The vanilla, spices, dried flowers and flower waters we trust. Buy them once and they last for dozens of batches.
The baker's benchmark. A splash finishes vanilla, caramel or chocolate syrup with rich, rounded flavor.
Best for Vanilla, caramel and chocolate syrups
Split one pod into a batch for real vanilla bean syrup with the little black specks. Grade A pods are plump and oily.
Best for Vanilla bean syrup
Bean specks and deep flavor by the teaspoon, no pod splitting. The shortcut to vanilla bean syrup and cake soaks.
Best for Vanilla bean flavor without pods
Food-grade organic buds. A tablespoon steeped off the heat gives floral, not soapy, lavender syrup, and 1 lb lasts ages.
Best for Lavender syrup
Tart, cranberry-like petals that turn syrup ruby red. Great in iced tea, margaritas and sparkling water.
Best for Hibiscus syrup
Distilled Lebanese rose water. A few drops perfume rose syrup or orgeat, and one bottle lasts for months.
Best for Rose syrup and orgeat
The classic finishing note in orgeat (and a Ramos Gin Fizz). A quarter teaspoon per batch is plenty.
Best for Orgeat
True cinnamon is sweeter and more delicate than cassia, and its thin layers infuse syrup quickly without harshness.
Best for Cinnamon and spice syrups
Whole spices steep clear and stay fresh far longer than ground. Everything for chai, pumpkin spice and gingerbread syrups.
Best for Chai, pumpkin spice and gingerbread
Skinless almonds give orgeat its milky color and clean marzipan flavor, and slivered pieces blend faster than whole.
Best for Orgeat
Culinary-grade petals (not potpourri) give rose syrup its colour and perfume without a soapy edge.
Best for Rose syrup, rose lattes, gin drinks
Make elderflower syrup any time of year when fresh blossoms aren't in season.
Best for Elderflower syrup out of season
Turns syrup a deep natural blue that shifts to violet and pink when you add citrus. No dye needed.
Best for Colour-changing lemonade and cocktails
Raw, unsalted kernels give pistachio syrup a clean nutty flavour; salted or roasted ones taste muddy.
Best for Pistachio syrup and lattes
Large unsweetened flakes toast evenly and steep into a deep, nutty coconut syrup.
Best for Toasted coconut syrup
A drop rounds out pistachio, cherry and orgeat syrups with that bakery-almond note. It's strong, so measure it in drops.
Best for Nut and stone-fruit syrups
Freshly grated nutmeg is far brighter than pre-ground. Essential for banana bread, pumpkin and eggnog-style syrups.
Best for Warm spiced syrups