How to Freeze Simple Syrup (Storing Homemade Simple Syrup)

After over 10 years of making my own cocktails and mocktails, there’s one thing I’ve learned: homemade ingredients just taste better than store-bought. Because of this fact, I find myself making my own simple syrup on a regular basis. It is, after all, simple! But what if you can’t use a whole batch of syrup within a few weeks? How do you store leftover simple syrup? Can you make a big batch and freeze it for longer-term storage? Can you freeze simple syrup at all?

You can certainly freeze simple syrup for longer storage. In fact, it’s one of my favorite ways to keep homemade simple syrups on hand! However, when it comes to storing and freezing syrups successfully, there are a few key tips to success to keep in mind. This post is one of my many helpful guides for how to make and use simple syrups at home. Check out the other guides here, or keep reading for all the tips and tricks you need to experience the most success when freezing your precious homemade syrups!

💕 why you'll love freezing homemade simple syrups

❄️ cool & convenient - There are a number of ways you can freeze and store your syrups! While other bloggers might have you using only ice cube trays, that method won't always work. Instead, I've got a super easy way to stash your syrups that is foolproof, every time.

👋🏻 keep flavors on hand - storing your homemade simple syrups in the freezer is a great way to keep seasonal flavors at arm’s length, no matter the time of year!

💅🏻 fancy - Imagine the luxury of having homemade specialty beverages whenever the mood strikes. I’m talking about drinks like iced strawberry lattes and homemade limonata all year long!

😳 does simple syrup go bad?

Yes. Because it is made of just sugar and water, bacteria and microorganisms can grow in the mixture. This is especially true if it is stored improperly. If you ever see any cloudy matter in your simple syrups, throw them out.

You have some options when it comes to preserving the shelf life of your simple syrups.

• You can add in an acid, like a small amount of lemon juice, to help prevent the darkening of the syrup and crystallization.
• You can also add a small amount of high-proof alcohol, like 80-proof vodka or Everclear. The alcohol acts like the acidic lemon juice to inhibit crystallization and keep the syrup from changing colors over time.

Adding acid or alcohol helps to slow the growth of microorganisms that can lead you simple syrups to spoiling faster. HOWEVER!!! Adding lemon juice and alcohol will change the flavor of your syrup a bit, so if you want a classic syrup, just leave them both out. As long as you store your syrups in the fridge and use your syrup within 14 days, you should be fine.

🛒 ingredients

• granulated sugar - plain granulated sugar works perfectly in simple syrup recipes. Sometimes, you will see that recipes call for superfine sugar, but if you are heating your syrup over medium-low heat, regular granulated sugar works just fine! You can use different sugars based on the flavor profile you want. Brown sugar or demerara sugar works beautifully for creating a more complex syrup. You can also make simple syrups using honey or maple syrup!
  
• filtered water - plain filtered tap water works best for this recipe because it has already been filtered of impurities that could affect the flavor of the finished syrup. Using filtered water is especially important if you are using the room temperature method of making simple syrup.
  
• optional ingredient
  • lemon juice - a small amount of fresh lemon juice helps to brighten the flavor of the syrup, and may help it stay fresh longer.

🛒 instructions

Step 1: Pour water into a 1.5-quart saucepan, and place it over medium heat.

Step 2: Add sugar to the pan and stir it occasionally to help the sugar dissolve.

3: Once the sugar is completely dissolved, remove the pan from heat and allow it to cool slightly. Add the lemon juice if you're using it.

4: Transfer the mix to a heat-safe container, like a glass measuring cup, to make it easier to pour into ice cube trays.

5: Carefully pour your syrup into ice cube trays, then transfer to the freezer for 6-8 hours, or until frozen.

Step 6: Once the cubes have frozen solid, pop them out of the ice cube tray and store them in a zip-top bag in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Hint: If you want to make and store your syrup in the same container, simply combine equal parts water and sugar in a glass jar, bottle, or plastic container that can hold at least 16 ounces. Shake the mixture intermittently over 15-30 minutes until the sugar is dissolved, then store as instructed above.

🧰 equipment needed

• small saucepan - for the heating method of making this syrup, you'll need to use a small saucepan. Opt for a heavy-bottomed, non-reactive saucepan like this 1.5-quart saucepan.
  
• kitchen scale - I use a kitchen scale in all of my recipes, because it’s an easy way to be more precise and it helps lessen clean up. You don’t need to dirty a bunch of measuring cups. Instead, you can pour your ingredients right into the cooking vessels on the scale.
  
  Not to mention, a cup of sugar from a measuring cup can result in different weights depending on how you scoop it. This can cause slight variations in the resulting finished dish. Measuring ingredients with a kitchen scale is a great way to get the same results every time. I have and love this OXO kitchen scale.
  
• measuring cups - I like using these glass measuring cups from Anchor Hocking when making simple syrups with the heat method or room temperature method at home.
  
• spoon or spatula - you'll need a spoon or spatula for stirring your syrup, no matter which method you choose to make it.
  
• ice cube tray - choose an ice cube tray that is made of a flexible material, like silicone, to help remove your cubes easier. I love the trays from the brand souper-cubes, because they are flexible and marked with measurements!
  

🫙 storage tips

storing in the freezer:

• Once the syrup has cooled, you can place the container of simple syrup straight into the freezer for longer-term storage. You can quickly defrost a simple syrup by running it under warm water or setting it on the counter while you prepare your other ingredients.
  
• Store it in a freezer-safe airtight container, like glass storage bottles with stoppers, glass jars, BPA-free plastic squeeze bottles, or BPA-free plastic containers. This helps to keep the syrup from getting freezer burned or absorbing any flavors in the freezer. As I share above, I love using these OXO squeeze bottles with a freezer label on them. 🤓
  
• Alternatively, you can portion out simple syrup into an ice cube tray like this one for frozen cubes of syrup. This is not my favorite method. The syrup may not freeze solid. This is because of the high sugar content. Unless your freezer is extremely cold, you may need to scoop the cubes out using a small spoon. Be sure to cover the ice cube tray with an airtight lid so that your syrup cubes do not absorb any “off” tastes or smells in the freezer.
  
• Like a simple syrup, a rich syrup may not freeze solid because the sugar content is higher than the water content. Depending on the sugar-water ratio, the frozen mix will remain almost gel-like, in a semi-frozen consistency. Likewise, a simple syrup that has alcohol added to it will not freeze solid.

💬 q+a

🧯food safety & other information

Food safety is an important ingredient in any recipe for success! Here are some tips to keep you safe in the kitchen!

• While you can allow this syrup to sit at room temperature, don’t leave it out for longer than 4 hours at a time. This helps to inhibit bacteria growth that can happen from the sugars in the syrup. Read more about the temperature danger zone here.
  
• Use sterilized containers whenever possible. You can sterilize your containers by boiling them briefly, running them through your dishwasher with the sterilize feature activated, or pouring boiling water into the containers.