This Microwave Simple Syrup recipe needs just water and sugar plus your trusty microwave. This homemade simple syrup is ready in just minutes and is an awesome shortcut for an important ingredient for making delicious cocktails at home. Need to sweeten up a drink but don't want to spend the time to make traditional simple syrup? Use my recipe below.
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Microwave Simple Syrup is a great hack!
This Microwave Simple Syrup recipe will help you make a batch of sweetener for your beverages, quickly. This method is perfect if you need simple syrup faster or don't want to bother with the stovetop.
While you'll still have to let it cool a little before using it, making it in the microwave means you won't have to wait for the water to boil which will save a little time.
Related post: Classic Simple Syrup for Cocktails and Mocktails
Having this simple syrup on hand will help to ensure that all your drinks (cocktails and mocktails) are perfectly balanced and sweetened.
Plus you can also easily adjust how sweet or not sweet you want your drinks by adjusting the amount of water and/or sugar used when making your simple syrup in the microwave.
Ingredients
- water
- sugar
The basic ratio for traditional syrup is 1 part water to 1 part sugar.
See the printable recipe card below for quantities and the full recipe.
It really doesn’t matter what type of sugar you use. I prefer to use white sugar since that is what I have on hand. But you can also use brown sugar, coconut sugar or even maple syrup (these will change the flavor of the syrup a little bit).
How to Make Simple Syrup in the Microwave
Step 1
In a microwave-safe bowl, add the water and sugar.
Step 2
Stir to combine.
Step 3
Microwave for 2 minutes.
Step 4
Stir until the sugar completely dissolves. *Be careful, the vessel might be hot!*
Pour it into a glass jar to cool. It's also a great way to store it in the refrigerator.
To Use in a Drink
You can use this microwave simple syrup to add sweetness to coffee, iced tea cocktails and mocktails.
If you aren't following a recipe, start with about ½ of a Tablespoon, taste it and then add more as needed.
If you are following a recipe, it should call out how much to use in the drink.
Variations
I don't love overly sweet drinks so I typically cut down the amount of sugar I use. Instead, I do ½ cup sugar to 1 cup of water.
You can play around with that ratio even more to create your perfect recipe.
You can use this base syrup to create flavored syrups. You'll add the herb or fruit to the vessel with the sugar and water and once you remove it from the microwave, you will need to steep it for about 20 minutes. This may not impart as much flavor as when you make them on the stovetop.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. You don't need to boil the simple syrup to get it to turn out correctly. In fact, bringing it to a boil may change the consistency. Boiling causes the water to evaporate and it will make it thicker. Making simple syrup in the microwave creates a thinner syrup since it has less time with heating and will retain more of the water.
They're the same! Simple syrup is a sugar syrup. But people may refer to them differently.
If you don't want to use simple syrup, you can use another sweetener like agave syrup, maple syrup or honey but this will alter the flavor a little bit.
Making simple syrup in the microwave is a great time-saving hack for anyone who loves making their own cocktails at home but doesn't have time for complicated recipes!
Make sure you don’t lose this recipe by saving it for later! Also, for more recipes make sure you’re following me on Pinterest, Instagram and like my page on Facebook. If you make this recipe, be sure to leave a star rating and tag me in your pictures!
More simple syrup recipes
- Cheater Simple Syrup for One Cocktail (With a Sugar Cube!)
- Vanilla Cinnamon Simple Syrup
- Blueberry Simple Syrup
- Blackberry Simple Syrup
- Basil Simple Syrup
- Strawberry Simple Syrup
Simple Syrup Recipe in the Microwave
Equipment
- Microwave safe glass or bowl
Ingredients
- .5 cup water
- .5 cup sugar
Instructions
- Add water and sugar to a microwave safe bowl or glass, stir.
- Cook for 2 minutes and carefully remove from microwave.
- Stir continuously to dissolve the sugar.
- Let cool completely before adding to a drink or cocktail.
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