Mint Simple Syrup

This Mint Simple Syrup recipe is made with  fresh mint, honey and water, and it adds a refreshing pop of flavor to tea, lemonade, agua frescas, plain water and more. Mint infused simple syrup is quick and easy to make, and it’s perfect to add to beverages and toss into fruit salads during warm summer months.

Sweet and aromatic, this delicious simple mint syrup has a fresh perky taste that’s perfect for adding to teas, lemonade, limeade and more.

What Is Simple Syrup?

Simple syrup (also called sugar syrup) is used as an ingredient to sweeten drinks, desserts and fruit salads. Since it is a liquid sweetener, it blends much easier into cold beverages than using regular cane sugar. Simple syrup is traditionally made by using equal parts sugar and water to create a liquid sweetener. But it can also be made by using any type of sugar or honey. 

Honey Mint Simple Syrup Recipe

This mint simple syrup recipe uses just 3 ingredients!

• Fresh Mint. We use fresh mint for this recipe.
• Honey. Use a high quality honey which is rich with nutritional perks. The darker the honey the richer the benefits. I personally like to use pure clover honey. We don’t simmer the honey with the water, because heat destroys the nutritional perks found in honey.
• Water. Use filtered or spring water to steep the tea in.

Variations

• More Honey. Add in 1/2 cup additional honey if you want a sweeter and thicker syrup.
• Lemon Juice. Stir in 1/2 cup lemon juice for an extra pop of flavor if you plan on using the mint simple syrup to sweeten tea. 
• Extra Minty Syrup. If you want an extra minty tasting syrup, pour the mint water into a blender with the honey, lemon juice and 1/2  cup (loosely packed) fresh mint leaves and blend. Strain into an airtight container and discard mint leaves.  This tastes amazing when added to iced green tea.

Find printable recipe with measurements below.

How To Make Mint Simple Syrup With Honey

This mint infused simple syrup comes together in about 15 minutes start-to-finish.

1. Simmer Water. Bring 1 cup of water to a simmer then add 8 springs of mint and simmer for 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and let mint steep for another 10 minutes as the water cools to room temperature. Discard mint.
2. Add Honey. Pour mint infused water into a mason jar and stir in honey until it dissolves into the water. You can also seal the lid tightly and shake the water and honey together.

Serving Suggestions

• Hot or Iced Tea. Use it to sweeten tea like this Iced Lemon Mint Green Tea.
• Water: Add it to plain drinking water for a little pop of flavor. 
• Lemonade and Limeade:  Use this simple mint syrup to sweeten homemade lemonade and limeade instead of cane sugar, plain honey or other sweeteners.
• Popsicles. Use it to make popsicles like these Lime Popsicles.
• Flavored Ice Cubes.  Make flavored ice cubes with it like these Arnold Palmer Ice Cubes.
• Marinades. Add to chicken and fish marinades.
• Fruit Salads. Drizzle over fruit salads then toss. It turns a plain fruit salad into something special.

How To Store It

Store this mint infused simple syrup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.

What Is Mint?

Mint (Mentha) is an aromatic herb in the Lamiaceae family, which is comprised of more than 25 different varieties grown around the world, including peppermint, spearmint and oregano. This fragrant herb brings vibrant flavors to sweet and savory dishes and beverages. It’s often added to Mediterranean and Greek foods. Mint is most often used as a flavoring in breath mints, candy and other foods, and it can be brewed as a caffeine-free tea. In different parts of the world mint has been used to calm upset stomachs, unclog sinuses, fight bacterial infections, calm anxiety, decrease symptoms of allergies and it has been served as an after-meal digestive aid.

Peppermint vs Spearmint

Spearmint and peppermint are the most popular types of mint used in cooking. It’s almost always spearmint that is sold in grocery stores even though they usually aren’t labeled. Spearmint leaves are typically longer and more pointed and peppermint leaves are usually smaller and more rounded. The concentration of menthol is much higher in peppermint (40%) than it is in spearmint (0.5%). Since peppermint has a more intense mint flavor, it is used more widely is desserts, candies and cocktails. The flavor of spearmint is more mild, fruit and slightly refreshing. It’s used in dishes where you just want a hint of mint flavor.

How to Choose The Freshest Mint

Look for vibrant colored perky greens. Avoid limp leaves and leaves that are yellowing or have dark spots.

How Long Does Fresh Mint Last?

Fresh mint leaves will last for 1-2 weeks if properly stored.

Looking For More Simple Syrup Recipes To Make?

• Blueberry Simple Syrup
• Ginger Simple Syrup
• Elderberry Syrup