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This lavender simple syrup recipe is sweet and floral with the distinct scent of calming lavender. Three ingredients are all it takes to make this naturally fragrant and sweet syrup that’s great for everything from your favorite coffee drinks to cocktail recipes.
Stirring this syrup into a cup of cold brew coffee feels like walking thru the lavender fields of Door County, Wisconsin.
That’s right, lavender is a popular crop here in the Midwest! In particular, northern Door County where you can visit lavender farms and enjoy a whole host of treats flavored with this fragrant purple flower.
As someone who is obsessed with coffee, lavender, and Wisconsin, making this easy simple syrup recipe really was a no brainer!
Love a homemade simple syrup? Be sure to try my rhubarb simple syrup, vanilla simple syrup, caramel simple syrup, and peppermint simple syrup! They’ve all got great uses for everything from lemonade to cakes!
Ingredients for this recipe
- Sugar – Plain granulated sugar is all you need.
- Water – If we’re making simple syrup we need water.
- Food-Grade Dried Lavender – You can find this at your higher end grocery stores or order it online.
- (Optional) Vanilla Extract – This is totally optional, but I love making a vanilla lavender variation for my London Fog lattes!
Homemade lavender simple syrup
This is just a brief overview, detailed instructions can be found in the recipe card below!
- Combine the sugar and water. And cook until the sugar is dissolved.
- Add in the dried lavender. And steep for 5 – 10 minutes.
- Strain the syrup. And discard the used lavender. (This might sound crazy, but when you toss it in the trash it’ll make your garbage can smell so fragrant!)
- Cool and store. Until ready to use in your favorite lavender latte.
Lavender Vanilla Simple Syrup
If you’re wanting even more flavor, stir in 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract after you’ve discarded the lavender leaves. This produces such a deep and rich syrup that makes my afternoon iced coffee feel like a real treat.
Can I use lavender essential oil in this recipe?
In short, no.
Essential oils are not flavored extracts and cannot just be stirred into recipes on a whim.
For one, they’re so deeply concentrated that adding a teaspoon or even half a teaspoon would overwhelm your senses. That’s why essential oils are often only used in drops.
For two, the regulations for essential oils are different (or non-existent) than the ones for food-grade extracts and flavorings. They’re not all food safe!
For this recipe, you really need to use food-grade dried lavender leaves. Again, these can be found at higher end grocery stores or even online. I’ve even seen bottles of food-grade dried lavender at TJ Maxx!
Storing Simple Syrup
Sugar is a natural preservative and as such, simple syrup has a very long shelf life. By adding things in like dried florals, we do lower the amount of time it can be kept.
Lavender simple syrup can be stored in the fridge for up to two months. If it ever develops mold or becomes cloudy, discard immediately.
Ways to Use
Lavender syrup is just begging to be mixed into your favorite iced latte recipe. Or maybe an iced London fog, instead?
In the summertime stir in a few teaspoons to a nice cold glass of lemonade or drizzle it into sparkling water!
I also have really been loving using it in place of plain simple syrup when I shake up a Lillet Rose Martini. The added floral note is just to die for!
Watch the recipe video!
Lavender Simple Syrup
Equipment
- Saucepan
- Spoon
- Fine Mesh Sieve
- Glass Jar with Lid
Ingredients
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon dried lavender leaves
Instructions
- Place 1 cup water and 1 cup sugar in a shallow saucepan and set over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until sugar has fully dissolved into the water, about five minutes.
- Stir in 1 tablespoon dried lavender leaves and steep for 5 - 10 minutes. The longer the syrup steeps the stronger it will be.
- Pour the lavender simple syrup through a fine mesh sieve set over a storage jar. Discard the used lavender.
- Cool syrup to room temperature on the counter before covering and refrigerating until ready to use.
Video
Notes
- If desired, stir 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract into syrup after straining out the lavender leaves for a lavender vanilla simple syrup.
- Syrup can be stored for up to 2 months. If it ever develops a cloudy appearance, off smell, or mold discard immediately.
- Makes 1 ½ cups syrup, or 24 tablespoons.
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