This Starbucks classic syrup copycat recipe is simple to make and delicious. This recipe will show you how to make the homemade classic syrup in under five minutes with only two simple ingredients. Use it to add touch of sweetness to any of your favorite coffee drinks, teas, or lemonade!
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What is Starbucks Classic Syrup?
Starbucks classic syrup is a liquid sweetener used to add sweetness to many of their beverages, like lattes, iced coffee, iced tea, cold brew, and more. While this sugar syrup can be used for for hot drinks, it is especially perfect for cold drinks. Since the sugar is already dissolved, it will mix into iced drinks effortlessly. Unlike granulated sugar, which has a tendency to just sink to the bottom of cold beverages.
Essentially classic syrup is a traditional simple syrup, which is typically equal parts of water and granulated sugar, heated just until the sugar dissolves.
When you see just how simple and cheap this simple syrup recipe is to make, you'll never want to spend the outrageous prices on that bottle of classic syrup from your local Starbucks store ever again. Even the coffee syrups at the grocery store are way overpriced for what they actually are. Save your money and make this rich simple syrup right at home in your own kitchen!
Two Ingredients
This copycat Starbucks classic syrup recipe only calls for two ingredients, granulated sugar and water, making this a very simple recipe with ingredients you likely already have on hand.
How to Make Starbucks Classic Syrup
You can make this homemade syrup recipe on the stovetop or in the microwave. Either way this liquid sugar is so quick and easy to make, from start to finish in less than five minutes!
Stovetop Method
- Add the sugar and cold water to a small saucepan over medium heat.
- Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer until the sugar dissolves
- Then remove from heat. This whole process takes only a few minutes. The sugar usually dissolves just as the mixture comes to a full boil.
- Once dissolved, allow the syrup to cool to room temperature before storing for later use.
Microwave Method
- To make this syrup in the microwave, simply combine the sugar and water in a microwave safe measuring cup.
- Microwave on HIGH power one minute at a time until the sugar dissolves, stirring after each minute.
- It should take about 2-3 minutes to dissolve the sugar, times may vary depending on the strength of your microwave.
- Once the sugar is dissolved, remove the measuring cup form the microwave and allow the mixture to cool to room temperature.
How To Use Starbucks Classic Syrup
- One pump of this syrup at Starubucks is equal to 1 tablespoon. Use this information to recreate your favorite Starbucks drinks at home.
- Add classic syrup and ice to freshly brewed tea to make sweet tea.
- Use this syrup, fresh lemon juice, and water to make homemade lemonade.
- Moisten your homemade cakes by brushing some of the syrup on each layer before frosting.
- Sweeten your homemade cocktails.
- Toss some of this simple syrup with freshly cut fruit for a fruit salad.
Variations
Starbucks classic syrup is a plain simple syrup. You can add more layers of flavor by adding some additional ingredients to this sugar syrup, if desired.
- Cinnamon Syrup: Add one cinnamon stick to the saucepan along with the sugar. The cinnamon flavor will infuse as the mixture heats.
- Salt: A pinch of salt can enhance the flavors in your syrup but isn't absolutely necessary.
- Vanilla Syrup: Add up to 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract to the syrup after you remove it from heat to make a vanilla syrup. If you happen to have a vanilla bean, you could add that to the saucepan along with the sugar.
- Other Flavors: Add ½-1 teaspoon of another extract to make other flavors, such as raspberry, peppermint, or maple. Find these extracts in the baking aisle of the grocery store.
- Brown sugar syrup: Swap the white sugar with brown sugar and you've got a whole new depth of caramel-like flavor!
- Make it sweeter: If you want this syrup even sweeter, change the ratio of sugar. Instead of equal parts water to sugar, try 1 cup water to 2 cups of sugar. The benefit to this would be you would need less of the syrup to achieve the same amount of sweetness and there is less of a possibility of watering down your drink if you tend to use a lot.
Storage
Store your classic syrup in an airtight container, like a mason jar or food safe glass jar with a pump, in the refrigerator. 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. You must refrigerate this syrup. It also will not have quite as long of a shelf life as commercially made varieties since there are no preservatives.
Top Tips
- No need to overcook the syrup: Heat the mixture just until the sugar dissolves. You'll know it's dissolved when the syrup goes from cloudy to clear. This usually happens just about the time the mixture comes to a full boil.
- Half or double the recipe: If you don't think you need this much syrup, or if you think you'll need more, it's easy to halve or double the recipe. Simply use equal parts sugar and water in whatever amount you see fit.
FAQ
One pump of classic syrup is equal to 1 tablespoon.
Starbucks classic syrup is simply a plain sweet syrup without added flavor. It is used to add a sweet taste to drinks rather than flavor.
The ingredients in Starbucks classic syrup are: sugar, water, natural flavors, potassium sorbate, and citric acid. It's basically sugar dissolved in water with preservatives and natural flavors.
Yes, Starbucks classic syrup is gluten-free. There are no declared allergens on this product from Starbucks.
More Starbucks Recipes You'll Love
If this recipe has inspired you to make your own Starbucks drinks at home, check out some of my other Starbucks copycat recipes!
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Recipe
Starbucks Classic Syrup Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup water
Instructions
Microwave
- Place ingredients in a microwave-safe measuring cup. Cook on HIGH for 2-3 minutes, stirring after each minute, just until the sugar dissolves.
Stovetop
- Add the sugar and water to a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring the mixture to a simmer, stirring occasionally, just until the sugar dissolves.
- Once dissolved, remove from heat and cool completely before storing in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
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