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Learn how to make this easy, 3 ingredient Strawberry Simple Syrup using discarded strawberry tops or whole strawberries. It takes minutes to make, tastes so much better than store-bought, and can be a way to reduce food waste in your kitchen.
You’ll love it’s gourmet flavor in all your favorite drinks, over pancakes or French toast, and even drizzled over a scoop of vanilla ice cream!
This Strawberry Simple Syrup is more than just a recipe for me, it’s part of a larger shift toward being more intentional about what we eat and what we waste in our home. I can reach for this knowing it’s made with real fruit, real sugar, and nothing else.
So many of the “convenience” foods we buy aren’t actually convenient – they’re just marketed that way. Taking 15 minutes to make a real syrup that I can pronounce every ingredient of feels like the real convenience to me.
Plus the money savings add up. That $6 bottle of strawberry syrup from the store has nothing on my homemade version that costs about $1.50 to make. It tastes like actual strawberries instead of artificial candy too!
Let’s Make It Together! Video Tutorial:
Craving more fresh strawberry recipes? Try my Strawberry Cheesecake Dip, Strawberry Blueberry Pie, Strawberry Filled Cupcakes, or these family favorite Strawberry Banana Shortcakes.
Strawberry Simple Syrup Ingredients
This homemade strawberry syrup is only 3 simple ingredients (unlike store-bought stuff), and I guarantee you already have 2 of them in your pantry. Keep reading for a few important notes and potential substitutes.
- Strawberries: This recipe calls for strawberry tops, just be sure to pull off any of the greens or it will make your syrup bitter. You can also use whole strawberries cut into slices too!
- Sugar: Feel free to use cane sugar, granulated sugar, or a little bit of both. I love using cane sugar because it has a little of that molasses left in it which gives the syrup some depth of flavor.
- Water
You’ll also want to grab a small saucepan with a lid, fine-mesh strainer, and a glass jar or syrup bottle for storing.
How To Make Strawberry Simple Syrup
1. BRING TO A BOIL AND SIMMER. To your small saucepan, add sugar, water, and strawberry tops or strawberries. Allow the mixture to come to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and allow it to reduce until deep red and slightly thickened.
3. COVER SYRUP AND CONTINUE STEEPING. Once the syrup is done, remove strawberry syrup from heat and cover pot with lid until room temperature.
4. STRAIN AWAY THE SOLIDS AND STORE. Once the syrup is cooled, use your fine mesh strainer to strain away the strawberry tops. Pour that into an airtight jar or glass syrup container and refrigerate for up to one month.
TIP! Make This Syrup Thick and Rich
If you’re looking for a syrup that is thick and rich like pancake syrup, you’re in luck! All you have to do is use a 1:2 ratio of water and sugar. For every 1/2 cup of water you need 1 cups of sugar.
This will make a Strawberry Simple Syrup that is the perfect consistency for pancakes, waffles, french toast, and even cinnamon rolls. It’s also great over ice cream or some plain Greek yogurt.
Fun Ways To Use Your Syrup
This syrup recipe is great for a lot of different things! Here are a few of my favorites to get your imagination warmed up.
- Add a tablespoon or two in cocktails or mocktails to give them strawberry flair. I recommend my Margarita Mocktail, Strawberry Mojito Mocktail, Strawberry Mule Mocktail, Gin and Tonic Mocktail, or this Mimosa Mocktail.
- Brush it on cake layers to moisten them and infuse them with a subtle strawberry flavor. P.S. When I make strawberry cake, this is my favorite way to use the fresh strawberry fruit and their tops.
- Flavor Lemonade, specialty coffees, and even tea like this Strawberry Bubble Tea.
- Bottle it up, add a gift tag, and give this gourmet syrup to friends, neighbors, or family.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)
If you’re like me and only eat a couple strawberries a day, you can store the tops in a glass jar in the freezer until you gather enough to make it.
Yes! Please follow the USDA canning guidelines for fruit syrups.
Of course. Slice your clean strawberries into 4’s or 6’s (depending on the size) and follow the recipe as normal.
More Simple Syrup Recipes To Try
- Lavender Simple Syrup
- Cinnamon Simple Syrup
- Vanilla Simple Syrup – learn how to make it with vanilla beans, vanilla bean paste, and extract
- Caramel Simple Syrup
- Simple Syrup – a basic recipe with so many possibilities
- Peppermint Simple Syrup
- Cardamom Syrup
- Jalapeno Simple Syrup
- Grenadine – with pomegranate juice
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Strawberry Simple Syrup
EQUIPMENT
- small saucepan - stainless steel, with lid
- strainer - fine mesh
- glass jar - or swig syrup bottle
INGREDIENTS
- 1 cup sugar - granulated or cane
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup strawberries - whole and cut in 4's OR tops without the greens attached
INSTRUCTIONS
- To a small saucepan add the sugar, water, and strawberries or strawberry tops (without greens attached). Heat over high, stirring occasionally, and bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat to medium-low and allow it to simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Once the syrup is deep red and slightly thickened, remove it from the heat and cover with lid. Allow it to cool to room temperature.
- Once the Strawberry Simple Syrup is at room temperature, strain away the strawberry pulp and pour into an airtight glass jar or syrup container. Refrigerate between uses.
VIDEO
RECIPE NOTES
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STORING INFORMATION
- Refrigerated in an airtight container or glass jar, up to one month.
- Freeze into cubes and then in a plastic bag, up to a year.
HOW TO MAKE A THICK AND RICH SYRUP FOR PANCAKES AND MORE
For a Strawberry Simple Syrup with the consistency of a pancake syrup you will want to use a 1:2 ratio of water and sugar (1/2 cup of water and 1 cup sugar). Follow all other directions as written.Metric conversions are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee the accuracy of this information.
Why on EARTH do you cut the tops off your strawberries?!?!?
I made this syrup to store. It is very versatile. Good with almost everything. Pancakes, drinks, toast.
While this is great in drinks, I seldom drink much these days so I love using this on weekend breakfasts like pancakes and waffles. Makes the whole meal feel restaurant quality!
I love this syrup! It’s so easy to make and so delicious. I use it in my iced coffee, but I’m also experimenting with some other recipes.
I can’t stop adding a splash of this simple strawberry syrup to my drinks! It tastes awesome with a squeeze of lime and a nice tall glass of mineral water.
I love strawberry syrup on French toast and I don’t know why it never occurred to me that I could use the tops to make it! What a great way to reduce my food waste. Thank you!
Family loved it on French toast
Hey Sophia!
So glad to hear your family loved it! And thank you for the review.
~Elizabeth