10-Minute Strawberry Simple Syrup for Drinks

When it comes to making homemade cocktails, simple syrup is one of those easy-to-make yet must-have ingredients to both sweeten and add flavor – especially when infused with fresh fruits….ahem, like strawberries!

Strawberry Simple Syrup isn’t just for cocktails though, it’s a deliciously sweet addition to drinks of all kinds and even baked goods. And making it from scratch means it only has 2 ingredients (plus water) – no preservatives or dyes here! It’s all-natural!

And we all know there’s nothing better than fresh berries in the summer. Strawberries are one of my absolute favorite summertime fruits; they’re sweet, bright, and juicy! So it’s about time we used them in everything!

If you’re looking for more fruit-forward syrups, try our other favorite raspberry simple syrup and our popular blackberry simple syrup!

What is Simple Syrup?

Simple syrup is a liquid sweetener, generally made for use in beverages. It’s typically a 1:1 ratio of water to sugar that is simmered until dissolved into a 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.

The 1:1 ratio for simple syrup is perfect for adding to iced 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 – so many delicious options!

What You’ll Need for Strawberry Syrup

Just two simple ingredients: strawberries and sugar. Of course, you’ll need water too…but are we really counting that as an ingredient?

• Strawberries: you can use fresh or frozen berries for this recipe, but I love the brightness that comes from fresh berries. They are also naturally sweeter than frozen, so keep that in mind if you do make the syrup with frozen strawberries.
• Sugar: granulated sugar is what we’re using for this syrup.
• Water: plain ol’ water is all you’ll need; use filtered water if you have it.

Use those berries that are on their last leg – those 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!

Let’s Make It!

Ok, the process for making homemade strawberry syrup is seriously so easy. There are just going to be a few key tips to follow. As always, please see the full recipe card below.

• First, clean, hull, and quarter the strawberries. I like to give berries a good soak in either a salt or vinegar bath, then a good rinse, before enjoying. Trim the tops, then quarter or halve the strawberries, depending on their size. It doesn’t quite matter what size they are, just smaller and equally sized so that they won’t take too long to break down.
• Combine sugar, water, and strawberries in a medium saucepan.
• Bring to a simmer for 8-10 minutes until the color has transferred to the syrup and the berries are pale, stirring occasionally.
• Strain the syrup through a fine-mesh sieve without pressing the berries down. Don’t get any fruit bits in the syrup or it will begin to ferment when stored, and if you press the berries the syrup will be cloudy in color.
• Let cool slightly and enjoy immediately or store it. Place leftover syrup in an airtight container in the fridge.

To brighten up the syrup and bring out the berry flavor, consider adding a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. This helps if the syrup tastes a little flat, depending on how the berries were.

Ways to Use Strawberry Syrup for Drinks & More

While you’ll want to just enjoy it by the spoonful, there are so many ways to enjoy this strawberry syrup – and it’s not just for drinks either (although that’s honestly my favorite!).

• Use it in a simple cocktail of a clear spirit and some club soda.
• Add it to strawberry sangria.
• Pour it into a glass of lemonade or iced tea.
• Make it a 2:1 ratio of sugar and water for a thicker syrup to top pancakes or waffles, or check out the strawberry syrup on these pancakes!
• Use it as a glaze on top of fruit tarts.
• Drizzle it on ice cream!
• Add to club soda for a strawberry soda.
• Make a strawberry lemonade vodka!

More Info and Tips

• How much does this make? This recipe makes around 1 1/2 cups of syrup. If you use about 2 tablespoons per beverage, it makes 12 servings. If you use 1 tablespoon per beverage, you’ll get about 24 servings.
• Can I halve this recipe? Absolutely! I halve it when I know I won’t be able to use it all.
• Do I have to store this in the refrigerator? Yes, it will last much longer, and fresh fruit syrup should not be left at room temperature.
• How long will this last? This syrup will generally last about 2 weeks when stored properly in an airtight container in the fridge, without any contamination.

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!