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Homemade Strawberry Syrup is beyond easy to make this strawberry season with 2 basic ingredients: fresh strawberries and sugar! Perfect for drizzling over ice cream or to add a fruity flavoring to drinks!
This two-ingredient strawberry syrup recipe is ready in no time. Just simmer strawberries, sugar, and a splash of water until thick, strain it to remove any pulp, and voilà! You have a fresh sweet syrup ready to drizzle over ice cream and pancakes and stir into drinks like a margarita or lemonade.
You can control the thickness and flavor of the syrup easily. To make it thicker and more spoonable, instead of drizzling consistency, just cook the strained syrup a little longer. And for a tart element to balance the sweetness, a little fresh lemon juice is amazing! For more strawberry recipes, try my strawberry jam, strawberry cake, and strawberry bread.
Only Two Ingredients Needed
You only need 2 ingredients to make homemade strawberry syrup. You can find the volume amounts in the recipe!
Strawberries — wash, hull, and slice fresh strawberries. Select berries with a bright red color and a sweet fragrance.
Sugar — granulated sugar adds sweetness and contributes to the syrupy consistency.
Strawberry Syrup Recipe
Equipment
- Medium pot
- Mesh Strainer
Ingredients
- 1 pound fresh strawberries (450g)
- ¾ cup granulated sugar (150g)
Instructions
- Hull the strawberries and slice them into ½-inch thick pieces.
- In a medium saucepan, combine the strawberries, sugar, and 2 tablespoons of water. Place over medium-high heat and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring frequently until the strawberries release their juices, about 3 minutes.
- Reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring frequently, for 10 to 12 minutes to help break down the fruit, until thickened, syrupy, and the volume is reduced by about half.
- Immediately strain the mixture through a wire strainer. Stir vigorously with a spoon to push the syrup through the sieve. Let cool to room temperature. (Any remaining pulp or fruit left in the strainer can be stirred into yogurt or served on toast like a jam.)
- Store the syrup covered in the refrigerator for up to 7 days (or in the freezer for up to 2 months.)
Notes
- Use a strainer with small holes to catch the fruit pulp, but not too fine, or it will be difficult to extract the syrup. You don’t need to use cheesecloth or anything that would finely strain the syrup.
- Straining is optional! You can leave the pieces of strawberry in the syrup as well if you don’t mind chunks of fruit in your syrup.
Nutrition
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How To Make Strawberry Syrup
1. Slice the clean, hulled strawberries.
2. Add the strawberries, sugar, and water to a saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil and stir.
3. Reduce the heat to medium and cook until the berries have broken down and the mixture is thick and syrupy. It should also be reduced by about half.
4. Strain the strawberry mixture through a wire strainer and let the fresh strawberry syrup cool to room temperature.
What’s The Difference Between Strawberry Syrup And Strawberry Topping?
While both have plenty of strawberry flavor, strawberry syrup is strained, removing the fruit chunks and pulp for a thinner syrup to drizzle on ice cream or to flavor beverages. It’s also sweeter than strawberry sauce.
Strawberry topping (also called strawberry sauce) is chunkier and thicker, perfect for serving as a dessert topping for cheesecake or in strawberry shortcakes.
Ways To Use Strawberry Syrup
- This syrup is reminiscent of a classic sundae sauce. I love to serve it over homemade strawberry ice cream, on a hot fudge sundae, or over a banana split.
- Use it instead of maple syrup over pancakes, Belgian waffles, or crepes.
- Add flavoring to beverages like an iced matcha latte or to make a strawberry milkshake.
How To Make Strawberry Simple Syrup
Strawberry simple syrup is thinner and a bit sweeter, perfect for flavoring cocktails like a margarita or for making strawberry lemonade.
To modify this into a strawberry simple syrup recipe, reduce the amount of strawberries to ½ pound (225g) and add 1 cup (240mL) water. As the mixture is simmering in Step 3, mash the fruit to help it break down. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes until slightly thickened, then strain and let cool.
How To Store
Once cooled completely, store strawberry syrup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days. You can also freeze it in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before use.
Pro Tips For Making This Recipe
- Wash the strawberries well before cooking them to remove dirt, debris, and any bacteria that might be present. You can rinse them under running water or soak them in cold water with a splash of vinegar for 10 minutes, then rinse them again.
- Add fresh lemon juice to balance the sweetness of the syrup. Add 2 tablespoons of lemon juice to the strawberry and sugar mixture in Step 2 before cooking. You can also add ½ teaspoon of vanilla to the mixture after it has been strained in Step 4.
- If you want the syrup even thicker, strain it after 12 minutes, then continue to simmer the strained mixture until it’s reduced more.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, feel free to swap fresh strawberries for blueberries, raspberries, or blackberries! Depending on the sweetness and juiciness of the berries, you may need to add more sugar or water to get the syrup to your desired flavor and consistency.
Yes, you can use an equal amount of frozen strawberries. This is a great way to make strawberry syrup when fresh berries are out of season.
After straining the strawberry syrup, you will have a fair amount of fruit left over in the strainer. Feel free to layer the sweet mixture into a yogurt parfait or stir it into overnight oats. You can also spread it on toast or use it in a peanut butter sandwich like you would strawberry jam!
If you’ve tried this strawberry syrup recipe, then don’t forget to rate it and let me know how you got on in the comments below. I love hearing from you!
