Lemon simple syrup is a lemon infused syrup with a ton of flavor. It is easy to make and can be used in a variety of recipes. Lemon is one of my favorite infusers to simple syrup because of its versatility and big punch of bright flavor. It has that perfect balance of sweet and tart that everyone loves.
How Do You Make Lemon Simple Syrup
Using a peeler remove the yellow part of the skin of half a lemon being careful to avoid the white part which can be bitter. I like to use larger strips of zest to make them easier to remove at the end of the recipe.
Next, juice your lemons until you reach ½ cup of lemon juice after removing any seeds.
Add a cup of granulated sugar, ½ cup of lemon juice, ½ cup of water and your lemon peel to a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring the mixture to a slow boil while stirring to dissolve the sugar. Reduce the heat to a simmer and allow your mixture to continue to reduce down to the thickness of a syrup, about 10 minutes.
Remove your saucepan from the heat, remove the lemon peel, and allow to cool. Pour into sterile containers for storage. This recipe makes approximately 2 cups of syrup.
Storing Your Simple Syrup
When you make this you should go ahead and make a big batch. When stored in an airtight container in the fridge this syrup can last 6 months to a year. There is no doubt that you will use it all up before it technically goes bad.
Airtight glass jars, like mason jars, are perfect for storage and also for packaging your lemon simple syrup to give away as gifts.
Ideas for Using Your Lemon Simple Syrup
- Cakes – drizzle over a warm cake for added flavor or in between cake layers for a moist punch of flavor
- Oatmeal and Smoothies – a great way to add a naturally flavored sweetener to your favorite oatmeal and smoothie
- Sweetened Ice Tea – down south we like our tea sweet and this simple syrup does the trick with a bright hint of lemon
- Cocktails – use this instead of your normal simple syrup for an added lemon flavor to your favorite cocktails
- Lemonade – the perfect starter to your favorite homemade lemonade
If you want a bigger punch of lemon flavor you can replace the water in the recipe with additional lemon juice, not to exceed 1/2 cup.
Ingredients
- 3-4 lemons
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 cup granulated sugar
Instructions
- Using a peeler remove the yellow part of the skin of half a lemon being careful to avoid the white part of the lemon, which can be bitter. Next, juice your lemons until you reach ½ cup of lemon juice after removing any seeds.Add a cup of granulated sugar, ½ cup of lemon juice, ½ cup of water and your lemon peel to a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring the mixture to a slow boil while stirring to dissolve the sugar. Reduce the heat to a simmer and allow your mixture to reduce to the thickness of a syrup, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat, remove the lemon peel, and allow to cool. Pour into sterile airtight containers and store in your refrigerator until needed.