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Home » Recipes » Cocktails

Brown Sugar Simple Syrup

Published: Nov 17, 2022 · Modified: Nov 17, 2022 by Lexi

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Our Brown Sugar Simple Syrup is the perfect way to sweeten up your favorite cocktails, morning coffee, baked goods and more. This quick and easy recipe takes just 15 minutes, and keeps well in the fridge and freezer so you can enjoy any time!

Finished brown sugar simple syrup in a spoon.
This simple syrup is delicious in cocktails, coffee, baked goods and more!

Ever since we started making simple syrup from scratch a few years ago, we haven't gone back to store bought! It's ridiculously easy to make, it stores well, and it's a great thing to keep on hand in your fridge.

I've added some of this simple syrup to my coffee every morning this week – it's just such a great and easy way to add sweetness to just about anything.

Jump to:
  • Why We Love This Recipe
  • Ingredients
  • Ingredient Notes
  • Instructions
  • Serving Suggestions
  • Tips and FAQs
  • More Cocktail Recipes to Enjoy
  • 📖 Recipe
  • 💬 Reviews

Why We Love This Recipe

  • Quick and easy recipe: This recipe is as simple as boil, cool, and store. It's as easy as making regular simple syrup, but it's packed with extra rich flavor from the brown sugar. Way better than store bought and so versatile.
  • Stores well: You can keep it in a mason jar/sealed container in the refrigerator, or freeze it in an ice cube tray. This recipe yields 12 fl oz of syrup, so one batch will last you a few weeks (unless you're like us and use it in pretty much everything).
  • Add flavor to everything: This simple syrup is the perfect way to add a rich and sweet flavor to all of your favorite drinks. We have been adding it to our coffee almost every morning! It's delicious in cold brew, hot and cold lattes, and even cocktails, like our Blood Orange Old Fashioned. It's also great in smoothies, oatmeal, baked goods, or even drizzled on top of ice cream. The options are endless!

Ingredients

Here's what you'll need to make this brown sugar simple syrup:

Brown sugar simple syrup ingredients including water and brown sugar.
Dark brown sugar isn't totally essential, but it adds extra rich flavor.

Ingredient Notes

  • Brown Sugar: This simple syrup utilizes both light and dark brown sugar for a rich color and flavor.
    • If you don’t have dark brown sugar, you can sub it out for more Iight brown sugar.  We love the way that the dark brown sugar adds a rich molasses sort of flavor, but it's not 100% essential.
  • The only other ingredient you need to make this simple syrup is water. It's that easy!

Instructions

(1) Add both types of sugar and water to a small pot over medium high heat. Bring to a boil for 2-3 minutes, stirring until the sugar is dissolved.

(2) Reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let the syrup cool to room temperature. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about a month.

The simple syrup in a saucepan at two stages of cooking.
Don't over boil the syrup - it only needs about 2 minutes.

Serving Suggestions

  • Try it in our Blood Orange Old Fashioned cocktail!
  • Try it on top of breakfast foods as a replacement for maple syrup. It's great on waffles, pancakes, french toast, baked oats and more!
  • Enjoy in your morning coffee, whether it's a latte, cold brew or just hot black coffee.
  • Swap out the simple syrup in martinis, whiskey sours, smashes, mimosas, spritzes, or even mojitos for a simple spin of your favorite cocktail. It's also incredible in coffee-based drinks like our Pumpkin Spice Espresso Martini or a White Russian!
  • Add it to yogurt, chia pudding, oatmeal or overnight oats as a sweetener.
  • Use it as a sweetener in our vegan eggnog.

Tips and FAQs

  • Don't boil for too long: If this boils for too long, it will thicken up a bit too much. After 2-3 minutes, be sure to reduce the heat to low.
  • Spice it up: feel free to add other ingredients to this simple syrup to change up the flavor profile. Some suggestions include 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or a small vanilla bean split in half, 2 cinnamon sticks, cloves, star anise, or an orange peel.
  • Storage: Store this simple syrup in a mason jar or any other sealed container and stash it in the fridge, where it'll keep for up to a month. 
  • Freezer storage: You can also freeze in an ice cube tray and defrost one or two cubes at a time when you need some simple syrup. When frozen, it should keep for 3-6 months, so you can enjoy it whenever!
  • This simple syrup is great as a DIY gift. Store it in a pretty glass container, wrap a ribbon around the top with a label, and you've got an awesome host/hostess or holiday gift on your hands! Pair it with a bottle of our homemade infused alcohol for an extra special gift.
Brown sugar simple syrup in a glass bottle.
This brown sugar simple syrup makes for a perfect DIY holiday gift!

More Cocktail Recipes to Enjoy

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    Pumpkin Spice Simple Syrup
  • Close up of finished cranberry gin cocktails with garnish.
    Cranberry Gin Cocktail
  • Overhead view of jalapeno simple syrup in a white saucepan.
    Jalapeño Simple Syrup
  • Finished cranberry mimosas in champagne glasses.
    Cranberry Mimosa

Tried this recipe? Please leave a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page. You can also stay in touch with us through social media by following us on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook or by subscribing to our newsletter.

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📖 Recipe

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Close up of finished brown sugar simple syrup in a spoon.

Brown Sugar Simple Syrup


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5 from 1 review

  • Author: Lexi
  • Total Time: 17 minutes
  • Yield: 12 fl oz 1x
  • Diet: Vegan
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Description

Our Brown Sugar Simple Syrup is the perfect way to sweeten up your favorite cocktails, morning coffee, baked goods and more. This quick and easy recipe takes just 15 minutes, and keeps well in the fridge and freezer so you can enjoy any time!


Ingredients

Units Scale
  • ⅔ cup light brown sugar
  • ⅓ cup dark brown sugar
  • 1 cup water

Instructions

  1. Add both types of sugar and water to a small pot over medium high heat. Bring to a boil for 2-3 minutes, stirring until the sugar is dissolved.

  2. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes. 
  3. Remove from heat and let the syrup cool to room temperature. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about a month.

Notes

Brown sugar: If you don’t have dark brown sugar, you can sub it out for more Iight brown sugar.  We love the way that the dark brown sugar adds a rich molasses sort of flavor, but it's not 100% essential.

Don't boil for too long: If this syrup boils for too long, it will thicken up a bit too much. After 2-3 minutes, be sure to reduce the heat to low. 

Spice it up: feel free to add other ingredients to this simple syrup to change up the flavor profile. Some suggestions include 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or a small vanilla bean split in half, 2 cinnamon sticks, cloves, star anise, or an orange peel.

Storage: Store this simple syrup in a mason jar or any other sealed container and stash it in the fridge, where it'll keep for up to a month. 

Freezer storage: You can also freeze in an ice cube tray and defrost one or two cubes at a time when you need some simple syrup. When frozen, it should keep for 3-6 months, so you can enjoy it whenever!

  • Prep Time: 2 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Category: Cocktails
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: American

Nutrition

  • Serving Size:
  • Calories: 63
  • Sugar: 16.1 g
  • Sodium: 5.4 mg
  • Fat: 0 g
  • Carbohydrates: 16.3 g
  • Fiber: 0 g
  • Protein: 0 g

Did you make this recipe?

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Comments

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  1. Alex says

    December 04, 2022 at 1:19 pm

    I’ve been making this and adding it to my coffee, so good!!

    Reply
    • Lexi says

      December 04, 2022 at 1:23 pm

      I loooove it in coffee. Thanks so much!

      Reply
Lexi and Beth toasting with wine.

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