This simple syrup recipe is one of those basics I like having ready in the fridge. It takes just a few minutes to make and gives you an easy liquid sweetener for drinks, desserts, and baking.

Glass bottle filled with homemade simple syrup made from sugar and water, with a bowl of sugar in the background.

What is simple syrup?

Simple syrup is a liquid sweetener made by cooking sugar and water together until the sugar dissolves. Because the sugar is already dissolved, it mixes easily into both hot and cold drinks without leaving sugar sitting at the bottom of the glass.

The best sugar-to-water ratio for basic simple syrup is 1:1. I use equal parts sugar and water when I want an everyday syrup that’s thin enough to pour and easy to mix into drinks.

The nice thing about basic simple syrup is that you can also use it as a starting point for flavored syrups. Add fresh ingredients like ginger, lime, or lemongrass while it simmers, and you have a completely different syrup without changing the basic method.

If you want to try making a flavored syrup, I recommend my ginger syrup and lemongrass syrup.

Ways to use it

Once you have a bottle of syrup ready, it’s useful for all kinds of things:

Cocktails: Use it anywhere a cocktail calls for simple syrup.
Coffee: Stir it into hot or iced coffee for easy, even sweetness.
Tea: Sweeten hot or iced Thai tea without waiting for sugar to dissolve.
Lemonade: Mix it into homemade lemonade and adjust the sweetness to your liking.
Soda: Add it to sparkling water or lime soda for a quick homemade soft drink.
Desserts: Drizzle it over pancakes, waffles, fruit, or ice cream.
Baking: Brush it over cakes to add moisture and a little sweetness.

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Ingredient notes & substitutes

You really only need two ingredients:

White sugar: Regular granulated white sugar is best for a basic simple syrup because it gives you a clean, neutral sweetness. You can swap in brown sugar when you want a richer, caramel-like flavor; I have a separate brown sugar syrup recipe for that.
Water: Regular drinking water is all you need.

How to make simple syrup

Pouring water into a saucepan to make a basic sugar syrup.

1: Combine the sugar and water. Add equal parts sugar and water to a small saucepan and stir to combine.

1. Testing the consistency of homemade simple syrup with a spoon.

2: Heat until the sugar dissolves. Place the saucepan over medium heat and stir occasionally until the sugar has completely dissolved.

You don’t need a hard boil. Once the syrup is clear and you can’t see any sugar crystals, it’s ready.

3: Cool and store. Remove from the heat and let the syrup cool completely. Pour it into a clean, airtight jar or bottle and refrigerate.

How to store

Let the syrup cool completely, then transfer it to a clean, airtight jar or bottle and refrigerate. For a homemade 1:1 syrup, I’d recommend using it within 2 weeks.

Always use a clean spoon or pour directly from the bottle. Discard it if you notice mold, fermentation, bubbling, or an unusual smell.