This Recipe’s Must-Haves
- Fresh (or frozen) fruit —This isn’t flavoured water—it’s fruit-forward. Use ripe strawberries and tart rhubarb in a 2:1 ratio. Frozen works fine if fresh isn’t available.
- Equal parts sugar and fruit weight —That’s classic simple-syrup structure. Enough sugar to sweeten but not candy-coat your final beverage.
- Warm steep, not wild boil —Steep fruit off-heat so flavour comes through without caramelizing or burning.
- Fine mesh strain —We’re after syrup, not pulp. But keep a little texture—it tastes home-brewed.
- Proper storage —Store in a sanitized jar, fridge-ready for cocktails, tea, shaved ice for up to 2 weeks. Label it—this syrup deserves respect.
These are the pieces that make this syrup shine. Nail them and you’ve got liquid flavour that spices up everything from drinks to desserts.
Recipe Card
- Recipe name: Strawberry Rhubarb Simple Syrup
- Summary: A 2:1 ratio syrup that blends fresh strawberries and tangy rhubarb with sugar and water—ready to elevate drinks, desserts, or breakfast.
- Prep time: 10 minutes
- Cook time: 10 minutes
- Additional time: 15-minute steep + cooling
- Total time: ~35 minutes
- Servings: Yields about 2 cups syrup
- Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian
- Method: Fruit-infused simple syrup
- Ingredients & Instructions & Notes: See sections below
Ingredients
- 8 oz (225g) fresh or thawed strawberries, hulled and quartered
- 4 oz (115g) fresh or thawed rhubarb, trimmed and cut into ½-inch slices
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 1 cup (240ml) water
- Optional: 1 tsp lemon zest or squeeze of juice for brightness
- Optional: Pinch of salt to deepen flavor complexity
Note: Feel free to use 1:1 strawberries:rhubarb (total 12 oz fruit) if you prefer extra strawberry sweetness or longer orange-red color.
How To Make Strawberry Rhubarb Simple Syrup
1. Prep stash
Got fruit? Rinse strawberries, pat dry, hull and quarter. Trim the tops off rhubarb and slice into clean ½-inch pieces. Jelly jar chill water if hot.
2. Combine sugar and water
In a medium saucepan, pour in sugar and water. Warm gently over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Stop once you’ve got hot, sweet water—don’t let it bubble or boil aggressively. We’re not candy-making.
3. Infuse fruit
Add strawberries and rhubarb to warm syrup. Stir, keep heat low, and allow the fruit to release juices and begin softening—about 5–7 minutes. You’ll see the syrup take on color and you’ll smell that fruit sweetness.
4. Steep off-heat
Turn off heat and let fruit rest in the syrup for another 10–15 minutes. This is where you coax maximum flavor without overcooking. If you’re adding lemon zest, stir it in now.
5. Strain
Line a fine-mesh sieve with cheesecloth (optional), place over a clean bowl or container, and pour syrup and fruit through it. Press fruit gently to release all liquid—don’t dig or force pulp through. You want clarity and flavor.
6. Sanitize and bottle
Give your syrup container a rinse with boiling water, let cool slightly, then pour in syrup. Seal tight.
7. Chill
Refrigerate until cold. Syrup will thicken slightly as it cools. Use within 2 weeks. Mark your date.
How to Use It
- Cocktails/mocktails: 1 oz syrup + 2 oz sparkling water + splash of lime = homemade refresher. Boost a gin spritz, margarita, or daiquiri.
- Iced tea/lemonade: Swap sugar for syrup. Cold beverage just got legendary.
- Milkshakes: 2 tbsp syrup in vanilla ice cream base = strawberry rhubarb milkshake glow-up.
- Desserts: Drizzle over panna cotta, poached fruit, or swirl into yogurt or oatmeal.
- Pancakes & waffles: Pour it over buttered griddle cakes instead of jam or syrup—flavor upgrade unlocked.
Tools You May Need
- Medium saucepan
- Fine-mesh sieve (optional cheesecloth)
- Heat-safe spatula
- Digital scale or measuring cups
- Sanitized glass jar or bottle with airtight seal
- Label and marker
FAQ
Can I use frozen fruit?
Yes. Thaw first and reduce steep time to 5 minutes to avoid diluting or cooking fruit too long.
Why keep it 1:1 sugar:water?
That’s classic simple syrup. Enough sweetness and viscosity for drink package and shelf-stability. Don’t triple sugar; it muddles flavor.
Will it clog drinks?
Not unless you push fruit pulp into syrup. Strain carefully and press gently.
Can I use honey?
Yes. Use ¾ cup honey for 1 cup sugar, and treat less heat—honey burns. But flavor changes.
Storage
Refrigerate in sealed container up to 14 days. Sugar acts as a mild preservative, but homemade fruit syrups don’t last forever—watch color, smell, and taste. If it smells off or has visible mold, toss it. Cleanup is winners-only; don’t let bad syrup stick around.
Baking Schedule
- Prep Day (~15 min): Rinse and prep fruit
- Cook (~10 min): Warm dissolve sugar -> soften fruit
- Steep (~15 min): Off-heat infusion
- Strain & bottle (~10 min): Get it chillin’
- Fully chilled: ~2 hours
- Ready when cold
Notes
- Want ultra-clear syrup? Strain twice—first coarse, then fine. For chunky texture, skip cheesecloth.
- For extra zing, add a sprig of mint during infusion and remove with fruit.
- Remember: syrup is concentrated flavour, not just coloured sweet water.
- Turned a ruby-red colour? You nailed it. Slight brown mobilization from rhubarb sugar doesn’t hurt flavour—it’s sophistication.
Final Pour
You’ve turned humble fruit into a versatile flavour elixir. This strawberry rhubarb simple syrup is flirty with cocktails, gracious with tea, and honest with ice cream. You canned flavour in liquid form. You made something better than store-bought. Whenever that bottle comes out, people will ask, “Is that homemade?”
They’ll get the confident answer. “Yeah. I made it.”
Want more unapologetically tasty, structured recipes that flex your kitchen muscle? Email me at [email protected]. Tell me what your readers are craving next—compound syrups? Infused oils? I’ll send the next flavour weapon direct to your inbox.
