Gingerbread Spice Syrup (Printable version)

A warmly spiced, aromatic syrup ideal for coffee, cocktails, pancakes, and festive desserts.

# List of ingredients:

→ Base

01 - 1 cup granulated sugar
02 - 1 cup water

→ Spices

03 - 2 tbsp unsulphured molasses
04 - 1 tbsp fresh ginger, sliced or 1½ tsp ground ginger
05 - 1½ tsp ground cinnamon
06 - ½ tsp ground allspice
07 - ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
08 - ¼ tsp ground cloves
09 - 1 tsp vanilla extract
10 - Pinch of salt

# Directions:

01 - In a small saucepan, combine granulated sugar, water, and molasses.
02 - Add ginger, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, cloves, and salt; stir to combine.
03 - Bring mixture to a gentle boil over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves.
04 - Reduce heat and simmer for 10 to 12 minutes to allow flavors to meld.
05 - Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract.
06 - If fresh ginger was used, strain syrup through fine mesh sieve.
07 - Allow syrup to cool completely before transferring to a clean, airtight container. Refrigerate up to 3 weeks.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It transforms your morning coffee, tea, and even plain pancakes into something that tastes like the holidays are happening right now
  • Ready in just 20 minutes, yet tastes like you've been simmering spices all day long
  • Works beautifully in cocktails and desserts, making you the clever host who has that special ingredient everyone asks about
  • Naturally vegan and dairy-free, welcoming everyone to the table
02 -
  • Molasses is absolutely essential—it's not just sweetness, it's the soul of gingerbread flavor. I tried skipping it once thinking brown sugar would be close enough, and the result was a pleasant spice syrup, not the real thing. Don't make my mistake.
  • Fresh ginger requires straining, but it rewards you with a brighter, more vibrant flavor that ground ginger can't quite match. Ground ginger is easier and still delicious, so choose based on your mood and time.
  • The vanilla extract goes in after you remove from heat. Adding it while boiling burns off its delicate flavor, leaving you with a ghostly absence of vanilla rather than its warming presence.
03 -
  • If your syrup crystallizes in the refrigerator, simply warm it gently over low heat or in the microwave until it returns to silky smoothness. This is normal and doesn't mean anything went wrong.
  • Make a double batch and store half in the freezer; you'll be grateful in July when you want gingerbread-spiced lemonade and didn't have to plan ahead.
  • The first time you use it, try it in something simple like black coffee or plain vanilla ice cream. This lets the syrup shine without competition, and you'll discover exactly how flavorful your batch is.

Go back