Sweeten your cocktails with a delicious Brown Sugar Simple Syrup! It adds a complex palette of molasses, toffee and caramel to every sip.
What is brown sugar simple syrup?
Brown sugar simple syrup is a liquid sweetener made from equal parts sugar and water. Either light or dark brown sugar can be used to make this simple syrup.
Molasses, the key ingredient of brown sugar, is what gives brown sugar simple syrup its distinct color, flavor and moisture content. And yes, different brands of brown sugar will give you a vastly different results.
The difference between light and dark brown sugar is the amount of molasses that is in it. The more molasses in the sugar, the more toffee and caramel flavor the syrup will have. Not only will the amount of molasses affects the color of the sugar, but this also reflects the color of the resulting syrup. The darker the sugar, the darker the color of the syrup.
Buying versus making a batch of simple syrup
While you can buy simple syrup, it’s a better idea to make it yourself and here’s why:
- Fresh is best.
- Saves money.
- You can make this easy recipe in less than 10 minutes and it will keep in your fridge for a month.
Besides, adding sweetener as simple syrup to your cocktails is so much easier rather than stirring in a solid granular product. It’s especially fabulous for cold drinks, like daquiris, as adding pure sugar would take forever to dissolve smoothly and completely.
Directions
- For a 1:1 ratio, Pour 1/2 c of brown sugar and 1/2 c of cold water into a small saucepan and simmer.
- Stir until the sugar dissolves into the hot water, but don’t let it boil.
- Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature. (I cheat and often end up putting a small amount in the freezer to immediately chill this syrup so I can make my cocktails sooner, rather than later.)
- Let cool completely before storing. When cool, pour syrup into an airtight container, such as a mason jar, or use a recycled syrup bottle with a narrow neck for easy pouring.
NOTES
Store leftovers in the fridge for up to one month. If your syrup begins to appear cloudy, toss it and make a new batch. (Remember, it only takes a few minutes!)
If you don’t love the taste of the water coming out of your tap, use filtered water or distilled water for a better tasting simple syrup instead. Since 50% of the recipe is water, it matters.