the syrup's color or if it starts to look cloudy.
While I don’t recommend it, I’ve had people successfully use dried rosemary leaves in this recipe. If you decide to try this, add the dried rosemary in with the sugar to give it more time to soften and steep in the syrup. Once the syrup has reached room temperature, remove the dried rosemary with a small, wire-mesh strainer.
Yes. Storing your syrup in the refrigerator helps it last longer and keeps it from growing bacteria. Plus you should always use cold syrups in your drinks to keep the ice from melting too fast in your cocktail.
Don’t Miss These Flavored Simple Syrup Recipes
Simple syrup is one of the easiest and simplest ways to change up the flavors in your favorite cocktails and mocktails. Make a delicious flavored soda by combining club soda or sparkling water with Apple Cider Syrup or Cranberry Orange Simple Syrup. Or swap out the plain simple syrup in a drink like the classic margarita for strawberry syrup or blackberry syrup.
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Homemade Rosemary Simple Syrup
Ingredients
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 2 inch pieces fresh rosemary
Instructions
- Bring water to a boil. Add sugar and stir until sugar has dissolved.
- Add fresh rosemary to the syrup. Remove from heat, set aside and allow the mixture to cool to room temperature.
- Once it’s cooled, remove the rosemary from the syrup with a fork.
- Discard the rosemary. Pour the syrup into an airtight container and refrigerate.
- When kept in the refrigerator, the syrup will keep for 2 weeks.
- Enjoy!
Jen says
absolutely tasty!
Katy McAvoy says
So glad you liked it!