Starbucks Brown Sugar Syrup: Easy, Two Ingredient Recipe

Starbucks Brown Sugar Syrup At Home

Starbucks is a coffee shop known for its flavored syrups, sauces, and coffee concoctions. One of the newer and more popular syrups is the brown sugar syrup!

Instead of going to Starbucks, you can make this easy recipe in no time and use it in any of your homemade coffee or espresso drinks. It's a great way to save a little money and still enjoy the sweet flavor!

This brown sugar syrup is rich in flavor, with notes of molasses and caramel, perfect for adding sweetness to your coffee, cold brew, or espresso drinks. This delicious syrup could also be used to make cocktails or to sweeten iced tea!

If you love making Starbucks-inspired drinks at home, be sure to check out this homemade Starbucks pumpkin spice sauce! It's another super simple recipe, with all of those delicious fall flavors! This iced chai is another super simple option!

I also made a gluten-free dupe of the Starbucks cheese danish and an easy three-ingredient dragon drink recipe!

What is Starbucks brown sugar syrup made of?

Starbucks' brown sugar syrup is simply brown sugar dissolved in water along with some natural flavors and preservatives, resulting in a rich molasses flavored simple syrup. This syrup is featured in some popular Starbucks recipes, like the Iced Brown Sugar Oat Milk Shaken Espresso.

What is brown sugar syrup?

Brown sugar syrup is another version of a classic simple syrup, which is typically a 1:1 ratio of granulated sugar dissolved in water. Using brown sugar instead of white sugar results in a liquid sweetener with deeper flavor. Sugar syrups are commonly used as a liquid sweetener or flavoring for coffee, tea, and cocktails, or to moisten cake layers before frosting.

What does brown sugar syrup taste like?

Brown sugar syrup has a rich, sweet taste with a hint of molasses and notes of toffee and caramel flavor. It has a more complex flavor compared to a classic simple syrup made with white sugar.

Depending on the type of sugar used and any additional ingredients, the flavor of brown sugar syrup can vary. Some brown sugar syrups have a deeper molasses flavor and others have added cinnamon or vanilla flavor.

Ingredients

This copycat Starbucks brown sugar syrup recipe only calls for two ingredients, resulting in a super simple recipe made from ingredients you likely already have on hand.

• Brown sugar: You can use light brown sugar or dark brown sugar. Dark brown sugar will result in a stronger flavor, as it has more molasses. The recipe here is made with light brown sugar.
• Water: Nothing fancy here, just plain old water!

Variations

I have tried to keep this recipe as simple as possible, but you can add layers of flavor by adding some additional ingredients to the brown sugar syrup, if desired.

• Brown Sugar Cinnamon Syrup: Add 1 cinnamon stick in with the brown sugar and water, then simmer for 10-15 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in 1 teaspoon of vanilla. 
• Apple Brown Sugar Syrup infused with real apple, cinnamon, and vanilla.
• Cinnamon stick: Add one cinnamon stick to the saucepan along with the brown sugar, simmer for 10-15 minutes. The cinnamon flavor will infuse as the mixture heats.
• Vanilla: Add up to 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract to the syrup after you remove it from heat to make vanilla syrup.
• Maple syrup: You can add some pure maple syrup if you like maple flavor. Pancake syrup is not recommended as it is not true maple syrup.
• Salt: A pinch of salt can enhance the flavors in your syrup but isn't absolutely necessary to add.
• Classic Syrup: Use white granulated sugar to make Starbucks classic syrup.

Stovetop instructions

Making brown sugar syrup is honestly so simple!

1. Add the brown sugar and water to a small saucepan over medium heat.
2. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer until the brown sugar dissolves
3. Then, remove from heat. This whole process should take less than 5 minutes.
4. Once dissolved, allow the syrup to cool before storing for later use.

Microwave instructions

1. To make this syrup in the microwave, simply combine the sugar and water in a microwave safe measuring cup.
2. Microwave on HIGH power one minute at a time until the sugar dissolves, stirring after each minute.
3. It should take about 2-3 minutes to dissolve the sugar, times may vary depending on the strength of your microwave.
4. Once the sugar is dissolved, remove the measuring cup form the microwave and allow the mixture to cool.

Storage

Store your brown sugar syrup in an airtight container, like a mason jar or food safe glass pump jar, in the refrigerator. You must refrigerate this syrup because it does not contain any preservatives like the store-bought versions have.

You can refrigerate this syrup for about 2-3 weeks. Discard the syrup sooner if it looks cloudy, like anything funky is growing, or has an off smell. Again, without preservatives, this syrup will not have quite as long of a shelf life as commercially made varieties.

How to use brown sugar syrup

Use the brown sugar syrup to make your favorite Starbucks copycat drinks or just add 1-2 tablespoons of syrup to your favorite espresso, Nespresso, coffee, or tea.

Recipe FAQs

More Starbucks Copycat Recipes

I hope you enjoy this homemade brown sugar syrup recipe! It truly is so easy yet so delicious! Check out more Starbucks copycat recipes!