Simple Syrup
Equal parts sugar and water dissolved together. The foundation sweetener for countless cocktails, providing clean sweetness without granular texture.
50
Cal/oz
25
Cocktails
mixer
Category
Flavor Profile
History & Origins
Simple syrup became standard in cocktails during the 19th century when bartenders needed reliable ways to sweeten drinks without undissolved sugar crystals.
How It's Made
Equal parts sugar and hot water stirred until dissolved. Can be made with various sugars for different flavor profiles.
Pro Tips
- •Keeps refrigerated for up to 1 month
- •Rich simple syrup (2:1 sugar:water) lasts longer
- •Try different sugars: demerara, turbinado, or brown
- •Always cool before using in cocktails
Substitutes
Cocktails with Simple Syrup
Discover cocktails that showcase this ingredient
Appletini
A neon-green vodka martini flavored with sour apple schnapps – sweet, tart, and playful.
Bramble
Dick Bradsell's 1980s London creation layers dry gin, fresh citrus and rich blackberry liqueur over a mound of crushed ice for a tart, jammy refresher.
Daiquiri
A crisp Cuban rum sour that showcases perfect balance—just rum, lime and sugar shaken icy cold.
Espresso Martini
Dick Bradsell's caffeinated classic shakes vodka, coffee liqueur and hot espresso into a frothy, bittersweet nightcap.
French 75
A crisp union of gin, lemon, sugar, and Champagne that delivers bracing bubbles with artillery-level snap.
Gimlet
A crisp blend of gin and lime that began as a naval ration and evolved into a minimalist classic.
Gin Basil Smash
Jörg Meyer's modern classic from Hamburg blending gin, lemon, and fresh basil for a vibrant green smash.
John Collins
The bourbon take on the 19th‑century gin punch from Limmer's Old House—spirit, lemon, sugar and sparkling water built tall and fizzy.
Jungle Bird
Malaysia's 1970s tiki gift: blackstrap rum, Campari, pineapple and lime shaken into a bittersweet tropical sipper.
Lemon Drop Martini
A tart-sweet blend of citron vodka, orange liqueur, and fresh lemon juice shaken icy cold and served with a sparkling sugar rim.
Long Island Iced Tea
Equal parts vodka, gin, rum, tequila and triple sec shaken with lemon and cola for a famously boozy "iced" tea.
Mint Julep
A Southern staple of bourbon, sugar, and mint served in an icy silver cup—official drink of the Kentucky Derby.
Classic Mojito
Cuba's iconic highball of rum, lime, mint, and sugar lengthened with bubbly soda for ultimate refreshment.
Old Fashioned
The primordial cocktail—whiskey, sugar, bitters, and water—showcasing the base spirit in its purest, most aromatic form.
Pisco Sour
Peru's frothy national cocktail blending grape brandy, lime, sugar, and egg white with a bitters finale.
Planter's Punch
Dark rum punch with citrus and spice—the Caribbean's signature party drink.
Ramos Gin Fizz
New Orleans' creamy showstopper of gin, citrus, cream, egg white, and orange blossom water shaken to a silky cloud.
Sazerac
Rye, sugar, Peychaud's bitters, and an absinthe rinse compose this potent, aromatic New Orleans standard.
Southside
Gin, lime, mint, and simple syrup. Chicago's answer to the mojito.
Tom Collins
Classic gin, lemon, sugar and soda highball—effervescent, citrusy, and named for its Old Tom gin roots.
Whiskey Sour
A timeless blend of whiskey, lemon, and sugar shaken silky with egg white—template for the entire sour family.
Cucumber Cooler
Cucumber, lime, and soda for a crisp zero-proof cooler.
Ginger Beer Fizz
Zesty ginger beer brightened with lime and a hint of sweetness.
Sparkling Berry
Mixed berry puree and bubbles for a vibrant mocktail.
Virgin Mojito
All the mint-lime sparkle of a Mojito minus the rum, a staple of modern mocktail menus.