Rosemary simple syrup captures the citrus flavors and woodsy, mint-like fragrance of the freshest rosemary to add to your favourite cocktails, cakes, ice cream, and hot or cold drinks. Elevate your happy hour with this sophisticated yet inexpensive addition that tastes like a million dollars.
You don’t have to be a fancy bartender to create your own signature drinks. Simple syrup is an integral part of a cocktail, but many a recipe would benefit from swapping out the classic simple syrup for this one!
Herbal rosemary is one of the easiest ways to infuse drinks with your own unique flavors.
Before we get into how to make rosemary simple syrup, let’s talk about why you will want to have it on hand all the time.
For the world’s easiest rosemary cocktail, add a teaspoon to your cocktail shaker with 2 ounces of your favourite gin. Shake, strain over ice, and top off with the best tonic you can. Add a sprig of fresh rosemary and a fresh lime or lemon wheel, and you’re looking at a memorably delicious Gin & Tonic.
While cocktails with rosemary simple syrup are divine, you’ll most definitely want to think beyond cocktail hour with it. There are so many different ways to use it!
This fabulous syrup is a great way to add a subtle hint of rosemary flavor to a variety of baked goods, cocktails, and other non-alcoholic beverages. Think rosemary lemonade, folks! I mean WHOA!
Drizzle a little homemade rosemary simple syrup over a bowl of vanilla ice cream for a treat that you have to taste to believe. And a teaspoon of this fragrant syrup stirred into hot or iced tea is beyond tantalizing.
Making a layer cake like lemon cake, spice cake, hummingbird cake, or carrot cake? Substitute the syrup you brush between layers with this elixir for a subtle, elegant something noone else’s cakes have.
Rosemary Simple Syrup Recipe
The ingredients for our easy rosemary simple syrup recipe are ones you probably already have, aside from the sprigs of fresh rosemary. If you live in a moderate climate, you may have rosemary growing in your yard and might not even have to go to the grocery store for anything in this recipe , you lucky duck!
Simple syrup is just equal parts water and sugar. You can customize your syrup even more by choosing what sugar you use to make it.
Ingredients
- Granulated Sugar: You can substitute raw or demerara sugar, if you prefer it, but your syrup will be slightly caramel coloured.
The syrup will take on a pale green hue from the rosemary and some may see it as more aesthetically pleasing to start with the neutral white sugar. It’s up to you!
Technically you could make this with brown sugar, maple syrup, or honey, as well, but all of those have pretty strong flavours on their own. Agave is slightly more neutral if you’re looking for a sugar substitute in this recipe. I have not tested it with any alternate or artificial sweeteners, though, so if you want to do that proceed at your own risk. - Water
- Fresh Rosemary: Please don’t separate the rosemary leaves from the woodier stalks for the recipe. You want the whole kit and kaboodle.
When it comes to equipment, this is about as easy as it can possibly be. You’re likely to have all of this in your kitchen already and if you don’t, you’ll want each of these things for a multitude of other recipes, too.
Equipment
- Saucepan with a Tight Fitting Lid: You don’t have to get fancy here, but the lid should be a nice, tight fitting one.
- Fine Mesh Strainer: Allow me to put a fine point on it, please. This is something every kitchen needs a wire-mesh strainer not just for rosemary simple syrup, but for straining all manner of odds and ends. You’ll wonder what you did without it if you’ve never had one before. And if you do have one, this is a classic reason why!
- Airtight Container: My receptacle of choice is a small mason jar with a new lid.Iif you prefer something more swanky looking, try one of these.
This is a simple recipe, so we’re going to keep today’s post equally simple. But there is one final note of advice. DO strain your syrup.
It may look lovely to store it with a fresh sprig of rosemary in the jar, but it can cause your syrup to spoil faster. This is not a problem if you intend to use an entire cup of rosemary syrup in one fell swoop.
If, however, you plan to make use of it over a week or so, you’ll want to keep it pristine. Fresh herbs have debris and nooks and crannies that can cause your food to spoil more quickly when stored.
It’s best just to play it safe and store the strained syrup. You can add another sprig of the fresh stuff to beverages as you make them, if desired.
Rosemary Simple Syrup
Place the fresh rosemary sprigs on a cutting board .Ssmack them gently two or three times with the bottom of a saucepan or the flat edge of a chef’s knife. Transfer the rosemary to a small saucepan and add the sugar and water.
Place the saucepan over medium heat. Cook for about 6 minutes, or until the sugar dissolves completely and the liquid is clear, stirring every so often. Place a tight fitting lid on the pan and remove it from the heat.
Let the syrup steep, covered, for 10 minutes. Strain the cooled syrup into an airtight container and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled. This will keep, tightly covered, for up to 10 days in the refrigerator.
Rosemary Simple Syrup
Rate RecipeEquipment
- 1 cutting board
- 1 Small Saucepan
- 1 Measuring Cups
- 1 strainer
- 1 Mason Jar with Lid (or other airtight container)
Ingredients
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup water
Instructions
- Place the fresh rosemary sprigs on a cutting board and smack them gently two or three times with the bottom of a saucepan or the flat edge of a chef’s knife. Transfer the rosemary to a small saucepan and add the sugar and water.
- Place the saucepan over medium heat and cook for about 6 minutes, or until the sugar dissolves completely and the liquid is clear, stirring every so often. Place a tight fitting lid on the pan and remove it from the heat.
- Let the syrup steep, covered, for 10 minutes, then strain the cooled syrup into an airtight container and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled. This will keep, tightly covered, for up to 10 days in the refrigerator.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
did you make this recipe?
Make sure to tag @foodiewithfam on Instagram and #hashtag it #foodiewithfamily so I can check it out!
Reader's Thoughts...
Yasmin says
I just cut some fresh rosemary and cannot wait to try this!
Rebecca says
That is awesome, Yasmin! I hope you love it as much as I do!