This homemade blackberry syrup for drinks is the perfect way to step up your morning coffee or cocktail game. This tangy, sweet simple syrup is a surprising addition to a mocha or classic pairing in lemonade.
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On the island of Sanibel, there is a quaint little coffee shop tucked in the palm trees called the Sanibel Bean. It has one of the most original flavored latte menus I’ve ever seen. My favorite? A mysterious little drink that goes by Quoth the Raven, a blend of blackberry simple syrup and mocha. It’s so good the closest I’ve ever got to trying the other specialty drinks is sneaking sips of my relatives’ drink selections.
This year, as the island rebuilds in the wake of hurricane Ian, I find myself thinking of this spot randomly. Wondering if it will rebuild. Hoping it will. Until we are able to return, I’ll continue to send positive thoughts for the island out into the universe and recreate my favorite island drink using this easy blackberry syrup recipe.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Homemade simple syrup is versatile and much more flavorful than anything you’ll ever buy in the store, with fresh, simple ingredients. In fact, once you start making your own simple syrup, you may never go back. And there’s no reason not to try it for yourself. Making simple syrup only requires 4 ingredients, so you can make this easy recipe anytime. Once you get the hang of it, I encourage you to try different types of sugar (maple syrup, brown sugar, etc.) or any type of fresh berries you happen to have on hand.
What You’ll Need
- Blackberries
- White Sugar
- Lemon juice
- Water
How to Make This Tasty Blackberry Syrup for Drinks
Use fresh blackberries for best results. You can also use frozen blackberries, but make sure they are thawed before using them.
- Wash the blackberries thoroughly before using them to remove any dirt or debris.
- Combine equal parts of sugar and water (1:1 ratio) in a small saucepan and heat over medium heat until the sugar dissolves completely.
- Once the sugar has dissolved, add the blackberries to the mixture and bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat, then lower heat and let the syrup simmer for 2-5 minutes. (If you want a thicker syrup, simmer it for a few extra minutes.)
- Mash the blackberries with a potato masher or fork to release their juices and flavors.
- Let the mixture sit for up to 30 minutes until the syrup has cooled and thickened slightly and the blackberries have broken down.
- Remove the syrup from the heat and strain it through a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth to remove any solids.
- Allow the syrup to cool completely before storing it in a clean, airtight container in the fridge for up to two weeks.
Once you make this simple blackberry syrup, you’ll probably want to DRINK it! Here are 2 quick, non-alcoholic drink recipes for you to try (I love them both) and a whole list of ideas to get your creative juices going.
Drink 1: Simple Blackberry Club Soda
It doesn’t need to be Friday to sip on this refreshing mocktail. All you really need is a patio and a little sun… and plenty of this blackberry syrup, of course. It’s perfect for Mother’s Day brunch, Father’s Day picnics, and just about everything in between.
- 1 highball glass
- 3-5 fresh blackberries
- Crushed ice
- 2 oz blackberry syrup for drinks
- Club soda
Layer fresh blackberries and crushed ice. Pour blackberry simple syrup over ice. Fill with club soda. Stir. Add more syrup to taste, stirring again as needed. Top with a sprig of fresh mint or a lemon wedge if desired. Enjoy!
Drink 2: Simple Blackberry Latte
This is a delicious way to wake up in the morning. Try adding a pinch of cinnamon, cardamom or even ground ginger to the bottom of your glass to compliment the taste of blackberries.
Side note: I have an 8 ounce cappuccino mug and I like to add flavoring to my coffee but I don’t like coffees that are overly sweet. If you like your coffees on the sweeter side, I’d increase the syrup by ½ ounce and decrease milk by as much so that the drink still fits in your mug.
- ½ ounce blackberry syrup for drinks
- 5 ½ ounces milk
- 2 shots espresso
Add the blackberry syrup to your coffee or cappuccino mug. Pull a double shot of espresso. Steam milk and pour into coffee. Stir and voila!
Blackberry Syrup: So Many Uses, You’ll Make It Again and Again
Whether you use this as a topping or in your favorite cocktails, I promise, you can’t go wrong. Cheers!
- Blackberry Lemonade
- Blackberry Pancakes
- Over Vanilla Ice Cream
- In an Iced Tea
- In a Hot Tea
- With Club Soda and Heavy Cream (homemade Italian cream soda)
- Brushing it on cakes to keep it moist
- Blackberry Mojito
- Blackberry Margarita
- Mint Juleps
- Blackberry Moscow Mule
- Blackberry Whiskey Lemonade
Storing Blackberry Syrup for Drinks
You can store your blackberry simple syrup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 weeks. Fresh fruit simple syrups have much shorter shelf life than your typical simple syrup. For that reason, this recipe should not be stored on the kitchen counter as it will go bad much quicker that way.
📖 Recipe
Blackberry Syrup for Drinks
Ingredients
- 6 oz blackberries fresh
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice freshly squeezed
- 1 cup water
Instructions
- Wash the blackberries thoroughly before using them to remove any dirt or debris.
- Combine equal parts of sugar and water (1:1 ratio) in a small saucepan and heat over medium heat until the sugar dissolves completely.
- Once the sugar has dissolved, add the blackberries to the mixture and bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat, then lower heat and let the syrup simmer for 2-5 minutes. (If you want a thicker syrup, simmer it for a few extra minutes.)
- Mash the blackberries with a potato masher or fork to release their juices and flavors.
- Let the mixture sit for up to 30 minutes until the syrup has cooled and thickened slightly and the blackberries have broken down.
- Remove the syrup from the heat and strain it through a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth to remove any solids.
- Allow the syrup to cool completely before storing it in a clean, airtight container in the fridge for up to two weeks.
