If you love berry season as much as I do, all your drinks about about to get a whole lot more exciting. 👀 This easy homemade blackberry simple syrup recipe is the perfect way to add a sweet and tangy burst of berry flavor to any beverage! Fresh berries are infused into a simple sugar syrup for REAL berry flavor you’re gonna love!
Making homemade simple syrup for over a decade leaves you with lots of opportunities to experiment with flavors. And infusions are just about the best way to experiment! Infusing fruits into classic simple syrup is a great way to pack the fresh flavor of fruit into any drink, from homemade sodas to your favorite cocktails.
This recipe was inspired by my festive cranberry syrup, which is another tart and tangy berry syrup recipe. This variation celebrates the sweet flavor blackberries which are at peak ripeness in summer through early fall. These big, bold and juicy berries are similar to raspberries but much punchier! It’s a delicious way to flavor drinks like a blackberry daiquiri or blackberry cream soda.
why this blackberry syrup recipe works:
🍓tart & tangy. Blackberries are known for being sweet, tart, and tangy. This simple syrup jams the fresh flavor of ripe berries into a liquid sweetener that is perfect for any drink.
🙌 easy & straightforward. Some recipes out there force you to buy lots of specialty equipment, like vacuum sealers and sous vide machines. While those gadgets are fun, unless you’re using them regularly they can take up a lot of storage space. This recipe uses tools that you likely already have at home in a simple and straightforward way.
💥 juicy & bold. This simple syrup packs a punch of juicy flavor into every ounce! Use it in any recipe that calls for regular simple syrup or even sugar, like lemonade, to make a seasonal spin on your favorite drinks!
🛒 ingredients
See the recipe card for the exact quantities.
🍳 instructions
Step 1: If you are using fresh blackberries, wash them to rinse off any dirt or impurities.
Step 2: Pour 1 cup of water into a saucepan and place it on medium heat.
Step 3: Add 200 grams of granulated sugar and stir intermittently until it is dissolved.
Step 4: Once the sugar is dissolved, add in 1 container of blackberries and simmer over medium-low heat for 15 – 30 minutes.
Step 5: Add in the lemon juice and stir.
Step 6: Remove the pan from heat and allow it to cool for 15 – 20 minutes.
Step 7: Once the syrup has slightly cooled, or cooled completely to room temperature, strain the syrup through a fine mesh sieve to remove the blackberries.
Step 8: Store your strained syrup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks or freeze for longer storage.
Hint: Line your fine mesh sieve with cheesecloth if you want to be sure to strain every last seed and fiber out of your simple syrup!
💡tips & tricks for getting it right
🍽️ serving tips
Simple syrups are best used in beverages, because of their thin consistency. This allows them to easily mix into hot and cold drinks, without pooling at the bottom of the glass like thicker syrups tend to do. Use your finished syrup to make homemade blackberry drinks like:
cocktail recipes
As demonstrated by creme de mure liqueur, blackberries and booze go super well together. This syrup mixes wonderfully with anything from bourbon to tequila! Try using this syrup to make any of your favorite drinks into blackberry cocktails!
- blackberry daiquiri – a classic rum cocktail is a daiquiri, and this shaken blackberry daiquiri is a wonderful seasonal take!
- blackberry gin and tonic – add in a bit of this syrup to a glass of tonic water and top with an ounce or two of gin for a seasonal take on a classic vodka cocktail. Want even more blackberry flavor? Use blackberry-infused gin or top with blackberry liqueur!
- blackberry basil margarita – try a super seasonal variation of a classic margarita on the rocks. This blackberry margarita is perfect for any summer gathering, from a pool party to an afternoon BBQ!
mocktail recipes
Non-alcoholic cocktails are increasing in popularity, and for good reason! Gone are the days of sugary sweet Shirley Temples. You can also make kid-friendly blackberry drinks like blackberry lemonade or soda!
- blackberry green tea – the delicate floral flavor of iced tea mixes beautifully with the sweet and tangy flavor of blackberries! You can use this sweet syrup in hot tea, too!
- sparkling blackberry basil lemonade – regular lemonade is OUT, but this sparkling blackberry basil version is SO IN!
- blackberry cream soda – Italian sodas are an easy and fun way to use your simple syrups, and this blackberry cream soda recipe is wonderfully refreshing!
cooking, baking, & gifting
Simple syrups + drinks = a real love story….buuuuut you can totally use them in cooking and baking too!
- as a gift – bottle this syrup in a cute glass bottle or small glass jar for the perfect hostess gift! You can also create a “cocktail kit” for family and friends with it.
- as a glaze for cakes – use this syrup to add fresh blackberry flavor to your layer cakes, cupcakes, and loaf cakes! Brush the syrup between layers of a cake or on top of cupcakes or a loaf cake.
- glaze tarts or pies – you can also use this syrup as a glaze for fruit tarts or pies! This would be especially good on a blackberry tart!
ℹ️ troubleshooting tips
- too tart – Taste your blackberry syrup before adding in any lemon juice, if you remember! Blackberries are tart in flavor, especially when underripe. If your syrup is too tart, you can add in more sugar, 1/4 cup or 50g at a time. This is also why I recommend the cooking method of infusing simple syrups like this blackberry one. Cooking blackberries over heat helps their flavor deepen and intensify, leading to a more “jammy” flavor compared to simple syrups that are made using the maceration technique or cold infusion process, like this watermelon simple syrup.
- not enough berry flavor – if your syrup is lacking the berry punch of flavor you’re after, try adding in more berries or simmering the syrup for longer. You can also gently muddle the berries while they simmer to release even more juices.
- too thick – blackberries are high in pectin, which means they can gel naturally when cooked at higher temperatures. This is great if you’re making a blackberry jam, but not so great when you want a thinner syrup. If you did end up with a thicker syrup, you may have cooked it at too high a temperature. You can add in more water, a couple tablespoons at a time, until it thins out to the right consistency.
⚖️ scaling tips
Need a bunch of syrup for a lot of drinks? It’s super easy to double the recipe– just times all ingredients by 2!
🔆 top tip
Make sure to cook your syrup at a medium-low heat. Blackberries are high in pectin which will thicken your syrup naturally. Too much pectin will make your syrup thicker, which is not ideal for mixing into cold drinks.
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♻️ substitutions & variations
Missing an ingredient? No problem. Check out these tried-and-true substitutions, or comment below with your question. I’m here to help you troubleshoot!
- use another berry – if you don’t have blackberries on hand, you can make this syrup using another berry. Check out my recipes for cranberry simple syrup, blueberry simple syrup, and strawberry simple syrup! You can even use a mixture of berries to create a flavorful mixed berry syrup!
- use another sugar – while plain white granulated sugar is the best way to sweeten most simple syrup recipes, you can use an alternative sugar or sweetener like brown sugar, demerara sugar, or even honey.
- blackberry ginger – spicy fresh ginger and sweet tart blackberries work wonders together! Simmer in a 1 inch piece of peeled fresh ginger for a kick of bold gingery flavor in this syrup! This would be especially great in a blackberry mule cocktail or mocktail!
🧰 equipment needed & storage tips
Check out this post here for my ultimate guide of the essential tools you need when making simple syrups at home!
🫙 how to store your homemade blackberry simple syrup
This simple syrup will last you up to two weeks when stored properly in the refrigerator.
You can also freeze it for longer term storage! I love storing it in the freezer in a squeeze bottle or ice cube trays for easy melting.
💬 q+a
How long does fruit infused simple syrup last?
Homemade simple syrups last for about 2 weeks when properly stored in the fridge. You can also freeze your syrups for longer-term storage. If you ever see anything cloudy in your syrups, or if they have a funky smell, throw them out!
What do blackberries taste like?
Blackberries have a tart, almost sour flavor, which is especially prominent when they are raw. When they are cooked, they develop a deep, rich, jammy flavor.
What flavors go well with blackberry?
Since blackberries are so tart, they benefit greatly from the addition of cool creamy ingredients like yogurt or cream. Blackberry also goes well with ginger, peaches, mint, basil, and cinnamon. Lemon helps to brighten their flavor, and lime is a classic zesty pairing as well. They’re also great mixed with other berries like raspberries and blueberries!
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Easy Blackberry Simple Syrup (with Real Berries)
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Equipment
- 1 1.5-quart saucepan non-reactive metal, such as stainless steel or cast iron
- 1 fine mesh sieve non-reactive metal, such as stainless steel
- 1 spatula or spoon silicone
- 1 measuring glass heat-safe
- 1 set of measuring cups optional
Ingredients
- 160 g blackberries fresh or frozen, 1 container
- 200 g granulated sugar 1 cup
- 240 g filtered water 1 cup
- lemon juice optional, freshly squeezed
Instructions
- If you are using fresh blackberries, wash them to rinse off any dirt or impurities.
- Pour 240 grams of water (1 cup) into a saucepan and place it on medium heat.
- Add 200 grams of granulated sugar (1 cup) and stir intermittently until it is dissolved.
- Once the sugar is dissolved, add in 160 grams of blackberries (1 container) and simmer over medium-low heat for 15 – 30 minutes.
- Add in the lemon juice and stir.
- Remove the pan from heat and allow it to cool for 15 – 20 minutes.
- Once the syrup has slightly cooled, strain the syrup through a fine mesh sieve to remove the blackberries.
- Store your syrup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks or freeze for longer storage.
Nutrition Information
The information provided is an estimate based on an online nutrition facts calculator and actual nutrition facts may vary.
