This Brown Sugar Simple Syrup Starbucks Recipe is the perfect copycat! It's got that same yummy flavor and can be made quickly with only 2 ingredients. It's perfect for coffee, lattes, hot chocolate, teas, boba, cocktails, mocktails, Italian sodas or even to add to regular soda.
Brown Sugar Simple Syrup is popular year-round. You can buy it from Starbucks, or you can make this so simply at home and in less time than it takes to drive to your favorite location!
This was inspired by our Peppermint Syrup, Lemon Simple syrup, Caramel Syrup, Cinnamon Dolce Syrup, and our Vanilla Syrup and tastes great in our Oat Milk Hot Chocolate or as the sweetener in our caffeine free Pink Beetroot Latte.
Add to nature's cereal for an extra flavor boost. Or add it to our Angel Milk.
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Ingredients
Below is a list of ingredients needed for this recipe. Follow our tips on each ingredient for best results.
- brown sugar - I used light brown sugar, see below in our substitutions section for other types of brown sugar you can use.
- water - I used filtered tap water.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to Make Starbucks Brown Sugar Syrup
Use these process shots to help get the results you are wanting. The pictures can help with texture and be a visual guide for best results.
1. Place water and brown sugar in a quart sized saucepan over medium high heat. Stir until sugar is dissolved, then stop stirring.
2. Bring to a boil and boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat and allow to cool for a few minutes before stirring or disturbing.
Hint: Not stirring once the sugar dissolves will help it last longer before crystallizing.
Brown Sugar Substitutions
All of the following sugars can be used to replace regular brown sugar at the same measurement. Make sure to read the tips about each one!
- Dark Brown - we LOVE this recipe with dark brown sugar. It gives it a richer bolder taste.
- Muscavado - a British brown sugar, it is even darker than dark brown sugar and will give an even stronger brown sugar flavor.
- Turbinado - this can be made with turbinado sugar but won't have quite as strong of a flavor, and the sugar crystals may take a little longer to dissolve.
- Demerara - large grained and crunchy, it's similar to turbinado and the the crystals will likely take longer to dissolve.
Variations
We love switching things up when we're in the kitchen. Try any of these variations for something a little different.
- Vanilla - Add ½- 1 teaspoon vanilla for a nice vanilla flavor
- Old Fashioned Brown Sugar Syrup - use dark brown sugar for that yummy old fashioned taste.
- Apple - replace the water with apple juice or apple cider (recommended). It might be a little thicker, for the same thin consistency, add an extra Tablespoon of cider.
- Boba - you can use regular for Boba, but if you want to use the syrup for stripes, make it thicker by using double the brown sugar.
- Pancakes, Waffles and French Toast- make a thicker syrup by using double the brown sugar and boiling for one minute.
- Thick - like the variation above, make it thick by doubling the sugar and boiling for one minute.
- Buttered - make it buttered by adding 2 Tablespoons butter along with the water and brown sugar at the beginning.
Ways to Use
We love making the Brown Sugar Syrup at home, it's one of my kids' favorites. Here are some of our favorite ways to use it along with other popular options.
- Coffee - copycat your favorite Starbucks drink like lattes or cappuccinos with this yummy syrup. We love to use it sweeten our coffee free Pink Beetroot Latte
- Tea - can be used to sweeten any tea- Sweet Tea, Iced Tea, Herbal Tea, etc.
- Italian Sodas - use this to make delicious Italian Cream Sodas! Add brown sugar syrup to your favorite berry flavor or just have a brown sugar one. Yum!
- Cocktails - use it to make your favorite cocktails
- Boba - use it to make your favorite Boba Tea.
- Pancakes and Waffles - it's so yummy on pancakes and similar breakfast foods. Simple Syrup is naturally runny, made for drinks. To make it thicker for pancakes, make as directed with double the brown sugar.
- Cake - brush it over a freshly baked vanilla or brown sugar cake.
- Greek Yogurt and Granola - use it instead of honey and drizzle it over a bowl of Greek Yogurt and homemade granola.
Storing Brown Sugar Simple Syrup
Store in the refrigerator in a container for up to 1 month. It won't go bad, but will start to crystallize.
Top tip
Once the brown sugar is dissolved, don't stir the syrup! It will make it crystallize more quickly.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve it with:
Recipe
Brown Sugar Simple Syrup
Ingredients
- ¾ cup water
- ¾ cup brown sugar
Instructions
- Place the water and brown sugar in a small saucepan over medium/ medium high heat. Stir until brown sugar has dissolved.
- Once brown sugar has dissolved, stop stirring. Bring to a simmer, then immediately remove from heat (no need to stir) and let sit until it reaches room temperature. Move to desired container then refrigerate. See photos above for a visual, if desired.
Notes
- We recommend starting with ½ ounce (1 Tablespoon) syrup when using in your favorite drinks, then adding more if desired.
- Make this thick for pancakes or boba by doubling the brown sugar and making as directed.
- Allow to cool to room temperature then transfer to a container and store in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.
- For a bolder, richer flavor make it with all or partial dark brown sugar. The light brown sugar gives it a more classic, lighter flavor.
Nicole says
We love using this brown sugar syrup recipe in our drinks! It's so yummy and so easy and inexpensive to make.