Flavored Simple Syrups for Coffee & Iced Tea Recipes

This guide to flavored simple syrups includes recommendations for pairings each syrup recipe with coffee, iced tea, and other drinks (and sometimes also foods).

01 of 14

Lemon-Ginger Simple Syrup Recipe

Simple syrup made of lemon and ginger.
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This flavored simple syrup recipe was created for Lemon-Ginger Iced Green Tea. However, it can also pair well with hot or iced coffees with natural citrus notes, and it can make a great base for flavored or sparkling lemonade. Variations on this recipe include Lemon Simple Syrup.
02 of 14

Brown Sugar & Ginger Simple Syrup Recipe

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This deeply flavored simple syrup is best in bold drinks. The recipe was created for Spiked Vodka Chai, but you can also use it to flavor masala chai, milk steamers, or coffees with natural spice notes.
03 of 14

Cardamom Simple Syrup Recipe

Whole, freshly dried green cardamom.
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This aromatic simple syrup takes a cue from the Middle Eastern origins of simple syrup with an intense cardamom flavor. It's delicious in masala chai, coffees with lighter, brighter flavors, milk steamers, and Darjeeling teas.
04 of 14

Cinnamon Simple Syrup Recipe

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Demarara sugar gives this spiced simple syrup a richer, deeper flavor than most. The result is a flavored syrup that's perfect for hot coffee, iced coffee, milk steamers, or masala chai. It also works well with Assam tea or Ceylon tea.

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05 of 14

Lilac Syrup

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When spring lilacs come into bloom, harvest a few bunches to make lilac syrup. The recipe is easy and removing the tiny flowers from the bunch is an aromatically pleasant task. The soft lavender-like syrup can sweeten light herbal teas or be used for a simple lilac soda. It also adds a floral touch to lemonade and is fun in a variety of spring cocktails.
06 of 14

Strawberry Simple Syrup Recipe

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This flavored syrup recipe was created for Strawberry Iced Green Tea. It also works well in other iced green teas, iced black teas, lemonades and coffees with natural berry notes.
07 of 14

Pomegranate Simple Syrup Recipe

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This pomegranate simple syrup recipe comes from the same place as gomme syrup, a traditional variation on simple syrup. It tastes great in iced green teas or in lighter black teas. It can also be added to lemonades, cocktails, and various foods.
08 of 14

Rose Simple Syrup Recipe

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This versatile flavored syrup can be used to enhance hot coffee, iced coffee, hot or iced black teas, iced green teas, certain iced oolong teas, lemonades, cocktails, ice creams, and baked goods. I recommend trying it out for an afternoon tea party, Valentine's Day, or an anniversary.

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09 of 14

Lavender Simple Syrup Recipe

The Spruce

Although this recipe was created to make an ingredient for cocktails, lavender-flavored simple syrup also tastes fantastic in certain green teas, some Ceylon black teas, and lemonades. Given the Victorian associations with lavender, it could also make an interesting sweetener for an afternoon tea party menu.
10 of 14

Mint Simple Syrup Recipe

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The invigorating flavor of mint is captured in this fresh mint simple syrup recipe. Use this syrup to add a burst of mint flavor to your iced black tea or iced green tea, to herbal infusions or to flavored coffee drinks, like flavored lattes.
11 of 14

Eucalyptus Simple Syrup Recipe

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The herbaceous flavor of eucalyptus can enhance Darjeeling first flush teas, mint teas, and certain herbal infusions, like lavender or cinnamon leaf.
12 of 14

Vanilla Simple Syrup Recipe

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The soft flavor of vanilla is perfect for lattes, iced coffee, black tea, cocktails, and a more refined lemonade. An alternative to this basic recipe is the spicier, bolder Vanilla-Ginger Simple Syrup Recipe.

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13 of 14

Tea Simple Syrup Recipe

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This versatile recipe can be used to make green tea simple syrup, Earl Grey simple syrup, or any other type of tea-flavored simple syrup. I recommend trying it in milk steamers (for easy tea lattes), sparkling water (for instant 'tea sodas,' like the Earl Grey tea soda pictured here), and in flavorful lemonades.
14 of 14

Chai Simple Syrup Recipe

A simple syrup with Chai spices.
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This masala chai-flavored simple syrup can be added to black tea, milk tea, coffee or milk steamers for an instantly spicy-sweet flavor. It also tastes great drizzled over ice cream or sweet baked goods.