Gingerbread syrup recipe: essence of Christmas

Nothing says Christmas quite like gingerbread. The warming, spicy aroma of gingerbread syrup is enough to put you in the holiday spirit! Whether it’s gingerbread cookies or lattes, this classic flavor has been a beloved favorite for generations. But have you ever wondered how gingerbread syrup is made? In this post, we’ll explore the ingredients and how you can easily make gingerbread syrup at home. It’s super simple and delicious. Imagine sitting down with your own gingerbread latte or other treats all season long!

What is a gingerbread syrup

Gingerbread syrup is a sweet, spiced treat that adds warmth and Christmas cheer to any drink or dessert! It’s an easy-to-make syrup base of ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg and clove. And it adds flavor to coffee drinks like lattes or hot chocolate and to many desserts like ice cream sundaes or even as a topping on pancakes and waffles!

But don’t limit yourself to enjoying syrup gingerbread during the festive season. It’s great anytime. Especially when you need cheering up, or even just on cold afternoons.

What does gingerbread syrup taste like

As you’d hope, the experience starts with the amazing smell of warm gingerbread cookies and Christmas. Then you take a sip and enjoy the sweet and spicy taste of ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg and clove. Gingerbread syrup is designed to go with and enhance so many treats.

In a latte, it will bring a smile to your face so you’ll want to drink it somewhere quiet and relaxing.

How to make gingerbread syrup at home

Equipment

• 1 pot for stove top
• 1 fine strainer
• 1 Set of measuring spoons (optional)

Ingredients

• 3/4 tbsp ground ginger
• ½ cup water
• 3/4 tbsp brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp allspice powder
• ½ tsp vanilla extract

Method

• Pour all of the ingredients into a saucepan.
• Then stir to mix them up.
• Put the pot on medium heat and bring it to a gentle boil, stirring all the time.
• Once the syrup has reached boiling point, turn down the heat to a simmer.
• Stir occasionally until the syrup comes to the desired thickness.
• Allow it to cool then pour it into a sterilised jar or bottle.
• Once completely cool, store in the fridge for up to a few days.

Top tips for making gingerbread syrup at home

• First, gather the ingredients – ground ginger, brown sugar, cinnamon powder, ground nutmeg, ground allspice and vanilla extract.
• You can make a pretty good syrup if you are missing either the nutmeg or allspice. But with them all, you’ll make great gingerbread syrup.
• As soon as you put all the ingredients in the saucepan, start stirring, you want them to mix and dissolve in the water while it is warming up.
• It is important to stir this mix continuously because if anything sticks to the pan you will get a nasty burnt flavor.
• Yes, I know you will need to stir it for 5-10 minutes, but the result really is worth the effort.
• Leave to cool for at least 10 minutes before putting it into a bottle with an airtight lid.
• While the syrup is cooling make sure to sterilise the bottle and its lid.
• When pouring the syrup, although everything should have completely dissolved, I always strain it through a fine sieve.
• Just think, once it’s made, you will have enough gingerbread syrup for very many gingerbread lattes, to flavor cookies, or even just to pour over pancakes or ice cream sundae!

Different types of syrups for coffee

Now you have seen how easy it is to make gingerbread syrup, why not try some more of my easy to follow homemade syrup recipes:

• Vanilla syrup
• Butterscotch syrup
• Pumpkin spice sauce
• Peppermint syrup
• Hazelnut syrup
• Salted caramel syrup

FAQs

What ingredients are needed for making gingerbread syrup?

You can make gingerbread syrup with white sugar, but it is so much better with soft brown sugar. Some people also like to add molasses, which brings out a deeper smoky flavor. But this simpler version works great.

If you want to add molasses then you can use a modified version of my recipe. Keep all the ingredients and amounts the same, except, use the following amounts of:

• water – increase to 3/4 cup
• 1 tbsp Molasses
• Ground ginger – increase to 1 tbsp

How long can homemade gingerbread syrup last in my refrigerator?

Homemade gingerbread syrup that has been stored properly in a sterilised airtight container will generally last up to a week in your refrigerator without going bad. But always check if it’s still OK before using it.

Does Starbucks have gingerbread syrup?

Sadly, Starbucks no longer sells bottles of gingerbread syrup. Plus, it doesn’t consistently sell gingerbread lattes across all stores in all countries.