Recipes

4 Must-Know Spring Syrup Recipes

Put some spring in your step with 4 must-know syrup & cordial recipes!

Spring cocktail season is just a few weeks away— kick off the season ready with these delicious syrup and cordial recipes!

Featuring floral flavours like chamomile & lavender, and bright additions of lime, cucumber, basil and grapefruit, we’ve got a recipe for everyone. Check out the details below, and be sure to try the suggested cocktails, too!

1. CHAMOMILE TEA SYRUP

With its subtle floral & slightly earthy flavour, chamomile makes the perfect addition to your spring syrup repertoire. The best part about this recipe? You can swap out virtually any tea bag to create your own unique syrups all year long!

INGREDIENTS:
  • 1 cup sugar 
  • 1 cup water
  • 1-2 Chamomile Tea Bags, or 1 oz Dried Chamomile Flowers
METHOD:
  1. First, add sugar and water to a small saucepan on medium heat and stir to combine. 
  2. Lower heat and add tea bags or dried flowers.
  3. Simmer 10-15 minutes, or until desired flavour is reached.
  4. Cool, remove tea bags or flowers and store in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks!

Looking for the perfect cocktail to make with this recipe? Try our Chamomile Collins (photographed below by @whitekitchen_redwine)! 

2. @moodymixologist’s Cucumber Lime cordial

You won’t regret keeping a bottle of this delicious cordial on hand this spring. Bursting with the vibrant flavours of cucumber and lime, this recipe from @moodymixologist is a game changer in all your favourite classics!

INGREDIENTS:
  • 3 Mini Cucumbers
  • 3-4 Large Limes
  • 1 cup Sugar
  • ½ tsp Citric Acid (or more, to taste)
METHOD:
  1. Peel and chop the cucumbers and add them to a medium bowl. Wash and peel the limes, add the peels to the bowl, reserve the limes for later.
  2. Toss the cucumbers and lime peels with sugar. Cover and let sit at least one hour. The mixture will become thick and syrupy.
  3. Squeeze the limes and add the juice to the mixture (¾ cup). Add the citric acid and stir, dissolving the remaining sugar.
  4. Strain through a fine mesh sieve or layers of cheesecloth. Store the cordial in a closed container in the refrigerator.

TIP! If you can’t track down citric acid, white vinegar makes for a good substitute. It helps balance & bring together all the delicious flavours!

Looking for the perfect holiday cocktail to make with this syrup? Try @moodymixologist’s ‘Royal Cucumber Gimlet!’!

Cucumber-Cordial-Image

3. LAVENDER SYRUP:

A favourite through spring and summer, there are few better pairing for Empress 1908 than a floral lavender syrup.

INGREDIENTS:
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 oz Dried Lavender Buds (Culinary Grade)
  • Dried Butterfly Pea Blossoms*
  • Lemon Juice*

*Optional for colour and flavour

METHOD:
  1. First, add sugar & water to a small saucepan on medium heat and stir to combine. 
  2. Next, reduce heat and add lavender buds (and butterfly pea blossoms, if desired). Simmer 10-15 minutes.
  3. Then, remove from heat and cool 30 minutes.
  4. Finally, strain to remove the lavender buds. Add a touch of lemon juice to taste (optional.)
  5. Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Looking for the perfect cocktail to make with this syrup? Try @afullliving’s Lavender Gin Cocktail, pictured below!

Click here to visit @afullliving’s blog post on this syrup recipe!

4. @SCHMIDTHAPPENSMN’s BASIL GRAPEFRUIT SYRUP:

If you’re more excited for the fresh herbs that come with spring, this refreshing citrus syrup is for you. @schmidthappensmn combines bold grapefruit with tasty basil to create an extra-flavourful result!

INGREDIENTS:
  • ¾ cup Granulated Sugar
  • ¾ cup Water
  • 1 Whole Grapefruit Rind
  • Fresh Basil Leaves
METHOD:
  1. Add sugar, water, and grapefruit rind to a small saucepan and bring to a boil until sugar has completely dissolved.
  2. Add a couple basil leaves and reduce to a simmer for 15 minutes.
  3. Remove from heat and strain into a glass container. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes prior to use in cocktail.

Click here to try this vibrant syrup in @schmidthappensmn‘s delicious ‘Ruth Basil Gins-burg’ cocktail!

Looking for more ways to enjoy these syrup recipes? Visit our instagram or signature cocktail page!

Sip responsibly!

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