Rosemary Simple Syrup
This rosemary simple syrup is piney, aromatic, and incredibly easy to make. It adds a lovely herbal depth to cocktails, lemonade, and iced tea, and it’s one of my favorite ways to bring a sophisticated twist to simple drinks.
About this recipe
Rosemary simple syrup is a sweetener infused with fresh rosemary, made with just sugar, water, and a few sprigs of the herb. It’s one of the easiest homemade syrups to put together and adds a wonderful piney, aromatic note to anything you mix it into.
A basic simple syrup is just equal parts sugar and water, heated until the sugar dissolves. For this version, you add the rosemary while heating, then let it steep as the syrup cools. The result is a fragrant syrup that brings herbal complexity without overpowering other flavors.
Rosemary pairs beautifully with citrus and berries. Try it in a salty dog cocktail where the grapefruit and rosemary work wonderfully together, or use it in gin-based drinks where the botanicals complement each other. For a different herbal syrup, my sage simple syrup has a warmer, earthier flavor, or try elderflower simple syrup for something more floral.
Key ingredients and why
- Granulated sugar: White sugar gives you a clean sweetness that lets the rosemary flavor shine. You can use brown sugar or raw sugar for a deeper, more caramelized flavor, but it will change the taste and darken the syrup.
- Water: Combined with sugar in equal parts (1:1 ratio) to create the syrup base.
- Fresh rosemary sprigs: The star ingredient. Fresh rosemary has a piney, aromatic quality that works beautifully in drinks. Use 4-5 sprigs per cup of syrup. Don’t use dried rosemary, as the flavor is quite different and won’t give you the same result.
Method
- Combine sugar, water and rosemary sprigs. Simmer until the sugar dissolves.
- Steep for 30 minutes
- Strain
Tips
More simple syrup recipes
If you love making flavored syrups, check out more of my simple syrup recipes. Here are a few favorites:
- Sage Simple Syrup
- Elderflower Simple Syrup
- Ginger Simple Syrup
- Cinnamon Simple Syrup
- Blueberry Simple Syrup
Rosemary Simple Syrup
Ingredients
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup sugar
- 4-5 sprigs fresh rosemary
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan combine sugar, water and rosemary sprigs and place it over medium heat. Let it come to a simmer, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
- Once the sugar has dissolved, turn off the heat and let the rosemary steep in the syrup for around 30 minutes.
- Balance a wire-mesh strainer over a bowl and pour through the syrup to remove the rosemary. To get the syrup extra clear, next pour it through a cheesecloth of coffee filter.
- Let it cool down to room temperature, then pour it into an airtight container. Store the simple syrup in the fridge for up to 2 weeks
Notes
- Use fresh rosemary only. Dried rosemary has a very different flavor and won’t work as well in this recipe.
- Don’t steep longer than 30 minutes, or the syrup may become bitter.
- This syrup pairs beautifully with citrus and berry flavors.
- Try it in a salty dog cocktail or a rosemary gimlet.
