Homemade Ginger Syrup Recipe
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This homemade ginger syrup recipe uses just 3 ingredients and takes only a few minutes to make. It’s the easiest way to have a strong ginger flavor ready for fizzy drinks, cocktails, and more.
What is ginger syrup?
Ginger syrup is a sweet, spicy syrup made by simmering grated fresh ginger with sugar and water. The ginger is infused into the syrup as it cooks, then strained out, leaving you with a concentrated ginger flavor that’s easy to use in drinks, cooking, and baking.
I like making mine fairly strong because a little goes a long way, especially when I’m mixing it with sparkling water or adding it to a cocktail. You only need a small splash to get that warm, spicy ginger flavor, and you can easily add more if you want it stronger.
How to use it?
- Ginger soda or lemonade: Mix with sparkling water and fresh lemon or lime juice for a quick homemade ginger drink. This is probably how I use it most often.
- Cocktails and mocktails: Use it to add sweetness and fresh ginger flavor to cocktails, mocktails, and mixed drinks.
- Coffee or iced tea: Stir a little into hot coffee, cold brew, or iced tea for a subtle ginger flavor.
- Cooking: Add it to stir-fry sauces, marinades, glazes, or dressings when you want a little sweetness and ginger flavor.
- Baking and desserts: Drizzle it over cakes, pancakes, waffles, or fruit, or brush it over baked goods while they’re still warm.
Learn Thai cooking step by step
My cookbook is a combination of authentic Thai recipes and Western dishes cooked with Thai flavors and ingredients. It’s a great starting point if you’re new to Thai cooking or want to cook it more often.
Ingredient notes & substitutes
You can find everything at Asian grocery stores or markets. Head to the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the exact measurements.
- Fresh ginger: Use fresh ginger, not ground ginger.
- Water: Regular drinking water is fine.
- Sugar: I use white sugar for this recipe. It keeps the syrup clear and lets the ginger flavor come through.
How to make ginger simple syrup
1: Blend the ginger with water. Roughly chop the fresh ginger and add it to a food processor with half of the water. Blend until the ginger is finely chopped and mixed well with the water.
2: Cook the ginger mixture. Pour the ginger mixture into a saucepan. Add the remaining water and the sugar. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3: Strain the syrup. Place a fine-mesh sieve over a bowl or measuring jug and line it with cheesecloth. Pour the hot ginger mixture through, letting the syrup drain through the cloth.
4: Squeeze the cheesecloth. Gather the cheesecloth around the ginger pulp and squeeze it firmly to get the remaining syrup out. There’s quite a bit of ginger flavor left in the pulp, so don’t skip this step.
5: Cool and store.
Let the ginger syrup cool completely, then transfer it to a clean bottle or jar. Keep it refrigerated until you’re ready to use it.
How to store
Ginger syrup can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Let it cool completely, then transfer it to a clean, airtight bottle or jar and keep it refrigerated.
Always use a clean spoon when taking syrup from the jar, and discard it if you notice any mold, fermentation, or an unusual smell.
Homemade Ginger Syrup Recipe
Equipment
- Food processor
- Saucepan
- Cheesecloth
- Jar for storage
Ingredients
- 50 g fresh ginger, roughly chopped
- 240 ml water, divided in half
- 100 g sugar
Instructions
- Blend the ginger: Roughly chop the fresh ginger and add it to a food processor with half of the water. Blend until the ginger is finely chopped.
- Cook the ginger: Pour the ginger mixture into a saucepan. Add the remaining water and the sugar. Stir and bring to a gentle simmer.
- Simmer: Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, to let the ginger infuse into the syrup.
- Strain: Place cheesecloth over a fine-mesh sieve and pour the ginger mixture through it into a clean bowl or measuring jug. Let it drain for a moment.
- Squeeze: Gather the cheesecloth around the ginger pulp and squeeze firmly to extract as much syrup as possible.
- Cool and store: Let the ginger syrup cool completely, then transfer it to a clean bottle or jar and refrigerate.
Notes
- Use the nutrition card in this recipe as a guideline.
How long does it last in the fridge?
I recommend using it within 2 weeks. It may last longer, but as a food blogger, I prefer to give a conservative storage time rather than have readers keep something for too long.