Simple syrup is liquid sugar that doesn't have to dissolve. Keep reading to learn how to make this easy simple syrup recipe. 
Mix together sugar and water in a sauce pan to make this simple coffee syrup that will store on your shelf for weeks. Use it to sweeten your iced coffee beverage - or any cold drink - instead of table sugar so it blends nicely without needing to dissolve.
If you follow me on Instagram, you already know that we spent this last weekend in Birmingham, Alabama, just for fun. This was our first family trip with no agenda to visit friends or family, or travel for work! It was really nice to just enjoy our kids and each other.
Birmingham is AWESOME! We've driven through and stopped for lunch during road trips to North Carolina, but we've never spent any real time there before. I'm so glad it's only less than 4 hours away, making it a great place to visit for the weekend. We definitely plan to go back A LOT! Birmingham actually has a great food scene, too! ...more on that later.
Have you been to Birmingham? If so, tell me your favorite places because I'm keeping a Birmingham Pinterest board to bookmark any ideas for future visits!
Whenever we travel, we always treat ourselves to iced coffee, usually at Starbucks since I have gift cards. 😉 Funny enough, though, this weekend we were missing our homemade iced coffee! Weird, I know. I think it's because when I make it at home, I can make it exactly how I want it. When I order it at a coffee shop, I just quickly say "vanilla iced coffee with cream, please!" and hope the barista just magically knows the ratio I like. Ha!
Everyone has different tastes, but my perfect iced coffee ratio is about ¾th cold brew coffee concentrate, ⅛th water, ⅛th milk and then about 2-3 Tablespoons of this homemade liquid sugar sweetener. Ben, on the other hand, likes it a little less strong with about a 1:1 ratio of coffee concentrate to water, then adds his favorite International Delight French Vanilla creamer.
When it comes to hot coffee, I stir in raw sugar. But, raw sugar - and even regular table sugar - does not dissolve too well into cold coffee. That's why I keep this liquid sugar on hand. It makes a bunch and I just store it in a air-tight bottle on my countertop, with the rest of my coffee bar items. And, you can use it to sweeten any of your favorite beverages, not just coffee. Or, package it up as a gift!
I have made a pumpkin spiced version of liquid sweetener, and plan to try more varieties in the future. But, right now, I like it simple. How do you drink your iced coffee?
This article was originally published August 2014 and updated January 2022 without altering the recipe.
Recipe Card
Simple Syrup (Liquid Sugar for Cold Drinks)
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cups water
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- ¼ cup light brown sugar
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice*
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, cook and stir the water and sugars over medium-high heat until sugar is dissolved. Turn down heat and simmer about 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon juice. Cool completely.
- Using a funnel, pour into a bottle with an air-tight lid or pump dispenser. Store on your counter-top for 1 to 2 months.
Notes
- *The lemon juice is to keep the liquid sugar from crystalizing and does not add lemon flavor.
- For vanilla flavored syrup, once cooled, add 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract. Or, try any other flavored extract.
- For brown sugar syrup, use all brown sugar (light or dark) instead of granulated sugar.
Nutrition
KenP says
I've not yet tried this recipe but I'm very interested with all the feedback sounds delicious but I was also wondering if you could use lemon extract instead of lemon juice?
Nikki Gladd says
Hi Ken,
I'm afraid the extract would add a stronger lemon flavor to the syrup, so I'm not sure I would recommend it.
Anonymous says
Can you use fresh squeezed orange juice instead of lemon juice?
Nikki Gladd says
I think the orange juice would give it a stronger flavor, so I wouldn't recommend it.
LeCase COFFEE says
Thank you very much for this great post. I read your content thoroughly and it is very helpful. Keep on sharing.
Marie says
Thamk uoi, on mu second batch. So when using raw sugar, do you still use brown sugar ? And why cook so long, the sugar dissolved faster than that.
Marie says
Sorry for the sp. Errors
Nikki Gladd says
Hi Marie,
I have not used raw sugar in this recipe, so I can't answer that part of your question. Sorry! The syrup is cooked long so that it thickens. Hope this helps!
Marie says
So I did it with both the raw sugar and the regular sugar and my husband seems to like the regular sugar better
Donna says
We've really been getting into drinking cold brewed coffee lately. We tried your recipe for liquid sugar & really liked it, so much that I made a double batch since the shelf life is so long. However, the last bottle started to ferment and it was only 21 days since the liquid sugar was made. Yes, I did say we enjoy cold brewed coffee!! It's still good but has a slight " yeasty" taste. What would've caused this to happen? All the bottles were stored in the same cool place & in the same type bottle shown on your site. Thanks!
Nikki Gladd says
Interesting, Donna! Unfortunately, I'm not sure why that would have happened. I'm hoping another reader might see your comment and have some advice!
rj nolan says
hi can i substitute raw sugar? thanks
May says
How long does it last for and in what and where should we store it?
Nikki Gladd says
Hi May,
Store in an air-tight container on your counter-top for up to two months.
Thanks!
Cassie says
I've been stirring this for like twenty minutes and it's not getting thick.
Marie says
So I'm just throwing this out there, I had to do mine longer because of elevatuon. And maybe it depends on when you started timing..once it began to bubble or when you first put it on the flame. Also, how high your flame was and how you describe thick...i don't think it's suppose to be pancake syrup thick, just a change in the way water stirs and the slight thickness of coffee syrup thick hope that helps and is correct info.
Deka says
Hi Nikki,
Greetings from Indonesia.
I noticed that cold brew coffee can be store up to one month, but how about if I blend it first with syrup then store it? Can it be store up to 1 month also?
So every time i want my iced coffee, it's already has flavor and ready to drink!
Thanks so much!
Deka
Nikki Gladd says
Hi Deka,
You can most certainly try that, but something tells me that might not be a great idea for the best optimal taste. I'm not expert on this, but my gut is saying it's best to blend when ready to drink. 🙂
Deka says
I see. Well, i'm just gonna give it a try then.
Thanks!
Nikki Gladd says
Come back and let us know what you think! 🙂
Dena Kiger says
Iced coffee with sugar won't last as long as without but you'll know it's starting to turn when your iced coffee starts to get a little thick and syrupy. Also not a good idea to store it too long with creamer added ... Just give it a good shake and add a little hot water(maybe about a half tablespoon) and that will help it once it's starting to go syrupy... Though it's suggested to make smaller batches and keep it 7-10 days in the fridge... Also use coffee ice cubes so yuou don't water it down( add a little sugar before pouring i nto the trays so u don't lose your sweetness) ... Iced coffee is all I drink and I've been making it for the last 15 years or so....
Marie says
How do you strain yours?
mandy says
Would you be able to use splenda??
Nikki Gladd says
Hi Mandy,
I haven't tried making this with Splenda, but I believe you can substitute it in using a 1:1 ratio with the water. So, 3 cups Splenda stirred into 3 cups of water. Also, you might not need to cook it as long since it won't hardly thicken and it dissolves more quickly than water. Should keep for a couple of weeks. Let us know how it turns out! (Maybe start with 1 cup Splenda and 1 cup water)
Katelyn says
Chez Fonfon in Birmingham is great! I'm not a chocolate lover but their chocolate pot de creme is out of this world good, and they have solid french bistro food that is pretty reasonable.
Nikki Gladd says
Thanks, Katelyn! I've heard of Chez Fonfon and need to go!
Karen says
Okay I could go on and on about Birmingham/Tuscaloosa/Montevallo so I will leave you with a few important ones:
Children's Museum of Tuscaloosa (CHOM) - it is smaller than the one in Jackson but if you want to break up your trip (kids need to get some energy out) - it is a great place to spend a couple of hours - (make sure you don't go on home game days as there would be nowhere to park) and its right by a ton of "local" Tuscaloosa restaurants.
McWane Science Center (Birmingham) - your kids might be a little young for it now, but we went there several times for field trips - I enjoyed it even in high school
Birmingham Civil Rights Institute - this might be an adults only excursion but it is super-well done and if you go on Sunday afternoon it is free.
Nikki Gladd says
Thanks, Karen! Adding to my list!! 🙂