Make your own berry simple syrup in under 15 minutes with only 3 ingredients - sugar, water, and berries! Delicious in cocktails, mocktails, or tea.
Berry simple syrup is a staple in our fridge. It is a quick addition for a cocktail, mocktail, or tea, plus it levels up salad dressings! It is so easy and fast to make, lasts up to a month in the fridge and up to 6 months in the freezer.
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What is berry simple syrup?
For more information on simple syrups see our Basic Simple Syrup post.
Plain Basic Simple Syrup is basically a liquid sweetener used in the culinary and mixology world. It is a combination of sugar and water that is heated until the sugar is dissolved. It is easier to measure, distributes more evenly, and incorporates into cold beverages much better than sugar crystals.
So, a berry simple syrup is created by boiling sugar, water, and berries together until the sugar is dissolved and the berries are soft and have released their juice. This recipe is for a basic berry simple syrup which means the ratio of sugar to water is 1:1. If you want a more viscous syrup (like for pancakes) you can make a rich berry simple syrup which uses a sugar to water ratio of 2:1.
Ingredients
See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and quantities.
This recipe calls for sugar, water, and berries - that's it! We used fresh blackberries but also love this with raspberries, strawberries, and marionberries. If fresh berries aren't in season, frozen works just fine!
How to make a fruit simple syrup
Homemade simple syrups are SO EASY to make. Start by adding the sugar and berries to a heavy duty sauce pan and pour in the water (image 1). Stir until the sugar is not sticking to the bottom of the pan (image 2).
Place the sauce pan on the stovetop and heat until the mixture is boiling (image 3). Boil until the sugar is all dissolved, reduce heat and simmer for an additional 5-6 minutes until the fruit is soft and releases its juice into the syrup (image 4). The syrup will be a little thicker than when you started with just the water.
Remove the pot from the stovetop and place a fine mesh strainer over a large bowl or measuring cup to strain the fruit from the syrup (image 5). Press the berries down with a spoon to capture additional juice. Set aside to cool (image 6) before pouring into a clean airtight container for storage.
How to store infused simple syrup
This homemade simple syrup with fruit will last for at least a week in the refrigerator if placed in a clean, airtight container. NOTE: Ours has lasted for up to 2 months and it has been fine. However, since it does have fruit juice, keep an eye on it and throw it away if it shows any sign of going bad (sour smell, mold, sediment in the bottom, etc.). It also freezes great and will last up to 6 months in a freezer-friendly airtight container.
Substitutions and additions
We like to use fresh berries when in season, but frozen works just as good. Use any berry you like to eat or mix them together for a mixed berry syrup. We've made this with blackberries, marionberries, strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries. It would also be good with peaches, nectarines, plums, or cherries. Follow the same process and just strain out the fruit before storing.
This would also be good with a hint of fresh herbs. Try some mint, rosemary, thyme, or basil. Place fresh herb sprig in the sauce pan while cooking the simple syrup and then strain out with the fruit.
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Some common FAQs
No. Use white sugar, demerara sugar, or brown sugar. The demerara and brown sugar will give a more caramelly flavor than the white sugar but will still be good.
Yes! Strain the fruit out first, but the berry-infused simple syrup freezes great. We make a batch and keep some in the fridge and some in the freezer. Once it's gone, we make more. That way we always have some ready to go for drinks.
Berries work great; blackberries, strawberries, raspberries, marionberries. Peaches, nectarines, plums, and cherries are good to use. Watermelon and rhubarb also work for a simple syrup.
While the sugar may appear dissolved, we find there's a chance it's not fully there yet. Extending the boiling time a few extra minutes helps ensure it is completely dissolved, leaving us a smooth solution.
📖 Recipe
Berry Simple Syrup
- Total Time: 14 minutes
- Yield: 1 ½ cups
Description
Homemade berry-infused simple syrups are a breeze to make, ready in under 15 minutes, and only need 3 ingredients! Whether in cocktails, mocktails, tea, or coffee, this berry simple syrup will take your drinks to the next level.
Ingredients
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup water
- 2 cups fresh berries (strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, marionberries,) about 10 ounces, fresh or frozen
Instructions
- Combine sugar, water, and berries in a medium saucepan.
- Heat on medium-high heat until mixture is boiling and sugar is dissolved.
- Reduce heat and continue to gently simmer for another 5-6 minutes until fruit is soft and easily mashed with the back of a spoon.
- Remove from heat and strain through a mesh strainer.
- Cool the strained liquid and pour into jars.
- Seal tight and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week or freeze until needed.
Notes
Dissolving sugar. When the sugar first appears dissolved after boiling, we find there's a chance it's not fully there yet. Extending the boiling time a few extra minutes helps ensure it's completely dissolved, leaving us a smooth solution. However, boiling for an extended period of time will boil the water away which we don't want.
Fruit. Use any fresh or frozen berries, peaches, nectarines, or cherries for simple syrup.
Additions. Add some fresh herbs while cooking the syrup for more depth of flavor. Mint, thyme, or basil are all good.
Storing. While simple syrup will last months in the fridge, since this has fruit in it, we recommend using it within a week. However, if it is stored properly (sanitized, airtight containers) it will last up to a month in the fridge. Store up to 6 months in the freezer.
- Prep Time: 2 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Drinks & Cocktails
- Method: Cook
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 tablespoon
- Calories: 37
- Sugar: 8.9 g
- Sodium: 0.6 mg
- Fat: 0.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 9.5 g
- Protein: 0.2 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Rhonda says
This has become one of my summer staples for mixing up cocktails and mocktails. I've served to guests and they love it! I've made it with both fresh and frozen berries and it works great with both. I'm always sad when I run out, but thankfully, it's easy to make more!
Rhonda says
It is SO easy to make - thanks for letting us know how much you love this recipe!