This easy Lavender Syrup recipe is the perfect way to add a light floral note to drinks and desserts. Simply steep lavender in water and sugar, then strain for a sweet lavender treat you can enjoy in many different ways! You can make it in just 15 minutes.
I love using culinary lavender in cooking. It adds such a wonderful taste and sophisticated scent!
This lavender syrup recipe is super easy to make, and you can use it many ways.
You'll love Lavender Syrup stirred into warm milk for a bedtime drink, drizzled over a lemon cake, or added to a latte. It's great in coffee (like at Starbucks!) and incredible in white hot chocolate. Try it drizzled over pancakes or waffles!
Once you start using it, you'll find many other uses too!
Lavender is a flower that has a light purple tint and a calming aroma. The versatile flower is often used in helping to calm stress, anxiety, and can help with insomnia.
Lavender is edible, so you can also use it to give food a light floral flavor that pairs well with its calming properties. One fantastic way to get this delicate flavor into your food or drink is by making homemade lavender simple syrup!
You just have to mix edible lavender flowers with standard simple syrup ingredients sugar and water. You then boil it and steep it to release its flavor. After cooling you can add some vanilla or purple coloring and then store it in a jar or container.
Lavender syrup makes a great coffee or tea drink and can be given as a unique homemade gift!
This was inspired by my other syrup recipes on this site, including Raspberry Syrup, Peach Syrup, and Blackberry Syrup.
For fans of floral flavor, you'll also love Rose Syrup!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
Lavender is a perfect scent that is light and comforting and pairs well with food and drink.
Making Lavender Syrup at home from scratch means it's made without any chemicals or preservatives. Why buy it from Monin or Torani when it's so easy to make from scratch at home!
You can use it in your favorite coffee and tea drinks, hot chocolate, warm milk as well as in desserts.
An entire batch of lavender simple syrup is made from start to finish in just 15 minutes or less!
Ingredients
- Granulated White Sugar - Gives this simple syrup its classic sweet flavor.
- Water - Used to help thin out the syrup and give it a pourable consistency.
- Edible Lavender Buds - Add a light floral lavender flavor to the syrup. Be sure to check that they are for cooking purposes, usually labelled edible or culinary.
- Vanilla Extract - Infuses the syrup with a hint of vanilla flavor that pairs well with lavender.
- Purple Food Coloring - A bit of purple food coloring can be used to give the syrup a light purple hue but is completely optional. Without it the syrup is a light beige color.
Please see the recipe card below for quantities.
Instructions
Wondering how to make this lavender syrup recipe? It's easy! Just follow this step-by-step photo tutorial. Then, scroll down for the recipe card for the full ingredients list and recipe method.
Ensure your dried lavender buds are edible.
Add the ingredients to a small pot: Pour in the water and sugar into a pot, and stir. Then add the lavender.
Boil the ingredients: Bring the syrup mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer where the flavor will extract for about 10 minutes.
Strain out the lavender buds: Remove from heat and cool for 10 minutes. Then place a fine-mesh strainer over a bowl to separate the lavender from the syrup. Discard the lavender.
Cool and store: Once cooled, add in your vanilla extract if desired, give it a stir, then pour it into a sealed bottle or jar. The homemade lavender syrup will stay fresh in the fridge for up to 4 weeks.
Top tips
When choosing your lavender, it's important to make sure it is edible grade. Some lavender can be sprayed with pesticides and chemicals which can leach into the syrup if not sourced properly.
You can use fresh or dried lavender to make this syrup recipe.
When you pour your cooled syrup into a container, it's best to make sure the vessel is fully sanitized to prevent any bacteria contamination.
Boiling sugar with water makes a VERY hot liquid that could cause some serious burns. This is why it's very important to make sure your syrup is cooled before transferring it into containers.
If your lavender bud breaks apart while boiling, you may need to strain twice to remove the lavender solids.
Serving Suggestions
Try it on pancakes, waffles or French toast.
Stir it into your favorite coffee.
Use it to add flavor to cocktails.
Enjoy it in a white hot chocolate.
Add a little to tea or iced tea for a floral flavor. It pairs well with Strawberry Iced Tea or Berry Iced Tea.
A little Lavender Syrup stirred into warm milk makes a wonderful bedtime drink.
Drizzle on top of Grilled Nectarines, Peaches and Cream, or Strawberries and Cream to add a floral note to the fruity flavor.
Add a little to a Vegan Tofu Chocolate Mousse - chocolate and lavender are lovely together.
Drizzle it over a Zucchini Lemon Cake, Vegan Lemon Cake or Persimmon Bread.
Stir it into a batch of Whipped Coconut Cream to top cakes, cupcakes or to use in your favorite desserts.
Make a batch and give it as an edible gift. Perfect for Christmas with a pretty label!
Variations
Change up the flavor extracts and use almond, maple, or even lemon extract to add a different flavor.
You can use brown sugar or coconut sugar to sweeten up the syrup which will add a light caramel flavor. Honey will also work well to sweeten the syrup.
Steep the lavender buds with fresh mint or basil for a fresh herb twist.
For a sugar-free lavender simple syrup, use a mix of erythritol powdered sweetener along with a drop or two of liquid stevia to replace the white sugar.
Storage
Storing: When making homemade simple syrups, be sure to store them in a sealed container or jar in the fridge where they will stay fresh for up to 1 month.
Freezing: If you’d like to freeze your simple syrup for later, pour the cooled syrup into an ice cube tray and freeze until solid before transferring to an airtight bag or container for 2-3 months.
FAQs
This versatile syrup can be used in a variety of different ways as it can add a light floral flavor to drinks, desserts, breakfasts or your favorite cocktails.
The sweetness from the sugar helps carry a light floral note that gives off a calming and soothing flowery flavor.
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📖 Recipe
Lavender Syrup
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups granulated white sugar (300g)
- 1 cup water (235ml)
- 2 tablespoons edible lavender buds
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Optional: natural purple food colouring
Instructions
- Stir the sugar, water and lavender in a pot, bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer for 10 minutes.
- Remove from the heat, place a fine mesh strainer over a bowl and strain out and discard the lavender. Take care, sugar syrup is hot!
- Allow to cool. Stir in the vanilla and, if desired, stir in a few drops of purple food colouring (naturally, lavender syrup is a pale beige color).
- Pour into a jar or bottle and keep in the fridge for up to 4 weeks.
Notes
- When choosing your lavender, it's important to make sure it is edible grade. Some lavender can be sprayed with pesticides and chemicals which can leach into the syrup if not sourced properly.
- Fresh or dried lavender can be used to make this syrup recipe.
- When pouring your cooled syrup into a container, it's best to make sure the vessel is fully sanitized to prevent any bacteria contamination.
- Boiling sugar with water makes a VERY hot liquid that could cause some serious burns. This is why it's very important to make sure your syrup is cooled before transferring it into containers.
- If your lavender breaks apart while boiling, you may need to strain twice to remove the lavender solids.
Nutrition
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.
Roxana
What a great recipe. I love making non-traditional syrups and this was amazing. The use of color was brilliant and like that it was natural.
Jenn
Such a gorgeous syrup for cocktails and desserts! Excited to try it -- thanks for the recipe!
Toni
This is so perfect with my favorite drinks!! Thank you for sharing!
Kate
What a lovely syrup - we have loads of lavender growing in the greenhouse so I made up some bottles of this. Yum!