Here’s a short, sweet little recipe for spring. Many beverage recipes call for “strawberry syrup,” a bright red, sugary syrup that gives a strawberry flavor and color to drinks. Why buy the bottled stuff when it’s so easy to make your own? Strawberries are in season right now, which means you’ll have all kinds of beautiful berries to choose from at the market. Plus, you’ll have the added benefit of knowing what went into your syrup– just three ingredients, all natural, nothing artificial. Sugar acts as a natural preservative, so all you need to do is refrigerate. The syrup will last for weeks (but it’s so addicting, it never lasts that long in my kitchen!).
Homemade strawberry syrup can be used for a number of purposes. It is most commonly added to beverages and cocktails to give them a strong, sweet strawberry flavor. Try adding it to lemonade to make strawberry lemonade or seltzer to make a strawberry spritzer. It makes a lovely addition to cocktails and mocktails. You can also drizzle it on pancakes or waffles as an alternative to maple syrup. So many possibilities!
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Homemade Strawberry Syrup
28 servings
25 minutes
15 minutes
Parve
Description
Learn how to make Strawberry Simple Syrup at home, no preservatives. Add it to cocktails, mocktails, or pour it over pancakes and waffles!
Recipe Notes
You will also need: Fine mesh strainer, two medium saucepans
Instructions
Rinse the berries clean, then hull them with a paring knife by slicing around and pulling out the stem.
Slice the strawberries into smaller pieces.
Place the strawberry slices in a medium saucepan.
Cover with water and bring to a boil. Reduce to a medium simmer and let the strawberries cook for about 20 minutes. Skim any foam that rises to the top.
After about 20 minutes, the strawberries will have lost most of their color and the water should be deep pink/red in color. Remove from heat.
Strain the strawberry liquid through a fine mesh strainer into another clean pot, separating the solid berries from the liquid. DO NOT press down on the solids to extract more juice; it's tempting, but doing this will make your strawberry syrup cloudy.
Once the strawberry liquid has been strained, discard the solid berries. Add 2 cups of sugar to the strawberry liquid. Bring back to a boil, stirring frequently to dissolve the sugar into the syrup. Let the syrup simmer for 5 minutes till the sugar is completely dissolved, skimming any additional foam that rises to the top.
Remove from heat and allow to cool completely. Pour into a glass container, seal, and refrigerate. The syrup should last for several weeks.
Note: if you prefer a thicker syrup for use on pancakes or waffles, you can simmer it for several minutes longer till the liquid reduces and thickens more. The consistency as written is perfect for mixing into beverages.
Alma S says
March 2, 2019 at 10:20 pmI was looking in all the Super market to buy the Strawberry Syrup, But i can’t find it and I check on line and find you, I don’t know much English but I’m trying to understand your receipt, thank Yoy very much.
Helen Laman says
July 6, 2018 at 2:41 pmDear Tory, Do you have an email address where I can reach you. Today I read about Momo. We lost our Louie dashund October 5 2017. He was twelve and the joy of our lives. I wanted to tell you about him when we took him for his last ride to The University of Pennsylvania ER.
I wish we were yet young enough to love another little soul, but we are not.
Let me say that you are an amazing woman.
Helen Laman Philadelphia
Tori Avey says
July 7, 2018 at 9:00 amI received your sweet email. So sorry for your loss of Louie! It is so difficult. They love us purely and unconditionally. Louie looks like the sweetest soul, you can see it in his eyes. I take comfort in the thought that Louie and Momo are playing together somewhere in a place where there is only Light. Sending a big hug!
Michelle says
June 14, 2018 at 9:31 amJust made this for a glaze on a strawberry cheese cake. I let mine simmer for a while so that I could get a nice thick consistency and it turned out really well! Super simple and tasty.
John says
May 7, 2018 at 10:16 pmI’m looking to make a strawberry and fennel liquid, would I boil them down separately or together?
Greig says
March 19, 2018 at 5:58 amWhat type of sugar do you use?
Tori Avey says
March 19, 2018 at 9:13 amWhite granulated sugar.
LARA RECORD says
February 20, 2018 at 4:41 pmCould you use this in milk to make strawberry milk?
Tori Avey says
February 22, 2018 at 12:28 pmHi Lara– yes, I think you probably could. I’ve never tried it, but this is a simple strawberry syrup recipe and should be good for stirring into a number of beverages.
Jacob says
January 12, 2018 at 7:07 amCan you use splenda instead of regular sugar?
Tori Avey says
January 12, 2018 at 9:03 amJacob, it will not thicken into a syrup if you use Splenda, it will just remain watery.
Jacob says
January 12, 2018 at 1:11 pmThat was my concern. Thank you.
Marylyn Hale says
September 11, 2017 at 9:31 amMade it and love it. Tried some that I did not strain and poured it over vanilla ice cream. Happened to have a banana, so you know where this lead to. It was wonderful and addicting.
MComrad says
July 24, 2017 at 4:53 pmTo add more fresh strawberry flavor to this recipe here’s a great trick – especially if you’ve found cheap strawberries and want to use then all!
I finely slice about half my strawberries before cooking, add about 4:1 ratio of sugar (4 berries to 1 sugar) in a bowl, add a tablespoon of lemon juice and a teaspoon of lemon zest.
I just let it sit, stirring occasionally for about 30-60 minutes while the juice leaves the berries.
I strain this “fresh” juice and add the berries to the pot with all the other berries and then follow the recipe as stated – adjusting for more or less berries.
Then, once done with the cooked and strained berry syrup, I let that cool and add in the “fresh” juice. It makes for a fresher, more “real strawberry” flavor that the cooked syrup alone is missing.
Hope that helps!
Aimee kimmet says
June 29, 2017 at 1:05 pmCan you eat the syrup right after making it ornis it a set time it has to be in the fridge for xx
Tori Avey says
June 29, 2017 at 1:31 pmYou may eat the syrup as soon as it is cool enough– don’t burn yourself! 🙂
Mary says
June 14, 2017 at 11:38 amUsed this strawberry syrup for an iced strawberry mint green tea for bridal shower party. It was a huge hit.
I must note that the recipe calls for too much sugar. My recommendation is to pour in half the requested sugar, then taste to your preference and go from there.
Wanda says
May 6, 2017 at 10:59 pmStrawberry cake 1stick of butter 1cup of sugar 4 large eggs 1 cup of self risesing flour one cup and half strawberry syrup one tsp vanilla ,beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy add eggs beat until fluffy add strawberry syrup and vanilla add flower mix on slow just until flower is mixed ,don’t over mix cake will be dry bake in preheated oven at 350 for 35 minutes bake cake in 9×13 pan cool cake ice with cream cheese frosting ,
If you like chocolate cake use chocolate syrup instead of strawberr syrup it is the best, for chocolate frosting 1 cup of sugar 1can of 12 Fl oz evaporated milk 1stick of butter 2cups of chocolate chips heat milk and sugar and butter until hot stir in chocolate chips cook until chips melt stirring until mixed pour over hot cake .
Alma patterson says
April 9, 2017 at 10:03 amThank you. so much for sharing .i made it and taking with us to travel and for my mother to used whenever she make her ensure milk she can mix in with her drink. It s so good and easy. So .thank you. Respectfully yours .alma patterson✈
RLB says
March 22, 2017 at 7:27 amCan this syrup be frozen for use later? Thinking of strawberry tea love that stuff and other foods later in year and summer.
Ashley at ToriAvey.com says
April 4, 2017 at 10:07 amHi, Tori’s assistant Ashley here. You can freeze this syrup in freezer bags or a plastic container. If using a container, be sure to leave some space for expansion.
George says
May 9, 2017 at 9:18 amYes. For up to two years
Becky says
June 26, 2017 at 7:52 pmMaybe could be canned Anna then put in water bath.. Longer life?
Humaa A says
December 22, 2016 at 11:13 amThis is a weird question but is there an alternate to sugar? I realize sugar changes its form but I want a healthy alternative such as honey etc.
Rocco says
October 23, 2016 at 2:46 pmHi Ms Avery,
Have you tried this recipe with frozen berries that have been thawed? I have a 5
Lb bag I would like to use for the syrup.
Thanks….Rocco
Ashley at ToriAvey.com says
December 14, 2016 at 1:16 pmHi, Tori’s assistant Ashley here! This recipe is best suited to fresh strawberries, as frozen strawberries tend to become softer, I would be afraid they wouldn’t hold up well.
iza says
June 16, 2017 at 8:00 amI say try it, you have nothing to loose aside from a bag of berries
Angela says
September 12, 2017 at 6:45 amI used the frozen strawberries and it worked great!
Wendy says
October 20, 2016 at 1:56 pmSounds like this is a great recipe. I am a single senior and am wondering how long this lasts before spoiling?
Ashley at ToriAvey.com says
December 14, 2016 at 1:32 pmHi Wendy, Tori’s assistant Ashley here! Since this recipe does not have preservatives, I wouldn’t keep it in the refrigerator for longer than 2 days to avoid spoiling.
Adrienne says
April 10, 2017 at 3:49 pmIt says that it keeps for weeks, although it won’t last that long in the paragraphs before the recipe.
Lee says
May 23, 2017 at 12:24 pmI made this recipe delicious and it kept well for almost two weeks.
I also took half of the syrup and boiled it down longer was the best pancake syrup I ever had!
iza says
June 16, 2017 at 8:02 amI make jams without pectin (prervative) and it last 30 days in fridge no longer
Corinne says
July 24, 2016 at 5:01 pmWe are making this to make snow cones. Healthy and free of chemicals. I will let you know how it goes over with the little ones. ?
Erin says
June 28, 2016 at 12:49 pmThis was exactly what I was dreaming of – a strawberry syrup that wasn’t a puree. It’s so pretty! I made it for my blog where I test out recipes and it worked out perfectly.
Jordan says
June 2, 2016 at 12:32 amThanks for a great recipe! I live in rural Alaska and enjoy fresh produce when we get it, but produce, fruit in particular, tend to go bad before I can get to it all. This is a great way to make sure nothing goes to waste! Thanks!!!
Amber says
June 1, 2016 at 12:26 amI am just curious , about how much juice is it for the 2 cups of sugar? I had made two whole flats into juice because I wanted to make jelly. I have some leftover but not sure how much i need for this recipe. Thanks for your time!
Tori Avey says
June 1, 2016 at 8:52 amI’m just guesstimating here Amber, but I think starting with 2 1/2 to 3 cups of juice would work. I never measured the leftover juice after the berries were removed, but my guess is that the water reduced by 1 to 1 1/2 cups by the time the sugar was added. At any rate, you can start with more liquid and simply simmer it down longer until the proper texture is achieved, it’s not an exact science. Good luck!
Marta says
April 12, 2016 at 10:36 amCan I use this syrup for flavoring a cake?
frankie says
December 4, 2015 at 1:54 amHello!
I am curious if you have any ideas of something that could be done with the extra strawberries as opposed to just throwing them out!
Thanks!
Tori Avey says
December 4, 2015 at 1:51 pmHi Frankie, I like to use them as a topping for ice cream or Greek yogurt. You can also blend them with ice cream to make a strawberry milkshake!
Marni says
August 11, 2016 at 8:05 pmYou could also blend them with frozen bananas for vegan n’ice cream 🙂
Rebecka says
November 3, 2015 at 1:01 pmWould this work for a cake flavoring?
Sweet Pea. says
September 12, 2015 at 2:15 pmLove, love, love. This recipe saved my bacon. We needed extra Strawberry Syrup for our vintage cocktail caravan bar and all local shops had sold out AND we like we needed it yesterday!!!! Perfect recipe and perfect result. Thank you, totally converted ?
Tori Avey says
September 13, 2015 at 11:50 amYou’re welcome! 🙂
Lance says
June 5, 2015 at 10:05 pmFirst of all thanks for posting this. I am also curious if Stevia would work with this recipe? I am pretty sure it wouldn’t preserve the syrup like sugar would but I am wanting to mix this with seltzer water to make a natural strawberry soda so preserving it wouldn’t be all that important for me. If nobody has tried this recipe using stevia I will post my results here once I try it out.
Kasandra Waddell says
January 30, 2015 at 4:44 amMrs.Tori Avey, first of all I know I’m responding to an old post. However, I would like say thank you for this simple but brilliant recipe. I was trying to find something like this, because I am allergic to grenadine. Now, I can make all different foods with this special treat. One in particular, “Shirley Temple”, the allergy wouldn’t allow it. Anyway, thanks a bunch!!
Tori Avey says
January 30, 2015 at 9:36 amIt is very much like grenadine, so happy this is a workable substitute for you! Grenadine contains high fructose corn syrup. I like that this is all-natural, what you see is what you get. 🙂
Candace says
October 9, 2014 at 1:59 pmWhat is the yield range that this should give? 2 cups? 1 quart? etc… Thanks!
Tori Avey says
October 9, 2014 at 2:10 pmCandace, as it says on the recipe card it makes 3 1/2 cups.
Erick says
September 8, 2014 at 7:46 pmI decided to try your recipe since I am going to use the syrup to make a natural soda. I was really impressed with the great red color. I didn’t want to discard the pulp so I just placed them in my blender and added another cup of sugar and got a nice creamy strawberry spread, although not as red as my syrup. Perfect syrup.
Linda Abalia says
August 26, 2014 at 6:35 amLove this recipe! I tried it last year and it was a huge hit. I also made a separate batch with splenda since my mom was diabetic. I wound up adding a little cornstarch to thicken it and had my husband do the tasting because I hate that stuff!! I wait until the organic strawberries go on sale and hull them and freeze them and it works great. I am wondering if I use raspberries this year, do you do the same thing? If you push on the raspberries will it make it cloudy? Or do I just leave them alone like the strawberries? Thanks
Tori Avey says
August 26, 2014 at 3:32 pmHi Linda, the process for raspberries is quite similar, here is a link that explains it in detail: https://toriavey.com/toris-kitchen/2013/08/homemade-raspberry-syrup/
Traci P says
August 3, 2014 at 10:55 amHi, can this syrup be used in frozen drink machines to replace the store bought syrup?
Tori Avey says
August 3, 2014 at 11:15 amHi Traci, I’ve never used a frozen drink machine so I’m not sure what the syrup is like, or how sweet it is supposed to be. It might be worth a try, but I can’t promise what the results would be.
Laura Davenport says
August 1, 2014 at 1:44 pmCan you use Splenda instead of sugar?
Tori Avey says
August 3, 2014 at 1:52 pmIf you do use Splenda it will sweeten the mixture like sugar, but the syrup will not thicken the same way.
Jess says
June 26, 2014 at 1:49 pmI made this syrup and really enjoyed it in lemonade. I am curious to try it without cooking the strawberries to try to get a fresher taste (as someone who made lemon syrup without cooking said it’s the difference between a marmalade/jam taste and a fresh lemon taste.) I have a juicer so I plan to juice some berries and then add the juice to cooled plain simple syrup.
Tessie says
June 26, 2014 at 10:31 amHi! I tried this with my sister and we didn’t have any strawberries so my mum said use plums cause we have a huge plum tree. It worked. Very well. Delishius as my sister would say.
Debbie says
April 25, 2014 at 10:02 pmHi, I’m making this as we speak. Thank you so much for this! Do you have any idea what I can do with the leftover strawberries? I’d hate to waste them.
Tori Avey says
April 26, 2014 at 11:00 amHi Debbie– you can use them as a topping for ice cream or yogurt, or make parfaits with Greek yogurt and granola, layering the fruit, yogurt and granola interchangeably. 🙂
Lupita says
February 11, 2014 at 12:48 pmI love the natural, but the sugar is not an option for me. Can I use Stevia as sweetener?
Tori Avey says
February 11, 2014 at 1:31 pmHi Lupita– yes, but the syrup will be a lot more liquid and will not thicken in the same way that it does with sugar.
Ilham says
November 13, 2013 at 6:31 pmIs this syrup can be used for flavouring ?
kristin says
November 9, 2013 at 12:57 pmTried with bananas as well with success. Thanks for instructions!
Gretchen says
July 28, 2013 at 3:29 pmI made this last month- it is delicious! I used seltzer water and the syrup to make strawberry soda for my kids and they loved it! It also makes a really delicious strawberry lemonade.
I’m wondering if I could use this same process with peaches? I have a ton of farm fresh peaches in my kitchen right now, and I’d like to preserve them in a way other than jam.
Thanks for your help!
z.c. Gort says
July 12, 2013 at 8:19 amI love your easy and clear instructions. Very well done.
Becky says
June 19, 2013 at 2:43 pmAre there any rules for extracting? I would like to make different flavored syrups to add to seltzer water to make carbonated beverages without all the garbage. Since I will be diluting it, I would love the flavor to be strong. That said, I saw somewhere else where the fruit/herb was boiled WITH the sugar and water, then particles strained out. Is that essentially the same as your method of boiling the fruit/herb, straining, then boiling again with sugar? Also, is it just trial and error to determine the flavors strength? Or is there a ratio that needs to be followed?
Kathryn Von Buren says
June 3, 2013 at 7:58 amI love recipes that replace store bought items ladened with preservatives and unknown extras. This looks delicious. Would this work with other berries (i.e. blueberries, raspberries)?
Tori Avey says
June 4, 2013 at 8:59 amRaspberries will work great, I do it that way every year. Blueberries should too, but you may need more berries to get that deep rich blue color and flavor (I haven’t tried it myself so I can’t say for certain– you would have to experiment a bit). Enjoy!
Jessica says
June 2, 2013 at 9:39 pmThis looks good. Can anything be done with the remaining berry pulp, such as taking some of the finished syrup and creating a pancake topping or something like that? It’d be great if there were a way to avoid throwing out the berries — they might not look pretty, but they’ve probably still got some taste left in them. Thanks.
Tori Avey says
June 4, 2013 at 8:30 amHi Jessica. Believe it or not, the berries are pretty tasteless after the extraction process. That said, I understand not wanting to waste them. What you could do is mix them up with some sugar then use them as a topping for pancakes or ice cream. They won’t be nearly as flavorful as normal berries, but they will still taste slightly strawberry-ish.
anna says
June 2, 2013 at 8:24 pmcan it be frozen????
Tori Avey says
June 4, 2013 at 8:28 amYes, you can! It may not solidify completely in the freezer, though.
Marcia says
June 2, 2013 at 7:16 pmWill this work with Splenda instead of sugar?
Tori Avey says
June 4, 2013 at 8:26 amIt won’t have the same preservative properties as sugar, but I don’t see why you couldn’t make it with Splenda to make it lower carb… I’m just not sure what the ratio would be of Splenda to strawberry water, since I’ve never tried it myself before. Perhaps try adding it to taste? It also won’t thicken in the same way that the sugar syrup will, which is no big deal for adding to beverages, but you won’t get a pancake syrup-like texture from it if that’s what you’re after. If you try it let me know how it worked out for you!
Kim Henry says
June 2, 2013 at 6:53 pmI just did this with plums and it turned out amazing. I did actually can it in small jelly jars so it would keep longer and then I could give it as gifts throughout the summer.
Tori Avey says
June 4, 2013 at 8:24 amFabulous! Did you save one for me? 😉
Leah Saban says
June 1, 2013 at 4:24 pmThis is a lovely recipe, so simple – and it really does look very beautiful. I like that you can make it with several other berries. Do you think you could do something similar with Pomegranates?
Tori Avey says
June 4, 2013 at 8:23 amInteresting idea Leah! I make a pomegranate molasses which is much thicker than this: http://theshiksa.com/2011/09/07/pomegranate-molasses/ but a thinner beverage “simple syrup” would also be great. Putting it on my list for pomegranate season!
Phil Trupp says
May 31, 2013 at 3:54 pmDear Shiksa, Anthony is a pro, certainly. Still, I´ve followed your recipes almost every day with surprise and delight, and I´m one of those NYC-DC foodie types who is always on the lookout for new restaurants and bistros. Hope you don´t mind that I´ve suggested some of your recipes to friends in the business, mostly on the French side. In the end, we must give Anthony his due, while I continue to delight in your ingenuity and astonishing creativity. BTW: I remain a fan of Jacques Papin and the late great Julia.
Douglas Dunn says
May 31, 2013 at 8:21 amMy wife wants to learn to make it…. MMMMMMMMM I love my wife.
Heather Menges says
May 31, 2013 at 3:44 amI need a bigger fridge for all your cool ideas!
Rhonda Lehman Becker says
May 31, 2013 at 3:31 amLove you tori!
Sue/the view from great island says
May 30, 2013 at 8:08 pmI love the color of this syrup. I’ve been experimenting with simple syrups a lot this spring, and I think this one would make a killer mojito!
Elisa R. Posniack says
May 31, 2013 at 12:36 amI have bbeen looking for a new idea for all these strawberries I have thank you! however, if they go bad fairly quickly as strawberries often do, will making them into this form, help preserve them and if so, for how long, refrigerate etc? thank you
Tori Avey says
May 30, 2013 at 10:44 pmYes, this syrup is naturally preserved with sugar. It will last for several months in the refrigerator, or even longer if you know how to can it using a sterile canning process.
Kathy Crowell says
May 31, 2013 at 12:35 amFalafels not so much, but SC strawberries are so yummy right now
Stacy says
May 30, 2013 at 4:57 pmCan I do with frozen berries. I have frozen berries and would love to make strawberry seltzer. Thanks
Tori Avey says
May 30, 2013 at 5:03 pmHmm, I’ve never tried it with frozen berries before… in theory it should work, but I can’t promise because I haven’t tried it myself. If I have a chance to try it I will report back!
Richard R. says
May 30, 2013 at 10:42 pmFrozen is great way to go for many dishes.’
Yolanda says
September 13, 2014 at 7:21 pmYes frozen works just fine I just finished mine… Your recipe is awesome
Tori Avey says
September 14, 2014 at 8:54 amHappy to hear that Yolanda!
Phil Trupp says
May 30, 2013 at 11:36 pmShiksa, you are culinary genius. Anthony Bordain had nothing on you.
Tori Avey says
May 30, 2013 at 10:44 pmThat is a pretty major compliment! Anthony rocks, I bow down to him. 😉 Thanks!
Cynthia Kantor says
May 30, 2013 at 11:29 pmYYYYUUUUMMMM!!
Nicole Williams says
May 30, 2013 at 11:04 pmI love the simple syrups (especially from the candied lemon peels!) but can your recipe work with raspberries and blueberries just the same? Not big on strawberries
Tori Avey says
May 30, 2013 at 5:00 pmAbsolutely Nicole! I make raspberry syrup every year. Blueberries should also work, but you might want to start with less liquid for them to see how strongly they infuse. Enjoy!
Lilibeth Simon says
May 30, 2013 at 10:49 pmyummy Thanks! ;0
Ron Dill says
May 30, 2013 at 10:48 pmand falafels!
Pamela @ Brooklyn Farm Girl says
May 30, 2013 at 1:17 pmThank you! Now I know what to do with all the strawberries I have here!