Sometimes, what’s missing in a cocktail is just a little bit of sugar.
There is often a misconception that sugar is only used to make drinks sweet. Sugar plays an important role in cocktail making - it can help create balance, change textures, and introduce new flavors to drinks.
While there are some cocktails that can be made with just straight-up, undissolved sugar like the Caipirinha, typically we use a liquid form of sugar, simple syrup, in cocktails. Using a simple syrup ensures the sugar is distributed evenly throughout the cocktail and not just sitting at the bottom. You’ve probably seen simple syrup at the store but why pay money for something you can easily make at home?
To make your own basic simple syrup, all you need syrup is sugar and water.
The process is easy. You combine sugar and water at a 1:1 ratio in a saucepan over some heat. Then, you just stir until the sugar dissolves. You can also make a rich simple syrup, which is a 2:1 ratio of sugar and water. A rich simple syrup is more concentrated in terms of sweetness and is thicker than the standard simple syrup so it can be used to add more of a silky texture to the cocktail.
Not only is making your own syrups easy but it also gives you full creative control. You can make all different kinds. Want a mint syrup? Throw in some mint while you dissolve the sugar. Want a honey syrup? Swap out the regular sugar for honey.
Simple Syrup Recipes
I put together a lil’ list of syrups that could be useful for making many classic and modern cocktails at home. Syrups usually last for about 2 weeks or so in the fridge. You can extend the life of them a little bit by adding a tiny bit of vodka. I usually keep my syrups in little mason jars like these.
Simple Syrup
Just a basic syrup. Probably the most common one you’ll see in cocktail recipes. It’s the most neutral syrup you can use, which is important to know if you don’t want the flavor of the sugar to affect the taste of the cocktail.
- 1 part water
- 1 part white granulated sugar
Combine water and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved. Turn off heat, let cool then transfer to a sealable container and store in the fridge.
Rich Simple Syrup
As I mentioned earlier, rich simple syrup is more concentrated syrup in terms of sweetness. So, you could use less of it to get the same level of sweetness as the regular simple syrup. Also, it lasts a little longer in the fridge.
- 1 part water
- 2 part white granulated sugar
Combine water and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved. Turn off heat, let cool then transfer to a sealable container and store in the fridge.
Demerara Syrup
Demerara sugar is an unrefined sugar that’s kind of a pale amber color. It has more depth than your standard white sugar. Kind of has a toffee-like flavor to it. Works great in cocktails with darker spirits like bourbon and aged rum such as the Old Fashioned.
- 1 part water
- 1 part demerara raw sugar
Combine water and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved. Turn off heat, let cool then transfer to a sealable container and store in the fridge.
Ginger Syrup (one cup)
- 1 cup boiling water
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup of ginger root, roughly chopped.
Combine boiling water, sugar, and chopped ginger in a blender and blend until you have a smooth puree. Strain the puree through a fine-mesh strainer or cheesecloth into a sealable container and store it in the fridge.
Honey Syrup
- 1 part water
- 1 part honey
Combine sugar and honey in a saucepan over medium heat until the honey is dissolved. Turn off heat, let cool then transfer to a sealable container and store in the fridge.
Cinnamon Syrup (one cup)
- 1 cup of water
- 1 cup of sugar
- 3-6 cinnamon sticks (depending on the size)
- (optional) other flavorings like vanilla, cardamom, allspice, star anise, etc.
Combine all ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves then simmer the mixture for about 5 minutes. Cover the pan, remove from heat then let the cinnamon steep for a least 30 minutes. The longer you steep, the stronger the flavor will be so make sure you taste it. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer or cheesecloth into a sealable container and store in the fridge.