Summer in Southern California is long, which means I have months to work through every tropical fruit, garden herb, and stone fruit that shows up at the farmers market or ripens in my yard.
The syrup pile that is in my freezer and fridge is excessive as I prep for winter.
Summer simple syrups lean fruit-forward, floral and herbal. The flavors are lighter than fall and winter, and they work across a wide range of drinks: cocktail recipes, mocktails, lemonade, iced tea, and anything you want to pour over ice on a hot afternoon.
Each syrup takes about ten minutes and stores in 4 oz glass jars in the fridge for up to two weeks (personally, one week is safer). Freeze extras in silicone ice cube trays so nothing goes to waste at peak season.
Fruit Syrups
Strawberry Syrup
Strawberry season peaks in late spring/early summer by me, and fresh-berry syrup tastes nothing like anything from a bottle. The color is deeper, and the flavor is cleaner. No artificial tastes here, no thank you!
Double strain through cheesecloth for the clearest result. It pairs well with gin, vodka, rum, and sparkling wine, and works equally well in mocktails, lemonade, and drizzled over dessert.
Get the full Strawberry Simple Syrup recipe.
Peach Syrup
I had to pull a peach tree out of the side of my house when we moved in (roots and foundations do not mix), but I still make peach syrup every summer from farmers’ market fruit. The syrup is sweet and fruity without being heavy, and it works in bourbon, gin, and prosecco cocktails.
Double strain through a cheesecloth for a smooth, golden result.
A sprig of thyme added during simmering gives it more depth, but you can just muddle your herb of choice in your cocktail when you make it.
Get the full Peach Simple Syrup recipe.
Nectarine Syrup
Nectarines are superior to peaches in my opinion. No fuzzy skin (ick!), brighter flavor, and the syrup has a clean tartness that peach syrup does not quite have. I’m still trying to grow them in my driveway garden with zero success, so for now I’m hitting my local farmers market to find fresh fruit.
It works in prosecco cocktails, gin spritzes, and mocktails with sparkling water and citrus.
Get the full Nectarine Simple Syrup recipe.
Stone Fruit Syrup
Beyond peach and nectarine, summer stone fruit (plums, apricots, cherries, etc.) all make good syrups. Each has a different tartness and depth.
- Plum syrup tends toward jammy and slightly tart.
- Apricot is softer and more floral.
- Cherry is the boldest of the three and goes well with bourbon and dark spirits.
Simmer any stone fruit with a 1:1 sugar-to-water ratio for about 15 minutes, then strain through cheesecloth.
Blueberry Syrup
Blueberry syrup has a deep color and a flavor that is fruity and slightly tart. It pairs well with gin, vodka, and lemon, and works in spritzes, sours, and mocktails. A few drops floated on top of a foamy cocktail look as good as they taste.
Get the full Blueberry Simple Syrup recipe.
Blackberry Syrup
Blackberry syrup is darker and more assertive than blueberry, with a tartness that holds up in spirit-forward cocktails.
It pairs well with gin, bourbon, and rum.
The deep purple hue makes it one of the more striking syrups for a coupe glass cocktaill.
Raspberry Syrup
Raspberry syrup is tarter than strawberry and more assertive than blueberry, which makes it a good fit for cocktails where you want a fruit note that can stand up to stronger spirits. It pairs well with gin, vodka, rum, and sparkling wine. Double strain to remove seeds for the cleanest result.
Watermelon Syrup
Watermelon syrup is the most summery thing on this list. The flavor is sweet and clean, and it works well with tequila, vodka, gin, and rum.
It also makes one of the best zero-proof mocktail bases — just add sparkling water and lime.
Use a very ripe watermelon and do not cook it too long, which mutes the fresh flavor. Honestly, I’d just use watermelon juice or muddle some pieces and not make it into a syrup. It’s way easier.
Kiwi Syrup
Kiwi syrup has a bright, slightly tart flavor that pairs well with vodka, gin, and rum. The color is pale green, like kiwis, and has a nice freshness that is different from citrus.
Lemon Syrup
A straight lemon syrup adds both sweetness and lemon flavor to cocktails and is more concentrated than a squeeze of juice alone.
It pairs well with gin, vodka, and sparkling wine, and is a natural base for lemonade cocktails and mocktails.
Lime Syrup
Lime syrup has a more tropical, slightly more bitter citrus note than lemon. It is useful in tequila drinks, mojitos, and anything built around rum and citrus.
Passion Fruit Syrup
My neighbor planted a passionfruit vine at the base of our shared fence without asking. It proceeded to take over my entire side. I trim it back every year and in return I get enough passionfruit to make puree and syrup for months (and months and months).
The flavor is intensely tropical and tart, and a small amount goes a very long way. It pairs well with rum, vodka, gin, and prosecco.
Get the full Passionfruit Simple Syrup recipe.
Prickly Pear Syrup
If you live in the Southwest or California you have probably seen prickly pear at farmers markets or growing in front yards. The syrup is magenta (sometimes bright orange), lightly sweet, and mildly tropical, with a flavor that is hard to compare to anything else.
It pairs well with tequila, vodka, and sparkling water.
Mango Syrup
Mango syrup works best when you use a flavorful variety. Ataulfo mangoes make a more nuanced syrup than the larger Tommy Atkins.
The flavor is sweet and tropical without tipping into that gross artificial zone if you use good fruit. It pairs well with rum, vodka, and tequila.
Pineapple Syrup
Pineapple syrup has a tangy, tropical quality that works across a wider range of cocktails than you’d think. It pairs well with rum, tequila, vodka, and coconut, and it holds up in sours where you need both sweetness and acid.
Guava Syrup
My guavas ripen in winter, so I make and freeze guava puree to use throughout the summer, which is when most people think you should be eating guava (I say year-round, but what do I know?).
The syrup is tropical with notes of pear, strawberry, and citrus, and it pairs well with rum, vodka, and prosecco.
Get the full Guava Simple Syrup recipe and try it in the Guava Spritz.
Hibiscus Syrup
Hibiscus syrup is tart, deeply colored, and one of the most versatile summer syrups. It adds both flavor and a ruby color that makes any drink look finished.
One important note: not all hibiscus is edible. Only Hibiscus sabdariffa, sold as dried petals for culinary use, is safe to consume. The decorative hibiscus at your local nursery is a completely different plant and will poison you.
Get the full Hibiscus Simple Syrup recipe.
Rhubarb Syrup
Rhubarb bridges late spring into early summer (although mine is still growing and waiting to be harvested, even in July) and adds a tartness to cocktails that is different from citrus.
It pairs naturally with strawberry but also works well on its own in gin drinks and prosecco cocktails.
Herb Syrups
Spearmint Syrup
Spearmint syrup is my summer superhero. It distributes evenly through a cold drink without leaving bits behind, and it is cleaner than muddling fresh leaves directly, which can turn bitter if you press too hard.
Use it in mojitos, juleps, gin fizzes, and sparkling mocktails.
Get the full Mint Simple Syrup recipe.
Basil Syrup
Basil peaks in summer heat, and the syrup is earthy, peppery, and herbal. My plants are currently going nuts, so I’m making basil simple syrup to water can and freeze for use this winter.
It pairs reall well with with strawberry, peach, lemon, and watermelon, and works in gin, vodka, and rum cocktails.
Get the full Basil Simple Syrup recipe.
Thai Basil Syrup
Thai basil has a more pronounced anise note than sweet basil, and the syrup tastes slightly spiced and herbal. I like to pair it with gin, rum, and tropical fruits like mango and pineapple.
Pineapple Sage Syrup
Pineapple sage smells a bit like pineapple when you brush against it in the garden. I grow it alongside my regular sage, lemon thyme, and basil in a big planter. The syrup carries that tropical, slightly herbal quality into cocktails and pairs well with rum, gin, and tropical fruits.
Thyme Syrup
Thyme syrup has a savory edge that works especially well with stone fruit cocktails in summer. Pair it with peach, nectarine, or plum, or use it in a gin fizz or whiskey sour.
Get the full Thyme Simple Syrup recipe.
Thyme Mint Syrup
Combining thyme and mint in a single syrup gives you a flavor that is herbal without being savory and minty without being cold. It works in gin cocktails, sparkling mocktails, and anywhere you want a layered herb note.
Lemongrass Syrup
Lemongrass has a bright, citrusy flavor with a warmth that gives you a little gingery taste, and it makes one of the more interesting herb syrups for summer.
I bought a lemongrass plant four years ago, and it still produces year-round for me in SoCal. You can also find it fresh at farmers’ markets and your local Asian markets in the produce section usually.
Fair warning: lemongrass gets very tall. I had to moved mine twice.
Lemongrass simple syrup pairs well with gin, vodka, rum, and ginger, and adds a slightly tropical character to drinks.
Tarragon Syrup
Tarragon has a subtle anise flavor that is lighter and more delicate than star anise or fennel. In a syrup it adds a faintly herbal note that works in gin cocktails and citrus-forward drinks.
Fennel Syrup
Fennel syrup has a mild anise quality that is softer than tarragon and works well with citrus, gin, and sparkling wine. The sweetness of the syrup tones the fennel down considerably from what you would expect in the kitchen in your more savory dishes.
Cucumber Syrup
Cucumber syrup is mild, clean, and faintly sweet, and it is one of the best syrups for mocktails that actually taste like something rather than just sweetened water.
It pairs well with gin, vodka, mint, and lime.
Emerald Syrup
The Emerald Syrup combines mint, basil, and rosemary into a single herbal syrup that is more layered than any of them on their own. Use it in the Emerald Garden Fizz with prosecco, or shake it with lemon and gin for an herbal sour.
Get the full Emerald Simple Syrup recipe.
Ginger Syrup
Ginger syrup adds heat and sharpness to cocktails without overtly sweetening them, and it pairs great with citrus, tropical fruit, and mint.
Use it in a Moscow Mule made from scratch, a ginger-spiked lemonade, or a tropical mocktail with lime and sparkling water.
Eucalyptus Syrup
Eucalyptus syrup is a specialty ingredient that can be used in a cool, slightly medicinal way that works in small doses, particularly in gin cocktails where you want something that reads as botanical and unusual.
Use culinary-grade eucalyptus only and start with half the amount you think you need. It can take over very quickly.
Floral Syrups
Jasmine Syrup
Jasmine syrup is floral and slightly grassy, and it works in summer gin drinks and sparkling wine cocktails when you want to add a little more botanical character. It is also good stirred into iced tea for a zero-proof option.
Get the full Jasmine Simple Syrup recipe.
Chamomile Syrup
Chamomile syrup is soft, honey-like, and faintly apple-scented. I recently started growing it in my herb garden and the fresh flowers make a noticeably lighter syrup than dried chamomile.
It pairs well with gin, honey, lemon, and sparkling water and works in lighter summer cocktails and mocktails where you want a floral note without the intensity of lavender.
Lavender Syrup
Lavender syrup requires culinary-grade lavender, not the ornamental variety from a florist or nursery (not all lavender is edible).
Five to seven minutes of steeping in warm syrup is usually enough before it tips toward soapy.
It pairs well with gin, lemon, honey, and prosecco.
Try my Honey Lavender Simple Syrup recipe
Rose Syrup
Rose syrup requires pesticide-free, culinary-grade petals. Florist roses are not safe to consume.
The flavor is perfumed and lightly sweet, and it works in champagne cocktails, lychee drinks, and citrus-forward gin drinks. Use less than you think you need, as you don’t want your cocktail to taste like a soap store.
Hibiscus Syrup
Already covered in the fruit syrups section, hibiscus reads as floral as much as fruity, which makes it useful in floral drinks alongside lavender or jasmine.
Butterfly Pea Flower Syrup
Butterfly pea flower produces a deep indigo color that shifts to purple or pink when you add citrus. The flavor is mild and slightly earthy; really, it’s more of a visual element than a flavor one. It pairs cleanly with gin, vodka, and lemon.
Get the full guide to Butterfly Pea Flower in cocktails.
Tea Syrups
Jasmine Honey Syrup
Adding honey to jasmine syrup rounds out the floral note and gives it a warmer sweetness. It works well in gin cocktails and iced tea-based mocktails.
Green Tea Syrup
Green tea syrup is earthy and slightly grassy without bitterness, assuming you keep the water temperature around 160°F and do not steep too long.
It works in gin and vodka spritzes and in sparkling mocktails with citrus.
Matcha Syrup
Matcha is the whole leaf ground into powder, which gives the syrup a more concentrated, earthier flavor than other green tea syrups, with an umami quality most syrups do not have. It also produces a vivid green color that holds even when diluted.
Use it in a matcha gin sour with lemon and egg white, or stir into sparkling water.
Peppermint Tea Syrup
Peppermint tea syrup is sharper and more cooling than fresh spearmint syrup, which makes it useful in summer drinks where you want a strong mint note without muddling.
Use it sparingly, as peppermint is potent.
Sweetener Syrups
Honey Syrup
Plain honey is too thick to mix cleanly into a cold cocktail. A 1:1 honey syrup adds a gentle floral sweetness that works across summer drinks. Use it in a Bee’s Knees, stir it into iced tea, or swap it for plain simple syrup anywhere you want more nuance.
Learn how to make my honey simple syrup
Agave Syrup
Agave syrup is a nice fit for tequila drinks where you want a sweetener that does not compete with the spirit. It dissolves easily in cold cocktails and works in margaritas, palomas, and tropical mocktails.
Nut Syrups
Macadamia Nut Syrup
Macadamia nut syrup has a creamy, buttery quality that leans tropical rather than rich and heavy. It pairs well with rum, coconut, pineapple, and lime, and it is the nut syrup that makes the most sense in a tiki-style drink.
Macadamia Orgeat
Orgeat is a classic cocktail syrup made from nuts, sugar, and orange flower water. A macadamia nut orgeat has a creamier, more tropical quality than the traditional almond version, which makes it especially useful in mai tais and other tiki drinks.
It takes more effort than most syrups but the result is distinct.
A Few Tools That Help
A fine-mesh strainer is essential for fruit syrups, as seeds and pulp can make the syrup cloudy.
Cheesecloth layered inside gives you an even cleaner result, especially for watermelon, raspberry, and guava.
Store everything in sterilized 4 oz glass jars labeled with the date.
A citrus juicer is useful for the fruit-forward drinks that use these syrups, and a cocktail muddler handles fresh herb prep.
My Amazon shop has the full kit.
Where to Start
If you are making one syrup this summer, make the strawberry. It is the most immediately useful, works across the most types of drinks, and the season is short enough that you will want to take advantage of it.
From there, peach and nectarine, basil and mint are the two I keep refilling most.
Browse the full simple syrups archive for every recipe, and check out the summer cocktails collection for drinks that use them. The cocktail garnishes guide is also worth a look for finishing touches.
Summer Cocktails That Use These Syrups
- Blueberry Lavender Sour — blueberry syrup, lavender syrup, gin or vodka, lemon
- Peach Mint Spritz — peach, mint, gin, lemon, sparkling wine
- Guava Spritz — guava syrup, prosecco, soda
- Emerald Garden Fizz — emerald syrup, prosecco
- Emerald Sour — emerald syrup, gin or vodka, lemon
- Lemon Thyme Spritz — thyme syrup, prosecco, lemon, soda
- Earl Grey and Lavender Spritz — lavender syrup, Earl Grey tea, lemon, sparkling water
- Lavender Elderflower Spritz — lavender syrup, elderflower liqueur, gin, prosecco
- Orange Blossom Spritz — orange blossom syrup, prosecco, mint, soda
- Hibiscus Simple Syrup — use in margaritas, mojitos, and gin fizzes
- Passionfruit Simple Syrup — use in rum and vodka drinks, tiki cocktails
