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Brown Sugar Syrup is a rich caramel flavored sweet syrup made using 2 ingredients and takes only 5 minutes to make. It’s great for coffee, cocktails, boba, or even pancakes.
Brown Sugar Syrup Uses
Just as Simple Syrup is easy to make so is brown sugar syrup. It has all the same uses but can be used in other drinks such as boba, where simple syrup cannot. It has a caramel flavor that elevates drinks such as coffee or lattes and is great in winter cocktails or dessert cocktails too. Some other uses are listed below:
- Mix it into iced drinks. Whether it’s an iced latte or coffee it makes a great sweetener that easily mixes into the beverage.
- Use it as a substitute for maple syrup. Anywhere you use syrup you can also use this brown sugar simple syrup.
- Boba Drinks – Bubble tea drinks like Taro Bubble Tea, also known as boba tea, are made of tea, milk, and tapioca pearls that are soaked or covered in brown sugar syrup.
- Coffee Drinks – Use this syrup instead of adding sugar or pair it with other flavored syrups such as Vanilla Syrup for Coffee. Starbucks made this syrup famous in their drinks and now you can enjoy it at home.
- Cocktails – This syrup makes a great addition to winter cocktails such as a Toasted Almond or even a White Russian.
Ingredients Needed
- Brown Sugar – You can use either light brown sugar or dark brown sugar for this recipe. The dark version will make for a richer flavor as well as a darker-colored syrup.
- Water – Regular tap water is all you need, but if you’d like to use filtered water that will work just as well.
How to Make Brown Sugar Syrup
This syrup can be made in under 5 minutes, but you’ll need to let it cool before using it unless you’re using it in a hot beverage such as a latte or coffee. In fact, this syrup gained popularity for being used in Starbucks drinks, but you can easily make it at home.
- Place the brown sugar and water into the saucepan. Place an equal ratio of brown sugar and water into a small saucepan over medium heat. To get 3/4 cup of syrup you’ll need a 1/2 cup of sugar and a 1/2 cup of water.
- Dissolve the sugar. Stirring occasionally, allowing the brown sugar to dissolve into the water, but don’t let the water boil. If it becomes too hot remove it from the heat.
- Cool the syrup. Let the syrup cool to room temperature before transferring it to a jar or bottle with an airtight lid.
Storage Information
To store the syrup keep it in an airtight jar or container in the fridge. It will last for up to 1 month. To make it last longer you can add 1 ounce of vodka to the mixture, which will give you an additional 2 to 4 weeks of shelf-life.
Variations
- Add some spices – you can easily add some spices like cinnamon or nutmeg for added flavor and also to make a copycat Starbucks brown sugar syrup.
- Mix in additional flavoring – Use extracts such as vanilla extract or almond extract to create a new syrup flavor.
- Adjust the ratio of sugar to water – for a thick brown sugar syrup use more sugar than water and allow it to cook down for 5 minutes. This will create a more syrupy consistency, which is great for pancakes and waffles.
- Use different sugars – this recipe is also the base for how to make simple syrup as well as other syrups like Strawberry Simple Syrup. You can easily swap the sugar and turn this into Demerara Syrup too.
Recipe Notes and Tips
- There’s no need to heat the syrup. You can just as easily make this syrup using hot water instead of heating it over the stove. The sugar crystals will take longer to dissolve, but this is an easy alternative to heating them on the stove.
- For a thick brown sugar syrup for boba tea adjust the ratio of sugar to water. Use 3/4 cup of sugar and 1/4 cup of water. Allow the mixture to cook for around 5 minutes to let the sugar dissolve and the syrup thicken. You can also keep the ratios the same and heat it for longer on the stove to thicken it.
- To make a thinner syrup and 1 teaspoon of water until the desired consistency is reached.
- Use maple syrup for a different flavor. You can make brown sugar syrup without brown sugar by substituting maple syrup or even molasses. This turns into an earthy fall-flavored syrup.
FAQS
Because of the high sugar content brown sugar syrup will not freeze completely, however, it can be stored in the freezer. Place it in a freezer-safe container will give you an additional 1 month of freshness.
Yes, to make brown sugar syrup in the microwave place the water in a microwave-safe bowl and heat it for 45 seconds to 1 minute. Stir in the brown sugar until it dissolved completely. Let it cool before using.
Brown sugar syrup has a caramel-like flavor with toffee undertones. It’s great for mixing into coffee beverages or lattes and especially winter cocktails.
Related Recipes
Brown Sugar Syrup Recipe
Equipment
- Whisk
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup Brown Sugar
- 1/2 cup Water
Instructions
- Place the brown sugar and water into the saucepan. Place an equal ratio of brown sugar and water into a small saucepan over medium heat. To get 3/4 cup of syrup you'll need a 1/2 cup of sugar and a 1/2 cup of water.
- Dissolve the sugar. Stirring occasionally, allowing the brown sugar to dissolve into the water, but don't let the water boil. If it becomes too hot remove it from the heat.
- Cool the syrup. Let the syrup cool to room temperature before transferring it to a jar or bottle with an airtight lid.
Notes
- There’s no need to heat the syrup. You can just as easily make this syrup using hot water instead of heating it over the stove. The sugar crystals will take longer to dissolve, but this is an easy alternative to heating them on the stove.
- For a thick brown sugar syrup for boba tea adjust the ratio of sugar to water. Use 3/4 cup of sugar and 1/4 cup of water. Allow the mixture to cook for around 5 minutes to let the sugar dissolve and the syrup thicken. You can also keep the ratios the same and heat it for longer on the stove to thicken it.
- To make a thinner syrup and 1 teaspoon of water until the desired consistency is reached.
- Use maple syrup for a different flavor. You can make brown sugar syrup without brown sugar by substituting maple syrup or even molasses. This turns into an earthy fall-flavored syrup.
