Jalapeño Simple Syrup

A straight forward Jalapeño Simple Syrup recipe for cocktails that makes 3/4 cup, or six ounces of jalapeno simple syrup. The syrup itself comes together in just five minutes, but I recommend steeping the jalapenos in the syrup for at least 20 minutes for added flavor.

This jalapeno simple syrup recipe isn’t super spicy, but it does have a kick of heat and a lot of that vegetal, jalapeno pepper flavor. It’s absolutely delicious in homemade margaritas (or other cocktails), and spirit-free drinks, and keeps in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. If you want to extend the life of your syrup, add a teaspoon of vodka for an additional two weeks.

Ingredient Notes

There’s really just one ingredient note. 🙂 For the jalapeños, I keep the seeds and membranes intact for this simple syrup recipe. It adds some heat to the syrup, but it isn’t overwhelming. If you’re really against the spiciness of the jalapeños and want more of the flavor of the pepper in this syrup, remove most of the seeds and membranes from the jalapeno slices.

Simple syrups are one of my favorite ways to add a little creativity to cocktails. They’re incredibly versatile: you can add fresh herbs, fruit, vegetables, spices, etc. to them for added flavor in any cocktail (or spirit-free drinks)!

This recipe is really simple (ha!) and easy to make. Most simple syrups are equal parts water and sugar, so you can take that ratio and make as much or as little simple syrup as you please. For this particular recipe, I found that 1/2 cup each of water and sugar was a great ratio for two jalapeños. Feel free to experiment with different ratios to find your favorite balance.

Note: You can leave the jalapeño slices in the syrup for longer than 20 minutes. The flavor and heat will infuse into the syrup the longer you leave them in! Twenty minutes is a solid amount of time to make a great jalapeno simple syrup, but I encourage you to leave the fresh jalapeno in the syrup as long as you see fit.

Step-by-Step Directions

See below for step-by-step photos and directions. These directions are a little more specific, and walk you through the entire process of making this Jalapeño Simple Syrup recipe.

1. Combine water and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves (this only takes a couple of minutes.)

2. Stir in the jalapeño slices. Let the syrup come to a gentle simmer, then let it continue to simmer over medium-low heat for five minutes.

3. Remove the pan from the heat. Leave the jalapeño slices in the syrup and steep for 20 minutes, then strain the syrup through a fine mesh sieve into a glass jar.

How Spicy is Jalapeño Simple Syrup?

Not very spicy, but it has a kick. The heat level will depend on how spicy the jalapeno is and what you consider to be super spicy, too. Overall, this syrup isn’t super spicy and has a great balance of sweetness to keep it in check!

Keep in mind that when adding the jalapeno syrup to cocktails, you’ll only be using 1/2 an ounce to one ounce of it. Even if you get a couple of super spicy jalapeno peppers, it shouldn’t make any cocktail too spicy.

If you want to step up the heat level of this syrup, consider using a couple of serrano peppers instead of jalapeno peppers. Serrano peppers can be up to ten times as hot as some jalapenos, so they pack a more intense punch! I have a Grapefruit and Serrano Margarita recipe that definitely delivers on the heat, and it’s soooo good.

How to Make a Bigger Batch

Most of my cocktail recipes call for about an ounce of simple syrup, and this simple syrup recipe makes six ounces. It’s the perfect small batch amount to last a week or two (to make about six margaritas or whatever cocktail you love). If you want to make a bigger batch of jalapeno simple syrup, feel free to double or triple the recipe.

For a double batch: 1 cup water + 1 cup sugar + 4 Jalapenos, thinly sliced (makes about 12 ounces)

For a triple batch: 1 1/2 cups water + 1 1/2 cups sugar + 6 Jalapenos, thinly sliced (makes about 18 ounces)

How to Store Simple Syrup

Simple syrup is best when stored in a glass airtight container in the refrigerator. It will last about two weeks (and maybe longer). I love to add a splash of vodka to my infused simple syrups to extend their life: a teaspoon of vodka in this particular jalapeno simple syrup will extend its freshness to a month.

Infused simple syrups will eventually grow mold, so always check your syrups before using them if they’ve been in the refrigerator for a little too long.

More Simple Syrup Recipes:

• Blackberry Simple Syrup
• Blueberry Simple Syrup

Cocktail Recipes for Jalapeno Simple Syrup:

• Fresh Pineapple Jalapeno Margarita (use 1/2 ounce jalapeno syrup instead of agave)
• Strawberry Margarita Recipe on the Rocks (use 1/2 ounce jalapeno syrup instead of agave)
• Blueberry Cilantro Margaritas (use jalapeno syrup instead of honey syrup)

If you make this Jalapeno Simple Syrup and love it, I would love a rating and review in the comment section below! Be sure to snap a photo of your lemony orzo and tag me on Instagram @aflavorjournal and/or #aflavorjournal. And as always, feel free to email me with any questions you have!

xx Sara