This demerara simple syrup gets a hint of caramel flavor from the demerara sugar, making it an excellent addition to whiskey cocktails or coffee drinks. Ready in under 15 minutes!
This demerara syrup recipe is incredibly easy to make and store and can last for months in the refrigerator or freezer. It adds a rich flavor to cocktails (especially whiskey-based ones like an Old Fashioned or Whiskey Sour), mocktails, coffee, tea, and dressings.
Jump to:
What is simple syrup?
When sugar and water are heated until the sugar is dissolved you end up with, basically, a liquid sweetener, also known as Simple Syrup. It's easier to measure, distributes more evenly, and incorporates into cold beverages much better than sugar crystals making it a staple for the mixology and culinary world.
Two common types of simple syrups differ in their sugar to water ratio. A basic simple syrup uses a 1:1 ratio, while a rich simple syrup has a 2:1 ratio. Both types are excellent in cocktails, mocktails, iced tea, lemonades, coffee, and desserts.
What is demerara simple syrup?
Demerara simple syrup is just a simple syrup that uses demerara sugar instead of white, granulated sugar. This demerara syrup recipe has a ratio of 1:1 making it a basic simple syrup. If you want a more viscous, sweeter syrup you can make a rich demerara syrup using a sugar to water ratio of 2:1.
For more information on simple syrups, including more about rich vs. basic simple syrups, see our Basic Simple Syrup post .
Ingredients
See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and quantities.
Demerara simple syrup is made with just two ingredients: water and demerara sugar. That's it! This recipe is for a basic syrup using a sugar to water ratio of 1:1. To create a rich demerara syrup, simply adjust the ratio to 2:1.
A note about demerara sugar. Demerara sugar is extracted from sugar cane while white, granulated sugar (like brown sugar) can be made from sugar cane or sugar beets. Demerara sugar undergoes less processing than white and brown sugar, retaining traces of molasses. The molasses in the demerara sugar gives a subtle caramel flavor when used.
Demerara sugar vs. Turbinado sugar vs. Brown sugar
These sugars all appear similar and are classified as types of brown sugar, yet each has distinctive differences.
Demerara sugar, made from sugar cane, has the largest crystals of these three sugars with a subtle caramel flavor due to the molasses retained during processing.
Turbinado sugar, also made from sugar cane, has a slightly smaller crystal than demerara with a hint of honey flavor. Sugar In The Raw is a brand of turbinado sugar.
Brown sugar can be made from either sugar beets or sugar cane, has the smallest crystals of these three, and is more processed than demerara sugar or turbinado sugar.
How to make demerara simple syrup
Remember how we said making simple syrup was easy? Well, it is super simple! Yes, we went there - simple syrup is simple to make! First, add your demerara sugar and water to a saucepan.
Give it a quick stir and place the saucepan over medium-high heat on the stovetop.
Heat until the mixture is boiling and the sugar has dissolved. You don't need to stir constantly, just give it a few stirs periodically. Continue simmering after it boils for an additional 2-3 minutes ensuring all the sugar is dissolved.
Remove the saucepan from the heat and let the demerara simple syrup cool. Pour cooled simple syrup into an airtight container and store in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Benefits of using simple syrup instead of plain sugar
Simple syrups are easy to measure and dissolve effortlessly in cold drinks like cocktails and iced tea, ensuring even distribution off sweetness without any gritty sugar crystals.
How to cool simple syrup
- Allow the syrup to cool in the pan, on the countertop for approximately an hour. Transfer the cooled syrup to your storage container and place in the fridge or freezer.
- To speed up the cooling process, carefully pour the hot syrup into a non-glass container and place the lower half of the container into a water bath until cool. NOTE: Avoid using glass containers when cooling in a water bath, as the temperature difference between the hot syrup and the ice may cause the glass to crack.
- Alternatively, you can place the saucepan into an ice bath. Keep in mind this method will take longer than transferring to a new container since the pan is already hot and will warm up the ice bath faster.
How to store homemade demerara simple syrup
Store homemade demerara simple syrup in a clean, airtight container like these swing top bottles. It will last at least a month in the refrigerator (we find it can last up to 4 months with no problems) and freezes great for up to 6 months.
Substitutions for demerara sugar
Using a white, granulated sugar makes this a plain basic simple syrup. Substitute turbinado sugar for an equally delicious simple syrup, it'll just have a little different flavor. While you can use brown sugar instead of demerara sugar, it won't have the same delicious, caramel flavor we expect in a demerara sugar syrup.
Try these other simple syrup recipes
Some common FAQs
Simple syrups freeze great! Place in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Demerara sugar is a type of brown sugar, but it differs from the common brown sugar we're used to. Demerara sugar is made from only cane sugar and has large crystals. It undergoes less processing than brown sugar and retains some of the molasses giving it a subtle caramel flavor. In contrast, brown sugar can be made from either sugar beets or sugar cane, has fine crystals, and is more processed.
While the sugar appears dissolved, we've found that there's a chance it's not fully there yet. Extending the boiling time a few additional minutes helps ensure it's completely dissolved, preventing a grainy solution and potential re-crystalization once it cools.
Yes. The longer you boil the mixture the more water dissolves leaving a thicker syrup. This is fine up to a point, but if you boil off too much water you'll have a burnt sugar mess.
📖 Recipe
Demerara Simple Syrup
- Total Time: 12 minutes
- Yield: 1 ¼ cups 1x
Description
This demerara simple syrup gets a hint of caramel flavor from the demerara sugar, making it an excellent addition to cocktails, mocktails, coffee, and tea. Ready in under 15 minutes!
Ingredients
- 1 cup demerara sugar
- 1 cup water
Instructions
- Combine demerara sugar and water in a medium saucepan.
- Heat on medium-high heat until boiling and sugar is dissolved, about 5 minutes.
- Reduce heat to medium-low and continue to gently simmer for another 2-3 minutes.
- Remove from heat, cool, and pour into airtight containers.
- Seal tight and store in refrigerator until needed.
Notes
Substitutions. Instead of demerara sugar use turbinado sugar for less hint of caramel or turn into a plain simple syrup by using white, granulated sugar.
Dissolving sugar. Boil until the sugar dissolves and then simmer for a few minutes after that to ensure the sugar is completely dissolved. Boiling for an extended period of time will boil the water away which we don't want.
Store demerara simple syrup in clean, airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to a month or the freezer for up to 6 months.
- Prep Time: 2 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Drinks & Cocktails
- Method: Cooking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 ounce
- Calories: 77
- Sugar: 20 g
- Sodium: 1.1 mg
- Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Protein: 0 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Comments
No Comments