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This brown sugar syrup comes together in 5 minutes and is full of rich caramel flavor. Perfect for sweetening coffee drinks, pancakes, and more!
Sure, you can sweeten your lattes and iced espresso with classic simple syrup. But this homemade brown sugar syrup is my new secret weapon! It adds even more flavor: its deep caramel flavor is intensely cozy, with notes of toffee and vanilla. Plus, it takes just 5 minutes and is perfect for coffee drinks, pancakes, and even cocktails and mocktails.
The first time I tasted a Starbucks Brown Sugar Oat Milk Shaken Espresso, I was hooked, and I knew I had to create a homemade version of this recipe. Now I keep a jar in my fridge at all times!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Quick and easy. It comes together in under 5 minutes with just brown sugar and water.
- Deep, complex flavor. The molasses in brown sugar creates a rich caramel-toffee flavor that’s more interesting than simple syrup.
- Versatile. Use it in lattes and iced coffee, drizzle it over pancakes and waffles, stir it into oatmeal, or mix it into cocktails.
- Budget-friendly. Skip the expensive Starbucks runs or Torani syrups.
5-Star Reader Review
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐”This is great. Use it in tea to make tea lattes. Yum!” -Carilyn S.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Brown sugar: You can use either light brown sugar or dark brown sugar here: whatever you have on hand! As you might expect, brown sugar has a slightly deeper caramel flavor. You could also use coconut sugar or cane sugar, though the flavor will be slightly different.
- Water: Just regular tap or filtered water works. The ratio is equal parts: 1 cup water to 1 cup brown sugar.
- Optional add-ins: Add a ½ teaspoon vanilla extract to add warmth, or 1 to 2 cinnamon sticks for a cozy-spiced vibe.
How to Make Brown Sugar Syrup
Brown sugar syrup is a variation on simple syrup: it’s a liquid sweetener made with equal parts brown sugar and water. Because of the molasses content, brown sugar syrup has a deep flavor with notes of caramel and toffee. It’s become popular for its use in Starbucks drinks, but it’s very easy to make at home. All you need is brown sugar! Here’s what to do:
- Combine sugar and water: Place ½ cup each brown sugar and water in a small saucepan on the stove.
- Heat until dissolved: Heat over medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring until fully dissolved. Do not simmer!
- Allow to cool: Remove from heat and let it cool to room temperature.
Microwave variation: Combine your brown sugar and water in a microwave-safe bowl or large mason jar. Microwave on high for 30 seconds, then stir. Continue heating in 15 second intervals until the sugar is completely dissolved. This should take about 1 to ½ minutes total.
Storing Tips
Store homemade syrup for up 1 month refrigerated. Best for storage is a glass bottle for easy pouring, or a glass mason jar. The flavor stays pretty constant over time, and it may last for even longer.
How to Use It
This brown sugar syrup is endlessly versatile, from Starbucks drinks to breakfast! I created it especially for my Iced Brown Sugar Oat Milk Espresso recipe (which I highly recommend). But there are so many ways to add delicious cozy flavor notes.
Coffee and Tea Drinks
Some of my favorite coffee and tea drinks would be delicious with brown guar syrup as the sweetener:
- Iced Brown Sugar Oat Milk Espresso
- Iced Espresso, Iced Latte or Iced Cappuccino
- Tea Latte or Chai Tea Latte
- Iced Coffee or French Press Iced Coffee
- Almond Milk Latte or Oat Milk Latte
- Cold Brew Coffee
Breakfast and Brunch
Brown sugar simple syrup works as a substitute for maple syrup! Use it as an alternative sweetener on:
- Pancakes like Banana Pancakes, Oatmeal Pancakes, or Applesauce Pancakes
- Waffles like this classic Waffle Recipe or our Blueberry Waffles or Pumpkin Waffles.
- Oatmeal like our classic Oatmeal Recipe, Baked Oatmeal, Banana Baked Oatmeal, Steel Cut Oats or Overnight Oats.
Baking and Desserts
Brown sugar syrup can be a versatile sweetener in baking and desserts as well:
- Brush over it over cakes or muffins, like Pumpkin Muffins
- Drizzle it over ice cream or frozen yogurt
- Use in place of other liquid sweeteners in recipes
Cocktails and Mocktails
Using brown sugar syrup adds complexity to both alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. The caramel notes work well with:
- Whiskey cocktails, like a Whiskey Sour or Old Fashioned
- Rum drinks
- Coffee cocktails
- Sparkling mocktails
You can also use homemade brown sugar syrup as a gift. Pour it into a small glass bottle or mason jar, add a label, and it makes a fun homemade gift for coffee lovers. Package it with a bag of good coffee beans as a host gift or holiday present!
Dietary Notes
This brown sugar syrup recipe is vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free and gluten-free.
Frequently Asked Questions
Homemade brown sugar syrup lasts up to 1 month when stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Always check for signs of spoilage like cloudiness, mold, or an off smell before using.
Brown sugar syrup is essentially brown sugar dissolved in water, so it contains the same carbohydrates, saturated fat (minimal), and calories (kcal) as brown sugar itself. So, it’s not considered a health food!
The main difference is the type of sugar used. Regular simple syrup uses white granulated sugar, which gives it a straightforward sweet flavor. Brown sugar syrup uses brown sugar (which is white sugar with molasses added back in), giving it a more complex flavor with notes of caramel, toffee, and vanilla.
Yes! Brown sugar syrup can work as a maple syrup substitute, though maple syrup has a distinct almost smoky sweetness, while brown sugar syrup has more caramel notes. For drizzling over pancakes or waffles, you could consider making a thicker version using the 2:1 ratio (2 parts sugar to 1 part water) to mimic maple syrup’s consistency.
Brown Sugar Syrup
This brown sugar syrup comes together in 5 minutes and has a deep caramel flavor! It’s great for coffee drinks or pancakes.
- Prep Time: 0 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 minutes
- Total Time: 2 minutes
- Yield: ¾ cup 1x
- Category: Syrup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Coffee
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup water
Instructions
- Add the brown sugar and water to saucepan and heat over medium heat.
- Stir until the sugar is dissolved (don’t simmer) for 1 to 2 minutes. Cool to room temperature before using. Stores in the refrigerator for 1 month.
Notes
- Thicker syrup: For a thicker consistency perfect for drizzling over pancakes, use a 2:1 ratio (1 cup brown sugar to ½ cup water) and simmer for an extra 2 to 3 minutes.
- Flavor variations: Add 2 cinnamon sticks while heating (remove before storing), or stir in ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon or a pinch of pumpkin spice after removing from heat. Or, add ½ teaspoon vanilla extract while heating.
- Sugar substitutions: Light brown sugar creates a more delicate flavor; dark brown sugar has a more robust taste. For a sugar-free version, you can try monk fruit brown sugar or brown erythritol blend in the same ratio.
- Microwave method: Combine ingredients in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds, stir, then continue in 15-second intervals until dissolved.
- Storage: Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 1 month.
More Homemade Syrup Recipes
- Simple Syrup
- Demerara Syrup
- Gingerbread Syrup
- Ginger Simple Syrup
- Pumpkin Spice Syrup
- Rosemary Simple Syrup
Used a 10-1 ratio
Notice for anyone that grew up with real maple syrup, this is good but pretty weak. If you’re used to going to Starbucks and having aunt jemimahs syrup then five stars, for others make sure to use dark brown sugar and do 1.5 to 1 ratio sugar to water.
Brown sugar syrup should not be stored in the fridge, it will recrystalize faster. Also, using equal parts water and burn sugar will yield a very watery, runny syrup. I usually put a cup or so brn sugar in a saucepan with just enough water to make the sugar fall flat in the pan. Simmer until dissolved. Only make small batches as it will recrystalize eventually Store in a cupboard.
How do you get it to thicken up?
This version stays relatively thin. You can simmer it for a few more minutes if you prefer a thicker texture.
What type of brown sugar? Dark brown? Light Brown? Golden Brown?
You can use any type of brown sugar here!
Are you supposed to bring to a boil? Or just warm it up?
No need to simmer or boil!
You specifically mentioned not to simmer, why? Does it do something bad like burn or separate?
If you want a thicker sauce you could lightly simmer, but don’t bring to heavy simmer which will change the flavor!
I am a biologist (specifically biochemist). Simmering will cause thebwater to evaporate, which will cause the sugar molecules to change structure and depending on how hot it got, when cooled will harden like candy or even worse, and more likely, be gritty as individual sugar molecules combines into candy crystals inside your syrup. Heating sugar produces candy, and you don’t want candy.
Can you leave it outside? Kind of like coffee shops?
I’m not certain, sorry!
I am a biologist. Yes you can leave it in the counter (that’s what I’m assuming you meant by “outside.”) However, it will not last as long, bc it has no preservatives. You can buy food grade preservatives (perfectly safe) online so I suggest you do that and add the preservative to your syrup. Then it can sit in the counter. Potassium sorbate is a good one. Follow instructions or Google how much to use
This is great. I tried it with my brown splenda, too, same ratios. It was great. Use it in tea to make tea lattes. Yum!
Can I use this syrup in my pecan pie?
I’ve never made a pecan pie! I’m not sure.
Let us know if you have any questions!