Basic Recipe for Fresh Fruit Syrup

Written by
Carroll Pellegrinelli
Expert baker and published author, Carroll Pellegrinelli shares her knowledge of bread baking and desserts.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Carroll Pellegrinelli
Updated 04/01/21
Fresh Fruit Syrup recipe

 The Spruce
Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 12 mins
Total: 22 mins
Servings: 16 servings
Nutritional Guidelines (per serving)
42 Calories
0g Fat
11g Carbs
0g Protein
See Full Nutritional Guidelines Hide Full Nutritional Guidelines
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 16
Amount per serving
Calories 42
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 0mg 0%
Total Carbohydrate 11g 4%
Dietary Fiber 0g 1%
Protein 0g
Calcium 2mg 0%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Do you want to make your own basic fruit syrup to serve with pancakes, waffles, crepes, to mix into yogurt or hot cereal, or use on other desserts? Fruit syrup can be added to salad dressing or marinades, or mix it with seltzer or punch, or add it to cocktails.

With this simple recipe, you can make a batch of fruit syrup in 30 minutes or less, and enjoy the fruit of your choice without any additives, preservatives, artificial colors, or flavors. You can use fresh or frozen fruit for this recipe. If you have plenty of berries from the garden, bananas that are getting overly ripe, or you want to use up a bag of frozen fruit that has been aging in your freezer, this recipe can turn it into a delicious delight.

What about making a combination fruit syrup you think would be ideal? Here's your chance to make it yourself. You can easily vary the proportions of different fruit you want to use.

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Ingredients

  • 1 cup fruit (fresh or frozen)
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1/3 cup water

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Fresh Fruit Syrup recipe ingredients
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  2. Peel, de-stem, or remove seeds from the fruit, as appropriate.

    Peel, de-stem, or remove seeds from the fruit
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  3. Place the fruit, water, and sugar into a pot.

    fruit, water, and sugar into a pot
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  4. Cook the fruit with the sugar and water, bringing it to a boil and then lowering the heat to simmer.

    Cook the fruit with the sugar and water
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  5. Smash the fruit while it is cooking.

    smash the fruit
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  6. Simmer until the mixture has thickened to a syrupy consistency. This should take about 10 minutes.

    simmer the mixture
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  7. Once the mixture has thickened, you can press it through a strainer to make a thin syrup.

    press mixture through a strainer
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  8. If you prefer a thicker syrup, process the cooked syrup in a food processor.

    process the cooked syrup in a food processor for a thicker syrup
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  9. Serve with your favorite breakfast item. Enjoy!

    Fresh Fruit Syrup recipe with pancakes
     The Spruce

Tips

  • You don't necessarily need to thaw frozen fruit before cooking it, but if you can remember to take it out of the freezer and put it in the refrigerator a few hours before preparation, it would speed the cooking. 
  • You can serve the fruit syrup warm, which is ideal for pancakes and waffles. If you want to save it and serve it chilled, keep it in the refrigerator.

How to Store and Freeze

While the sugar will help extend the shelf life of the cooked syrup, it may develop mold after several days. It's best to use this fresh fruit syrup within a few days or to freeze it.

  • Store in the refrigerator in an airtight plastic container or glass container.
  • Frozen, it should last for several months. Store it in an airtight plastic container, or freezer bag. To use, allow it to thaw in the refrigerator for several hours.