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This homemade lavender syrup is a simple floral sweetener made with culinary lavender, sugar, and water. Also known as lavender simple syrup, it’s perfect for adding a light lavender flavor to coffee, tea, lemonade, cocktails, mocktails, sparkling water, and desserts.
It takes just a few minutes to prep, keeps well in the refrigerator, and makes everyday drinks feel a little extra special. The flavor is sweet, delicate, and floral without being overpowering.
Table of Contents
- Kellie’s Note Lavender-licious
- What Is Lavender Syrup?
- Ingredients for Lavender Syrup
- How to Make Lavender Simple Syrup
- Kellie’s Tips for the Best Lavender Syrup
- Can I Use Fresh Lavender?
- Ways to Use Lavender Syrup
- Lavender Syrup Variations
- Why Isn’t My Lavender Syrup Purple?
- Ingredient Subtitutions
- How to Store Lavender Syrup
- Lavender Simple Syrup Recipe
- More Easy Lavender Inspired Recipes
Kellie’s Note
Lavender-licious
If you’ve ever ordered a lavender latte or lavender lemonade at a coffee shop, this easy syrup is how you can make that same cozy, floral flavor at home. Keep a jar in the fridge and add a splash whenever you want a drink that feels a little more fun and fancy.
Once you have the floral syrup at room temperature in a jar, that’s when the fun really begins. There are SO many ways to use lavender simple syrup! I like adding a splash of it to various teas, a cold glass of lemonade, and even sparkling water. For a more grown up drink, you can add lavender to a cocktail like Lemonade Gin Mojito or my favorite Sparkling Lavender Orange Mimosa. Adding lavender flavor to any drink, alcoholic or not, is a great way to enhance it with natural floral sweetness.
Just be careful when choosing the lavender to use in this recipe! It’s important to only use culinary lavender when making this simple syrup, not the stuff that you’ll find in your backyard garden. Culinary lavender goes through a specific process before it’s sold that makes it cleaner and safe to enjoy. That way, you don’t have to worry about stems or anything else polluting your simple syrup! So as much fun as it would be to pick your own lavender for this easy recipe, it’s definitely best to just use culinary lavender.
What Is Lavender Syrup?
Lavender syrup is a flavored simple syrup made by simmering sugar, water, and culinary lavender until the sugar dissolves, then letting the lavender steep so the syrup picks up its floral flavor.
It blends smoothly into both hot and cold drinks, which makes it perfect for coffee, tea, lemonade, cocktails, mocktails, and sparkling water. You can also drizzle it over cakes, yogurt, oatmeal, or ice cream for a lightly sweet lavender flavor.
Ingredients for Lavender Syrup
You only need three simple ingredients to make lavender syrup at home:
- Culinary lavender: Use dried culinary lavender buds for the best flavor. Avoid decorative lavender or garden lavender unless you know it is food-safe and untreated.
- Sugar: Granulated sugar keeps the flavor clean and lets the lavender shine.
- Water: Filtered water gives the syrup the best flavor.
- Optional lemon juice: Add 1–2 teaspoons of fresh lemon juice after straining to brighten the lavender flavor.
How to Make Lavender Simple Syrup
- Combine. Stir the culinary lavender, sugar, and water together in a small saucepan.
- Heat. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil over medium heat, stirring often, until the sugar has completely dissolved.
- Steep. Turn off the heat, cover, and let the lavender steep for 20 minutes.
- Strain. Pour the syrup through a fine mesh sieve into a clean jar or bottle. Discard the lavender buds.
- Cool and store. Cool completely, then cover and refrigerate.
Kellie’s Tips for the Best Lavender Syrup
- Use culinary lavender so the syrup tastes floral, not bitter or soapy.
- Do not boil the syrup for too long after the sugar dissolves.
- Steep for 20 minutes for a balanced lavender flavor.
- For a stronger syrup, taste after 20 minutes and steep 5–10 minutes longer if needed.
- Strain through a fine mesh sieve so the finished syrup is smooth.
- Let the syrup cool completely before storing it in the refrigerator.
Can I Use Fresh Lavender?
Yes, you can use fresh culinary lavender, but dried culinary lavender is the easiest and most consistent option.
If using fresh lavender, choose bright purple buds that have not fully opened and make sure they have not been sprayed or treated. Fresh lavender may have a lighter flavor, so taste the syrup after steeping and steep a few minutes longer if needed.
Ways to Use Lavender Syrup
Lavender syrup is delicious in both hot and cold drinks. Try it in:
- Coffee, cold brew, lattes, and cappuccinos
- Hot tea, iced tea, matcha, and London fog lattes
- Lemonade, sparkling water, and mocktails
- Gin cocktails, mojitos, French 75s, margaritas, and martinis
- Vanilla cake, lemon cake, yogurt, oatmeal, and ice cream
Start with 1 tablespoon per drink, then add more to taste.
Lavender Syrup Variations
- Honey lavender syrup: Replace half or all of the sugar with honey.
- Rosemary lavender syrup: Add a small rosemary sprig while the syrup steeps.
- Rose lavender syrup: Add dried culinary rose petals with the lavender.
- Maple lavender syrup: Use maple syrup instead of sugar for a deeper flavor.
- Purple lavender syrup: Add 1 drop red food coloring and 1 drop blue food coloring after straining for a soft purple color.
If you want something more fruity, try this Apple Cider Syrup!
Why Isn’t My Lavender Syrup Purple?
Homemade lavender syrup is usually pale amber, golden, light brown, or slightly pink depending on the lavender, sugar, and steeping time.
Most bright purple lavender syrups get their color from food coloring. If you want a purple syrup, stir in 1 drop of red food coloring and 1 drop of blue food coloring after straining. Add color slowly because too much can make the syrup look dark.
Ingredient Subtitutions
While I enjoy the simplicity of lavender, sugar, and water, there are other ingredients that can be added to this recipe if you want to get a little creative! A sprig of rosemary really compliments the lavender taste and is my personal favorite addition to toss in there. However, you could also add dried rose leaves to enhance the floral flavor even more.
How to Store Lavender Syrup
- Store lavender syrup in a clean airtight jar or bottle in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.
- Discard it if it becomes cloudy, smells off, or shows any signs of mold.
- For longer storage, freeze the syrup in ice cube trays. Once frozen, transfer the cubes to a freezer bag and thaw as needed for drinks.
Lavender Simple Syrup Recipe
Equipment
- saucepan
- whisk
- measuring cup
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup dried culinary lavender buds
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup water
- Optional: 1–2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Add the lavender, sugar, and water to a small saucepan.
- Heat over medium heat, stirring often, until the sugar has completely dissolved and the mixture just comes to a gentle boil.
- Turn off the heat, cover, and steep for 20 minutes.
- Strain through a fine mesh sieve into a clean jar or bottle. Discard the lavender buds.
- If using lemon juice, stir it into the strained syrup.
- Cool completely, cover, and refrigerate.
Notes
- Store lavender syrup in a clean airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.
- Use 1–2 tablespoons per drink, or more to taste.
- For a brighter flavor, stir in 1–2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice after straining.
- Freeze in ice cube trays for longer storage.
- Use culinary lavender only. Decorative lavender may be too bitter or may not be food-safe.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
More Easy Lavender Inspired Recipes
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My favorite tea house does a lavender peach simple syrup. By chance, do you have a recipe for such a syrup? Mixed in warm Earl Grey, milk, it is the best.
That sounds delicious! I would just add peach slices to the syrup mixture while it simmer and steeps then just strain it out.
THANK YOU so much for this recipe!!!! I have English and French Lavender growing in my garden. I am so excited that I can make this recipe now!