Blueberry Simple Syrup

An easy blueberry simple syrup for cocktails or mocktail recipes. This is a small batch blueberry simple syrup that makes 1/2 cup (4 ounces).

One of the best ways to step up your homemade cocktail game is by creating an array of simple syrups to keep on hand. Simple syrup is exactly what it sounds like: a simple recipe for sugar syrup that uses a 1:1 ratio of sugar and water. Some recipes may stray from that ratio, but know that 1:1 is the ratio for any basic simple syrup.

Adding fresh fruit flavors to simple syrups is easy, especially during the summer months when berries are fresh. This is the best technique for making a concentrated, small batch homemade blueberry syrup for cocktail recipes or mocktails. My recipe makes 1/2 cup of blueberry simple syrup, which should last between 4-6 cocktails, depending on what the recipe calls for. 🙂 Feel free to double or triple this recipe if needed!

Ingredients

• 8 oz. (1 cup) Fresh Blueberries
• 1/2 cup Granulated Sugar
• 1/2 cup Water
• tiny pinch Kosher or Sea Salt*

*Salt is not necessary, but I find that a tiny pinch amplifies the blueberry flavor in this syrup.

Simple ingredients are all you need to make simple syrups. It’s an easy process, and once you do it a couple of times, you may find that you want to start infusing simple syrups with a variety of flavors. I love fresh herbs, fruits, and citrus peel personally; but the possibilities are nearly endless. 🙂

How to Make Blueberry Simple Syrup

Keep in mind that this is a simple syrup designed for cocktails, not necessarily food. While you could drizzle it onto ice cream or french toast, it’s really best served in homemade blueberry lemonade and blueberry cocktails. We’ll talk more about that later.

Pour equal parts sugar and water (1/2 cup each) into a small saucepan over medium heat.

Stir until the sugar dissolves, about two minutes.

Add the cup of blueberries and a pinch of salt to the sauce pan and stir to coat the blueberries in the sugar water.

Turn the heat underneath the pan to medium-low. Allow the blueberries to simmer on low for about 10 minutes. Don’t stir them.

Remove the saucepan from the heat. Let the blueberries and syrup cool completely to room temperature in the sauce pan.

Strain the syrup through a fine mesh sieve into a sterilized glass container.

Discard the blueberries (or keep them on hand for smoothies or milkshakes).

How to Store Blueberry Simple Syrup

This can be stored in an airtight container (preferably glass) in the refrigerator for up to a week. If you add a splash of vodka (only about a teaspoon), it will last up to two weeks. It seriously is such an easy recipe, and a great way to add a blueberry twist to your favorite drinks. That sweet blueberry flavor is sooo good in a summer cocktail, or you could get wild and make a blueberry version of some classic cocktails such as mojitos, collins, margaritas, smashes, etc.!

Why don’t you use this on food? Truthfully, it probably would be pretty good on ice cream or french toast. However, this recipe discards the blueberries after the flavor is extracted from them, and the consistency of the syrup is fairly thin. You’re more than welcome to use it on whatever you please, but just know that the recipe was designed as a blueberry syrup for cocktails. I tried to create it with the purpose of easily mixing it into cold drinks. However, for a thicker syrup to drizzle on food, you could smash the blueberries into the syrup!

Why don’t I stir or smash the blueberries in this recipe? Because it makes the syrup cloudy. A lot of fruit-infused simple syrup recipes call for smashing the juice out of the berries as they simmer, or while they’re in the fine mesh strainer. However, I don’t recommend it. My recipe tests have found that doing this squeezes out tiny particles from the blueberries and alters the appearance of the syrup.

What Cocktails can I make with Blueberry Syrup?

I hope you already have one in mind if you came here looking for the blueberry syrup recipe! But if you’re looking for some inspiration, here are some ideas:

• My Blueberry Cilantro Margarita :: substitute the honey syrup (or agave syrup) with this blueberry syrup!
• Blueberry Moscow Mule :: (1 1/2 oz. vodka, 1/2 oz. lime juice, 1/2 oz. blueberry syrup, and ginger beer to fill the glass [usually about 1/2 cup])
• My Blackberry Bramble :: but with blueberry syrup instead of blackberry liqueur! (Recipe would be 2 oz. gin, 3/4 oz. blueberry syrup, 3/4 oz. lemon juice)
• Blueberry Old Fashioned :: (2 oz. bourbon, 1 tbsp. blueberry syrup, 3 dashes bitters) …… this doesn’t sound great.
• Blueberry Gin Fizz

Non-Alcholic Drinks for Blueberry Syrup

• Iced Tea
• Lemonade
• Club Soda

This blueberry syrup is a delicious addition to your rotation of flavored simple syrups, and I sincerely hope you love it! If you do, I would love a comment and rating from you below! You can also tag me on Instagram so I can see your awesome homemade syrup! Feel free to email me with any questions at all, and I will always do my best to help. 🙂

Cheers! xx Sara