Raspberry Simple Syrup
This Raspberry Simple Syrup is the best way to brighten up iced tea, lemonade, cocktails, desserts, and more with a burst of tart, fruity flavor. Made with water, raspberry juice, sugar, and that’s it!
Tart raspberries pair well with anything sweet, so it’s no surprise that raspberry-flavored beverages are popular on drink menus. To add that burst of raspberry flavor to your homemade sips, you need raspberry simple syrup. Fortunately, making raspberry syrup from scratch is EASY, and these step-by-step instructions will show you exactly how it’s done!
The highlights before we jump into the details:
- Only 3 ingredients (water, juice, and sugar).
- Great way to preserve fresh raspberries.
- Perfect for iced teas, lemonades, cocktails, and mocktails.
- Adds flavor & moisture to baked goods.
- Delicious drizzled over pancakes, waffles, and even ice cream!
🧾 Ingredients
- Raspberry juice – Look for raspberry juice concentrate online or in the freezer aisle at the store. 100% raspberry juice works also, OR you can juice fresh raspberries. No juicer is needed! Feel free to use black raspberries as well.
- Water – As sugar dissolves, the water thickens into a sweet syrup. If possible, use filtered or distilled water for the purest flavor.
- Sugar – Granulated sugar or caster sugar work best, as the granules are tiny and dissolve quickly. You can also use brown sugar. The added molasses and larger sugar granules won’t dissolve as fast, but your raspberry syrup will have deeper caramelized notes.
👉 Recommended tools: We recommend using a small saucepan with a pour spout for making simple syrups. Airtight syrup jars are key for storing homemade flavored syrups safely.
🥣 How to make (step-by-step photos)
1️⃣ Step one: Juice raspberries
If juicing fresh raspberries: Add 1 cup of fresh or frozen berries to a small saucepan and heat over medium-low heat until the berries begin to burst. As the berries heat, use a fork or heavy spoon to mash and squeeze out the juices. Then, pour the mashed berries through a sieve once or twice to strain out any pulp.
2️⃣ Step two: Simmer with water and sugar
Moving along, add the water, raspberry juice, and sugar to a small saucepan. Give it a stir, and bring it to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, lower the heat, and let simmer until the sugar dissolves and the mixture magically thickens into raspberry syrup.
3️⃣ Step three: Let cool
Once the syrup thickens, remove it from the heat and let it cool to room temperature.
4️⃣ Step four: Store in the fridge or freezer
Once cool, pour the syrup into a glass jar or bottle and keep it in the fridge for up to 2 weeks or frozen in cubes for up 6 months.
❔FAQs
Sugar and water are reduced into a thick syrup, and 100% raspberry juice brings all of the flavors.
To make sugar-free raspberry simple syrup, use allulose granulated sweetener instead of regular sugar. You can also use monk fruit or erythritol with 1/8th teaspoon of xantham gum for it to thicken. Be sure to use 100% raspberry juice. Check out this keto simple syrup recipe for step-by-step instructions.
You can, and there’s no need to thaw them first. Frozen berries will take another minute or two to cook down and get juicy.
In a pinch, yes -but it won’t have the same vibrant, fresh raspberry flavor. For every cup of simple syrup made with a 1:1 sugar to water ratio, add 1 teaspoon of raspberry extract.
🍧 How to use raspberry simple syrup
This raspberry syrup brightens up anything you add it to. Check out these delicious ways to use it.
- Sweeten iced tea and lemonade with a burst of berry flavor.
- Emulsify into salad dressings, like balsamic vinaigrette.
- Drizzle between cake layers to stick the layer cakes together.
- Enhance desserts like raspberry cheesecake and ice cream.
- Add raspberry flavor to breakfast foods. Pour over muffins, pancakes, and waffles.
🍹Raspberry Simple Syrup Cocktails
Elevate your favorite mixed drinks with a splash of raspberry simple syrup. You’ll love these easy raspberry cocktail recipes.
- Raspberry Margarita: Shake 2 ounces of fresh lime juice, 1.5 ounces of tequila, .5 ounces of triple sec, and 1 ounce of raspberry syrup with ice in a cocktail shaker. Then, strain into a salt-rimmed margarita glass and serve.
- Raspberry Mojito: In the bottom of a tall glass, muddle mint leaves with 1 ounce of raspberry syrup, then pour 1.5 ounces of rum over the top and stir. Fill the glass with ice and top with club soda.
- Spiked Raspberry Lemonade: Sweeten lemonade with raspberry syrup, then spike it to your liking with vodka or bourbon.
🧊 How to Store
Storing: After cooling, pour the raspberry syrup into a sanitized glass bottle or jar and keep it in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Freezing: Planning to gift simple syrup? Freezing is a great way to get a head start before the holidays. DIY simple syrup will keep in the freezer for up to 6 months. Make sure it cools completely, then freeze for up to 6 months.
Freezing in cubes: Pour into an ice cube tray and freeze, then transfer the frozen cubes of raspberry syrup to a freezer-safe bag and freeze for up to 6 months.
For more information on how to freeze simple syrup, check out our freezing guide!
More Fruit Flavored Simple Syrup
- Orange Simple Syrup
- Pear Simple Syrup
- Lemon Ginger Simple Syrup
- Peach Simple Syrup
- Strawberry Simple Syrup
- Blackberry Simple Syrup
Raspberry Simple Syrup
Equipment
- 1 fine mesh sieve
- 1 Saucepan
- 1 glass jar or bottle for storing
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup water filtered or distilled
- 1/2 cup raspberry juice (store-bought) or made from 1 cup of fresh or frozen raspberries
- 1 cup sugar
Instructions
- If juicing fresh raspberries: Add 1 cup of fresh or frozen raspberries to a small saucepan and heat over medium-low heat until the berries begin to burst. As the berries heat, use a fork or heavy spoon to mash and squeeze out the juices. Then, pour the smashed berries through a sieve once or twice to strain out any pulp.
- Combine water, raspberry juice, and sugar in a small saucepan, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat (about 5 minutes).
- Then, reduce the heat and let simmer until the sugar dissolves and the mixture begins to thicken into syrup (about 5 more minutes).
- Once the syrup thickens, remove the saucepan from the heat and let cool completely.
- Once cool, pour the raspberry simple syrup into a glass jar or bottle, and store it in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. To freeze, pour the syrup into ice cube trays and freeze, then keep the frozen cubes in a freezer-friendly bag for up to six months.
