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This easy to make Earl Grey Simple Syrup is a fragrant, tea-infused sweetener made with Earl Grey tea and sugar. Perfect for coffee, lattes, cocktails, mocktails, and desserts, it adds a subtle citrusy floral note to any drink or dish.
I have stove top and microwave instructions for you, as well as lots of ideas on how to use this delicious sweetener.
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What is Earl grey simple syrup?
This tea syrup is a flavored syrup made by infusing black tea (traditionally flavored with bergamot oil) into a classic 1:1 simple syrup. It adds depth and a lightly floral citrus note that works beautifully in both drinks and desserts. Making homemade syrup is so easy, and once you get the hang of it, you really can make any flavor you want.
Pro tips for the best syrup
Don’t boil the tea bags, this can make the syrup bitter
Use 3 tea bags for a more concentrated syrup
The quality of your tea directly impacts the syrup, so choose a brand or blend you truly enjoy. You can use tea bags or loose leaf and strain out the leaves after brewing.
Use decaf Earl Grey if you want a decaffeinated syrup. It may not be available everywhere, but you should be able to find it in specialty stores or online, like on Amazon.
Cover while steeping to retain aroma and flavor
Steep longer (up to 10 minutes) for a bolder tea flavor
Add a strip of lemon peel while steeping for extra brightness
Fully dissolve sugar while warm to ensure a smooth syrup
Let cool before storing to prevent condensation and spoilage
How to use
- Of course, my favorite way to use this is as a coffee syrup. It’s great in iced lattes as well. I use 2/3 cup oatmilk with 1-2 tablespoons Earl Grey Simple Syrup, and fill the glass with cold coffee for a great iced coffee.
- A London Fog is a creamy tea latte consisting of Earl Grey tea, steamed milk, and vanilla syrup, you can use this as a London fog syrup recipe. Add lavender syrup for a Lavender fog drink.
- Matcha
- Cocktails with gin, bourbon, or vodka drinks
- Mocktails
- iced tea or lemonade
- Drizzle over cakes, scones, or pancakes
- Make a homemade soda by adding Earl Grey syrup to sparkling water or club soda
Storage
Store in a clean, airtight glass jar or bottle in the refrigerator. For best freshness, use within 2 to 3 weeks. If the syrup becomes cloudy or develops an off smell, discard.
For longer storage, the syrup can be frozen in a freezer-safe container for up to 2–3 months. It won’t freeze completely solid, so freezing it in ice cube trays isn’t recommended.
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Recipe
Earl Grey Simple Syrup
Ingredients
- ½ cup water
- 2 Earl grey tea bags
- ½ cup granulated sugar
Instructions
Stovetop:
- In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, bring the water to a boil. Remove from heat and add the tea bags. Let steep for 5 minutes.
- Remove tea bags, gently squeezing out excess liquid. Stir in the sugar until fully dissolved. Let cool completely before storing.
Microwave:
- In a microwave-safe container (such as a glass measuring cup), heat water on high for 1–2 minutes until boiling. Add tea bags and steep for 5 minutes. Remove tea bags, squeezing out excess liquid.
- Stir in sugar until fully dissolved. Allow to cool before storing.
Notes
Makes about ¾ cup of syrup, or 12 tablespoons
Store in an airtight glass container in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.
For stronger flavor, steep tea longer or use an extra tea bag.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations, and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary based on brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes, and more.
Debi
This syrup is lovely in so many things. Of course, I particularly like it in lattes. It’s also lovely drizzled over vanilla ice cream. I hope you love it as much as we do. Debi, author, Life Currents.