Homemade Lavender Simple Syrup Recipe for Coffee and Cocktails
Lavender syrup is a delightful sweetener that’s wonderful for your pancakes, coffee, cocktails, mocktails and even salad.
The recipe below is my go-to homemade lavender syrup recipe, made by infusing dried lavender buds with syrup. It takes about an hour with just 3 ingredients and is so much better than the store-bought lavender simple syrup.
It certainly is so soothing and floral, you’ll want to use it on everything.
And, if you are a fan of syrups, be sure to explore my simple syrup and ginger syrup recipes.
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Ingredients for lavender syrup
Equipment
No special equipment is needed for this recipe other than a strainer.
What does lavender syrup taste like
By steeping the buds, this lavender syrup has a pleasant, floral taste with mild, spicy hints of citrus and rosemary. If the buds are boiled with the syrup, it may have a slightly bitter taste. That’s why I use this recipe when making my lavender syrup.
The flavor is softer and less perfume-y than you might expect. It’s more like a floral honey than a bar of lavender soap. It’s sweet without being overt, and the citrus and rosemary notes keep it from feeling one-dimensional. If your syrup ever tastes soapy or medicinal, it’s usually because the lavender was boiled rather than steeped, or because the lavender wasn’t culinary-grade.
How to make lavender syrup with dried lavender
Make simple syrup
I placed a small saucepan on medium heat, poured in the water and then added the sugar.
I stirred ever so often until the sugar dissolved. When the syrup started to boil, I dropped the heat to low and allowed it to simmer for 5 minutes.
Steep the lavender
Once the 5 minutes were up, I added in the lavender buds and turned off the heat and removed the pot from the stove.
I covered the pot and left everything to steep for about an hour. The color is not overly distinct but there is a slight pink-purple color.
Strain
All that’s left is to strain the syrup to remove the flower buds. That’s it! You can use the diy lavender syrup right away in your coffee, cocktails and mocktails. Or you can pour into a sanitized container and allow it to cool completely before refrigerating.
It can last for about 2 weeks in the fridge.
Lavender syrup uses
With the lavender syrup, you can use it to make a bunch of great recipes:
- coffee and lattes: most people use lavender syrup for coffee. Stir in a teaspoon or two in hot or iced coffee for a soothing drink. It’s also great for drizzling over lattes.
- cocktails: you can also use lavender syrup for cocktails. It works well with gin, vodka and white rum. It’s subtle and divine and perfect for girls night or when you are hosting friends.
- mocktails and sparkling water: add a teaspoon or two to sparkling water with a squeeze of lime for an easy lavender non-alcoholic drink.
- lavender lemonade: when it comes to refreshing summer drinks, lemonade meets lavender syrup = perfection!
- syrupy fun: you can also pour on the lavender simple syrup over pancakes, French toast and even in salads.
More recipes
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Lavender syrup recipe
Lavender syrup
Ingredients
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ cup water
- 1 ½ tbsp dried lavender buds
Instructions
- Place a small saucepan on medium heat.
- Add water and sugar to the pot
- Stir occasionally to dissolve the sugar.
- Bring to a boil (about 3 minutes).
- Turn the heat to low.
- Simmer for 5 minutes.
- Add the lavender buds to the pot.
- Turn off the heat. Remove the pot from the stove.
- Cover the pot.
- Leave to steep for 1 hour.
- Remove the cover. Strain the syrup.
- Cool completely.
- Use immediately or pour into a sanitized container and refrigerate.
Pin this lavender simple syrup:
This came out great.