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Last Updated on August 1, 2025 by becky

Learn how to make simple syrup with this easy recipe. Use this basic simple syrup for moistening cakes, making cocktails, or sweetening beverages like coffee, iced tea, and lemonade.

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Why Make This Easy Simple Syrup Recipe?

Simple syrup (just sugar + water, in its, uh, simplest form…) is one of the easiest and most convenient ways to sweeten drinks and desserts. Beverage-wise, you can use it in everything from cocktails, to iced tea and coffee, to homemade lemonade.

This basic sugar solution is equally great for brushing onto cupcakes and cakes to keep them ultra-moist (see my flourless orange almond cake for one example) or for tossing with cut fresh fruit and berries for a sweet fruit salad.

This recipe only takes a few minutes to prepare and lasts for weeks. I pretty much always keep a jar in the fridge!

Recipe Ingredients

To make a basic simple syrup, you’ll need just two ingredients: Water and granulated sugar.

A measuring cup of water and a dish of sugar on a marble surface — Ingredients for making a basic simple syrup

I’ve kept this recipe very simple (just the aforementioned sugar and water) which yields a sweet-but-flavorless syrup.

Once you’ve mastered the basic sugar and water solution, you can try your hand at flavored and infused syrups, like blueberry simple syrup, rhubarb simple syrup, or syrups infused with rose petals or buds of culinary dried lavender.

Jars of rose syrup surrounded by rose petals — My homemade rose simple syrup

How to Make Simple Syrup

Begin by combining granulated sugar and water in a saucepan, then heat it gently on the stovetop until the sugar fully dissolves. Let the mixture simmer briefly, then remove it from the heat and cool completely.

Once cool, the syrup is ready to use and can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three weeks.

For ingredient quantities and step-by-step instructions, scroll down to the recipe card below.

How to Use Simple Syrup

This homemade sweetener can enhance a wide variety of recipes. It blends smoothly into alcoholic beverages (cocktails, mixed drinks) as well as non-alcoholic beverages like coffee, tea, and hot chocolate.

Simple syrup works especially well for chilled beverages like iced tea, iced coffee, and lemonade. Unlike granulated sugar, this sweetener is already in liquid form, so it won’t turn grainy or settle at the bottom of the glass when you stir it into cold liquid.

A glass of homemade lemonade on a yellow tea towel — Homemade lemonade sweetened with simple syrup

It’s also a great addition to breakfast foods, like Greek yogurt or overnight oats. Or, use it to sweeten fruit salads, smoothies, or homemade granitas.

You can also use a pastry brush to apply it to cakes, cupcakes, muffins, and cupcakes, to keep these baked goods extra-moist.

Make-Ahead and Storage Suggestions

Store homemade simple syrup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.

Other simple syrup recipes you might enjoy:

Orange Simple Syrup Recipe
Ginger Syrup Recipe
Rhubarb Simple Syrup Recipe
Lavender Simple Syrup Recipe
Blueberry Simple Syrup Recipe

And if you do make these, or any of my recipes, don’t forget to tag me @bastecutfold or use the hashtag #bastecutfold on Instagram. I always love to see what you’re making!