Rosemary simple syrup is quick & easy to make. It requires just 3 ingredients and it can be used in cocktails, hot drinks, bakes and savoury recipes to add exquisite herbal flavour.
I created this rosemary infused syrup to include in a blood orange cocktail.
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Why I love This Recipe
- Just 3 ingredients: And they are easy to find in the supermarket.
- Minimal hands-on time: Although homemade rosemary syrup needs to infuse for 30 minutes, you only need to dedicate around 5 minutes to making it.
- Unique ingredient: Use this fragrant herbal syrup in hot drinks, cocktails, bakes and savoury recipes to introduce an intriguing flavour dimension.
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What is Rosemary Simple Syrup?
Simple syrup is a syrup made from equal parts water and sugar. Rosemary simple syrup is simple syrup that has been infused with fresh rosemary to give a herbal flavour to it.
If you love intriguing and unusual syrup flavours to include in coffees, teas, cocktails and mocktails, pick up my cardamom syrup recipe - it's hiding in my recipe for almond milk latte with cardamom.
Ingredients Notes
Fresh Rosemary: This is the star of the show. Homegrown or store-bought rosemary is fine, just make sure it is fresh, with a robust herbal scent and that it has not started to dry out.
Sugar: White sugar is best for this rosemary syrup recipe to keep the herbal flavour pronounced. Brown sugar adds additional flavour that can overshadow the rosemary.
How to Make Rosemary Simple Syrup (Step-by-Step)
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 small saucepan. Heat gently until the sugar has completely dissolved, then turn up the heat and cook until almost boiling.
Step 2. Clap the rosemary sprigs between your hands and add to the pan. Cook for 30 seconds more then take the pan off the heat, cover and leave to infuse for 30 minutes.
Step 3. Remove the rosemary sprigs, pass the syrup through a fine sieve and decant it into a sealable bottle or jar.
Storage & Shelf-Life
Store your rosemary infused syrup in a screwtop bottle in the fridge. It will stay fresh for up to 4 weeks when stored this way.
Expert Tips
Top Tip: Don't forget to clap the rosemary before adding it to the saucepan: Lay the rosemary in one hand and swiftly clap your other hand down onto it. This helps release essential oils leading to an enhanced flavour & aroma.
- For stronger syrup: Add more rosemary sprigs or leave to infuse for an extra 15 minutes.
- For milder flavour: Reduce the rosemary by half.
- Dilute the strength: This homemade rosemary syrup is boldly flavoured. If, once made, the herbal flavour is too strong for your tastes, dilute it with regular simple syrup until the flavour matches your taste preferences. Next time you make it reduce the amount of fresh rosemary used.
Frequently Asked Questions
This is a fresh rosemary syrup recipe so I do not recommend using dried herbs for it. Use fresh rosemary that is vibrant and smells strongly. Do not use old rosemary that has started to dry out.
No, you cannot. Remove all of the rosemary sprigs from the syrup at the end of the infusion time. Leaving rosemary sprigs in the syrup during storage can cause it to turn bitter.
Crystalisation can occur if the sugar does not fully dissolve into the water. Try reheating it gently in order to return it to a smooth syrup again.
If the syrup boils for any length of time it will be thicker than it should be. This makes it harder to blend into other liquids. Try diluting it with a small amount of water to thin it out (but be aware that the herbal flavour will also be diluted).
Variations
- Rosemary and lemon syrup: Add 1 slice of lemon to the syrup as it infuses.
- Orange and rosemary syrup: Drop in a slice of orange as the syrup infuses.
- Lavender and rosemary infused syrup: Replace 5g of the rosemary with fresh lavender. be careful not to overdo the lavender as it is very pungent.
How to Use Rosemary Syrup
- Use rosemary simple syrup for cocktails: Try it in this blood orange & rosemary syrup cocktail. For more inspiration, take a look through this list of rosemary syrup cocktails from Bitter Ex.
- Use rosemary syrup for coffee: Add a dash to sweeten and introduce exquisite herbal undertones to your coffee drink of choice.
- Pour it over freshly baked cakes: Rosemary syrup pairs especially well with chocolate cake, lemon cake and orange cake.
- Drizzle over cheese crostini: Try it with goats cheese or feta cheese.
- Toss with rhubarb and roast: Serve the rosemary-infused rhubarb with Greek yoghurt and/ or a slab of orange drizzle cake.
More Flavoured Syrups to Try
Have you made this rosemary syrup recipe? Please rate the recipe or leave a comment - I love hearing how you get along with my creations.
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Rosemary Simple Syrup
Ingredients
- 20 g Fresh rosemary
- 125 g White sugar granulated or caster sugar
- 125 ml Water
Instructions
- Put the sugar and water into a small saucepan. Heat gently until the sugar has completely dissolved.125 g White sugar, 125 ml Water
- Meanwhile take each spring of rosemary and lay it in the palm of your hand. Swiftly clap the other hand down on top of the rosemary. This 'clap' helps release the essential oils in the rosemary, leading to better flavour and aroma in the syrup.20 g Fresh rosemary
- Once the sugar has dissolved, turn the heat up and bring the syrup almost to a boil. Drop the rosemary into the pan, cook for 30 seconds more to bring the temperature back up then turn off the heat, cover the pan with a lid and leave to infuse for 30 minutes.20 g Fresh rosemary
- Remove the rosemary sprigs and leave to cool completely.
- Pass the syrup through a fine meshed sieve before decanting into a sealable bottle and storing in the fridge for up to 4 weeks.
Notes
- Clap the rosemary before adding it to the saucepan: Lay the rosemary in one hand and swiftly clap your other hand down onto it. This helps release essential oils leading to an enhanced flavour & aroma.
- For stronger syrup: Add more rosemary sprigs or leave to infuse for an extra 15 minutes.
- For milder flavour: Reduce the rosemary by half.
- Lemon and rosemary syrup: Add 1 slice of lemon to the syrup as it infuses.
- Orange and rosemary syrup: Drop in a slice of orange as the syrup infuses.
- Lavender and rosemary infused syrup: Replace 5g of the rosemary with fresh lavender (lavender is very pungent, so be careful not to over-do it)
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