Blackberry simple syrup is an easy dessert sauce used in recipes, as a topping and for cocktails. It can even be bottled and given as a gift.
What is Simple Syrup?
Simple syrup is a liquid sweetener made by dissolving sugar in water, so sugar water. The benefit is that it disperses and dissolves evenly in liquids of any temperature, which is why it is used in many iced coffee drinks and cocktails where granulated sugar would just stay granular.
The two main ingredients, sugar and water, can be combined with other flavors, like fruit, to make flavored simple syrup. These are also used in many cocktails or other recipes, even just as a drizzling sauce.
Ingredients
Use these simple ingredients to make your first batch of blackberry simple syrup!
- Fresh blackberries– Fresh is always better because they are the sweetest and also have more juice. Frozen blackberries can be used in off months, but don’t be surprised when there isn’t a robust berry flavor.
- Water- This is crucial to making the sugar dissolve and the mixture stay a liquid. If too much evaporates, it will turn into jelly.
- White sugar- The sweetener. I have not experimented with alternative sweeteners.
- Fresh lemon juice & zest– Lemon juice adds a nice acidic punch while zest gives a clean lemony flavor, but not so much to overpower. The syrup is very sweet, so both help to balance it out and not have you feeling like you have a mouth full of sugar.
- Kosher salt– Salt accentuates flavors, but also helps to balance them. It will not taste “salty”.
Blackberry Simple Syrup Uses
There are so many ways to use a simple syrup of any flavor. Here are a few of my favorites:
Common Issues
My syrup is too thick or like jelly– You’ve allowed too much of the water to evaporate. Place it in a saucepan with another 1/2 cup of water over low heat. Stir until it melts then immediately remove from the burner to cool.
My syrup is too liquidy– The syrup hasn’t cooked long enough and hasn’t evaporated enough water. Cook for a few minutes longer.
Storage
Blackberry simple syrup can be stored in an airtight container or glass jar at room temperature for up to a week.
It can also be stored in the fridge for up to a month, but will solidify. Leaving it out at room temperature or heating it will bring it back to its normal consistency.
Simple syrup can also be canned/jarred. I am not an expert at this, so here are some easy instructions.
More Dessert Sauces
Blackberry Simple Syrup
Ingredients
- 2 cups fresh blackberries
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1/2 lemon juiced and zested
- pinch of coarse kosher salt
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, combine the blackberries, water, sugar, lemon juice and zest and salt over medium heat.
- Stir until sugar dissolves and then reduce heat and simmer on low for an additional 5-10 minutes. Using a potato masher, squeeze all of the juice out of the fruit.
- Remove from the heat and allow to sit. The mixture might feel thin, it will thicken. Do not cook it until it is thick and syrup-like- it will be gelatinous when cooled.
- Pour the mixture through a fine mesh sieve. You may be to stir or press it through because of the fruit fibers. Discard the solids.
- Allow the syrup to cool and then use in a recipe or store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.
- If you’ve tried this recipe, come back and let us know how it was.
Oh wow, this looks so delicious. My family is going to devour it!
We love blackberry syrup. Soooo good.
Oh it looks super simple to make, I can picture myself now sipping on a vodka lemonade mixed with this syrup…by the pool :p Ok, I HAVE to try it, it just looks amazing.
What an amazing flavor for a simple syrup. I am looking forward to making this.