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    You are here: Home / Recipes / Drinks / Brown Sugar Syrup

    Brown Sugar Syrup

    Posted: Mar 20, 2023 Last Modified: Mar 18, 2025 by Carmy · This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

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    All you need are 15 minutes and three ingredients to make this easy brown sugar syrup. Its sweet and caramel undertone adds a delicious flavor to any milk tea, coffee, or cocktail. You can drizzle it over some pancakes or waffles as well!

    A little different than regular simple syrup, this brown sugar syrup has a delicious caramel flavor with notes of toffee and vanilla, thanks to the use of dark brown sugar and vanilla extract. You’ll want to have a small batch of this brown sugar syrup on hand, as it makes for a wonderful addition to any drink from coffee to teas!

    A mason jar of brown sugar syrup.


     

    Why You’ll Love This Recipe

    • It’s so easy to make homemade brown sugar simple syrup. All you need to do is simmer three ingredients, and you’re done! If you can boil water, you can make homemade coffee syrup.
    • You more than likely have the ingredients in your kitchen. It’s definitely more convenient to make a small batch of this DIY brown sugar syrup than ordering a large bottle online and waiting for it to arrive. Plus, you can make as much or as little as you’d like! I’m someone who loves variety, so having to go through a giant bottle can get boring. With this simple syrup recipe, I can enjoy the rich sweetness of brown sugar syrup one week, the floral notes of honey lavender syrup the next week, and then sweet cookie-flavored sugar cookie syrup the week after without breaking the bank!
    • I love how flavorful it is. You can also adjust how you’d like for it to taste by swapping the dark brown sugar for light brown sugar or adding more/less vanilla extract.

    Ingredients You’ll Need

    Ingredients needed to make brown sugar syrup.

    brown sugar — I use dark brown sugar for a deeper caramel flavor as it has a higher amount of molasses. You can use light brown sugar if you prefer. I personally always use dark brown sugar as I would need a lot more light brown sugar to get the same deep, rich flavor that I like in my syrup.

    vanilla extract — I like to add a tiny bit of vanilla extract to the syrup. If you don’t want the vanilla notes in the brown sugar simple syrup, you can skip it.

    water — I personally use filtered water.

    How to Make Brown Sugar Syrup

    Brown sugar syrup in a saucepan.
    • Add the brown sugar, vanilla extract, and water to a small saucepan over medium heat.
    • Simmer, making sure to stir until the sugar has completely dissolved, for 10 minutes.
    • Remove the brown sugar simple syrup from the heat and let the syrup cool to room temperature.
    • Transfer to an airtight container and store in the fridge.
    Brown sugar syrup poured into a mason jar.

    Recipe Tips and Notes

    • When making bubble tea, I love cooking my tapioca in brown sugar syrup, so they not only become tender but are infused with brown sugar flavor.
    • If it gets too thick for your liking, you can stir a teaspoon of water at a time into the syrup until it’s at your desired consistency.
    • Try not to boil the syrup, a gentle simmer is all you need to dissolve the brown sugar.
    Overhead view of a jar of brown sugar syrup with a spoonful lifted out.

    Storage Tips

    • Once cooled, store the brown sugar syrup in a mason jar or syrup bottle for up to 2 weeks in the fridge.

    Ways To Use Brown Sugar Simple Syrup

    If you’re a fan of Starbucks drinks, you will love this copycat Starbucks brown sugar syrup! Try it in my iced brown sugar shaken espresso! It’s also perfect in my brown sugar matcha latte and brown sugar latte. You can even add it to my sweet cream cold foam to really elevate the at-home cafe experience!

    If you’re a fan of bubble and milk teas, use this sugar syrup with brown sugar in my hojicha bubble tea, matcha bubble tea, earl grey milk tea, or brown sugar milk tea! The rich sweetness of the brown sugar syrup pairs perfectly with hot or iced drinks, so use this syrup the next time you make a drink that needs a little added sweetness!

    If you want more ways to use your syrup, you can even add it to waffles, pancakes, or mocktails! My pancakes with protein powder recipe doesn’t use any added sweeteners in the batter, so a drizzle of this brown sugar simple syrup adds a delightful touch of sweetness. You can even add it to my brown sugar shaken espresso inspired overnight oats for a wonderful deep caramel flavor!

    Overhead view of a jar of brown sugar syrup with a spoonful lifted out.

    Brown Sugar Syrup

    All you need are 15 minutes and three ingredients to make this easy brown sugar syrup. Its sweet and caramel undertone adds a delicious flavor to any milk tea, coffee, or cocktail. You can drizzle it over some pancakes or waffles as well!
    5 from 52 votes
    Print Recipe Rate this Recipe
    Prep Time: 5 minutes mins
    Cook Time: 10 minutes mins
    Total Time: 15 minutes mins
    Servings: 10 servings

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup dark brown sugar
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, optional
    • 1 cup water

    Instructions

    • Add the brown sugar, vanilla extract, and water to a small saucepan over medium heat.
    • Simmer, making sure to stir until the sugar has completely dissolved, for 10 minutes.
    • Remove the brown sugar simple syrup from the heat and let the syrup cool to room temperature.
    • Transfer to an airtight container and store in the fridge.
    Tried this recipe?Did you make this recipe? I’m always so happy to hear about it! I’d love to see how it turned out. Tag me at @CarmysHungry on Instagram so I can see it! If you enjoyed the recipe, I’d really appreciate a comment with a 5 star rating! ♥

    Nutrition Per Serving

    Calories: 85kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 0.03g | Sodium: 7mg | Potassium: 30mg | Sugar: 21g | Calcium: 19mg | Iron: 0.2mg
    Author: Carmy
    Course: Drinks
    Cuisine: American
    Nutrition Disclaimer

    Other places to connect with me
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    Email: [email protected]

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    Comments

    1. leo says

      June 17, 2023 at 11:32 pm

      5 stars
      super good. make sure not to add too much vanilla because it will overpower the flavor of the brown sugar!

      Reply
    2. Andrea says

      August 15, 2023 at 1:28 pm

      5 stars
      I was tired of getting the brown sugar expresso drink from Starbucks and needed a good replacement. This brown sugar was everything I needed! No more spending $6.10 at Starbucks.

      Reply
      • Carmy says

        August 16, 2023 at 10:46 am

        So happy to hear!

        Reply
    3. Jill says

      December 09, 2023 at 10:29 pm

      Could you add cinnamon or other spices to this? Didn’t know if it’d throw off the ratios

      Reply
      • Carmy says

        December 10, 2023 at 7:09 pm

        You for sure can! In my apple brown sugar syrup, I simmer it with 2 cinnamon sticks. I wouldn’t suggest adding more than a teaspoon as spices like cinnamon can be quite overpowering!

        https://carmyy.com/apple-brown-sugar-syrup/

        Reply
    4. LO says

      December 29, 2023 at 1:32 pm

      5 stars
      Thank you for this recipe. I enjoy it a lot with my homemade shaken espresso.

      Reply
      • Carmy says

        December 29, 2023 at 4:35 pm

        So happy you enjoyed!!

        Reply
    5. Maddie says

      January 23, 2024 at 7:50 pm

      5 stars
      DELICIOUS!
      At first I made it as is- so good. Literally everyone was using it, so next time I’ll make a double batch!
      And I think my family likes a little more vanilla taste so I will add a little more next time too.

      Reply
      • Carmy says

        January 24, 2024 at 9:13 am

        I am so happy to hear!! Another variation of this that I love is the apple brown sugar syrup! https://carmyy.com/apple-brown-sugar-syrup/

        Reply
    6. Tina Marie says

      January 30, 2024 at 11:36 am

      I slice lemons and oranges and pour the syrup over it. Then, I put like two ounces in a mug and fill with hot water. Sometimes, I include some grated ginger, as well. So good!

      Reply
    7. madi says

      January 17, 2025 at 1:16 pm

      how long is it good for?

      Reply
      • Carmy says

        January 18, 2025 at 2:26 pm

        Each blog post should have a blue block that highlights storage tips! This recipe is up to two weeks.

        Reply
    5 from 52 votes (48 ratings without comment)

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    Carmy is a healthy-ish living blogger based in Ontario. Here, you can find healthy-ish recipes including meal prep recipes, Instant Pot recipes, air fryer recipes, and lightened-up family favorites! Follow along for easy, straightforward recipes for any cooking level.

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