When it comes to making homemade beverages, simple syrup is one of those easy-to-make yet must-have ingredients to both sweeten and add flavor. And for extra delight, infusing syrup with blueberries is sweet, subtly fruity, and gorgeous in color.
You’ll want to keep a jar of this in the fridge all summer long to make blueberry lemonade, and blueberry cocktails galore! It’s so easy to make with just a little simmer, there’s no reason not to!
What is Simple Syrup?
Simple syrup is a liquid sweetener, generally made for use in beverages. It’s a ratio of water to sugar that is simmered until dissolved into syrup.
The ratio can be changed to make a thicker syrup that would be more like maple syrup or corn syrup consistency for things like pancakes and drizzling.
A 1:1 ratio is perfect for adding to cold or hot beverages because it disperses the sweetness throughout the drink without any gritty texture that you might get if you were to just stir in sugar.
Simple Syrup can be flavored with a variety of fresh herbs, fruit, and spices – the options are endless!
How to Make Blueberry Simple Syrup
Making simple syrup is truly so easy to do and the variety it can add it drinks makes it so worth it to make!
Ingredients
You’ll need just two simple ingredients: blueberries and sugar. You’ll also need water – should we count that?!
- Blueberries: fresh or frozen blueberries work for this recipe. When using fresh, it’s best to make sure they’re sweet and have flavor blueberries for the best outcome.
- Sugar: granulated sugar is what we’re using; there are options for using honey and brown sugar, but we want the blueberries to shine through.
- Water: plain ol’ water is all you’ll need; use filtered water if you have it.
Berries that are on their last leg are perfect for this recipe! Use ones that aren’t moldy, but might be a little too mushy to eat. Turning them into syrup is an excellent way to reduce food waste!
Simmer Away
- Make sure the berries are cleaned well. Use a vinegar or salt bath, or your favorite fruit cleaner. Otherwise, make sure to rinse them really well.
- Combine sugar, water, and blueberries in a medium saucepan.
- Bring to a simmer for 5-7 minutes until the berries have softened.
- Gently smash them throughout the process as they do soften, continuing to stir occasionally.
- Strain the syrup through a fine-mesh strainer. Keep all of the fruit pieces out of the syrup or they’ll ferment while stored.
- Let cool and enjoy immediately, or store it for later.
To brighten up the syrup and bring out the sweet blueberry flavor, consider adding a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. This helps if the syrup tastes a little flat, depending on how the berries were.
Storage
Store the syrup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. If you notice any cloudiness, toss it out and make another batch.
Flavor Variations
There are a few key flavors that are delicious with blueberry. Give one of these syrup infusions a try!
- Herbs are excellent! Thyme, basil, rosemary, and mint syrup are great matches.
- Blueberry Lavender? Yes, please!
- Blue Raspberry? Why not try raspberry syrup with it?
Ways to Use Blueberry Syrup
While you’ll want to just enjoy it by the spoonful, there are so many ways to enjoy this blueberry simple syrup recipe – and it’s not just for drinks (although that’s honestly my favorite!).
- Make a Blueberry Cocktail – like this Blueberry Lavender Gin
- Add it to a margarita, Moscow mule, or a glass of champagne
- Pour it into a glass of lemonade or enjoy a blueberry lemonade vodka
- Iced or hot tea – or a latte for that matter!
- Make it a 2:1 ratio of sugar and water for a thicker syrup to top pancakes, french toast, or waffles
- Drizzle over a slice of cheesecake, or between cake layers
- Drizzle it over vanilla ice cream
- Add to club soda for a blueberry soda or make an Italian soda – a great mocktail option!
Frequently Asked Questions
This recipe yields 1 1/2 cups of syrup.
Absolutely! The same recipe steps apply when doubling. You can even play around with changing the amount of sugar and water to change the syrup consistency (more sugar results in a thicker syrup).
Yes! This is perfect for when you know you won’t use it all before it goes bad. I recommend freezing it in Souper Cubes for perfectly portioned amounts; otherwise, a silicone ice cube tray is great for easy removal. It will be slightly sticky still after freezing.
Did you make this recipe? Please leave a star rating and review in the form below. I appreciate your feedback, and it helps others, too!
Get the Recipe 10-Minute Blueberry Simple Syrup
Ingredients
- 1 cup blueberries, or frozen*
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup water
- Fresh lemon juice, optional
Instructions
- Clean the blueberries (if using fresh) in a bath of salt water or vinegar. Rinse well.
- In a small saucepan, combine sugar, water, and berries. Heat over medium-high heat until simmering, stirring occasionally. Once softened, gently smash the softened berries with the back of a spoon or masher. Simmer for 5-7 minutes until the berries are disintegrated and the syrup is bright purple.1 cup blueberries, 1 cup granulated sugar, 1 cup water
- Remove from heat and strain out the berries and seeds through a fine-mesh sieve. Use a spoon to stir the mixture to release the syrup as needed, being careful to not let any of the fruit bits into the syrup, and discard them.
- Optional: stir in a squeeze of fresh lemon juice to bring out the berry flavor if it's tasting flat; it's not about adding lemon flavor but rather enhancing the blueberry notes.
- Let cool as needed and use immediately or store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Notes
- Serving Size: this recipe makes around 1 1/2 cups of syrup.
- Frozen Berries: No need to thaw before using, you just may need to simmer a few extra minutes. They tend to be less sweet so be sure to taste test and add more sugar if you need to.
