Raspberry Syrup is the perfect addition to your summer cocktails and mocktails! This is such a delicious recipe, and because it's not heated at all, it keeps the tart and sweet flavor of fresh raspberries.
This syrup is best made when raspberries are in season in the summer months, because you'll get the best flavor. But, you can also make it with frozen raspberries and it'll still taste wonderful!
Want some more flavored syrup recipes to try in your cocktails? Check out this Hibiscus Syrup, Lavender Syrup or Mango Nectar. Check out even more flavored syrup recipes here!
This recipe is key to the classic Clover Club and Floradora cocktails, but you can use it in so many more things! Try adding it to a Chambord Margarita for an extra fresh kick of raspberry, or swap it into the Blueberry Gin Sour in place of the blueberry syrup. Or, just make a raspberry Italian soda by adding it to a glass of seltzer!
Why is this syrup made without heat?
When you heat up fruit, it typically changes the flavor to something more like a jam. This is delicious, of course, but just doesn't taste like the fresh fruit itself! It definitely loses some of the tart and fresh flavors.
In order to get a syrup that tastes just like the fruit, the best way is to do is without heating. Combining fruit with sugar (also called maceration) will draw out the liquid from the fruit, creating a thick syrup.
You can either strain the syrup and use it as is, or combine it with some water. I like to thin it out with water before storing to make it easier to mix in cocktails!
Ingredients
You'll need just three ingredients for this syrup recipe:
- Fresh raspberries
- Sugar
- Water
Substitutions
Need to make a couple substitutions? Here are my suggestions! If you don't have fresh raspberries, the next best option is to use frozen raspberries. You don't even have to thaw them -- just combine with the sugar and let it thaw with the sugar.
If you want to substitute the sugar, you can use other types of sugar like brown sugar, turbinado sugar or coconut sugar.
Variations
Looking for some new ideas for this syrup? Try out these variations!
- Lower sugar raspberry syrup - instead of regular sugar, you can use allulose the same way and it will work to draw out the raspberry juices. Of course, the sugar in the fruit is still part of the syrup, so just keep that in mind.
- Lemongrass or Mint - try adding some fresh lemongrass or fresh mint to the berries as they sit in the sugar mixture.
- Mixed berry syrup - this technique will work with any berry! Try a mixture of strawberries, raspberries and blackberries.
Equipment
To make this syrup recipe, you'll need a resealable jar (or bowl with a cover) to mix the fruit with the sugar. You'll also need a long spoon or spatula to stir the fruit and sugar together.
To finish it up, you'll need a medium or large strainer and a funnel, as well as a glass bottle or other resealable container for storage.
For the storage bottle, keep in mind that the recipe makes around 9 to 10 ounces of syrup, so just keep that in mind when choosing your bottle.
Instructions
Start off by mixing together the raspberries and sugar in a resealable container. Once the berries are coated in sugar, seal up the container and let it sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes.
Let the mixture sit, and you can stir it about every 30 minutes to an hour. Seal it back up each time you stir.
After about 2 to 3 hours, it will have formed a syrup, and all the sugar should be dissolved.
Stir it again to get rid of any lumps of berry left over. You can use the spoon or spatular to crush the berries against the side of the container.
Then, add in the water and mix everything together.
Pour the mixture through a strainer and funnel that drains into your storage bottle.
You'll have a lot of raspberry pulp and seeds left over. Be sure to use your spoon or spatula to try to squeeze all of the liquid out of the pulp (just try not to smash any seeds through the strainer).
Then you're done! You can use the syrup right away, or keep it in the fridge for up to three weeks.
Hint: If you know you'll only be using the syrup for cocktails, you can add in about ½ to 1 ounce of vodka to so that you can keep it in the fridge longer. It should last a couple more weeks with the vodka, but make sure you throw it out if you see any signs of mold or cloudiness.
Top tip
The riper the berries you use, the better the flavor you'll get! That's why it's best to make it when raspberries are in season. If you're making it out of season, try using frozen raspberries for the best flavor.
📖 Recipe
Raspberry Syrup
Equipment
- Glass container with a lid, or a bowl
- Glass bottle or other container for storage (around 10 fluid ounce capacity)
Ingredients
- 10 ounces raspberries (around 1¼ cups) (washed and drained)
- 5 ounces sugar (around ¾ cup)
- 5 fluid ounces water (around ⅔ cup)
Instructions
- Add the raspberries and sugar to your container. Gently mix them together so that the berries are fully coated in sugar.
- Seal up the container and let it sit at room temperature for around 30 minutes.
- Check on the mixture, and give it a stir. At this point you will probably still see sugar granules.
- Seal up the container again and let it sit at room temperature. Check it after 30 minutes and stir again. Continue doing this until you don't see any more undissolved sugar granules.
- Once all the sugar has dissolved into the raspberry juices, give it a final stir. You can use your spoon or spatula to break up any chunks of raspberry you still see in the mixture.
- Add in the water and stir.
- Set up a funnel to go into your storage bottle, and put a strainer on top of that. Pour the raspberry mixture through the strainer so the liquid will go into the bottle.
- Use your spoon or spatula to squeeze out any liquid left over in the raspberry pulp that's in the strainer.
- Seal up your storage bottle. You can use the syrup just after making it, or keep it in the fridge for up to three weeks.
Notes
- If you don't have any fresh raspberries available, you can make this recipe with frozen raspberries.
- You can make this syrup in the fridge instead of at room temperature. It will just take longer for the sugar to dissolve in the raspberry juices.
Kimberly says
This is one of my favorite summer syrups! Let me know if you have any questions about this recipe!