Homemade Strawberry Simple Syrup

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This bright, sweet Strawberry Syrup is made with just fresh strawberries, sugar, and water—no artificial flavors or colors. Just lovely stirred into cocktails, lemonade, or sparkling water for a fruity twist.  

A hand holds a spoon with strawberry syrup over a jar; fresh strawberries, a bowl of strawberries, glasses of strawberry mimosas, and a prosecco bottle are in the background.

Flavored simple syrups are one of the easiest ways to add flavor to all sorts of drinks, and you can make them with everything from fresh fruit to herbs to tea. Try my Hibiscus Simple Syrup, my Vanilla Bean Syrup, or my Lavender Syrup next. 

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Why Make This Recipe

  • Just 3 Basic Ingredients: Strawberries, sugar, and water are all you need.
  • Flexible Recipe: Use the same technique to try other fruit or berry simple syrups.
  • Freezer-Friendly: Make a batch now, freeze some for later!

🥗 Ingredients

A colander with strawberries, a glass bowl of sugar, and a measuring cup of water arranged on a light surface.
  • Strawberries: Fresh, ripe strawberries are best for this recipe. If it’s not strawberry season though, you can substitute frozen strawberries. 
  • Sugar: Regular granulated sugar is just fine for this recipe.

🥣 Step-by-Step Instructions

A white cutting board with chopped strawberries, strawberry tops, and a pink-handled knife.

Hull 6 ounces of ripe strawberries, then chop roughly. You should have about 1 cup of chopped strawberries. 

A saucepan containing chopped strawberries, sugar, and water on a light-colored surface.

Add to a small saucepan along with ½ cup granulated sugar and ¼ cup water. Bring mixture to a simmer over medium heat. 

A stainless steel saucepan filled with strawberries simmering in a red liquid on a light-colored surface.

Continue to simmer gently for 10 minutes, stirring frequently to dissolve the sugar. Turn down the heat as needed. 

Sliced strawberries are being strained with a mesh sieve and spatula over a glass measuring cup, collecting strawberry syrup, with a pot in the background.

After 10 minutes, remove from the heat and strain liquid into a small measuring cup using a fine mesh strainer. Press down on the solids to extract as much liquid as possible. Cool syrup in refrigerator.

Storage Tips

Store in a small mason jar or other airtight container for up to 2 weeks. You can also freeze this homemade strawberry syrup for up to 3 months in a freezer-safe container. Try freezing in an ice cube tray so you have small amounts on hand when you need them. 

🧐 Recipe FAQs for Strawberry Syrup

Can I use frozen strawberries?

Yes, feel free to use frozen berries, especially if strawberries are out of season. Thaw frozen strawberries before adding to the saucepan. 

Do I have to strain this strawberry syrup?

For a true simple syrup, you do need to strain it. Once the strawberries are cooked down, they aren't that tasty to have in the syrup.

👩‍🍳 Expert Tips

This version of a fresh strawberry syrup is really best for drinks and cocktails. If you want a thicker homemade strawberry sauce to top pancakes, French toast, waffles, ice cream, or other breakfast or dessert dishes, try this Strawberry Coulis instead. Or, whisk in a cornstarch slurry (1 part cornstarch to 1 part water) to the syrup when it is on the stove to thicken it. That will give you more of a pancake syrup consistency.

If it’s the peak of strawberry season and your strawberries are super ripe and sweet, you could reduce the amount of sugar slightly. And if you have extra strawberries, try some of my other strawberry recipes like this Strawberry Galette and this Strawberry Parfait

Now that you’ve got this vibrant syrup brimming with fresh strawberry flavor, what to do with it? My absolute favorite thing to make with it is a Strawberry Mimosa. There’s something about a berry syrup and champagne that just hits! You could also use it in a spritz recipe. Try adding to my St. Germain Spritz.

Or combine with fresh lemon juice and water to make homemade strawberry lemonade—so delightful in the summer. You also can’t go wrong just adding to some sparkling water. Add a sprig of mint and serve in a fancy glass for lovely strawberry mocktail. 

A glass jar of strawberry syrup with a spoon on a wooden board, surrounded by fresh strawberries and a bowl of strawberries on a blue surface.

Other Syrup and Cocktail Recipes

Love to get creative with your homemade drink recipes? If you love berry-inspired syrups, try this blackberry syrup recipe next. Or check out one of these:

If you try this simple Strawberry Syrup recipe, I would love to hear from you! Please rate this recipe and leave a comment below—your feedback is invaluable to me.

And please follow along on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook or subscribe to my newsletter. I’d love to inspire you with more delicious, healthy, and seasonal recipes!

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A spoon drizzles strawberry syrup into a glass jar on a wooden board, with fresh strawberries and a bowl of strawberries in the background.

Strawberry Simple Syrup

Chef Molly Pisula
This bright, sweet Strawberry Syrup is made with just fresh strawberries, sugar, and water—no artificial flavors or colors. 
No ratings yet
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Course Drink Recipes
Cuisine American
Servings 6
Calories 73 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 6 ounces fresh strawberries
  • ½ cup sugar
  • ¼ cup water

Instructions
 

  1. Hull strawberries, then chop roughly. You should have about 1 cup of chopped strawberries.
  2. Add to a small saucepan along with the sugar and water.
  3. Bring mixture to a simmer over medium heat. Continue to simmer gently for 10 minutes, stirring frequently to dissolve the sugar. Turn down the heat as needed.
  4. After 10 minutes, remove from the heat and strain liquid into a small measuring cup using a fine mesh sieve. Press down on the solids to extract as much liquid as possible.
  5. Cool syrup in refrigerator, then store in a jar or other airtight container.

Notes

Storage Tips: 
Store in a small mason jar or other airtight container for up to 2 weeks. You can also freeze this homemade strawberry syrup for up to 3 months in a freezer-safe container. Try freezing in an ice cube tray so you have small amounts on hand when you need them. 
Expert Tips: 
This version of a fresh strawberry syrup is really best for drinks and cocktails. If you want a thicker homemade strawberry sauce to top pancakes, French toast, waffles, ice cream, or other breakfast or dessert dishes, try this Strawberry Coulis instead. Or, whisk in a cornstarch slurry (1 part cornstarch to 1 part water) to the syrup when it is on the stove to thicken it. That will give you more of a pancake syrup consistency.
If it’s the peak of strawberry season and your strawberries are super ripe and sweet, you could reduce the amount of sugar slightly. 

Nutrition

Calories: 73kcalCarbohydrates: 19gProtein: 0.2gFat: 0.1gSaturated Fat: 0.01gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.04gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.01gSodium: 1mgPotassium: 44mgFiber: 1gSugar: 18gVitamin A: 3IUVitamin C: 17mgCalcium: 5mgIron: 0.1mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Instagram Users: Now that you've made this Strawberry Simple Syrup recipe, tag me @vanillabeancuisine or #vanillabeancuisine because I’d love to see your results!

Molly holding a colander of orange cherry tomatoes in front of her stove.

More About Molly

Cooking healthy(ish) meals with seasonal ingredients is my passion. Trained as a French pastry chef, I spent over 10 years as a personal chef. Here you'll find well-tested recipes that you and your family will love!

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