Lavender simple syrup is incredibly easy to make at home. Made by infusing fresh lavender in classic sugar syrup, it carries a light floral aroma perfect for hot and cold drinks, cocktails and desserts.
Try it in a lavender lemonade cocktail or mocktail.
🔍 Recipe Snapshot: Lavender Simple Syrup
- ⏱️ Prep Time: 5 minutes
- 🍳 Infusing Time: 30 minutes
- 🕒 Total Time: 35 minutes
- 👥 Servings: 19
- 📊 Calories: 51 kcal per 20ml serving
- 🔥 Cook Method: Stovetop
- 👩🍳 Flavour Profile: Floral, sweet, mildly herbal
- ⭐ Difficulty: Easy
- 💡 Best For: Cocktails, mocktails and coffee drinks.
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- 🔍 Recipe Snapshot: Lavender Simple Syrup
- Why I Love This Lavender Cocktail Syrup
- Ingredients Notes
- How To Make Lavender Simple Syrup (Step-By-Step Instructions)
- Storage Instructions
- Expert Tips
- Frequently Asked Questions
- How To Colour Lavender Syrup
- How To Use Lavender Simple Syrup
- More Floral Recipes
- 📖 Recipe
- 💬 Comments
Why I Love This Lavender Cocktail Syrup
- Aroma: Soft & floral
- Flavour: Sweet, floral, reminiscent of parma violets
- Versatile appearance: You don't have to colour this lavender syrup to enjoy it, but you can do so if you want to.
- Budget friendly: If you have access to fresh lavender, making your own lavender flavoured syrup is much cheaper than buying it (approximately 20p per 100ml compared to over £1 per 100ml if you buy a bottle).
Don't miss my other infused simple syrup recipes. You'll find hibiscus syrup, rosemary syrup, vanilla bean syrup and grapefruit syrup which can all be used in cocktails and mocktails too.
Ingredients Notes
Fresh lavender: You will need culinary grade lavender (English lavender) to make lavender cocktail syrup.
Sugar: Use white sugar (caster or granulated).
Optional flavour enhancers: Blueberries (will also impart a purple hue) or lemon zest (will not change the colour of your syrup). Either one lifts the base flavour in this lavender cocktail syrup recipe without detracting from the star flavour.
How To Make Lavender Simple Syrup (Step-By-Step Instructions)
Full instructions and measurements are given in the printable recipe card at the end of this post.
Step 1. Put the sugar and water into a saucepan. Heat gently to dissolve the sugar then bring to a simmer and take off the heat.
Step 2. Pick the buds from the stems of lavender.
Step 3. Drop the lavender into the pan (off the heat) ands leave it to infuse for 30 minutes.
If using blueberries or lemon zest now is the time to add these too.
Step 4. At the end of the infusion time strain the syrup through a fine meshed sieve.
Decant into a sealable jar or bottle and store in the fridge.
Storage Instructions
Lavender cocktail syrup should be stored in the fridge where it will stay from for up to 4 weeks.
This syrup is not suitable for freezing as the high sugar content prevents it from freezing solid and the flavour will deteriorate noticeably.
Expert Tips
- Infuse for a maximum of 30 minutes: Leaving the lavender in longer can lead to a bitter taste and it could turn the syrup brown.
- Make it stronger: If you did want to amplify the strength of flavour in your lavender syrup, increase the amout of lavender buds used.
- Make it weaker: If the floral notes are too strong for your tastes, reduce the amount of lavender used or shorten the infusion time to 15 minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Using the wrong type of lavender contributes to a soapy flavour. Ensure you use culinary grade English lavender for a soft, floral taste.
Infusing your lavender buds for too long or boiling them in the syrup can both cause lavender syrup to taste bitter. Take your syrup off the heat before adding the lavender and do not extend the infusing time beyond 30 minutes.
Lavender buds do not naturally impart purple colour to syrup. A syrup made with just sugar, water and lavender buds will take on a pale amber hue. See below for how to add purple colour to a lavender syrup recipe.
No, you cannot. Only culinary grade lavender (preferably English lavender) should be used.
Yes, you can. Again, ensure it is culinary grade lavender, then use 1 tablespoon (half the amount specified in the recipe below) as dried lavender is more concentrated that fresh lavender.
How To Colour Lavender Syrup
There are a few options when it comes to adding colour to this lavender cocktail syrup recipe:
- Food colouring: This is the easiest option but add a little at a time and stir well to ensure you don't overdo the colouring.
- Blueberries: Prick 2-3 blueberries and drop them into the pan along with the lavender buds. Just before straining the syrup, squish them gently to allow the colour to be released. This will give the syrup a subtle purple hue.
- Lemon juice: Once the syrup has been strained add in small increments of fresh lemon juice ( try ¼ teaspoon at a time) and stir well. The syrup will take on a pink hue. Keep adding more juice until you are happy with the colour but remember that adding a lot of lemon juice will significantly alter the flavour of the syrup.
How To Use Lavender Simple Syrup
- Make a lavender latte.
- Shake up a lavender daiquiri: Use my recipe for violet daiquiri but swap the violet syrup for lavender syrup.
- Sip a lavender margarita: Follow my recipe for hibiscus margarita but replace the hibiscus syrup with lavender cocktail syrup.
- Use your lavender syrup in baking: Flavour sponge cakes, whipped cream or buttercream.
More Floral Recipes
Rose, elderflower and violet can all play a part in baking and cocktail recipes. Try these:
Have you made this lavender simple syrup recipe? Please rate the recipe or leave a comment - I love hearing how you get along with my creations.
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📖 Recipe
Lavender Simple Syrup (for cocktails, mocktails, coffee and baking)
Print Pin RateIngredients
- 250 g White sugar
- 250 ml Water
- 2 tablespoons Fresh lavender buds
Optional Ingredients
- 3 Blueberries
- 1 Strip lemon zest
Instructions
- Put the sugar and water into a saucepan. Heat gently to dissolve the sugar then bring to a simmer and take off the heat.250 g White sugar, 250 ml Water
- Pick the buds from the stems of lavender.
- Drop the lavender into the pan (off the heat) ands leave it to infuse for 30 minutes. If using blueberries or lemon zest now is the time to add these too.2 tablespoons Fresh lavender buds, 3 Blueberries, 1 Strip lemon zest
- At the end of the infusion time strain the syrup through a fine meshed sieve. Decant into a sealable jar or bottle and store in the fridge.
Notes
- Infuse for a maximum of 30 minutes: Leaving the lavender in longer can lead to a bitter taste and it could turn the syrup brown.
- Make it stronger: If you did want to amplify the strength of flavour in your lavender syrup, increase the amout of lavender buds used.
- Make it weaker: If the floral notes are too strong for your tastes, reduce the amount of lavender used or shorten the infusion time to 15 minutes.
- Colour it: Lavender buds do not naturally impart purple colour to syrup. A syrup made with just sugar, water and lavender buds will take on a pale amber hue. See below to add colour.
How To Colour Lavender Syrup
There are a few options when it comes to adding colour to this lavender cocktail syrup recipe:- Food colouring: This is the easiest option but add a little at a time and stir well to ensure you don't overdo the colouring.
- Blueberries: Prick 2-3 blueberries and drop them into the pan along with the lavender buds. Just before straining the syrup, squish them gently to allow the colour to be released. This will give the syrup a subtle purple hue.
- Lemon juice: Once the syrup has been strained add in small increments of fresh lemon juice ( try ¼ teaspoon at a time) and stir well. The syrup will take on a pink hue. Keep adding more juice until you are happy with the colour but remember that adding a lot of lemon juice will significantly alter the flavour of the syrup.
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