Simple Syrup (Regular and Sugar-Free)

Smooth and sweet, Simple Syrup is a liquid sweetener that blends easily into cocktails, mocktails, and coffee drinks. Made from just granulated sweetener (either sugar or sugar alternative) and water, it comes together in just a few minutes!

When trying to sweeten a drink, regular granulated sugar or sweetener sometimes stays gritty and undissolved, especially in cold drinks. The solution, of course, is a liquid sweetener. Yes, you can purchase them at the grocery store, but a cheaper version (and you get to control what's in it) lies in your pantry.

Traditional simple syrup is just equal parts sugar and water. Boil the water, stir in the sugar until it disappears and voila! Simple syrup.

Because I am slowly trying to reduce refined sugar in my diet, I've experimented with simple syrup made with alternative sweeteners. My favorite is a monkfruit allulose blend, which yields a delicious simple syrup! It's perfect in just about everything.

Try it in an Espresso Martini Mocktail, Cosmopolitan with St Germain, or Iced London Fog.

Lessons Learned

Use either white or brown sugar in this recipe. Brown sugar will yield a slightly different flavor that is warmer and more caramel-ly.
To make this sugar-free (my favorite!), use an alternative sweetener that measures cup for cup like regular sugar. My go-to is the Lakanto brand monkfruit with allulose blend. I've used the white sugar replacement blend in this recipe, but the brown sugar one is also great. This helps keep the calories and glucose levels in check.
Looking for a rich simple syrup recipe? Simply double the amount of sweetener. Rich simple syrup is sweeter, of course, but also adds a nice viscosity and richness to cocktails and coffee drinks.