To make homemade ginger syrup, grate 4 ounces of fresh ginger into a saucepan with 1 cup sugar and 1 cup water, bring it to a boil, then take it off the heat and let it steep for about an hour before straining. You end up with about 1 1/2 cups of spicy, sweet syrup for sparkling water, iced tea, lemonade, mocktails, and cocktails. It is also lovely stirred into hot tea or warm apple cider on a chilly fall evening.
Ginger Syrup Recipe at a Glance
| Detail | Amount or timing |
|---|---|
| Fresh ginger | 4 ounces, peeled and grated, about 1/3 cup packed |
| Sugar and water | 1 cup each |
| Active cooking | Bring to a boil, then remove from heat |
| Steep | About 1 hour, until room temperature |
| Yield | About 1 1/2 cups |
| Storage | Up to 2 weeks refrigerated or 2 months frozen |
Ingredients for Homemade Ginger Syrup
- 4 ounces peeled fresh ginger, grated (about 1/3 cup packed)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup water
Grating gives the liquid more ginger to work with than thick slices do. A kitchen scale helps, since ginger knobs vary a lot in size. Stick with plain granulated sugar here. Honey, spices, and citrus make a different syrup that keeps differently.
How to Make Ginger Syrup
- Peel and grate the fresh ginger. Measure 4 ounces by weight, or about 1/3 cup packed once grated.
- Combine the ginger, sugar, and water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil while stirring to dissolve the sugar.
- Remove the pan from the heat. Let the ginger steep in the syrup until it cools to room temperature, about 1 hour.
- Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean jar or bottle. Refrigerate.
There is no long simmer here. A quick boil dissolves the sugar, and the off-heat steep pulls out the ginger flavor without cooking the syrup down.
Ways to Use Ginger Syrup in Drinks
Start with 1 tablespoon per glass, stir, and add more if you want it stronger. The syrup brings sweetness and ginger bite, but it won’t give you the fizz or tang of bottled ginger beer.
| Drink | Add the syrup to |
|---|---|
| Ginger soda | Sparkling water, ice, and a squeeze of lime |
| Iced tea | Unsweetened black or green tea with lemon |
| Lemonade | Chilled lemonade, tasting before adding extra sweetener |
| Mocktail | Citrus juice, sparkling water, and fresh mint |
| Switchel | Water and apple cider vinegar; taste for balance |
For more ginger drinks, try homemade ginger ale and the switchel recipe . If you would rather use honey, the ginger honey syrup recipe is its own formula.
Storage and Common Questions
Keep the strained syrup in a clean, closed container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Freeze portions for up to 2 months. Toss it if you see mold, odd fizz, or an off smell.
Do I have to peel the ginger?
This version uses peeled ginger, so peel it for the best match to the recipe.
Can I use honey instead of sugar?
Honey changes the syrup and how long it keeps. Use the ginger honey syrup recipe if that is the flavor you want.
Is ginger syrup the same as ginger beer?
No. Ginger beer is a finished, often fizzy drink. This syrup is a concentrate you use to sweeten and flavor another drink.
