Lavender Syrup
Lavender Syrup is a sweet, very floral sweetener that is perfect for your drinks, coffees, teas and more. A very simple but powerful recipe with only a few ingredients. With a little magic this usually brown syrup turns into a beautiful purple.
Why you will love this lavender syrup recipe
- Quick
- Easy
- Strong floral taste
- Super versatile
- Only a small amount of lavender
- Dried or fresh lavender can be used
Did you harvest your lavender yet this year? If you have some hanging in your garage drying then this recipe is for you! There are so many ways you can use your lavender and todays recipe only uses a small amount of lavender buds to get a super concentrated floral flavor in your syrup.
The syrup is super easy to make and can be used in soooo many recipes! Think lavender lemonade, cocktails like this lavender French 75, add it to your coffee or simply have it with some water. There are endless options to enjoy this sweet goodness.
Even if you do not have dried lavender at home you can also use fresh lavender buds straight from your garden! Make sure that you check them for any bugs.
Ingredients needed for Lavender Simple Syrup
To make homemade lavender syrup you will only need 5 ingredients where 2 are completely optional:
- Water
- Sugar: Use granulated sugar for this recipe. Brown sugar is not recommended. The sugar could also be substituted with honey to make a honey lavender syrup.
- Lavender buds: Use fresh or dried lavender buds. Make sure they are food grade, so they are not contaminated by pesticides or animals.
- Butterfly Pea Flower (optional)
- Lemon Juice (optional)
The butterfly pea flower and the lemon juice are optional cause they are only for looks. Lavender buds are beautifully purple, but the color unfortunately does not get extracted into the syrup. When cooked with only the buds the syrup will be a light brown, not at all what you’d expect from lavender syrup. To make it purple you cook the syrup with the butterfly pea flower which turns the mixture blue and then you add a few drops of lemon juice. The acidity in the lemon juice makes the blue turn purple. Super fun right? experimenting with butterfly pea flowers is always super fun! If you want an extra dramatic show you can leave out the lemon juice for now and add the acidity later when preparing a drink so the color will change in front of your guests.
Where to get lavender buds
My family always harvests our lavender in the garden when it is ready. Then we hang it up in our cellar and let them dry.
If you do not have access to a lavender plant you can simply buy them. You can order lavender buds over amazon or check out the stores nearby you, usually you can find them at specialty stores. Here in Florida I was able to find them in the local coop in the section where you can refill your spices.
How to make lavender infused simple syrup
Add the sugar, water and butterfly pea flower to a medium sized pot.
Simmer on medium heat till the sugar has dissolved.
Add the lavender and let cook for 5 more minutes.
Turn off the heat and cover the pot with a lid.
Let steep till the syrup has cooled completely.
Strain the syrup, add the lemon juice and pour into a bottle or jar with a tight lid.
Storage and Shelf Life for lavender syrup
Keep your lavender syrup in the fridge for up to 3 weeks. Use a clean bottle with a tight lid. Sterilizing the bottle first can improve the shelf life. Here is a post explaining you how to sterilize your bottles.
As long as the syrup still smells and tastes good and also does not look cloudy you can still enjoy it.
For a longer shelf life freeze your syrup in an ice cub tray. Add to drinks still frozen or let it come to room temperature.
Variations
Honey: Use a 1:1 ratio of honey instead of the sugar. A floral or even lavender infused honey would be perfect for this recipe.
Serving suggestions
There are endless ways to use lavender simple syrup!
It is perfect for any kind of drinks! Have it with just water, add it to your lemonade or have it in a mocktail or cocktail. This Lavender French 75 is one of my favorite cocktails with lavender syrup!
Love your Starbucks? Then you should add some lavender syrup to your coffee! It is great in both hot or iced coffees.
Another favorite of mine is making a lavender London fog! Super delicious and great if you are more of a tea lover than coffee.
Frequently asked questions
Q: What kind of lavender should I use for simple syrup?
A: Lavender syrup can be made with both dried and fresh lavender buds.
When using fresh lavender make sure you pick the ones that are not blooming yet. You want to look for a fully purple lavender bud that is still closed. Add an extra tablespoon of lavender to the syrup when using fresh ones as their flavor is less strong.
If you want to buy them look for culinary grade lavender.
Q: What is simple syrup?
A: Simple syrup is super easy to make! It is simply water and sugar that you boil till the sugar has dissolved. It can be infused with herbs, fruits and spices! If you loved making this lavender version you should also try this raspberry syrup or this masala chai syrup!
Q: How to use lavender syrup in coffee?
A: Lavender simple syrup is perfect in both hot and cold coffees. Start of with a small amount of the syrup and see if you like the taste. The syrup can be overpowering very quickly as it is so sweet from the sugar.
Try making lavender latte, lavender iced coffee or a lavender shaken espresso.
More syrup recipes to try
Lavender Syrup
Equipment
- sauce pan
- Sieve
Ingredients
- 1 cup Water
- 1 cup Sugar
- 2 tbsp Lavender Buds dried or fresh
- 4-5 buds Butterfly Pea Flower (optional)
- 2 drops Lemon Juice (optional)
Instructions
- To a medium sized saucepan add your sugar, water and butterfly pea flower.
- Turn on the stove to medium heat and let the mixture simmer till the sugar has completely dissolved and the syrup starts turning blue.
- Now add the lavender buds and let everything cook for 5 more minutes. Give it a quick stir from now and then.
- Then turn off the heat and cover the pot with a lid.
- Let the syrup steep till cooled completely. Give it a little taste to check if enough lavender flavor has been infused into the syrup.
- Next strain the syrup using a fine meshed sieve.
- Now it is time for some magic! Add a few droplets of the lemon juice to the syrup and give it a stir. 2-3 drops are enough here, less is more! The color will start turning once you stirred the syrup and the acidity has been properly mixed in.
- Pour the syrup into a clean bottle or jar with a tight lid and store in the fridge
Notes
Metric conversions are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee the accuracy of this information.
Your Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee the accuracy of this information.
Lavender Syrup?? Say no more!! I’m officially hooked.
That’s what we love to hear 😀
gotta love that fresh lavender smell! love it!
This lavender syrup is fragrant, delicious and easy to make. One of my favorite drinks at a local coffee shop is a lavender latte. Thanks to this recipe, I can now enjoy it more often at home.
Yeyyy, it is always fun making your favorite drinks at home! So happy I could help out 🙂 Enjoy your lavender latte!
this lavender syrup is so perfect for cocktails, coffees, and more!