Want to add an effortless but elegant touch to your favorite beverages? Discover how quick and simple it is to make lavender syrup at home with this easy three-ingredient recipe.
The information provided on this site is based on my personal experience living with alpha-gal syndrome. I consistently cite and link to expert sources, but nothing published on this site should be perceived as medical advice.
Alpha-gal sensitivities vary by person. You should understand your dietary restrictions, making any adjustments needed, and directing any questions to your physician.
When I think of lavender, I envision picture-perfect purple fields basking in the warm glow of a golden setting sun. But beyond being the perfect backdrop for the best Instagram pic ever, did you know that this iconic flower can also transform your culinary creations?
Lavender syrup is more than just a sweetener. It’s a magical blend of water, sugar, and lavender buds that unlocks a world of calming flavor. It brings an aromatic floral note to your favorite drinks and dishes, giving them a unique twist that’s hard to resist. And the best part? It’s easy to make at home, giving you full control of the type and amount of sugar used to craft your syrup.
Whether you’re a seasoned mixologist, an adventurous cook, or you simply enjoy a hint of soothing sweetness in your morning latte, you’ll find this lavender syrup recipe a must-try!
In This Article
What is Lavender Syrup?
Lavender syrup is a delicious and versatile sweetener that adds a unique floral flavor to a variety of beverages and culinary creations, be it lavender lattes or shortbread cookies. Made from three simple ingredients – water, sugar, and lavender flowers – it’s easy to make homemade lavender syrup. And with its pale lavender color and distinct floral notes, lavender simple syrup is a wonderful addition to any kitchen pantry.
Whether you want to zhuzh up some lemonade, whip up a refreshing lavender martini, or add a twist to a tall glass of plain ice water, lavender syrup is the perfect ingredient to have on hand. By following a simple syrup recipe and steeping culinary-grade lavender buds, you can enjoy lavender’s delightful taste and aroma in your favorite beverages and dishes.
Uses for Lavender Syrup
With its soothing scent and unique floral flavor, lavender syrup is a beloved ingredient used by coffee lovers, mixologists, and anyone seeking to elevate their favorite beverages and culinary creations.
One of the most popular uses for lavender syrup is in lavender lattes. Adding a splash of this floral elixir to your morning cup of java creates a soothing and aromatic drink. Lavender syrup can also be used in lavender lemonade, perfect for hot summer days when you need a cool and floral pick-me-up.
For those craving a fancy cocktail at the end of a long day, lavender syrup can be the secret ingredient in a lavender martini. Its pale lavender color and delicate flavor make for an elegant and sophisticated drink. You can also use it in other cocktails for a unique twist on traditional recipes.
Aside from its culinary uses, lavender syrup can also be packaged as a thoughtful and fragrant gift. When you bottle it in a pretty glass jar and tie a sprig of dried lavender around it with ribbon, homemade lavender syrup is a perfect hostess gift, housewarming present, or stocking stuffer.
Sage Advice: Looking for a tangier, citrusy option? Try this lemon lime simple syrup or this orange syrup. To embrace the sweet smell (and taste) of spring try this jasmine syrup.
Benefits of Making Homemade Lavender Syrup
When you make your own lavender simple syrup, you have complete control over the ingredients used, including the type and amount of sugar. This is particularly advantageous for individuals with alpha-gal syndrome who may be sensitive to bone char that gives processed sugar its white color. By opting for homemade lavender syrup, you can choose alternative sweeteners like coconut sugar or organic cane sugar, ensuring that your syrup is free from any ingredients that may trigger a reaction.
While some store-bought syrups use artificial flavors or lower-grade lavender, making your own lavender syrup allows you to use culinary lavender buds. And when you use freshly picked lavender from organic lavender plants in your garden or culinary-grade lavender buds, you will surely enjoy a higher-quality, more authentically flavored syrup.
Ingredients Needed to Make Lavender Syrup
To make lavender syrup at home, you only need a few simple ingredients: water, sugar, and lavender flowers.
Water
As one of the main ingredients in simple syrup, water plays an important role in crafting lavender syrup. To ensure the purity of your syrup, I recommend using plain filtered water. Generally, you want to use a 1:1 ratio of water and sugar when making simple syrup. However, you can adjust this ratio to create a thinner or thicker syrup, as desired.
Sugar
Not only does sugar serve as a sweetener, but it also helps balance the floral flavor in lavender syrup. You have several sweet options when making simple syrup, including granulated sugar, brown sugar, and coconut sugar.
Granulated Sugar
Granulated sugar is a common choice as it dissolves easily and doesn’t add any additional flavors or colors to the syrup. However, I recommend that alpha gals select organic sugar or a brand of white sugar that does not contain bone char to reduce the chance of a reaction.
Brown Sugar
When using brown sugar to make simple syrup, it tends to add a slightly caramelized taste and a hint of richness. Given that brown sugar is produced by adding molasses to refined sugar, individuals with high sensitivity to alpha-gal should be cautious of bone char when selecting brown sugar for this recipe.
Coconut Sugar
Coconut sugar has a subtle caramel flavor that can add a unique twist to the lavender syrup.
Ultimately, the choice of sugar depends on personal preferences and the flavor profile you’d like to create with your lavender syrup. Experimenting with different types of sugar can provide delightful variations, allowing you to tailor the syrup to your taste preferences and culinary creations.
Lavender Buds
Lavender flowers are key to making delicious lavender syrup. Their soothing aroma and gentle floral flavor give the syrup its distinctive taste. If you use lavender from your garden to make this recipe, use buds that have not opened and flowered. You’ll want to select lavender buds that are fully purple but still tightly closed. If you use dried lavender to make simple syrup, choose culinary-grade lavender for the best quality and flavor.
Whether you use fresh lavender flowers or dried lavender buds, using only the buds when making syrup is important. The buds contain the highest concentration of essential oils, responsible for the syrup’s floral notes.
How to Make Lavender Syrup
Making lavender syrup at home is simple. Gather your ingredients and follow these easy steps:
- In a small saucepan, combine the water and lavender buds and bring to a boil.
- Dissolve the sugar in the hot liquid, and let the mixture simmer.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat and steep the lavender flowers.
- Strain the syrup using a mesh strainer to remove the lavender flowers.
- Transfer the syrup to an airtight container (I like to use a mason jar) and store it in the refrigerator for up to two weeks or in the freezer for several months.
Homemade Lavender Syrup
Ingredients
- 1 cup water
- 3 tablespoons lavender buds
- 1 cup sugar
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, bring the water and lavender to a boil.
- Reduce the heat to low and stir in the sugar until fully dissolved.
- Let the mixture simmer for 15 minutes.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat and let it cool for at least one hour. This will allow the lavender to steep in the simple syrup mixture.
- Strain the syrup using a mesh strainer to remove the lavender flowers. Discard the buds.
- Pour the lavender syrup into an airtight container (I prefer mason jars) and store in the refrigerator.
I added this syrup to lemonade and wow! Such a game changer in terms of flavor and smell.
That’s one of our all-time favorite ways to use it. Yum!
I LOVE how floral and fragrant this lavendar syrup is, as well as how it tastes!!!
So yummy, right?!? Glad you enjoyed it!
We loved this to sweeten our lemonade! I used coconut sugar and it tasted perfect. Fun fact – my mom’s maiden name was Lavender so I have always felt a connection to it.
That’s pretty much the best last name EVER!
I love this recipe! It’s easy and so tasty. I used it in my lemonade the other day and it was so soothing and delicious. I can’t wait to try more of your recipes!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! We have seven lavender plants in our garden, so we plan on making it at our house all summer long!
We have a patch of lavender so I gave this syrup a try. It’s perfect for adding a hint of calming herb to summer drinks.
Lavender is the best, whether its a patch in the yard or syrup in summer drink. 🙂
This lovely fragrant syrup is my favorite addition to my afternoon tea!
My lavender plant is gloriously full this year so I was thrilled to find your recipe. My syrup turned out great and was a delicious addition to my morning coffee!
Lavender plants are the best!
I put this into my latte, and it made such a difference! It was a great soothing flavour, and it was a warm and comforting way to start my morning!
I think lavender syrup feels like a hug in a warm latte!
This lavender syrup was just the thing I wanted for my drinks. The kids loved it in their lemonade and we loved it in cocktails. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
It’s such a soothing addition to beverages!
This lavender syrup was just so good in my lemonade. Both the colour and subtle flavour were amazing!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
This was perfect as I was looking for a new syrup flavor to put for my morning tea. The aroma is so lovely! <3
I made this lavender syrup recipe last week where I used coconut sugar. The syrup turned out fantastic and the aroma is so calming. I’m making another batch this week and I’ll be using organic cane sugar.
The flavor of this lavender syrup is so pure and authentic. So much better than store-bought and such a simple way to elevate beverages. Can’t wait to try it in cocktails too.
I wasn’t sure how it would turn out as it was my first time making it but I loved the outcome. I’ve been using it for lemonade and after dinner tea! I’m making a bigger batch next time!
Such a straightforward three-ingredient recipe. So lovely and fragrant. Perfect with my tea. Cheers!