Gingerbread Spice Syrup (Printable version)
Warmly spiced syrup ideal for coffee, cocktails, pancakes, and holiday desserts.
# What You'll Need:
→ 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 sliced fresh ginger or ground ginger, ground cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, cloves, and salt. Stir to combine.
03 - Bring the mixture to a gentle boil over medium heat, stirring continuously until the sugar dissolves completely.
04 - Reduce heat and simmer gently for 10 to 12 minutes to allow the spices to infuse thoroughly.
05 - Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract.
06 - If fresh ginger was used, strain the syrup through a fine mesh sieve to remove solids.
07 - Allow the syrup to cool completely, then transfer to a clean airtight bottle or jar. Refrigerate and use within three weeks.
# Expert advice:
01 -
- It tastes like the holidays in a jar, but you can make it in 20 minutes flat on any ordinary day.
- One batch flavors endless cups of coffee, cocktails, pancakes, and desserts, so you feel like you're getting magic from minimal effort.
- Fresh ginger and real molasses create depth that bottled versions can't quite capture, and your kitchen will smell absolutely incredible while it simmers.
02 -
- Molasses is absolutely essential, not optional. Without it, you lose the whole gingerbread soul of this syrup, and it becomes just another spiced sugar water.
- Don't skip the simmering time trying to speed things up. Those 10 to 12 minutes are when the spices actually infuse and the flavors deepen into something truly special, not sharp or one-dimensional.
03 -
- If you have whole spices in your pantry, you can grind them fresh and use them here, and the syrup will taste noticeably more vibrant and alive.
- Make this syrup on a Sunday afternoon when you have an hour and the kitchen can fill with warmth and scent. It's one of those recipes that feels meditative, not rushed.