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a bottle of bright yellow lemon simple syrup sits on a countertop to the right of a bowl of lemons.

Lemon Simple Syrup (Fresh Lemon Juice and Zest)

Lindsey Neumayer
This bright and zesty lemon simple syrup is perfect for all your homemade beverages, especially leveling up lemonade! It's great for fans of sour candies, too, because it's full of sweet-tart lemon flavor!
5 from 2 votes
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Cooling Time 20 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Course Drinks, Simple Syrup
Cuisine American, Italian, Mediterranean
Servings 15 ounces
Calories 101 kcal

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Equipment

  • 1 1.5-quart saucepan non-reactive, like stainless steel or enameled cast iron
  • 1 fine mesh strainer non-reactive, stainless steel
  • 1 2-cup glass measuring cup for straining
  • 1 airtight storage bottle
  • 1 kitchen scale optional
  • 1 microplane zester optional, use a vegetable peeler or pairing knife
  • 1 chefs knief
  • 1 cutting board

Ingredients
  

  • 300 grams granulated sugar 1.5 cups
  • 120 grams water 1/2 cup
  • 230 grams lemon juice 1 cup, from 5-6 lemons
  • 6 grams lemon zest 1 TBSP, from 2 lemons

Instructions
 

  • Prep lemons. Wash and dry your lemons to remove any dirt or residue.
  • Zest lemons. Zest two lemons to get 6g of zest (1 TBSP).
    6 grams lemon zest
  • Juice lemons. Slice the remaining lemons and juice them to get 230g of lemon juice (1 cup).
    230 grams lemon juice
  • Make base syrup. Combine 120 g of water (1/2 cup) and 300g of sugar (1.5 cups) in a nonreactive 1.5-quart saucepan and place it over medium heat.
    300 grams granulated sugar, 120 grams water
  • Add juice and simmer at low heat. Once sugar has dissolved and the mixture is simmering, add the lemon juice and allow to simmer at low heat for 15 minutes. Take care not to boil your syrup, keep the temperature low.
  • Add zest and infuse. Turn off the heat, add the lemon zest, and allow the zest to steep for 15-20 minutes. You can leave the pan on the burner while you do this.
  • Cool and strain. After 15-20 minutes, strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve.
  • Store. Store the mixture in a airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

Notes

ℹī¸ troubleshooting tips

  • bitter - make sure to add in only the zest, which is the yellow part of the peel, and not the pith, the white part of the peel, or you could end up with a bitter syrup.
  • too thick - If you allow your syrup to cook for longer, it will be thicker, like a rich syrup, and the flavor will be more intense. It will also be considerably sweeter and may not mix as easily into beverages with just a spoon. Thicker syrups are great for using on desserts, though!
  • metallic flavor - If your syrup has a metallic taste, your pans and tools may not be non-reactive. Metals like aluminum can impact the flavor of acidic foods like this lemon syrup.
  • cool quickly - If you need to rapidly cool your syrup for immediate use, you can set the container in an ice bath to bring the temperature down quickly!

Nutrition

Calories: 101kcalCarbohydrates: 26gProtein: 0.1gFat: 0.1gSaturated Fat: 0.01gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.01gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.001gSodium: 1mgPotassium: 21mgFiber: 0.1gSugar: 25gVitamin A: 1IUVitamin C: 8mgCalcium: 2mgIron: 0.03mg
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Keyword: citrus, citrus zest, Italian, lemon, simple syrup, spring, winter