Lemon Simple Syrup

This easy lemon simple syrup recipe is made with just lemon juice and sugar for a concentrated flavor. It's great for everything from homemade lemon soda to cakes to adding something sweet and tart to your iced tea.

What Makes This Lemon Simple Syrup Different

Most simple syrups are made by dissolving sugar in an equal part of water. My version skips the water entirely and I use all fresh lemon juice instead, for an intense lemon flavor rather than a diluted hint of lemon.

The result is a simple syrup with a bright, concentrated flavor that's both sweet and tart, that actually tastes like lemon rather than lemon-adjacent. That same method works with other citrus and fruit too. If you have limes on hand, make my vibrant lime simple syrup, and if you're working with berries, my strawberry simple syrup follows my no-water philosophy.

Lemon Simple Syrup Ingredients

Most lemon simple syrup recipes use a combination of fresh lemon juice, water and sugar. But this homemade simple syrup uses only lemons and sugar because I want a strong and concentrated lemon flavor.

How to Make Homemade Lemon Syrup

Step 1: Juice the lemons until you have 1 cup of lemon juice. 

Step 2: Combine the sugar and lemon juice in a small saucepan, 2 or 3-quarts.

Step 3: Bring the lemon juice and sugar to a boil making sure the sugar dissolves.

Step 4: Remove the pan from the heat, and add the lemon rinds to the simple syrup.

Step 4: Strain the lemon strain lemon syrup.

Step 5: Let the syrup cool to room temperature and then store in the refrigerator.

Uses for Lemon Syrup

• Combine with club soda. or ginger ale to make lemon soda
• Use to flavor and sweeten iced tea or hot tea
• Use it to brush cake layers with a silicone brush to add lemon flavor and to help keep the cake layer moist
• Warm it up and drizzle it over pancakes and waffles
• Use on a fresh fruit salad for a little extra zing
• Drizzle it over pound cake or Bundt cake

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Lemon Simple Syrup (for Cakes and Cocktails)

4.67 from 3 votes

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour hour 5 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes

This lemon simple syrup is easy to make and perfect for drinks or adding to cake layers for extra lemon flavor.

Servings: 5

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Course: Drinks

Cuisine: American

Author: Cheryl Norris

Ingredients

• ▢ 1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar
• ▢ 1 cup (240 ml) lemon juice 4-6 lemons depending on the size

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Instructions

• This recipe makes 1-1/3 cups of lemon simple syrup, enough for 5 individual lemon soda drinks or one large 48-ounce glass picture of lemon soda.
• Clean the container for the lemon syrup by washing it with soap and hot water, and thoroughly rinsing it. Next pour boiling water into the container twice to ensure it is thoroughly clean.  Dry the container.
• Wash the outside the lemons under cool water. Juice the lemons until you have 1 cup of juice. Keep the lemon halves. Place the sugar in a 2 or 3-quart saucepan. Strain the lemon juice into the same pot. Heat the mixture on medium high heat until the sugar dissolves.
• Remove the pan from the heat and add 5 or 6 of the juiced lemon halves into the lemon syrup. Bring the mixture to a boil and boil for about 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat and cover with a lid. Let the lemons steep for 1 hour.
• Strain the lemon syrup into a bowl through fine mesh strainer. Let the lemons drain and squeeze them to get as much juice out of them as possible. Let the syrup cool to room temperature.

Storing the Simple Syrup

• Store the lemon syrup in an airtight container. Use a funnel to pour it into a glass jar or bottle that has a lid. Store the lemon simple syrup in the refrigerator for up to 4 weeks. Because it has fruit juice in it, it can’t sit at room temperature like plain simple syrup or it will go bad.
• Use the lemon syrup to make lemonade, lemon soda, or brush it on cake layers to help keep them moist.

Notes

Selecting Lemons: Don’t use lemons that have a soft (mushy) texture or brown spots.  Those are indications that the lemon has started to go bad on the inside. Use lemons with bright/shiny yellow skin. Lemons that appear dry and shriveled do not have as much oil in the outer layer for flavor.

Freezing Instructions: The lemon simple syrup can be frozen for up to 3 months. Place the cooled syrup in a freezer safe jar or airtight container.  Leave about 1/2-inch space at the top so it has room to expand as it freezes.  When ready to use, place it in the refrigerator the night before to thaw. Or pour it into an ice cube tray and use the ice cubes in drinks.

Nutrition

Calories: 165kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 0.2g | Fat: 0.2g | Saturated Fat: 0.02g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.01g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.002g | Sodium: 1mg | Potassium: 51mg | Fiber: 0.1g | Sugar: 41g | Vitamin A: 3IU | Vitamin C: 19mg | Calcium: 3mg | Iron: 0.1mg

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