Lip-Smacking-Good Homemade Ginger Simple Syrup

This ginger syrup recipe came about by accident. I wasn’t really intending to make ginger syrup, but I was working on a recipe for my forthcoming book which required me to cook fresh slices of ginger. After straining the cooked ginger slices, I was left with a very strong ginger juice. I didn’t want to throw it away — you’ve met me, right?? — so I decided to try my hand at making ginger syrup.

I say that as if it was difficult. It wasn’t. 

With just two ingredients, this ginger simple syrup is a snap to make. Plus, it’s a two-fer. Use the cooked ginger in other recipes (try this candied ginger recipe) and then use the cooking liquid in this ginger syrup recipe. One recipe, twice the fun.

How to make ginger syrup

The basis of this ginger syrup recipe is a ginger-flavored water and sugar. That’s it. To make the ginger water, you’ll slice and cook fresh ginger root. This imparts an amazingly strong ginger flavor to the water.

I strained the ginger water into a quart-sized canning jar before transferring it to the saucepan for cooking. You can strain it into a bowl or any container that’s large enough to hold a quart of liquid.

That flavorful water combined with sugar makes this gingery sweet syrup. You can vary the amount of sugar to make a medium or heavy syrup. Since the flavor of the ginger is so strong, I don’t recommend it as a light syrup. You really do need that extra sweetness to counter the spice of the ginger.

This sweet ginger syrup recipe keeps for a month or so in the refrigerator.

Give it as a gift

Packaged up in a pretty recycled jar (or a decorated jar like this), this syrup makes a lovely hostess gift. Simply tie on a cute label and include some ideas for how to use it. Or package a bottle of this syrup with a couple of cocktail glasses or mugs (love these) along with ingredients to make a ginger-spiced beverage.

How to use homemade ginger syrup

• Use it as a sweetener in your hot or iced tea.
• Mix 2 tablespoons syrup into a cup of cold sparkling water for a homemade ginger ale.
• Stir some into your morning bowl of oatmeal.
• Mix a spoonful into this recipe for a ginger hot fudge sauce.
• Use this ginger syrup recipe in salad dressing like this one.
• Stir some of this ginger syrup into a mug of hot cocoa and warm up by the fire.
• Drizzle some over pancakes or waffles.
• Stir some into homemade applesauce for an extra zing of flavor.
• Use it in homemade cranberry sauce, in lieu of fresh ginger. Or in addition to it!
• Add a splash (or three) to your homemade granola before you bake it.
• Stir a couple of tablespoons full into your favorite muffin recipe. Try it in these apple cinnamon muffins.
• Make a ginger martini. Or use it in other cocktail hour beverages.
• Stir some into a marinade. It would be great in teriyaki sauce.
• Add a spoonful to a mixed fresh fruit salad.
• Drizzle some over this peach pie.
• Stir it into homemade yogurt.
• Add it to a glass of lilikoi juice.

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Ginger Simple Syrup

This easy recipe makes a flavorful addition to sweets, beverages, and marinades.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword cocktails, flavor, pantry

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes

Total Time 55 minutes

Servings 80

Author Kris Bordessa

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound ginger fresh
• 1 quart water
• 3-4 cups sugar organic

Instructions

1. Peel and slice ginger thinly. 

   

2. Bring ginger to a boil in one quart of water. Cook until just tender. 

   

3. Strain, reserving cooked ginger for making ginger candy.

   

4. Measure sugar into a saucepan. Use 3 cups for a medium ginger syrup, 4 cups for a heavy ginger syrup. 

   

5. Stir in ginger flavored water. Bring to a boil. 

6. Remove ginger simple syrup from heat. Allow to cool and transfer to jars or bottles. 

Recipe Notes

The easiest way to peel ginger is to use the edge of a spoon to scrape it away. This results in less waste than trying to use a paring knife.

Store this simple syrup in refrigerator for a month or so.

Makes 4-5 cups of ginger syrup.

Give it as a gift

Packaged up in a pretty recycled jar, this syrup makes a lovely hostess gift. Simply tie on a cute label and include some ideas for how to use it. Or package a bottle of this syrup with a couple of cocktail glasses or mugs along with ingredients to make a ginger-spiced beverage.