Making microwave simple syrup is an easy and efficient way to make your sweetener. Perfect for adding to coffee, tea, cocktails, and ice cold lemonade.
We use simple syrup a lot in recipes for homemade lemonade, whether we realize it or not. In my Strawberry Pink Lemonade, Pickle Lemonade, and Orange Lemonade, we start with a base of sugar and water- which is exactly what simple syrup is.
Instead of grabbing a pot and turning on the stove, grab a bowl and make simple syrup in the microwave. It's faster and won't heat up the house in the process, which is exactly what you try to avoid doing on those hot summer days.
Why This Recipe Works
- It's simple. It's really all there in the name, isn't it? With just 2 ingredients and 2 minutes, this quick simple syrup microwave recipe can't get any easier.
- Multiple uses. You can use simple syrup in cocktail drinks or mocktail drinks like a Blue Lagoon Mocktail. It can also be used as a sweetener in your coffee (hot coffee and iced coffee!)
- It can be made in advance. This syrup keeps well in the fridge for a long time so you have plenty of opportunity to use it whenever the need strikes!
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🥘 Ingredients
Sugar- To make this syrup, you'll need some granulated sugar. This will sweeten and thicken the mixture.
Water- Water is the base of the recipe and will dissolve the sugar into a pourable syrup-like consistency.
For specific quantities, see the recipe card below.
🍽 Equipment Needed
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🔪 Instructions
Check out how to make microwave simple syrup with these simple step-by-step instructions:
Measure your sugar out into a microwave safe bowl or glass mixing bowl.
Add in the water. You do not need to mix.
Microwave on High for 2 minutes.
Whisk together until the sugar has fully dissolved into the water. If needed, add another minute in the microwave.
Let cool completely before pouring into a storage container or using as needed.
Keep stored in the fridge.
🧾 Substitutions
Sugar. You can swap out the sugar in this recipe for brown sugar instead of granulated sugar. The flavor profile will be a little different, but depending on what you want to use the simple syrup for, you may find that it works great.
Sugar. Another option is to use honey instead of sugar, but again, this will change the flavor of the syrup. For a stronger honey flavor, use local honey, but for a softer and more subtle honey flavor, use pasteurized store-bought honey.
📖 Ratios and Scaling
You can adjust this recipe as needed by doubling or even halving recipe as needed. The microwave time may vary as more contents means longer cooking time.
The ratio for sugar to water in simple syrup is 1:1. So if you want to halve this recipe, you'd need ½ cup each of water and sugar, whereas if you wanted to double it, it'd be 2 cups of each.
For a thicker and richer simple syrup, you can do 2 cups of sugar to 1 cup of water, so a ratio of 2:1. This makes it very strong and almost honey-like in consistency.
👩🏻🍳 Storage
You can keep this syrup in the fridge in an airtight container for up to a month. This should give you plenty of time to use it. If you notice the mixture becoming cloudy or developing a weird smell, toss it out and make a fresh batch.
This recipe can be frozen, but I'd recommend freezing it in an ice cube tray because then it's much easier to grab however much is needed and thaw it or use as needed.
🍵 Usage Ideas
While simple syrups might be more common in cocktail drinks, you'll be happy to know that they're used for so much more than that. In fact, you can use them in non-drink recipes too.
Some ideas for using up simple syrup include (but aren't limited to):
- Cocktails and Mocktails
- Coffee and Tea
- Homemade Lemonade
- Baked Cakes-- Brushing some syrup over the top of baked cakes helps them to retain moisture and is great for layered cakes.
- Glazes- Add it as a glaze over fresh fruit or pastries for a shiny finish.
🥣 Recipe Add-Ins
Fresh fruit. Adding in just 1 cup of fresh fruit like strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries (and more) can help to create a colorful and flavorful simple syrup.
Just mix in the fruit or berries with the sugar and water before cooking the mixture, and afterward, mash everything together as well as you can. Run it through a sieve to remove any seeds or skins, and pour it into an airtight container for storage.
Fresh herbs. Adding herbs like fresh mint leaves to can really help to make the mixture flavorful and perfect for tea and cocktails.
💭 FAQs
Nope! While heating the water does help the sugar to dissolve more quickly, you can simply whisk sugar and room temperature water together until the sugar has fully dissolved.
You'll know that your mixture is finished when the sugar in the syrup looks clear and not cloudy. The sugar granules will no longer be visible.
Making your own simple syrup at home is a lot cheaper than buying it from the store. Not only that, but you can adjust the quantities and ratios as you want.
More great microwave recipes to check out soon
- Snickerdoodle Popcorn
- Microwave Grilled Cheese
- Easy Microwave Scotcheroos
- Peanut Butter Banana Mug Cake
📖 Recipe
Microwave Simple Syrup
Instructions
- Measure your sugar out into a microwave safe bowl or glass mixing bowl.
- Add in the water. You do not need to mix.
- Microwave on High for 2 minutes.
- Whisk together until the sugar has fully dissolved into the water. If needed, add another minute in the microwave.
- Let cool completely before pouring into a storage container or using as needed.
- Keep stored in the fridge.
Notes
Substitutions
- Sugar. You can swap out the sugar in this recipe for brown sugar instead of granulated sugar. The flavor profile will be a little different, but depending on what you want to use the simple syrup for, you may find that it works great.
- Sugar. Another option is to use honey instead of sugar, but again, this will change the flavor of the syrup. For a stronger honey flavor, use local honey, but for a softer and more subtle honey flavor, use pasteurized store-bought honey.
Ratios and Scaling
- You can adjust this recipe as needed by doubling or even halving recipe as needed. The microwave time may vary as more contents means longer cooking time.
- The ratio for sugar to water in simple syrup is 1:1. So if you want to halve this recipe you'd need ½ cup each of water and sugar, whereas if you wanted to double it, it'd be 2 cups of each.
- For a thicker and richer simple syrup, you can do 2 cups of sugar to 1 cup of water, so a ratio of 2:1. This makes it very strong and almost honey-like in consistency.
Storage
- You can keep this syrup in the fridge in an airtight container for up to a month. This should give you plenty of time to use it up. If you notice the mixture becoming cloudy or developing a weird smell, toss it out and make a fresh batch.
- This recipe can be frozen but I'd recommend freezing it in an ice cube tray because then it's much easier to grab however much is needed and thaw it or use as needed.
Recipe Add-Ins
- Fresh fruit. Adding in just 1 cup of fresh fruit like strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries (and more) can help to create a colorful and flavorful simple syrup.
- Just mix in the fruit or berries with the sugar and water before cooking the mixture, and afterward, mash everything together as well as you can. Run it through a sieve to remove any seeds or skins, and pour it into an airtight container for storage.
- Fresh herbs. Adding herbs like fresh mint leaves to can really help to make the mixture flavorful and perfect for tea and cocktails.
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