This homemade Peppermint Simple Syrup recipe is is amazingly delicious. It's a Starbucks copycat and the best peppermint syrup for coffee, hot chocolate, tea and more. Make your favorite coffeehouse peppermint drink at home with this syrup in less than 10 minutes with only 3 ingredients!
Inspired by Torani syrup, this recipe is popular in the winter time, particularly around Christmas. We have found uses for any leftovers year round- adding a splash to lemonade, or cucumber or watermelon infused water adds that fresh minty flavor that can take a drink good to great!
This was inspired by our Peppermint Brownies and our White Chocolate Peppermint Cookies. If you love peppermint also check out our Christmas Chex Mix and Christmas Rice Krispie Treats (both made with candy canes). Check out our other Syrups: Brown Sugar Simple Syrup and Vanilla Syrup.
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What You'll Love About This Recipe
- Quick & Easy- this is seriously sooo quick and easy to make, with simple ingredients.
- Kid Friendly - this is a great recipe to make with kids! They can help out and my kids love putting the syrup in their hot chocolate for a fun treat.
- Versatile- this is so great for those wintery treats like coffee, hot chocolate and tea. We also love to put this in milkshakes, on pancakes (especially chocolate chip!), and into cucumber or watermelon infused waters for that minty fresh taste.
- Festive - it's festive and fun for Christmas (but also delicious year round) and can be made more festive by decorating more.
- Great, Original Friend or Neighbor Gift - this is a great gift for friends, neighbors and coworkers. Hand out in jars with a ribbon around the edge or find a cute squeeze bottle to put it in.
- Inexpensive- Starbucks, Fontana and Torani syrups are expensive to buy! This one is so inexpensive to make, you could make it 10x over for the cost of pre-made.
- Food Allergy Friendly - This is very allergy friendly! It can be given or taken to a party where there are those with food allergies.
- Party Friendly - this is perfect for a party, along with some hot chocolate packets or coffee.
Ingredients
- water- regular tap is fine, may also use bottled or distilled
- sugar- regular table sugar
- peppermint extract
- lemon juice, 2-3 drops, completely optional
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
1. Place water in pot and turn the unit to medium high heat.
2. Add sugar to the water and stir to combine. Add 2-3 drops lemon juice, if desired.
3. As the water heats up, give it one final stir, then don't stir again. Bring the water to a full rolling boil, then boil for one minute.
4. Remove from heat and allow to cool for about one minute. Add peppermint extract and stir to combine. Allow to cool to room temperature before using or transferring to another container.
Do not use peppermint oil or flavoring. Use pure peppermint extract only for the best results and flavor.
Hint: Adding the 2-3 drops of lemon juice is completely optional. With such a small amount, you can't taste the lemon. The lemon juice will prevent the syrup from crystallizing and help it last longer.
Substitutions
- Organic - you can make this syrup organic by using organic sugar.
- Honey - this can be made with honey instead of sugar, use 1 cup
- Maple Syrup - this can be made by using maple syrup instead of sugar. It will retain the maple flavor too though, so it will taste different.
- Sugar Free- this is trickier homemade and for best results, we recommend buying the Torani sugar free. To make at home, make as directed above using the maple syrup, but use sugar free.
Variations
- Healthy - this recipe can be made with only 1 cup of sugar. It makes it a little less sweet. It's not exactly "healthy" but has less sugar.
- Wintergreen or Spearmint - simply use wintergreen or spearmint (often just "mint") extract for other minty flavors.
- Pancake Peppermint Syrup - my kids pour it on as is, but for a thicker pancake syrup make as directed above, adding ½ cup corn syrup at the same time as the sugar.
What To Do With Leftovers
We love leftover Peppermint Syrup. In the winter we love it for hot chocolate, pancakes, and milkshakes. If you still have some left in the springtime, we love putting a splash in our cucumber, strawberry or watermelon infused waters. My kids also love it on pancakes. Their favorite is on chocolate chip pancakes. It can also go in chocolate milk or an iced coffee.
Equipment
The Peppermint Syrup is made with simple equipment. If you don't have a saucepan and are using a full size pan, just watch it more carefully as it will boil more quickly.
Storage
Store in a jar or other sealed container in the refrigerator. If storing in a squeeze bottle, place saran wrap over the opening before screwing on the lid to keep it fresh longer.
This keeps until it crystallizes. If you use the lemon juice, it will be longer, but should be anywhere from 3-6 months.
We do not recommend freezing this syrup.
Top tip
- Don't boil it too long or stir it while it's boiling! One minute is perfect. If it boils too long or is disturbed while boiling it will likely crystallize and be unusable much sooner.
- Different extract can have different strengths of peppermint flavor. I used McCormick and I and my recipe testers found 1 teaspoon to be the perfect amount. If using another brand, start with ½ teaspoon and add until desired strength is achieved.
- When adding the syrup to your drink, start out with a little and add more to taste.
Recipe
Peppermint Syrup
Equipment
- 1 saucepan
- 1 spatula
Ingredients
- 1 cup water
- 1 ½ cups sugar granulated
- 1 teaspoon pure peppermint extract
- 2-3 drops lemon juice completely optional, helps keep it from crystallizing
Instructions
- Place water in a saucepan over medium high heat. If adding lemon juice, add it here. Add sugar and stir until dissolved. Stop stirring once sugar is dissolved.
- Bring to a boil. Boil 1 minute. Don't stir. Remove from heat and allow to cool for about 1 minute. Add peppermint extract and stir to combine.
- Can be used immediately. Allow to come to room temperature before refrigerating.
Notes
- Store cooled syrup in the refrigerator in a sealed container for 2-6 months, until the syrup begins to crystallize.
- The lemon juice will not affect the taste, but will help keep the syrup from crystallizing longer.
- Don't use peppermint oil or flavor or the flavor won't turn out right.
Nutrition
FAQ
Simply bring the water and the sugar to boil in a saucepan for 1 minute. Remove from heat, add peppermint extract and stir to combine.
Peppermint Syrup is available to purchase at most grocery stores and Wal- Mart. Sometimes it is in the mixed drinks or coffee sections.
This recipe here is the best! Otherwise, we recommend Starbucks or Torani.
Peppermint is a year-round flavor at Starbucks.
Food safety
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
Nicole
This peppermint syrup recipe is easy to follow and easy to make! It was so fast! Delicious! My boys all love putting it in their hot chocolate. It's the perfect Torani and Starbucks peppermint syrup copycat. Will be making again and again!