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Home » Recipes » Condiments

Tea Syrup

Published: Aug 9, 2023 by Kate Hackworthy · 13 Comments

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Jar of simple syrup, with text: Tea Simple Syrup.
Jar of syrup, dishes of fruit salad, and text: Tea Infused Simple Syrup.

This simple Tea Syrup is a quick and easy way to add flavor and sweetness to drinks, desserts, breakfasts, fruit salads and more! Use your favourite tea and allow it to infuse the sweet syrup, from black tea or green tea, to loose leaf or herbal tea bags. 2 ingredients and 15 minutes.

Jar of tea syrup in front of vintage teacups.
Tea Syrup

Looking for a subtle yet sophisticated twist to enhance your everyday recipes? Say hello to Tea Simple Syrup! This aromatic elixir adds a whole new dimension to your culinary creations.

You can use tea bags or loose leaf tea, in any flavor you like! I've made it with chamomile, regular black tea, green tea and more.

I stumbled upon the idea of Tea Simple Syrup during a weekend brunch with friends. As I was brewing a pot of tea, a playful thought struck me: why not infuse this aromatic goodness into something other than my cup?

And that's when my journey with Tea Simple Syrup began. The first time I drizzled it over a medley of fresh berries, the burst of flavors was a revelation. My friends were captivated, and it became a regular addition to our brunch gatherings.

I love to use it drizzled over pound cake, swirled over ice cream, and in iced tea for a big tea flavor.

I'm a massive fan of flavored simple syrups. I seriously make them all the time. Check out Watermelon Syrup, Blackcurrant Syrup, Lemon Syrup. And many more! Find them all at Homemade Pancake Syrup Recipes.

This recipe for tea syrup was originally posted on May 9, 2018, and republished on August 9, 2023, with new text and images.

Jump to:
  • Why You Should Make This Recipe
  • Ingredients
  • Recipe Tips
  • How to make Tea Simple Syrup
  • How long will tea simple syrup keep?
  • Recipe Tips
  • Simple Syrup Recipes
  • FAQs
  • 📖 Recipe
  • 💬 Comments
Fruit salad in dishes, next to a jar of tea syrup.

Why You Should Make This Recipe

  • Tea simple syrup adds depth and complexity to everything from cocktails and iced tea, to cakes and waffles.
  • Impress your guests with a sophisticated touch that's incredibly easy to achieve.
  • Use any tea variety you fancy – from classic green to exotic rooibos – to tailor the flavor profile to your liking.
  • Ready in just 15 minutes with 2 ingredients.
  • Beyond fruit salads, this syrup can grace your cocktails, desserts, and breakfasts.

Ingredients

  • Tea Leaves or Tea Bags: I opted for loose leaf green tea, but feel free to experiment with mint, Earl Grey, English breakfast, chamomile, or rooibos etc... Each brings its unique charm to the table.
  • Water: The base of the syrup, providing a canvas for the tea's intricate flavors.
  • Granulated Sugar: The sweet companion that turns this infusion into a delectable thick syrup.

Variations:

  1. Herbal Medley: Blend different herbal teas for a symphony of soothing flavors in your syrup.
  2. Spice It Up: Add a cinnamon stick or a few cloves during the simmering process for a warm, aromatic twist.
  3. Citrus Zest: Toss in some citrus zest to infuse a zingy kick that complements your fruit salad.

Recipe Tips

  • It’s best to measure by volume for this, so if you don’t have cup measures, use ¾ of a mug of both water and sugar. As long as they are equal volumes it will work fine.
  • Also enjoy the tea simply syrup on ice cream, in granita, on pancakes, in cocktails etc...
  • Use your favourite tea: Earl Grey, rooibos, chamomile, green tea, mint...

How to make Tea Simple Syrup

Steeping tea in a pot.

1: Heat the water, then steep the tea (use your favorite: earl grey, rooibos, chamomile, green tea, mint)  for 4 minutes.

Straining out the tea leaves.

2: Strain the leaves out of the mixture over a bowl, squeezing the leaves/bag to extract the water.

Tea and sugar in a pot.

3: Return the tea-infused water to the saucepan, add the sugar and heat, stirring constantly, for a few minutes until the sugar dissolves.
4: Remove from the heat and allow the syrup to cool to room temperature, then store in a sterilized jar.

How long will tea simple syrup keep?

Simple syrup will keep for up to 1 month if kept in a sterilised jar in the fridge.

Tea Recipes

Love tea? Me too! Try these other creative recipes that include tea.

Check out my Lemon Tart with Chamomile Crust, Rooibos Millionaire Shortbread, Chamomile Cake, or Beet Chocolate Truffles with smoky lapsang souchong tea.

You'll love it washed down with a glass of homemade Berry Iced Tea or Strawberry Iced Tea. 

Recipe Tips

  1. Mindful Steeping: Allow the tea to steep for the recommended time to extract maximum flavor. Too short, and it might be underwhelming; too long, and it might turn bitter.
  2. Squeeze It Right: When straining the tea leaves, give them a gentle squeeze to extract every last drop of flavor without being too aggressive.
  3. Cool Before You Store: Always let your tea-infused simple syrup cool to room temperature before sealing it in a jar and popping it into the fridge.
  4. Experiment and Explore: Don't hesitate to try different teas and quantities to find your perfect flavor balance. This syrup is all about creative exploration.

Simple Syrup Recipes

  • A wooden table with a glass bottle of rhubarb simple syrup.
    Rhubarb Syrup
  • Wooden table with a jar of maple dijon dressing in front of a bowl of salad.
    Maple Dijon Dressing
  • Close up of a dish of pease pudding with a spoon in it.
    Pease Pudding
  • Wooden table with a glass bottle of grapefruit syrup next to slices of pink grapefruit.
    Grapefruit Syrup

FAQs

Can I use tea bags instead of loose-leaf tea?

Absolutely! Tea bags are convenient and come in many flavors.

Can I use honey instead of sugar?

While you can use honey, it might alter the flavor slightly. Experiment cautiously.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ If you love this recipe, please leave a five-star rating and review in the comments below! And if you make any modifications, let us know how it went so that we can all benefit from your experience. Happy cooking!

📖 Recipe

Jar of tea simple syrup.

Tea Syrup

Kate Hackworthy | Veggie Desserts
Make this simple Tea Syrup and turn your favorite tea into a sweet elixir for drinks, desserts, and more! 2 ingredients, 15 minutes.
5 from 10 votes
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Cook Time 15 minutes mins
Total Time 15 minutes mins
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 10
Calories 58 kcal

Equipment

  • Pot
  • Bowl
  • Strainer

Ingredients
 

For the Tea Simple Syrup

  • ¾ cup water
  • 3 tablespoons tea leaves or 3 tea bags {I usedgreen tea, but you could use any: Earl grey, English breakfast, chamomile, rooibos etc...}
  • ¾ cup granulated white sugar

Instructions
 

  • Heat the water in a small saucepan over medium-low heat until hot, but not boiling. Add the tea, remove from the heat and allow to steep for 4 minutes.
  • Place a fine mesh strainer over a bowl, then pour in the tea to catch the tea-infused water. If using tea bags, you can just remove them.
  • Return the tea-infused water to the saucepan, add the sugar, stir well, bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
  • Remove from the heat and allow the tea simple syrup to cool to room temperature. Carefully pour it into a sealable jar (a funnel helps) and store for up to 1 month in the fridge.

Nutrition

Calories: 58kcalCarbohydrates: 15gFat: 0.05gSodium: 1mgPotassium: 2mgSugar: 15gCalcium: 1mgIron: 0.01mg

The nutritional information provided is approximate and can vary depending on several factors, so is not guaranteed to be accurate. Please see a registered dietician for special diet advice.

Tried this recipe?Mention @kateveggiedesserts or tag #veggiedesserts! I love seeing your recreations.

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Comments

    5 from 10 votes

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    Recipe Rating




  1. Carrie Robinson

    April 19, 2024 at 5:01 pm

    5 stars
    Had it on fruit salad like you suggested and it was so good. Used good ol' English breafkast.

    Reply
  2. Ali

    August 09, 2023 at 5:18 pm

    5 stars
    This tea syrup is such a great idea! Used it to make some creative cocktails and it turned out so well.

    Reply
  3. Vicky

    August 09, 2023 at 4:37 pm

    5 stars
    I don't have loose tea, so I was glad to learn I can use tea bags to make this. It is delicious in tea. Now I need to try it on ice cream. Yum!

    Reply
  4. Ned

    May 09, 2023 at 4:32 pm

    5 stars
    Oh wow, this is really awesome. My wife now does this to sweeten her black tea!. Thank you for the recipe!

    Reply
  5. Kristen

    October 20, 2022 at 4:47 pm

    5 stars
    This turned out great! I used it to make a cocktail - yum!

    Reply
  6. Amy | The Cook Report

    May 09, 2018 at 9:16 pm

    5 stars
    Love the look of that syrup, such a delicious dessert!

    Reply
  7. Gloria

    May 09, 2018 at 5:08 pm

    5 stars
    What a great addition to the brunch menu. LOVE the tea syrup. I bet trying different flavours would be a lot to fun....and so tasty too.

    Reply
  8. Lisa | Garlic & Zest

    May 09, 2018 at 3:03 pm

    5 stars
    I love a good fruit salad and your simple syrup sounds like it would add just the right sweet, herbal note to this one. Gorgeous colors too!

    Reply
    • Kate Hackworthy

      May 09, 2018 at 5:01 pm

      Thanks so much!

      Reply
  9. Natalie

    May 09, 2018 at 2:49 pm

    5 stars
    I love the idea of infusing the simple syrup with tea! Absolutely genius and can be varied easily! This fruit salad looks perfect!

    Reply
    • Kate Hackworthy

      May 09, 2018 at 5:00 pm

      I can't wait to make it with more varieties of tea!

      Reply
  10. Claudia Lamascolo

    May 09, 2018 at 2:42 pm

    5 stars
    I love a great fruit salad like this and was just looking for a new recipe for Memorial Day Weekend for our grilling party so glad I visited you here today! Thanks

    Reply
    • Kate Hackworthy

      May 09, 2018 at 4:59 pm

      That's great! I hope you get the chance to try it. It's a perfect grilling party dessert.

      Reply

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Hi, I'm Kate, a journalist, author and multi-award-winning food blogger. Here you'll find vegetarian recipes and vegan recipes celebrating vegetables, from dinner to dessert! If you love vegetables, you've come to the right place. About Me

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